Every now and then I have one of those perfect birding mornings. The weather is perfect, the scenery is spectacular, and all of my senses seem to be operating in high definition. It can be a spiritual feeling that reminds you of how great it is to be alive. Naturally, watching birds on days like this is also great. You have more of an appreciation of each bird you see. I've tried to figure out which conditions or circumstances lead to such a day and came up with the following list of suggestions.
1) Select a birding destination the night before you go: Choose a location that is secluded, has comfortable walking trails, is naturally scenic, and has good birding habitat.
2) choose a day with ideal weather conditions: I prefer a day with low humidity, little or no wind, and sunny to mostly sunny conditions.
3) Do tomorrow's chores today: If you have to cut the grass, paint the hatchway, make out bills, go shopping or whatever, try to get it done today. This will clear your schedule so that you won't be thinking about what needs to be done after you're finished birding.
4) Have all of your equipment and supplies ready to go: Decide what you'll be bringing for your trip such as camera, binoculars, snacks, drinks etc. and have them organized the night before. This way, you can just grab them and go in the morning.
5) Make sure you get a good night's sleep: A good night's sleep will help you feel at your best so that your ready for step 4.
6) Get up early enough so that you can arrive at your destination at day break: This is probably the most important thing.Early in the morning the air is fresher, there's less unwanted noise pollution, the lighting conditions are better, and it gives you more time to enjoy the best hours for birding and photography. Birds seem to be more active and less easily spooked just after daybreak.
7) Coffee, tea, or breakfast? Having a good breakfast will ensure that I won't be thinking about food an hour into my birding trip and a little coffee helps sharpen the senses.
8) Don't think about the past or the future: When you arrive at your destination try to turn your mind off. Concentrate only on what surrounds you at that moment. This may be easier said than done but it is key to being in the zone.
9) Concentrate on your breathing: The air should be clean and cool early in the morning. Take deep, slow, breaths. Listen to the sound of you breathing and feel the air entering your lungs. This type of breathing helps you to relax and stay focused.
10) Use all of your senses to pick up every detail: Listen closely to everything you see, smell, or hear; leaves crackling under your footsteps, the sound of dew drops falling from the trees, the scent of pine mixed with the morning mist, or the subtle movement of leaves in your peripheral vision. Even pay attention to the silence that surrounds the sound.
Don't worry about which species you see, just enjoy each and every bird to the fullest. I can't promise that these ten steps will lead to a morning of enlightened birding but hopefully it will enhance your overall experience!
If you've spent enough time around other birders there is a chance that you may have heard talk about birders that have a reputation of being arrogant. They may be full of knowledge but give off a condescending vibe to those who dare to breath the same air. It's disappointing to hear a new birder talk about a negative experience they've had when another birder corrected them in a way that made them feel embarrassed.
It would be easy for me to jump on the -chastise the arrogant birder-bandwagon but instead I thought I'd look at things from a different angle by posing 2 questions:
1) Is it possible that the birder who has a reputation of being arrogant is misunderstood?
Sometimes perception plays a role in how we look at others. Someone who is new to birding might find an experienced, knowledgeable birder to be intimidating and maybe in their view, a little too full of themselves. Sometimes, people can be seen as arrogant simply because they are self-confident and good at what they do. There are also those who may be very good at developing their birding skills but may be lacking people skills. They don't intend to offend but just can't help themselves.
2) Is arrogance such a bad thing? There are people in many walks of life who are perceived as overly self-confident, cocky, pompous or whatever term you want to use. This list of people includes talented actors, politicians, doctors, professional athletes, lawyers, and musicians. That over-inflated ego may be what helped them become great at what they do. The rest of of us are entertained by their talents or might benefit from their skills.
The vast majority of birders are friendly and helpful. Arrogant birders are probably a rare species. Even they might have something to contribute such as writing a book or making new discoveries about birds. If nothing else, it seems to be a topic of interest that is discussed within birding circles. Would you read a blog that was title: "The Arrogant Birder"? I would just out of curiosity and I doubt that I'd be the only one. Not everyone is wired to be humble or diplomatic in their approach so we might as well celebrate our diversity. If we were all the same, the world would be a lot less interesting.
