Are You Ready for Bird Watching?

Now is the time to make sure you have all your bird watching tools ready to go at a moment's notice.  When that rare warbler is roosting on a branch outside your window is not the appropriate time to be searching for your digital camera or binoculars.  It is also not the time to discover that your camera battery needs a charge.

Throughout the Spring migration, I like to keep both my binoculars and digital camera within close proximity of my windows or back door.  I have found that the camera can be an invaluable tool for making proper identification of unknown species.  Even if you are unable to get a good "in-focus" picture, don't be disappointed.  It is often just as satisfying when you can make an identification by cropping and enlarging a poor quality pic.  As long as you can make out the distinguishing markings, you should be able to determine  which bird you captured on film.  Also, chances are very good that if you have food and/or a water source nearby, they will be back for a second photo op!

If you don't already have a good field guide, I suggest getting one or all of the following:

• Sibley Field Guide To Birds of (Eastern/Western North America)
• Peterson's Field Guide To The Birds (East/West)
• National Geographic Field Guide To The Birds Of North America

Field Guides on Amazon.com

I just happen to have a copy of each of these, as well as a few "vintage" versions of the Peterson's guide.  When in doubt, it is always helpful to be able to consult the pictures from another field guide.  

Don't limit yourself to making identifications and taking pictures in and around your home.  During the peak of the migrations, you will most certainly find both a field guide and a camera sitting on the passenger seat of my car.  You never know when that special sighting is going to present itself.

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