Birdwatching is one of America’s most popular outdoor activities. Those of us who love birds, have watched birds, in our back yards or at the local parks, raise and support their families. But every so often we have the urge to escape beyond these confinements and go out into the wild to watch birds in their native habitats.
If you haven’t been on a bird watching outing before, the following tips will give you a good basic foundation of necessities you will need in order to best enjoy your time in the outdoors.
Often you will hear a bird before you see it. Learning to bird by ear is an important part of becoming a good bird watcher. The more time you spend in the field watching birds, the better you will become at learning to recognize the different mating calls and vocalizations made by your favorite birds. To hone up on your skills you can actually purchase CD recordings of the bird calls of literally thousands of birds. Use these to practice identifying different species by their songs and sounds.
Knowing the types of shelter and trees that your bird species prefer is the second key to finding their nests and setting up your stakeout. Some prefer to build their nests close to the ground, while others will find the topmost branches of a tree to build their home.
To have the best chance of spotting your bird species, it’s important to know what times of the day it tends to feed. Most species prefer to start their foraging just before sunrise and will continue up to noon. Some, however, prefer later in the day and you’ll find them just becoming active before sunset.
The most necessary piece of equipment you’ll need is a spotting scope with a tripod. A regular telescope won’t do. You need one with the proper level of magnification. As birding as become more and more popular, it’s become easier to find many brands of birding binoculars made specifically for bird watchers.
Other Birding Necessities
To be prepared to spend the day outdoors with your bird friends, you’ll need the following minimum supplies:
- A sunscreen of at least 15 SPF. This will provide moderate protection from the sun. For extended periods of time, go for an SPF of 30+.
- Water. You lose lots of water while hiking which can lead to dehydration. Take a canteen or bottled water. Drink lots of water before you start your hike and take periodic sips along the way.
- Insect repellant. For the best possible protection against mosquitoes and other insects, you should apply the insect repellant to both your skin and your clothing, according to the label instructions.
- Footwear. You’ll be doing lots of walking and hiking and you’ll want the most comfortable boots possible. In addition, if there’s the possibility that you will be trekking through marsh or extremely damp conditions, you should take along a pair of knee-high rubber boots.
- Rain gear. Weather conditions can change quickly so you want to be prepared for possible rainfalls. A lightweight, waterproof, breathable piece of rainwear could be indispensable.
- Snacks. These are for you, not the birds. Take along some high energy store bought or home made granola bars, fruits, and nuts and you’ll be good to go.
If you survive and enjoy your first outing and feel that you’ll definitely be doing this again, then the manufactures of birding supplies will love you as you will undoubtedly be back in their stores to buy cameras, recorders, and other hight priced items in preparation for your next trip.
Oh, just when you thought that New England was all about pretty ‘English’ early American architecture, or just the place where the claim chowder came from, think again. New England was ‘discovered’ and populated well and truly before the English came around.
Review this video, for example. It features an unusual sight that is of interest to New England’s locals and tourists alike. They are the sight of the ancient stone structures built by native Americans in the woods of Southern New England.
The United Southern & Eastern Tribes (USET) calls them Ceremonial Stone Landscapes.
They are characterized by dry stone walls, rock piles (cairns), stone chambers, unusually-shaped boulders, split boulders with stones inserted in the split, and boulders propped up off the ground with smaller rocks.
USET about the sites:
“For thousands of years before the immigration of Europeans, the medicine people of the USET Tribal ancestors used these sacred landscapes to sustain the people’s reliance on Mother Earth and the spirit energies of balance and harmony”.
If it weren’t for the coral reef located in the Florida Keys, the United States would have nothing to offer as far as scuba diving and coral reefs are concerned. In addition to the living coral reef that has been a main scuba diving attraction of the Florida Keys for more than 35 years, numerous dive able wrecks are scattered throughout the waters providing exotic and breathtaking artificial reef habitats.
Here is a brief overview of some of the wrecks you can visit while scuba diving in the Florida Keys:
Benwood - The Benwood is perhaps the oldest scuba diving wreck site to be found in the Florida Keys. This WWII ship was sunk in 1942 when it collided with another whip while dodging German U-boats near the coast of Florida. While the wreck is not intact (it was blown apart because it presented a boating hazard) it is home to a wide array of marine life. Scuba diving near the Benwood will bring you face to face with critters such as Pork fish, grunts, lobsters, moray eels, glassy sweepers, Sergeant Majors, Goatfish, and Christmas Tree Worms. Since the ship had run aground before it was blown up, the dive is a relatively shallow one and great for novice divers as well as advanced divers.
Cayman Salvage Master - This wreck that can be seen while scuba diving in the Florida Keys is a Cuban refugee vessel that was confiscated by the US government. The ship was tied up to a dock where she sank before she was re-floated. Then, during her burial voyage of 1985, she sank in about 90 feet of water coming to rest on her side. Recently, Hurricane Katrina righted the ship and now divers can swim along the hull and deck hoping to spy huge Jewfish and moray eels that reside in the open hatches of the wreck.
Duane - If you’re experienced at scuba diving, you might want to pay a visit to the wreck Duane while you’re in the Florida Keys area. This US Coast Guard Cutter was intentionally sunk in 120 feet of water in the year 1987. Due to the strong Gulf Stream current and depth associated with the wreck, only advanced divers are allowed to dive this site. The Duane is home to grunts, sponges, chubbs, jacks, barracuda, and numerous tropical fish.
In addition to these three wrecks that can be seen while scuba diving in the Florida Keys, there are several other wrecks in the area that have been intentionally sunk to become artificial reef habitats. Each offers a different experience and a unique look into how the ocean transforms a foreign object into a beautiful habitat where marine life can grow and thrive.
About the Author
To obtain your 2 FREE Gifts: Special Report “Insider’s Guide to Scuba Diving Gear” and Special Report “Top 10 Ways to Make Money while Scuba Diving”, go to http://www.scubadivingsolutions.com and sign up for the FREE Gifts.
