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You may have noticed how closely bird-watching and hiking go together. A serious fan of backpacking hiking becomes so much a part of nature and the environment, and it is only logical that an interest in bird-watching will soon develop. You may not quite become a scientist involved in studying birds (or an ornithologist), but the love for our feathered friends will soon increase beyond what you ever imagined.
For the experienced bird watchers, hiking is the best means of getting into the prime areas where birds abound. For the intermittent hikers, curiosity in nature just leads them to bird watching. You may not get too excited with the birds that you know, but once you spot a species unknown to you, curiosity turns into the desire to identify the winged wonder and understand how it lives, and pretty soon, a birder is born.
Almost any season can be considered a good time for watching these colorful creatures, but one season in particular is very rewarding to your efforts: winter. Now that will mean hiking in winter, and you will have to organize your camping and hiking gear accordingly. Make sure your Coleman exponent absoraka backpack is ready and stuff in the rest of your favorite equipment used for hiking.
If you are wondering whether you’ll see any birds at all in winter, besides a stray sparrow, then you will be surprised to learn than winter has been considered the ideal season to begin the hobby of bird watching. It is a strange notion, but for one, the fact that there are no leaves in the trees will make it much easier for you to see and watch the birds. And, one advantage for the beginner is that there are fewer species flying around in winter. This makes the job of identifying them much easier.
Hiking is one of the best ways to penetrate the bird’s natural habitats. Where you go will depend on the species that you want to see, but you may find yourself lugging your hiking pack filled with camping and hiking gear across fields and tree groves, along rivers, and even over mountains. Make sure you carry enough warm clothing with you and a sturdy Coleman exponent TylTM X2 tent for your rest stops.
If you are a beginner, you probably will be able to identify about twenty species of birds as you tramp across the territory, while the experienced hiker bird-watcher should observe up to 80 species. The common species you will see in winter are blue jay, cardinals, chickadee, finches, waxwings and several others. For this reason, you will probably want to have a good pair of binoculars and a camera included in your camping and hiking equipment. You may want the birds to come closer to you. There are no guarantees, but the thoughtful hiker could include in the hiking supplies some sunflower seeds to help attract the nuthatches, redpolls, and other birds you will see. You may find them incredibly curious and daring; and if you’re lucky, you may even find them eating right out of your hand. That would really be more than just reward to you for undergoing the rigors of carrying all your camping and hiking gear in the middle of winter just to go birdwatching. |
