Bird Watching Competitions I Spy With My Little Eye

By: Nomadrick Chapo

Bird watching typically conjures up images of people pursuing a relaxing day of staring into the sky with binoculars. Ah, but then there is the competitive side of birding.

Flying Emuserr, Elbows

For many people, something is only worth undertaking if there is an element of competitiveness. With bird watching, no such element really exists unless you include adding to your life list as a competition. Even if you do, it is a rather vague, indirect form of competition. This is where bird watching competitions come in.

Also known as bird days or big days, bird watching competitions are typically one or two day events held in a specific geographic area. The idea behind the competition is to bring a bunch of birding enthusiasts together and see who tally the most species in a particular time period.

Since the honor code is tied into reporting your tally, the competitive aspect of such competitions isnt overdone. This isnt a situation like bass fishing where they roll you into a stadium afterwards to count your sightings in front of screaming crowds. Then again, perhaps an opportunity presents itself

Can you imagine ESPN covering the event?

Bob, it looks like Longbill Louie is in fine form today. Look at the way he balances those binoculars and what rotation!

Probably not, but a man has to dream!

Back in reality, participating in a bird watching competition is a good idea for two reason. First, the organizers tend to pick spots with lots of species you may not have documented before. Second, it is a tremendous opportunity to meet other people who have caught the itch. This often can lead to future opportunities to bird watch with new friends in previously unknown areas.

If you must compete, there are official bird watching competitions. The World Series of Bird Watching is put on by the New Jersey Audubon Society. Teams of birders are formed and pitted against each other in early May of each year. With humorous names such as the four loons, stokes stompers and so on, it is a good time. The next competition is May 13, 2006, so you have plenty of time to get in top birding form.

Birding competitions are a bit serious for me, but to each his own. Having a Big Day, however, is a great way to get kids interested in watching.

About the Author:
Rick Chapo is with http://www.nomadjournals.com - makers of writing journals. Bird watching journals are great bird watching gifts for bird watching tours and vacations. Visit http://www.nomadjournaltrips.com for more bird watching articles.

Source: www.isnare.com

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Bird Watching Binoculars Critical Bird Watching Equipment

By: Nomadrick Chapo

Avid bird watching enthusiasts often look like pack mules hiking to a gold rush in the west. Bird watching binoculars are one of the critical pieces of equipment they carry.

Binoculars

There are a lot of issues when it comes to choosing binoculars for bird watching. Optics and personal preference seem to be the foremost, but here is a list of issues you should consider.

Bashability

Bashability isnt really a word in the English language, but it certainly applies to bird watching. The bashability of binoculars refers to how tough they are. For instance, if you drop them on the driveway while loading the car, will they hold up? What if you drop them off a small cliff? I, erra friend once did this on the cliffs above Torrey Pines beach in San Diego. More than a few people have been surprised to learn that binoculars go out of whack when bashed. Now, I realize you would never drop them or subject them to anything but the finest treatment, but just check them for me.

Costs

I like wine. I drink wine. Unless I am standing at the cash register, I cant really tell the difference between a $10 bottle of wine and one selling for $100. Bird watching binoculars seem to run along the same lines.

You can buy bird watching binoculars for as much as $1,000. Heck, Victorias Secret or Neiman Marcus probably have diamond encrusted ones for $100,000. Do you need to spend this money? No. My personal experience has revealed binoculars in the $200 to $400 range perform well and Ive never missed a sighting because of their quality.

Obviously, you can spend whatever you wish, but keep in mind you dont have to go overboard. Plus, binoculars without diamonds tend to still be on the beach once you make it down from the cliff.

Feel

This may sound obvious, but you need to buy binoculars that are comfortable. Ideally, you are going to lug these babies around for 10 or 20 years. Make sure they fit your face and spacing of your eyes. Also, make sure they dont weigh too much. After a few hours of birding, this can become an issue.

If youre going to be a birder, youre going to need binoculars. Like wine, you can go overboard on them, but dont need to.

About the Author:
Rick Chapo is with http://www.nomadjournals.com - makers of writing journals. Bird watching journals are great bird watching gifts for bird watching tours and vacations. Visit http://www.nomadjournaltrips.com for more bird watching articles.

Source: www.isnare.com

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Bird House Buying Tips

By: William Teleo

All bird houses sold on the market are not suitable to birds. These bird houses will not attract any birds and re detrimental to the birds health. Please make sure you read the following tips and use them when you buy that bird house:

1. Dimensions: Different birds need different sizes of bird houses. Depending on the birds you want to keep check the area inside, the size of the entrance hole and the ground clearance of the hole. These are very important to attract suitable birds.

2. Ventilation and Sanitation: Make sure the bird house is well ventilated so that it does not heat up too much in summers. Also heck the sanitation and drainage holes to make sure that the baby birds do not drown.

3. Access: The insides of the bird house should be easily accessible so that you can inspect and monitor the nests. One side of the bird house should be hinged and easy to open.

4. Construction: The bid house should be properly constructed with non-toxic material. It should also be properly insulated with unpainted wooden board to keep out the cold and heat. If painted, the paint should be non-toxic.

5. Other Precautions: The entrance hole should be shaded by a roof extension to keep out the rain. No perches should be kept outside the entrance hole as it will encourage predators.

Bird Feeder tips

Before embarking upon a mission to buy a bird feeder, it is important that you assimilate knowledge on what kind of foods the bird you want to attract eats and the plants that attract it. Accumulation of some knowledge about the species of birds that frequent area would also help immensely. Placing the attractive plants in the garden along with the bird feeder will increase your chances of attracting the bird. Be ready to accept that the birds frequenting may not eat from your feeder but may feed on the insects and fruits of the plants you have placed for some time.

The most important factor of using a bird feeder is that the feeder should be placed in the same position for a long period of time and it should be regularly filled with food like clock work. Birds are creatures of habit and when they find food in your bird feeder, they will return regularly to it. If they do not find food there, they will move on to greener pastures.

Bird Feeders are of various kinds. The most common is the Hopper feeder. This feeder is built with a platform along with walls and a roof so that the food is protected form rain and wind. Always make sure the bird seed never gets wet, since it would drive the birds away.

The tube feeder is a transparent tube of plastic or glass designed to feed many birds at the same time. The platform feeder is a tray on which the bird seed can be placed. These feeders are incapable of protection from predators, squirrels and the natural elements. Some squirrel proof feeders are also available.

Make sure the bird housing and bird feeders are always cleaned regularly.

About the Author:
Make sure the bird housing and bird feeders are always cleaned regularly.

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Attract Birds And Accent Your Patio Or Yard With A Bird Bath

By: Paul Graham

Birds, especially wild ones, are a good source of entertainment and peace. Who has ever hated hearing the amusing chirps of the birds in the evening? What's even better is to see them hopping around your yard while you are in your pation, sipping your coffee and gearing yourself for a new day. The absolute charm of birds never fails to entice many homeowners to keep on placing items to attract them to visit their backyards every so often. If you are one of those who enjoy observing the beauty and amusement these little creatures give, one logical step is to put a bird bath in your yard. Birds can put up one fun show while they are bathing and drying off in various manners. Some can do the bathing timidly, while some can be really gregarious.

1. The Depth of the Bathing Basin

Less than 3 inches; that should be the depth of the bathing basin. It should allow you ti fill it with only 2 inches or 5 centimeters of water. Any deeper than that or you risk not having too many birds to enjoy and frequent your bird bath. Most songbirds prefer to hunker down in a depth that does not reach the bottom of their bellies.

2. The Surface of the Bottom of the Bathing Basin

It is advisable that you get a bird bath with a bottom that has a rough surface. This is because several bird bath bottoms are usually too slick that they don't provide secure footing for birds. This could be aggravated when a coat of algae forms on submerged surfaces. If you can't find one that has a rough bottom surface, you can either use a sandpaper or hammer claws to rough it up before putting water on it. This is applicable to plastic basins only, though. Or you can put some textured materials such as sand, pebbles, stones, and concrete to provide sure footing.

3. Buying Tips:

- Place your bath somewhere sunny, away from shrubs and trees, so birds can keep an eye out for the neighborhood cat or other predators

- Make sure that you place the bird bath somewhere it is visible and convenient for you. Your indoors views should be given consideration too

- Keep the bird bath close to a faucet for cleaning and refilling. Every 2-3 days in the summer, empty and scrub it to prevent the formation of algae and bacteria

- To keep the birds coming even during the winter, use birdbath heaters

- To attract more birds, provide something that will produce the sound of gently moving water. A simple dripping hose or an artificial water fall can be very good sources of that little water music

- Ensure constant supply of water or refill the bird bath consistently. When birds ran out of water source, they might go to dangerous places such as aircon units and even a pet water dish

- Don't place bird baths under perchers or feeders. Droppings may fall into them that can cause the fouling of the water

4. The Fit of the Bird Bath on the Pedestal

If the basin does not fit securely on the pedestal, it will be subject to tipping by thirsty animals, i.e., raccoons, dogs, deer, or even bears. It would be a great hassle to keep on picking up an overturned bird bath every morning. It could even get broken.

5. Your Budget

You don't have to break the bank in getting a bird bath. It should provide you cheap entertainment, not a pile of bills unpaid. Many furniture stores have bird baths that don't pinch your wallet that much. Just shop around. It would be good to get a one-piece bird bath, or attach the basin to the pedestal with a waterproof adhesive. You can also use weight to secure the base or simply sink it in the ground to avoid its getting tipped over.

About the Author:
For more great bird bath related articles and resources check out http://birdbaths.outdoorvista.com

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Advantages Of Bird Netting

By: Paul Graham

Birds are one of the top problems of the agricultural production in the country. Not only do birds interrupt crops, they can also ruin your garden, the schools playground, the parking lot in your work, and many more locations where birds exist.

There are many products that could help you with your problem. There are a number of pesticides and other machinery that could be used to prevent pest birds. But there are also many good birds that do not cause damage, and may even help to pollenate your crops and garden, or control smaller pests such as bugs. What, therefore, is the safest way to control the population of problem birds without interfering with the populations of the good birds? Bird netting is your answer.

Bird netting has many advantages, such as:

1. Health Issues

There have been studies that birds could give illnesses when droppings get in contact with peoples skin. Pigeons for example, carry infectious diseases. These pigeons could give people tuberculosis, flu, paratyphoid, Lyme-disease, Toxoplasmosis, and Encephalitis. By making sure that these pigeons do not spread their diseases, bird netting could put an end to your health worrying.

2. Protecting Plantation

Most birds tend to peck on your fruits, vegetables, and plants because they know that these are food. Do not underestimate the birds. Protect your plantation with bird netting, so your plants are fenced safely away from their prying beaks.

3. Save The Birds

The best advantage bird netting has is it is environmentally friendly. By making use of bird netting to protect your property, you are not killing the birds. You are simply covering up the location with a net for the birds to stay away. Unlike other methods of pest control, bird netting does not harm the birds. Pesticides and aroma repellants terminate the birds permanently. Plus, there are laws regarding the harming of birds like robins and blackbirds. Using bird netting, you are abiding the law!

4. Bird netting is versatile

- Large spaces such as buildings parks, and plantations
- Small spaces like backyard or a rose garden
- Agricultural farms and plants
- Impressive variety of bird netting products
- A single bird net can be used for as long as ten years
- Variety of colors
- Variety of materials available (usually polyethylene strings or steel, to withstand extreme weather conditions)
- Prices of bird netting range from $150 to $8000 dollars

Bird netting is the smartest and most affordable way to repel birds on your area. One final note - be aware that an absence of birds may cause your garden to be a safe haven for bugs and other smaller pests that would otherwise have been controlled had the birds have access to the area. Bird netting does not 100% guarantee the livelihood of your protected area.

About the Author:
For more great netting related articles and resources check out http://www.nettinghq.com

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