Happy Bird day | Have you got everything?

Whether you’re a committed twitchier, a seasoned birder or an occasional birdwatcher no one can deny that wild birds are fascinating to watch.

Your Bird Watching Gear Checklist

The gear and equipment you need will largely depend on how you intend to do your bird watching and what your budget is. For those who prefer to stay at home and watch the birds in the garden, a few basic provisions will get them started. Maybe just a bird feeder, an old pair of binoculars and a lot of patience will provide enough enjoyment for some.

For those who want to go further afield to spot birds, a more comprehensive list of equipment is recommended. For the hardcore spotters a good quality DSLR camera is a must, along with a spotting scope, camera mounts, tripod and all the gear.

Whichever type of bird spotter you are, from novice to pro, we have made a list of equipment that would be a great start.

 

1. Binoculars. A binocular is the primary tool for a bird watcher. It gives you the super power of 8-times to 10-times magnified vision, which helps you see birds better so you can identify them.

2. Field Guide. If binoculars give you visual super power, a field guide is like a magic decoder ring. A field guide helps you identify birds by matching the image and text in the guide with the bird or birds you are seeing.

3. Field Journal or Life List. Many birders enjoy keeping notes about their field trips or bird watching experiences. And most of us also keep a life list of our sightings. A life list is a list of all the bird species you’ve seen at least once in your life.

4. Comfy Footwear. If your feet aren’t comfortable, it’s hard to enjoy yourself while birding. Footwear design and construction has made great strides since the days of leather hiking boots and hard rubber soles. This is definitely a must.

5. Bird Song App. Being able to bird by ear and identifying birds by the songs and sounds they make is a wonderful way to expand your ability to enjoy birds. Go on to your local app store and download a bird app, the best ones that we know are BirdNET, BirdNerd and BirdUp

 

Our Favourite Bird

The grey partridge is an attractive bird that prefers the ground to pear trees! Found on farmland and grassland, it is under threat from loss of habitat.
Fun fact: The grey partridge also known as the 'English Partridge', lays the largest number of eggs of any bird - in some place, up to 19 eggs can form a clutch!

The Grey Partridge

The grey partridge is a common bird in England but is becoming scarce around much of the country. A farmland bird, it feeds on seeds, leaves and small invertebrates. When disturbed, it prefers to run instead of fly, but will fly low to the ground if necessary. It breeds in open scrub and farmland, close to hedges or other vegetation, laying its eggs on the ground in a grass-lined scrape. 

Grey Partridge tend to be absent from areas dominated by improved grasslands (fertilised), preferring a mixed farming or arable landscape. They will use field margins, arable crops and grass leys for cover and feeding habitat.

 

Find out more

Together we can all do more to help save the English Partridge, the Wildlife Trusts works closely with farmers and landowners to ensure that our wildlife is protected and to promote wildlife-friendly practices. By working together, we can create Living Landscapes: networks of habitats stretching across town and country that allow wildlife to move about freely and people to enjoy the benefits of nature. Support this greener vision for the future by finding out more information here

Back to Journal