Archive for the ‘Bird Watching’ Category

Bird Watching Ethics

Sunday, February 28th, 2010

Bird watching is a recreational activity where the bird watcher’s gain is the intrinsic rewards of being in sync with nature. Since birdwatchers enjoy birds, birding must always respect wildlife, environment and the rights of the other. As stated in the American Birding Association’s Principles of Birding Ethics, ?the welfare of the birds and their environment comes first.?

There are some simple birding ethics that bird watchers follow to make sure that disturbing birds, disturbing other people or harming the environment is being avoided. There are some rules that are common sense things, while there are ethical knowledge which are not so obvious.

Be sure not to interrupt or disrupt other people from enjoying birding. Respect their property and the privacy of others. Aside from people, also avoid disturbing the birds themselves. Disturbing or stressing birds, especially those who are breeding. Disturbing or stressing them may cause them to leave or abandon their eggs or chicks. Avoid harassing them with too much bird calls. Don’t disturb a nest or handle eggs that you have seen.

Leave nothing but your footprints. Avoid damaging the environment and littering. Make sure to take back any garbage upon leaving. Feeding wild bird inappropriate food is a no. Also avoid leaving food scraps or any left-over food that may attract bird predators.

Even if you are just leaving your birding position for a bathroom break, make sure to take the garbage with you. Left behind wrappers, cans and bottles can get the attention of the birds as well. They may try to eat one of wrappers and can get sick or eventually die.

If you don’t have accurate details regarding Bird Watching, then you might make a bad choice on the subject. Don’t let that happen: keep reading.

Also avoid interfering with birds that seem to be in distress. Examples are baby birds on the ground, they may not be abandoned but just out of the nest and learning how to fly. Some birds just wait for humans to leave before they rescue or return for their young.

Another example are hummingbirds in a state of torpor. They may look like they’re dead, but actually they are resting to replace the energy. Birds who are stunned because they hit a window or something will come around. Live them alone, what you can do is to make sure that there are no bird predators around.

Also birds carry diseases. There are birds who carry West Nile Virus, other have ticks that carry disease like the Lyme disease. Bird mites can get into humans, although they would not stay they can cause enough misery. Report sick or dead birds to the local authorities who can appropriately address these cases, but avoid handling these birds.

One of the most important ethics is to share the birding code of ethics with beginners. The beginning birder may not be aware of the ethics involved with birding, so it is up to the present birdwatchers to share the knowledge. Sharing your knowledge and what you have learned along the way. You might just make a birding friend or two.

In a nut shell, most of the bird watching code of ethics are common sense. If the environment and everyone you have met with respect, bird watching can be great fun. Without the birds, then there is nothing that you would be able to enjoy.

Birdwatching as a recreational activity can go a long way, and by abiding with the code of ethics then everyone can benefit from this great sport.

Now that wasn’t hard at all, was it? And you’ve earned a wealth of knowledge, just from taking some time to study an expert’s word on Bird Watching.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, feel free to visit my latest venture: GVO to claim your $1 trial membership!

Bird Watching and Other Outdoor Activities for Children

Friday, February 5th, 2010

Bird watching is one of the outdoor activities that can be enjoyed by both parents and children. It is one among numerous activities that children can engage in where they can expand their horizon educationally and improve their social skills.

Kids can enjoy nature trips like hiking. Hiking is not only good for the children but it also provide the necessary exercise adults should be doing. Hiking can be done throughout the year, well almost. During spring, it is a great season for looking for the first flowers of the season and observing birds which are in flight during this season.

During summer, animals are most active in this season. Children can observe and sport squirrels in the trees and other animals. Autumn would be the season for pine cones, acorns, seeds and other items for collection. Winter is not the friendly season. But even in this harsh weather, hiking can still be regarding. Children can learn how to examine animal tracks and their food intake during this season.

Aside from nature hiking, wildlife watching is also a hit among kids. Just like bird watching, all you need is just good eyesight and a green area. Similar to bird watching there are field guides where you can identify the animals that you have seen. Just make sure that the wild things are kept in the wild.

Snowshoeing is a great recreation sport with the kids during wintertime. Just be sure that the children are properly covered with warm clothes before they heat out the door.

Gardening is also a great way of involving them with science, explaining how things grow as they grow along the way like carrots, leaf lettuce, radishes and pumpkins. When involving children in gardening, make sure that they would be asked what to do with their harvest. There are many outdoor activities that can be done like camping, picnics, and kite flying.

How can you put a limit on learning more? The next section may contain that one little bit of wisdom that changes everything.

You can also pick some berries, apples, peaches and pears. The whole family can join this outdoor activity. After picking some and eating a little of the fruits that you have picked, they can make some delicious fruit cobblers. Not only do you learn about fruits and have lots of fun, you also get to have a chance of a wonderful dessert.

If the kid wanted to do or is interested in a particular activity, think outside the boz. Get creative! Mix and ordinary finger painting with and activity outside the house like picnic. Getting children mobile and active, not only in schoolwork, is not only because we do not like children to be overweight.

There is a study conducted by the UCLA Center for Healthier Children that kids who have high classroom performance are those children who have an increased flow of blood and oxygen to the bran. By exposing children to sunlight and outdoor activity, children gets the necessary oxygen they need

You can also do some star gazing. You can get a map and involve the children in looking and identifying planets and constellations, even talking about its history. This experience can be followed by going or trips to the library to be knowledgeable about the solar system.

Bird watching or birding has helped children in terms of increasing their knowledge in the field of animals and birds. This is an activity that children and adults like, the appeal does not wear off since there are thousands of bird species worldwide that can be viewed anytime.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, author of this Free Adsense eBook — make sure to claim your free adsense ebook download!

Bird Watching List Software to Track Birds You have seen.

Thursday, January 21st, 2010

Bird watching is one hobby that you won’t get tired of because there are plenty of birds out there in the world which you have not seen. To keep track of them, it will be much easier to download or purchase bird watching list software.

Bird watch software is different from the bird watching list software because the first one mainly focuses on only a few types of birds. You cannot add new information unlike the other which is what it was specifically made to do.

With the bird watching list software installed in your computer, the task of classifying and identifying a species of birds is easier to do. This is because the program is designed to let you save the date and time that you saw the bird since the images can be uploaded from your digital camera. You can even share this information with fellow bird watchers.

You won’t find bird watching software in computer stores so go online. Thee are some who offer a free trial and after 30 days or so and if you are happy with it, only then will you pay for the program. To make sure that the program never goes out of date, most of the developers issue new updates which can be easily installed into your computer.

But before you download or buy any of the bird watch listing software around, compare the features that each one offers. Is it compatible with your existing operating system? If it is but your computer is already slow, consider upgrading it or buy a new one.

You can see that there’s practical value in learning more about Bird Watching. Can you think of ways to apply what’s been covered so far?

One of the features you should look for when you are searching for a bird watch listing software is if it will be able to create a list for different birds. This will make it easier to search for these images later on based on location or country.

If you will be going bird watching out of the country, make sure you have a lot of memory cards since it will be some time before you will be able to upload everything into your bird watch listing software.

Will bird watch listing software replace the guide book usually given out the visitor’s booth? The answer is no because wherever you go, there is a different one being given to the tourists. You have to remember that there are birds which you will never find back home so there is always something unique each time you go on a bird watching trip.

Bird watching is a great hobby and you can start anytime regardless of your age. You may not need the bird watching software when you are just starting out but when you have seen a lot already, you should consider getting one.

Remember, get the bird watch listing software that is compatible with your computer and is updated by the programmers on a regular basis. This will make sure that what you have is never out of date since new and better ones are released.

If you are not happy with your bird watch listing software, consider getting a new one. Don’t forget to transfer all the files first so can finally get rid of the old one and work with a better system.

If you’ve picked some pointers about Bird Watching that you can put into action, then by all means, do so. You won’t really be able to gain any benefits from your new knowledge if you don’t use it.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, feel free to visit my latest acquisition: Free Google Traffic System and make sure to visit my bonus site!

Bird watching for children

Tuesday, December 15th, 2009

The only way to keep up with the latest about Bird Watching is to constantly stay on the lookout for new information. If you read everything you find about Bird Watching, it won’t take long for you to become an influential authority.

Bird watching for children is one of the activities that can help instill the value and love for animals on their young minds. Aside from teaching them the importance of taking good care of animals, bird watching for children can also be a great of spending quality time with them. This activity is also great for children because it can teach them to become nature-wise and van teach them teach them good manners such as respect for animals.

What you need

Before you go bird watching with children, make sure that you yourself have had a first-hand experience on the activity. What you can do is search on the Internet what are the best places to bird watching with children. Once you found the best one or the nearest one in your area, take a time off to visit it before bring your children there.

Check if the entire area is safe for children. If you are having doubts about children safety, it is best to talk to the administrator of the park or the preserve to make sure that they have enough facilities to take care of kids. Also, ask what are the things that you need to bring when going there.

Also check how much are the fees, how many kids are allowed to bird watch, and what are the ideal ages for bird watching. When everything is done and you are confident that your child will be safe while bird watching, book a tour date while you’re there.

On the date of the bird watching activity, make sure that you bring the following:

You can see that there’s practical value in learning more about Bird Watching. Can you think of ways to apply what’s been covered so far?

1. A good pair of binoculars for kids. This is very important because the center might not have enough binoculars for the visitors. To ensure that the kids can use something, grab a good yet cheap pair of binoculars when you are in the department store.

2. A bird book or field guide. Although most of the bird parks offer booklet that contain information on the birds that can be seen there, it is best to bring a book guide on your own just in case they don’t have one. The book guide can help your kids identify the common birds in the area and can help them in describing the birds based on their appearance, color, size, and shape.

3. Bottled water and snacks. Since kids tend to get hungry often, it is best if you bring lots of bottled water and handy snack packs just in case no convenient store is near the area.

4. First aid kit. This should always be a must whenever you go out with your kids because they can be so accident-prone. Make sure that you include a first aid kit in your child’s backpack to make sure that you can tend to the wound or scratch immediately.

5. A camera. This is also a “must” when going out with kids because it can preserve the memories with your kids. Having a handy camera can enable you take as many pictures of your kids during the tour. You can also ask your kids to take as many photos as they can of the birds that they see.

6. A notebook or sketchpad with pens or pencils. One of the benefits of bird watching for children is that it encourages them to jot down their observations. These can also be helpful to artistically-inclined children because it can encourage them to draw the birds that they see.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, feel free to visit my latest venture: GVO and make sure to claim your $1 trial membership!

Know your Birders

Thursday, November 5th, 2009

When most people think of Bird Watching, what comes to mind is usually basic information that’s not particularly interesting or beneficial. But there’s a lot more to Bird Watching than just the basics.

If you are a birder or an avid bird watcher, then you would be interested to know that there are a couple of well known personalities that you share this passion with. You probably have heard some of the people I will be mentioning later on, but, you might also be able to pick up a couple of new names to add to your own list. Let’s get to know your birders.

Roger Tory Peterson can be considered as one of the fathers of the 20th century environmental movement. His Field Guide to the Birds which was published in 1934 has revolutionized the way people see the environment. Peterson brought the highly complex and jargon filled guides of field biologists to a level that ordinary people can understand and appreciate. The result was a new sense of awareness and understanding on the natural world. Peterson’s work laid the foundation for the rise of birding associations and even wildlife centers.

Another great birder is Kenn Kaufman. At the age of sixteen, he began hitch hiking all around North America looking for birds, that pursuit still continues until today. After a three year hiking stint, Kaufman was able to identify 671 species of birds in the area which surpassed the previous record. Among his notable works include his Kaufman Field Guide Series (on North American birds, butterflies, mammals, and insects), Lives of North American Birds, and Kingbird Highway.

Two other birders that should be mentioned are David Allen Sibley and Pete Dunne. Sibley is the author and illustrator of the popular and rather comprehensive field guide, The Sibley Guide to Birds. Meanwhile, Pete Dunne is a birder and writer who is known for his columns and article contributions to various publications like American birds, Living Bird, Wildlife Conservation and WildBird.

See how much you can learn about Bird Watching when you take a little time to read a well-researched article? Don’t miss out on the rest of this great information.

We now go to some of the personalities or birder celebrities. First off, there’s the well known and respected personality in the area of environmental documentaries, Sir David Frederick Attenborough. One of his latest and quite notable works is with BBC’s eight part ?Life? series which tackled the survey of all terrestrial life.

Other celebrities include Ian Fleming. Yes, the author of the popular James Bond books is a certified birder. The name James Bond is actually a borrowed one from the author of the Birds of the West Indies which was first published in 1936. The name Goldeneye which is the name of Fleming’s estate in Jamaica and the title of the seventeenth of the movie franchise was from a duck and World War II mission code name.

Abraham Lincoln is said to be an avid bird lover as well. According to one story, he picked up a nest of robin younglings that fell from the tree. Lincoln placed the nest back on the branch of the tree. Writer Agatha Christie is also said to be an avid bird watcher. It is said that she never leaves home without a good pair of binoculars.

Celebrity birders also include Sir Anthony Galsworthy, former UK Ambassador to China, Trevor Harrison, Princess Takamado of Japan, Jimmy Carter, Charley Harper, and Sir Kenneth Dover. So don’t fret if you think your friends are making fun of your because of your new found hobby. Just mentioned a few of the big names that are in our list and surely, that should keep them quiet.

Now you can understand why there’s a growing interest in Bird Watching. When people start looking for more information about Bird Watching, you’ll be in a position to meet their needs.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, owner of this excellent site: Product Profits Club (click to claim your FREE membership)

You Need a Pair of Binoculars When You Go Bird Watching

Sunday, October 11th, 2009

Bird watching is a great hobby unfortunately you have to stay at a certain distance so you will be able to see them. For that, you will need to get a pair of binoculars which you purchase online or from any sporting goods store.

When you are buying a pair of binoculars, you should pay attention to the magnification. If it says 8×25 or 8×40, the number 8 means how many times the bird will be enlarged when you use it. For those who do not understand what this means, just picture the bird a little bit closer towards you even if you are 500 or even 1000 yards away from the bird.

These days, there are binoculars that are 10x but it should be pointed out that anything higher than that is not always good because it affects the brightness of the image as well as the field of view. If you decide to so, what you are carrying is heavy and you will need a tripod.

The second number in the binoculars is the diameter or width of each front lens. The higher it is, the better because it allows more light to enter so you are able to see the image more clearly.

If you think getting a compact pair of binoculars is just as good as the big one, think again because smaller ones only have a narrow field of view. This means that if the bird you are watching flies off, you won’t be able to track its movement unlike the bigger one which has a wider field of view.

The information about Bird Watching presented here will do one of two things: either it will reinforce what you know about Bird Watching or it will teach you something new. Both are good outcomes.

When looking for a pair of binoculars, you should also find out if it is waterproof. This will allow you to use it even during harsh conditions since you are sure that it will not fog. This will also make it less likely that dirt or dust will ever damage the lens.

Now that you know what to look for when buying pair of binoculars, the only thing to do now is check out what is available. There are many brands of binoculars in the market. While some of these are affordable, there are other which are quite expensive so it all boils down to how much you are willing to spend for it.

If you have found a certain item that is within your budget, pick it up so you can get a feel of it. If the binoculars is just right and you will not have a hard time carrying it, then you should already pick this one and then bring it with you on your next bird watching field trip.

Bird watching will be much easier when you have a pair of binoculars because without it, you will have a hard time seeing the birds when they will mostly likely fly off if you get too near. Some of the brands to choose from include Bushnell, Nikon, Pentax, Swarovski and Zeiss so be sure to get one that is good value for your money.

For people who don’t want to carry a pair of binoculars when they go bird watching, they can use a rifle scope. It’s smaller than the binoculars and only has one lens which is just as good as long as you followed the same guidelines listed above.

Now might be a good time to write down the main points covered above. The act of putting it down on paper will help you remember what’s important about Bird Watching.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, feel free to visit my latest venture: GVO to claim your $1 trial membership!

Basic Bird Watching Apparel - The Must-Haves

Saturday, September 19th, 2009

In anything you do, it is better if you are geared up for an activity before it even starts so that you’ll be able to give your best once you are into it. Same is true when it comes to bird watching.

Which One?
Are you are birdwatcher or a birder? The birdwatchers do such activity for fun. They are fond of the birds but they also want to enjoy the sights. They do their observation even without the help of any kit but, of course, they won’t say no to a binocular but doesn’t really mind its class or type. They are doing the activity to relax. And they can do such wherever they please, including at their own backyards.

The birders are serious about the activity. They don’t merely want to observe, they want to learn and share that knowledge for the world to know. They study each and every movement of each and every species of the birds they encounter. They would go the extra mile to seek out new territories, to find out new kinds of birds and to study such further.

Between the two types of bird watching enthusiast, birders require the more apparel to them because of their purpose for doing the act. Those things that the birders need to have can also be used by the birdwatchers but they aren’t really particular about such stuff.

Geared Up
The basic needs of a person involved in this activity are, of course, the binoculars, spotting scope would also be helpful especially the kind with tripod, notepad wherein to keep their journal and field guides.

See how much you can learn about Bird Watching when you take a little time to read a well-researched article? Don’t miss out on the rest of this great information.

The binoculars become so popular with bird watching activity that manufacturers even came up with the type that is intended only for this action. This tool helps one see the birds clearly. Although the good ones cost more than the simpler versions, it is advisable to invest on such especially if you are doing this activity with such passion and you feel the need to know more and more about the birds that you are observing or have already seen.

Purchasing a spotting scope with a tripod is like declaring the passion to a different level. Now, you’re proving to be more serious about what you’re doing and that you want to see more clearly than what the binoculars can do. Spotting scopes are actually telescopes, this is why its view can reach father. This type is mounted on a tripod for the user’s easy navigation.

The field guides can be useful for someone who’s into the activity to know where to go, to ascertain where to look and to help them easily locate what they are looking for. They can keep as many depending on where they have been or where they plan to go.

A notepad is also a bird watcher’s best friend. They can document on it, jot down their observation, list down the things that are bogging them and note what they what to find out in future research.

As days go by, the bird watching apparel available in the market becomes more and more complicated but likewise helpful for the enthusiasts. It is advisable to invest on good quality even though the cost is higher because in the long run, you’ll benefit more from such because it will last longer.

Hopefully the sections above have contributed to your understanding of Bird Watching. Share your new understanding about Bird Watching with others. They’ll thank you for it.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, feel free to visit my latest venture: GVO to claim your $1 trial membership!

Birdwatching 101

Saturday, July 11th, 2009

Do you ever feel like you know just enough about Bird Watching to be dangerous? Let’s see if we can fill in some of the gaps with the latest info from Bird Watching experts.

Some people want to try bird watching but hesitate for several reasons. They think that bird watching is an expensive hobby, one that would require costly gear and equipment. Hence, they miss out on an enjoyable and sometimes wondrous experience. But you do not need fancy equipment just to enjoy nature and observe colourful feathered creatures. Here are a few things you should know if you are thinking of starting bird watching as a hobby or even just as a leisure activity.

Clothing should suit the weather in which you are going bird watching. If it is the cold season, then of course you would have to venture out in thick clothing. Wear layers of warm clothing, gloves, socks, a scarf, anything that can protect you from the cold. Remember that sometimes you would need to watch and wait for quite a time to spot a bird or wait for one to come near you. So, preparing for the kind of weather you might find yourself bird watching in would not be a terrible thing to do.

Another tip is to wear camouflage clothing. Wear clothes whose color blend in with the surroundings, such as green. But you need not overdo it and look like you had just come out of a military exercise. You can also blend in by not wearing bright or shocking colors that will alert birds of your presence. Keep any sparkling or shiny items as well.

Another essential item to bring with you while bird watching is a notebook and a pen. This is where you record your observations; you can even do some sketches of the birds you will see.

Of course, there is the guidebook, which contains information on the different kinds of birds you can possibly encounter. Choose a guidebook that is small and lightweight since you will be bringing it with you out in the field.

Is everything making sense so far? If not, I’m sure that with just a little more reading, all the facts will fall into place.

Bring a camera that is lightweight and which has an optical zoom of at least 4x magnification. Don’t settle with your digital zoom. Digital zoom is practically useless since what it does is not actually magnify the image but rather creates pixels to make the magnified image smoother or less pixelized.

A good thing to bring during bird watching trips is a sound recorder. This is to record bird sounds or bird calls. Eventually, when you’re good enough, you can identify the birds by their calls alone.

Looking for place to go bird watching is not that difficult. If there are wooded or open areas with trees or bushes, you can go there and see birds. If you have a yard, you can set up a bird feeder to attract birds. Bird watching is essentially a waiting game so be patient. All you need to do is sit and wait.

To give you some tips on the proper baits to set up to attract the most varied kinds of birds. Hummingbirds, for example, target red, pink and orange flowers. They particularly like the trumpet vines or other tubular-flowered plants. Or if you lack the flowers, a bird feeder containing water and sugar could attract these fast flying birds.

Even if bird watching is relatively tame stuff compared to other hobbies, it is still vital that you learn the basics. Bird watching 101 should not only about the joys of bird watching but rather would help prepare for the tasking yet fun-filled day.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, still letting you get the Automated Traffic Blueprints for cheap

Bird Watching Equipment

Sunday, June 21st, 2009

Birdwatching or birding is one of the most popular hobbies in the world. Everybody from all walks of life and ages have enjoyed birdwatching. Birders try to find more species than their competitors in a given amount of time. There are even people who try to be the first one to spot a specie that is migrating across their area.

To enjoy birdwatching, the only equipment that you really need is your eyes for observing. Birds can be identified by their sound alone. There are guide books that can help birdwatchers to identify birds.

The basic equipment for birdwatchers is a binocular. With binoculars, they will bring all birds up close so you see them clearly, a high quality binocular could even let you see feather details of a bird which is hundreds of feet away.

Binoculars are indispensable for a birdwatcher. Binoculars come in different shapes, sizes and specifications. It is not only suitable and can be used for birding, but also for other sporting events, concerts, star gazing, hiking, fishing, nature observation and more.
There is no binocular perfect for all the situations, it is important to determine the primary use to choose the best binocular suitable for your needs.

The large 7 by 50 binoculars are one of the most popular. The first number refer to the magnification power of the binocular and the second number refers to the diameter of the front lens in millimeters. A larger diameter lens means for light can enter the binocular and the image would be brighter

Another birdwatching equipment is the spotting scope. A spotting scope is a compact telescope for observing something beyond the range of a typical binocular. It was designed primarily for astronomy, it is designed with a shorter focal length for lower magnifications compared to telescopes. It is suitable for long distance birdwatching.

So far, we’ve uncovered some interesting facts about Bird Watching. You may decide that the following information is even more interesting.

When boirdwatching and holding a binocular and telescope, you cannot avoid vibrations and tremors because the hands and fingers cannot hold the equipment stable anymore. So many birdwatchers invest on good and stable tripods. Looking at stable images or through stable equipment reduces headache or eye strain.

A perfect tripod is lightweight, rigid, strong, portable, easy to set up, inexpensive and tall enough for comfortable viewing. Investing in a stable and high quality tripod can complement the high precision optical instrument that you have.

Field guides are also important birdwatcher tool. When purchasing the first
Field guide, it is best to start with one that displays paintings of birds rather than photographs. Paintings allow artists to include all distinguishing features that help identify a bird in each illustration. Birdwatchers also carry around a little notebook for their fielding notes. They would record the birds that they saw and even writes the description.

Taking photographs of birds will preserve the memory and experience. Digital cameras that we have today have built-in zooming capabilities. This make focusing on distant objects and taking a clear picture of them a lot easier.

Some birdwatchers would also bring hats and a birding vest whenever they go birdwatching. A birding vest is where you can put your binoculars, field guide, pen and notebook. Rain gear is a must is some areas. Whether may turn suddenly and get nasty, it is better to be prepared.

For long distance birdwatching expeditions, bird watchers carry some first aid kit and some snacks and bottled water.

As your knowledge about Bird Watching continues to grow, you will begin to see how Bird Watching fits into the overall scheme of things. Knowing how something relates to the rest of the world is important too.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, still letting you get Unlimited Web Hosting from ONLY $1/month

Bird Watching Caribbean Cruise

Friday, June 19th, 2009

The following article lists some simple, informative tips that will help you have a better experience with Bird Watching.

Who said you can’t enjoy two pleasures at the same time? If you have to go on a Caribbean cruise, another thing you can do is bird watching given that there are a lot of bird species living out there in the tropics. Here are some of them.

First is the Trinidad Asa Wright Nature Center that is ten miles north of the town of Arima on Blanchisseuse Road. This place is situated in 200 acres of rain forest so you ca walk around here and catch different bird species hiding amongst the trees. If you have the time, try to spend at least 2 to 3 days here so you can take your time doing your hobby.

Next is the Bubali Pond in Aruba that is on the north side of eagle beach and south of De Olde Molen that happens to be a known windmill restaurant. This isn’t a wildlife preserve but rather a pond that is kept wet all year round. You can expect to see brown pelicans here in large groups as well as the Black crowned Night Herons. It is best to see these near dusk and dawn.

In Aruba’s Spanish Lagoon, you can get to see brown pelicans, egrets, herons and frigates. Don’t be surprised to see large green and yellow parakeets that are twice the size of those you see in the pet store that are often seen at sunset.

Those of you not familiar with the latest on Bird Watching now have at least a basic understanding. But there’s more to come.

The Barbuda Frigate Bird Sanctuary is considered to be a secluded because the only way to get here is by boat. With the help of a guide, you can get to this place and see thousands of Fregata Magnificens or ?man of war? birds that live here. The best time to visit is during the fall which happens to be the breeding season. Aside from them, you may also get to see 170 species of birds living together with them.

Your ship may make a port call to the island of Jamaica. If it does, you can visit the Rockland’s Bird Sanctuary. Here, you will get to see 289 bird species of which 28 are endemic and 6 have just been introduced. There are also 10 bird species on the endangered list which includes the Black billed and Yellow billed parrots.

Visitors can pay the entrance fee and wonder on their own or pay extra for a guided tour. You will get to see hummingbirds, Red billed Streamertails, Jamaican Mango, Black and Yellow faced Grassquits as well as their relative the Orangequits. These can be hand fed so you don’t have to play hide and seek just to seem them hiding in the trees.

The places just mentioned are just a few you can visit while you are on a Caribbean cruise. Since your trip will last a week or even longer, plan already where you want to go so more time can be spent with the birds rather than thinking about where you can see the birds.

The Caribbean cruise packages being offered do not come with bird watching tours but you can sign up for one once you the ship docks to port. Make sure you have all your equipment with you which include a hat, small backpack, vest, sun tan lotion, binoculars and a camera so you won’t miss out on anything during your visit.

Of course, it’s impossible to put everything about Bird Watching into just one article. But you can’t deny that you’ve just added to your understanding about Bird Watching, and that’s time well spent.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, now offering Unlimited Reseller Hosting from $5/month