Staying Comfortable When Bird Watching


by Richard Chapo - Date: 2007-02-12 - Word Count: 364 Share This!

The early bird gets the worm, a cliché that rings true in nature. If you are going to head off for some bird watching, you need to go early and stay comfortable.

The old saying is the early bird gets the worm, a suggestion that this is true for all animals. As the comedian Steven Wright once said, "Yeah, but the second mouse gets the cheese at the trap". Regardless, if you want to add to your life list or just take in some excellent birding, you are going to have to get up early. The best time is often the crack of dawn, which raises some issue.

More than a few birding trips have been ruined because people do not plan appropriately. Remember, it is going to be early morning with frost on the trees and that kind of thing. The fact that the weather has recently been warm is irrelevant. It is warm around noon, not typically when the sun is first rising. If you do not plan for the different temperatures, you can have a less than stellar time.

Early morning bird watching is only enjoyable if you are comfortable. This means you need to wear the appropriate clothing. As any experienced birder will tell you, layers are the key. The idea is to wear your basic clothes and then stack others on them. A t-shirt should be layered with a long sleeve shirt and then a sweater or jacket. On warm days, you might wear shorts covered with sweats or some other long, warm pants. Don't forget your head. Wear a skull cap of some sort to cover your ears and a regular hat to shield your eyes. Sunscreen on the neck will not keep you warm, but will prevent sunburns.

As the day blooms, the temperature will start to rise. When it does, you can start peeling off layers to remain comfortable. This is also why you do not just wear a single layer of very warm clothing. If you do, you will be hot, sweaty and miserable as the day warms up.

Birding is a good time so long as you are comfortable. Take this layered approach and you should be just fine.


Related Tags: cold, trip, bird watching, birding, morning, comfortable, sighting, birder

Rick Chapo is with NomadJournals.com - makers of unique birthday gifts for dad.

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