Good Birding!
Fun with the
Bird-
observation:
You should have this with you!
You can actually observe birds anytime and anywhere.
This can often be done with the naked eye, for example at your bird feeder at home. But if you want to get more involved with the feathered world, you'll need a little equipment.
The most important thing is a good binoculars. It doesn't have to be the most expensive model; for around 100 euros you can get a usable pair of binoculars that are more than enough to get you started. There are numerous models and choosing is not easy. You should definitely try out the binoculars before you buy them, which is no problem in a good specialist shop.
You will always find two pieces of information on binoculars: the magnification and the lens diameter. The information “8 x 42” means that the binoculars have 8x magnification and the diameter of the lens – that is the large front lens – is 42 mm.
When it comes to magnification, you should choose a factor of 7 to 10. Higher magnifications, such as 12x, are less suitable because the field of view becomes narrower with increasing magnification and the glass can no longer be held as still.
The lens diameter gives an indication of the light intensity. Greater light intensity helps not only when observing at dusk, but also in hazy light and on cloudy days. Top-quality binoculars are very bright even with a 30 mm front lens, but 40 mm is always a good choice. The larger the front lens, the heavier the binoculars become.
If you seriously want to identify birds, you need a field guide!
There is a wide variety of them and something for every taste. But make sure that simple and young birds' plumage is also shown. Books with drawings are better suited for beginners because they combine all the important identification features in one picture. Photo books often only show the more attractive breeding plumage, and color nuances in photos are very dependent on the lighting conditions.
A very good identification book is the Kosmos Bird GuideHowever, the large number of species described can be confusing, as all species found in Europe are covered. Practical: The Kosmos bird guide is also available as an app for your smartphone!
Speaking of the app:
The NABU app “Vogelwelt” is very useful and you can download it for free to voices of the birds know.
With this equipment, nothing can go wrong. You will just need a little patience, as the birdlife of the Lake District is so diverse that it takes some time to be able to reliably identify the most important species in the field.
Good Birding!
