| With the coming of autumn in the Northern | | | | |
| hemisphere, there is the usual migration of | | | | Provide birds with water. If you are in the |
| birds to warmer areas of the continent. There | | | | northern states or Canada, unfrozen water |
| are a number of challenges that go along with | | | | will be harder for them to find. If you can |
| birding in the autumn. | | | | supply them with a consistent source of |
| | | | water, they will stay around. |
| Young birds are harder to identify as their | | | | |
| plumage may not have reached maturity. They | | | | Suet: get to it! You can make your own or you |
| may not match up to the bird you are looking | | | | can stock up. Suet is the easiest way to feed |
| at in your standard birder's guide. | | | | birds and it is very valuable to them in the |
| | | | cold winter months. Suet is really only fat; |
| Birds may also be molting at this time of | | | | you can grab a pack of lard from the corner |
| year. | | | | store. |
| | | | |
| Another issue may be the changing color of | | | | Leave some of the dead flowers in your |
| the leaves and the grey skies of fall | | | | garden. These are full of seeds. You won't |
| (depending on your location and the exact | | | | need to keep all of them for next year's |
| time you are bird watching of course). Hawks | | | | planting; leave them, and you just may be |
| and other autumn-toned birds can be harder to | | | | rewarded with a rare sighting. |
| spot. | | | | |
| | | | Keep your binoculars clean and keep your |
| Best binoculars | | | | field guide at hand - preferably near your |
| | | | window onto your backyard. During the |
| To spy birds best, you will ideally use a | | | | migration season you may see birds that are |
| well-kept pair of 8x-12x binoculars to see | | | | completely unfamiliar to you. Avid, vigilant |
| birds from far away - across wetlands and | | | | birdwatchers find at least one or two |
| ponds, for example. You will want to carry a | | | | surprises every season. |
| tripod with you, so you can set up for long | | | | |
| views (especially with lenses of 50mm or | | | | Bear in mind that seeds and berries are |
| wider). A retractable tripod will make it | | | | plentiful in autumn, so birds may not be |
| easy for you to quickly move to get a better | | | | attracted to your bird feeder. If you need to |
| view. | | | | get out to where the birds are, water is the |
| | | | place to go. Know the local hotspots where |
| Backyard Bird Watching with Your Binoculars | | | | rarely seen birds tend to congregate. |
| | | | |
| There are a number of things you can do to | | | | Use Google or other mapping resources to find |
| improve your bird watching experience for | | | | all the secluded ponds in your area. This is |
| autumn. | | | | where the wild and rare birds will be found, |
| | | | the ones that are not used to civilization. |
| In preparation for the winter, you can build | | | | Check out all the coves and bays of any |
| a winter roosting box. This will increase | | | | coastline near you. The key, as always is to |
| your experience with birds. These boxes have | | | | be patient and to have your binoculars ready. |
| a door underneath or near the bottom and are | | | | |
| more spacious than other bird houses. This | | | | Winter Birding |
| allows birds to get inside and out of the | | | | |
| cold winter wind. On sunny winter days, you | | | | Once winter comes and the leaves have all |
| will have more birds to keep you company, | | | | fallen from deciduous trees, you will be able |
| especially if you can keep them out of the | | | | to tell who has been nesting near you. |
| cold other days. | | | | Identifying nests is an underrated part of |
| | | | bird watching. This is a fascinating way to |
| You will increase the variety of birds you | | | | increase your knowledge the birds in your |
| see if you increase the variety of bird | | | | area. |
| houses you own. | | | | |