How do you keep your concentration while birding?

[Ross Ahmed]

Inspired by this month's 'Tip from the Top' in Birdwatch, I'm interested in haering how people keep up their concentration while out birding - particular when you're out all day and there's not much about.

Often the rarest birds turn up when there are few common bird to be found, but it is actually quite a challenge staying focussed when thrashing coastal sites for a full day with a just Willow Warbler to show for it, or seawatching for hours with just a handful of Manxies.

How do others keep there concentration? Are regular pit stops the best bet? Does a day split in two with a couple of hours dinner break work well? Or is it best to keep going for as long as possible and give up when you can't go on?

[Hippo]

I would love to have a full day birding. Work seems to get in the way!! When I do get out I tend to keep going with only snack breaks. Located inland, sea watching is a novelty, but when I do get to the coast I self limit to no more than a couple of hours.

It would be a great day for me to tick Manxies though.

Regards

Kevin

[RecoveringScot]

I would love to have a full day birding. Work seems to get in the way!! When I do get out I tend to keep going with only snack breaks. Located inland, sea watching is a novelty, but when I do get to the coast I self limit to no more than a couple of hours.

It would be a great day for me to tick Manxies though.

Regards

Kevin

Nine-hour seawatches have not been uncommon for me in the past. A small packed luch will suffice. I eat too much otherwise anyway. I've always been a little surprised by people who turn up for a seawatch, stay about half an hour and leave. Mind you I don't drive, so every trip has to be done on foot or by bus. One tends not to leap about when that is the case.

I can stare at an empty sky for long periods too in raptor-watches.

I find little difficulty in keeping alert (unless it's obviously a really bad day), as hope springs eternal, and anything can, and often does, pass by.

There's always something to look at, even if it's only unusual shapes of cloud, or ships

Cheers,

[Buddhist Vegan Birder]

Chances for me to spend more than a couple of hours birding seem to be rare at the moment so when I get out I don't tend to struggle to concentrate. I'm fairly new to birding so nearly anything I see is a new tick for me too!

The only time I struggle to concentrate is on the train home when I tend to fall asleep and dribble, when i should really be looking out over the fields for other possible sightings! haha!

I guess meditating regularly helps my concentration levels too! ;)

Lisa x

[Farnboro John]

I don't find it difficult to concentrate on birding for long periods but sometimes the boss asks when I'm going to stop looking out of the window.....

John

[Aracari]

Sometimes I find it hard NOT to concentrate on birding... specially when I'm driving, lol

[nickderry]

I certainly find it hard to concentrate at times when I'm working the woods in late summer. (Yes, I know they're not very productive at these times, which is why I desperately need some different habitat, it's just there are a lot of woods here). I tend to stop and have a cigarette every so often, which is usually when I pick up some decent birds, certainly NOT a technique to be recommended though!

[Carlos Davies]

Amphetamines8-P