Hey all.
I am new here, never been a Birder and never really paid that much attention to birds. I've never specifically had binoculars and searched for a bird to see what it was and watch them......until Yesterday.
I mowed my back yard and it has several trees that the neighbors planted that birds frequent. I sat down in the evening with my binoculars and said to myself "I'm gonna sit here and find a bird while perched and watch it thru these binos if it takes the rest of the day"! The problem with these trees is that they are really thick and leafy..hard to see a bird in them at all.
It didn't take long until the songs started from the trees. I don't know any birds by their song, so I just started looking. I never found anything. I sat out there for probably and hour or so and it was starting to get a bit dark and it wouldn't be long at all until I wouldn't be able to see anything at all.
Then I heard a song that was louder than the others and it was in the tree that was right in front of me, probably 20 yards away. I knew the bird was in that tree, I just had to find it. My Binos are 10X and I started looking. I looked and looked some more, but I couldn't find it. It was still there, singing. I looked for probably 5 minutes or so and I thought if I didn't find it real soon it would be gone.
As I looked thru my binos at every branch on that tree I happened to catch just a tiny bit of motion as I moved past a branch. I thought I'd check it out and see what it was. I made my way back to that part of the tree and started looking for that branch. Then I found it. Right there it was. It was a Cardinal, a male. It was sitting there just singing away. I only had 1/2 view of him, but it was still great to watch. I have always thought the cardinal was a beautiful bird, one of my favorites. This one had the most beautiful, bright RED coloration. That little tuft of feathers that make up his head shape was also neat to see.
I only got to watch him for maybe 1 or 2 minutes. I would've sat there and watched him for an hour if he would've cooperated. He had other plans though. He flew off and I called it a day and went in the house with my very first bird through binos under my belt. Such a beautiful bird to witness doing what birds do.
Now I see why you all spend the time to go out and look for birds, the money on the best glass made, and the travel to get where the birds are located. I reckon most of you still get excited when you find a bird singing in a tree even though you've probably seen thousands of birds since you started Birding. I never really noticed how beautiful some birds are. I'm now looking forward to seeing my 2'nd, 3'rd and so forth. Most likely be a robin, there's lots of those in my yard all the time. I'd really like it to be a Bluebird though. I really like those too.
Well that's my story about seeing my first bird through binos. I thought I'd share it with you all and maybe take you back to the time when you seen your first bird.
Have a great Sunday everyone!
Larry.
Oh, one more thing. Now I know why 8X is the most preferred magnification in binos. If I continue in this, I am going to have to get a set of 8X binos. They won't be premium glass, but I'll come up with something to get a decent set.
I am new here, never been a Birder and never really paid that much attention to birds. I've never specifically had binoculars and searched for a bird to see what it was and watch them......until Yesterday.
I mowed my back yard and it has several trees that the neighbors planted that birds frequent. I sat down in the evening with my binoculars and said to myself "I'm gonna sit here and find a bird while perched and watch it thru these binos if it takes the rest of the day"! The problem with these trees is that they are really thick and leafy..hard to see a bird in them at all.
It didn't take long until the songs started from the trees. I don't know any birds by their song, so I just started looking. I never found anything. I sat out there for probably and hour or so and it was starting to get a bit dark and it wouldn't be long at all until I wouldn't be able to see anything at all.
Then I heard a song that was louder than the others and it was in the tree that was right in front of me, probably 20 yards away. I knew the bird was in that tree, I just had to find it. My Binos are 10X and I started looking. I looked and looked some more, but I couldn't find it. It was still there, singing. I looked for probably 5 minutes or so and I thought if I didn't find it real soon it would be gone.
As I looked thru my binos at every branch on that tree I happened to catch just a tiny bit of motion as I moved past a branch. I thought I'd check it out and see what it was. I made my way back to that part of the tree and started looking for that branch. Then I found it. Right there it was. It was a Cardinal, a male. It was sitting there just singing away. I only had 1/2 view of him, but it was still great to watch. I have always thought the cardinal was a beautiful bird, one of my favorites. This one had the most beautiful, bright RED coloration. That little tuft of feathers that make up his head shape was also neat to see.
I only got to watch him for maybe 1 or 2 minutes. I would've sat there and watched him for an hour if he would've cooperated. He had other plans though. He flew off and I called it a day and went in the house with my very first bird through binos under my belt. Such a beautiful bird to witness doing what birds do.
Now I see why you all spend the time to go out and look for birds, the money on the best glass made, and the travel to get where the birds are located. I reckon most of you still get excited when you find a bird singing in a tree even though you've probably seen thousands of birds since you started Birding. I never really noticed how beautiful some birds are. I'm now looking forward to seeing my 2'nd, 3'rd and so forth. Most likely be a robin, there's lots of those in my yard all the time. I'd really like it to be a Bluebird though. I really like those too.
Well that's my story about seeing my first bird through binos. I thought I'd share it with you all and maybe take you back to the time when you seen your first bird.
Have a great Sunday everyone!
Larry.
Oh, one more thing. Now I know why 8X is the most preferred magnification in binos. If I continue in this, I am going to have to get a set of 8X binos. They won't be premium glass, but I'll come up with something to get a decent set.
