Birding with others (1 Viewer)

[Lostintwilight84]

I’m torn how I feel with birding with others. If a group is small enough 2-4 people it can certainly be enjoyable , but once a group is 10-20 people , I feel like the trails can get cramped, people are louder …and it certainly flushes the birds more…what do you think? Are you a solo birder or do you like birding with others?

 

[Bezzer]

Solo every time, it's nice to meet up with others now and then as you are out and about, but nothing planned. Depends on your character really, bird watching is an ideal loner activity along with my other likes of motorcycles, home engineering and target shooting, solo but meeting up with others now and again.
I know I am going to miss out from others' knowledge and experience a lot of the time but I'm quite happy with my choice.

 

[foresttwitcher]

Yes, agree with Bezzer, solo suits me.

 

[Farnboro John]

With my crew for preference though it's occasionally nice to have some me time. Also nice to run into old friends while out birding and catch up for a while.

John

 

[Steve Babbs]

Solo generally, although sometimes it's good to team up with 1 or 2 other people. I am not a solo traveller though as I like someone to have a beer with, and to share hire car and other costs with, so between 1 and 3 other people on a foreign trip. Often my wife and formerly often my family. Sometimes the bloke above!

 

[Peter.home]

I've never been lucky enough to have friends I can regularly go on trips with. So pretty much always solo, out of necessity.
In fairness, I prefer my own itinerary, and pace, so perhaps wouldn't change that now.
I also avoid UK twitching, with a view to seeing many species in their home range, so some trips with me would be frustrating for others, as I'd be spending time hunting for species often encountered as rarities in the UK.
My Daughter has a very refined taste in Safari holidays, so every so often, if I manage to save up enough money, we go together. Just to try and add a disclaimer that I'm not a hermit!

I don't think I could handle a group trip, 5 or more people, of any duration beyond a couple of hours. Except perhaps a boat trip, or safari jeep where the pace is dictated to you, and we all have the same view.

 

[Euan Buchan]

Prefer to be a lone but if I’m a area full of Birders I’ll ask what are they looking at.

 

[WACCOE]

I prefer solo,although I've recently bumped into an old birding friend who stopped for birding for some time we've recently had a couple of trips out and will probably carry on having the odd birding trip out together.

 

[Lerxst]

I bird solo (by ear mostly) or exclusively with my wife, who is good at getting me on birds. Only exception is professional guides. That makes three, max. Have had too many terrible experiences when groups are larger. People get impatient with me because it takes me significantly longer to locate birds visually, especially in dark forests. I've been yelled at for not getting on birds fast enough. Get tired of explaining to clueless people what it is like to have only 5% of a normal visual field. And one runs the risk of being stuck with birders who are pretentious and arrogant. I have no interest in such company.

 

[Green Sandpiper]

I do most of my birding solo, nd enjoy it immensely, but some of the best birding experiences I've had have been with friends. Birding in a group of 5, never mind 10, would be my idea of a living hell.

 

[BotanicalBirdie]

Solo. I bushwhack to avoid others.

 

[tehri]

I am never in nature only for Birding, but to observe all of Nature and its animals .... and stealth is an obligation, to become a 'ninja'...
So in a group, no thank you !!!!
Several bears, deer, and others have passed by more than once within a few meters without even suspecting my presence, something impossible in a group.

 

[Leafbringer]

I usually do birding solo, although it's nice to have a friend with me sometimes. I mostly prefer to do it alone because I tend to take my time looking at birds and don't like being rushed.

 

[Mono]

Whilst I do it occasionally I don't really enjoy solo birding. I don't really enjoy solo anything, I wouldn't dream of going to see a band, to the theatre or cinema on my own. For me the sharing of experiences is a large part of the enjoyment.

I mainly go birding with my wife or with a couple of friends it is good to have many eyes and ears.

 

[Noctua_Grace]

In my experience, the best birding trips have been with 2–3 people. Having multiple sets of eyes really helps—sometimes I completely miss something that someone else spots right away. I also enjoy those brief exchanges with 1 or 2 other birders I run into on the trail—just a quick chat about what we've seen in the area. It adds a nice bit of connection without disrupting the flow of birding.

 

[temmie]

If you want to see more birds, go together. If you want to have better views, go alone.

 

[WACCOE]

Whilst I do it occasionally I don't really enjoy solo birding. I don't really enjoy solo anything, I wouldn't dream of going to see a band, to the theatre or cinema on my own. For me the sharing of experiences is a large part of the enjoyment.

I mainly go birding with my wife or with a couple of friends it is good to have many eyes and ears.

I've seen loads of bands by myself, even been to the cinema on my own on one occasion I was the only person in watching the film.

 

[JTweedie]

Definitely solo for me although part of that is down to not having any friends who are also birders. Although I think if I had a choice I'd be solo most times anyway. But I don't mind if I bump into a stranger and we end up tagging along with each other for a wee while - the company is sometimes nice.

Been on nature watching holidays and they generally are large groups of 10 people or slightly more. But I find even in these groups that people often break off into smaller groups and also people will go out solo or in twos or threes in down time, that is, just before or after dinner or early in the morning before we head off somewhere. An extra pair of eyes is useful especially when the birds aren't that familiar.

I'm another one who also does cinema, gigs etc on my own.

 

[earthdragon64]

Now my husband is retired, we go birding together, when he was working, I'd often go alone. I don't mind bumping into others whilst out, more eyes mean more chance of finding things, but I only once went out as part of a group of around 20-25, then when we got to the reserve we were visiting, everyone split into smaller groups and I ended up on my own anyway!