Hi SerpUa, always good to hear of another birder cycling. I think there are a fair few out & about
as matt says its fantastic way to get around, as you get to hear the birdsong (even if, like me, you don't know what it is) and can stop to see whats about.
anyhow i suppose the first thing is how to carry your gear about, and that really depends on your bike. It'll help if you have a rack on the back of your bike as you can strap your tripod on there. A scope will strap on the back too but perhaps it's wise to wrap it in something protective first (like carpet underlay or bubble-wrap ... maybe have the stuff permanently taped onto your scope), or perhaps just put it into a pannier bag so it doesn't get damaged if you go over bumps and things. Fixing a shopping basket on the back works well too, you just throw everything in there and strap your tripod across the top of it.
I would certainly suggest avoiding a rucksack though as it'll make you sweaty and can cause lower back pain.
Personally i then put my binoculars, digi camera, notebook, guidebook etc all into a handlebar-bag on the front as these are most likely to be needed first (along with my sandwiches :eat: )
If you haven't got a rack on the back, well ... you can get around it with a little ingenuity and a bit less gear. A water bottle cage is just about big enough to fit a small scope (Opticron Mighty Midget etc) into. Binoculars, notebook etc will all fit into the rear pocket of a cycling jersey or jacket. Or you could hang your bino's round your neck and under one arm, that way they won't swing about but will still be handy.
Then just decide where to go
(and don't forget to oil your chain
)
cheers