Who do you go birding with? (1 Viewer)

[lvn600]

Do you go birding with other people?
How did you meet this person/persons?
Who has the better birding skills?
Do you prefer to be accompanied by a birder who is more or less advanced than you?---why?

 

[colonelboris]

I'm often accompanied by my wife and baby daughter.
My wife used to know a lot more about birds than I did, but she still kicks my butt when it comes to any other creatures. She's got pretty good eyesight and makes up for the fact that when I hear something, I can't tell what direction its coming from, even when really close.
Only down side is that our daughter sometimes gets a bit noisy if we stop too long.

 

[neilmc]

Sometimes with my wife - I'm probably better at ID but her eyesight is sharper.

Sometimes with my mate Vic who's also better at spotting things, however his hearing is going and Grasshopper Warblers have to be taken on my say-so.

Sometimes with the vicar - he's a useless birder but whenever he prays a great fall of migrants turn up (I wish!)

 

[matt green]

often go birding with a friend from the next village

i was birding my local patch and this nutter with pair of binoculars came
walking round the corner :-O

he often does local survey work so any interesting sightings i get he can
add to his records,also good to share local knowledge and have the satisfaction knowing that you put a friend onto something local that he would not have otherwise seen,and visa versa.

matt

 

[Bill@dwp]

Mostly solo, but often my eldest daughter comes and that usually means we go somewhere a bit different. Next weekend we are hoping to go to South Stack.

 

[bgfunk76]

I am hard pressed to actually find someone who will sit patiently and quietly with me for extended periods of time so I'm usually alone and I think I like it that way. Everyone needs to spend some time without the presence of anyone else. It gives you time to think. I have a 16 month old dautghter so having some "alone time" is quite challenging nowadays.

 

[SiG]

I am Billy-No-Mates, so solo, with just the notion of the spirits of certain departed ancestors and friends for company. The solitude is a major part of the attraction for me, although I did take my five year-old to Leighton Moss at Easter. I think she enjoyed it about as much as when I took her to Liverpool v Spurs at Anfield - i.e. not very much for the main purpose, but a bit of an adventure and plenty of time with me for a change.

 

[jcwings]

Me, myself, and I. Just the three of us. Actually, I prefer it that way, but I do have a buddy I will bird with from time to time. In the past I have been a hike leader where you take a group of (mostly) novice birders. I enjoy helping people learn about birds but it can be frustrating when it becomes nothing more than a social event.

 

[paulwfromtheden]

Me, myself, and I. Just the three of us. Actually, I prefer it that way, but I do have a buddy I will bird with from time to time. In the past I have been a hike leader where you take a group of (mostly) novice birders. I enjoy helping people learn about birds but it can be frustrating when it becomes nothing more than a social event.

On me Jack Jones normally. My Mrs sometime comes, but gets bored after 10 minutes.

 

[Sedgley]

I go alone and enjoy the freedom it brings. I can go where I like, stay as long as I like, move from one place to another as slowly or quickly as I like.

 

[Hanno]

Usually with my wife who, whilst new to birding, has a keen eye and lots of enthusiasm. I have a couple of buddies in Thailand that I go birding with, as they are much better then me, I can always learn a lot.

 

[Alison G.]

I do a solo gig birding because I usually work on weekends and have off on a weekday. I would like to go out more often with a more experienced birder because I always learn something. However, many of my friends and my husband enjoy "going for walks" and they like to see the birds that we find. I think they tolerate my obsession quite nicely.

 

[BGuy]

Usually there are three of us . . . me, my bins and my scope! Although on occasions I have to endure one or two of my birding mates. Either way is just fine by me.

 

[cayoncreekman]

We don't go birding per se but take in all aspects of nature from birds to insects to fossils to mushrooms, etc. For this reason my wife and I prefer to go alone with eachother so we can set our own pace. She's the photographer and I'm often up and down the slopes while she's doing her shootings.

We enjoy the company of knowledgeable naturalists in an field like entymology and we'll hook up for this type of hike. When it comes to birds, most plants, etc. we probably know as much as anyone (not trying to boast but after 'decades'...) However,last week we went out with pro who knows his lichens and we learned a lot.

After 'many' years of hiking and backpacking we understand our own pace. We don't mumble about it being too hot or being hungry or worry about Grizzlies and so on. Best of all, when we're back at the Jeep, we like to pop open a beer, nibble on a snack and just enjoy that contented feeling.

 

[Pileated_MO]

With a little effort, I can get my husband to go. He's not exactly Mr. Nature, but I'm working on it and I think he's warming up to it. Otherwise, alone is good. I can't say I have any "birding buddies". It would be nice to, though.

 

[pie]

I would love to have a "birding buddy" my freinds and family would come out with me if I asked but I recognise that "faraway" look in their eyes when I talk about birds. I have a nature reserve and wetlands on my doorstep but these areas can be isolated so I need to pick my time carefully.

There are one or two distinguished gents (thats polite for old) that use this forum who are facinating and witty. They would be my ideal surrogate dad.
We could go birding together, stop off at a real ale pub for steak and kidney pie. Ah I wish!
P.S. This is nothing to do with hanky panky honest!

 

[London Birder]

on my own on my patch (now and then meet another birder) and generally with one or two others elsewhere ...

 

[Mynydd Merlin]

Just me, the missus and the dogs! Because of the dogs we don't do the regular RSBP reserves but we have a couple of regular patches where we combine a walk with bird and general nature watching. I guess I'm the more keen birder but the missus has a better eye for wildflowers and insects. Before we had the dogs we both visited a lot of the RSPB places around the country and I guess to an extent I miss the chance now and again to sit in a hide overlooking a scrape looking at a wader thinking "WTF" is that! (I'm not great with waders and gulls - got most other things pretty well settled after 30 odd years at the game, well except for willow/chaffs until they open their mouths if they do!).
Looks to me as though a lot of posters in this thread tend to do their birding alone or with just one other companion. I reckon this is misleading, because a lot of younger birders must get introduced to it by joining a YOC group?

 

[aythya_hybrid]

With me, about half my birding is with my friend Sean who also lives in Colchester (and, unlike me, has a car). The rest of the time I am on my own. I generally look out for birds when my partner and I go for country walks, but clearly I can only do this up to a point: she does like raptors, though, and will willingly watch marsh harriers, buzzards etc for long periods....

 

[Rhonda]

Do you go birding with other people?
How did you meet this person/persons?
Who has the better birding skills?
Do you prefer to be accompanied by a birder who is more or less advanced than you?---why?

I go with my friend Eleanor, she was a friend who became a birder and now we're even better friends. I am the more skilled but she is catching up quickly. I prefer to go with her but I do like to meet more experienced people along the way.
Rhonda