Looking through binoculars seems like it will be a simple task, but there are some secrets to getting the most out of yours when bird watching.
There are several stages that it is useful to know. The first is how to become more proficient at locating birds in the field. Then you need to be able to stay focused on the bird, while bringing your birding binoculars up to your eyes for a close-up view.
The following tips will help birders of all levels use their binoculars more effectively.
Make sure your binoculars are correctly set up
The most important thing to remember when using birding binoculars is to adjust them to your own eyesight. This means adjusting the focus and the distance between the eyepieces (for binoculars that feature adjustable interpupillary distance).
We have an in-depth guide to help you set up your binoculars perfectly.
Adjusting new binoculars: how to set up and focus binoculars for bird watching
Once you’ve got the binoculars adjusted to fit your eyes, you’re ready to go.
Use stationary objects for practice
Choose a stationary object for practice.
Sit or stand with your body facing the object, and your feet square to it.
Look straight at it with your head level, not tilted up or down.
Keeping your eyes on the object, with your head and body still and relaxed, raise your binoculars to your eyes.
When you look through the binoculars, your line of vision should be aimed straight at the object.
Practising and preparing in this way with a stationary object will help the movements become automatic. The repeated movements will become familiar and fixed in your muscle memory.
It can take some getting used to to remain focussed on the object rather than looking down at your binoculars. Through practice, though, this will become second nature.
Once you have become more proficient at switching from looking at something stationary with the naked eye to looking through binoculars, watching for moving objects will be much easier.
Find a bird with your eyes
Often when people are beginning bird watching, they first try to find the birds by scanning the trees with their binoculars. Actually, the best way to locate birds is using the naked eye and ear.
It is best to use the naked eye first because your eyes have a wider field of vision than the binoculars do. Typically, binoculars have a field of view less than eight degrees. Our eyes have a horizontal field of view of 210 degrees.
So you are able to cover more area of the environment with your eyes than when scanning through the binoculars. Even noticing something in your peripheral vision alerts you to the presence of a bird. If you were constantly looking through binoculars you would miss out on this ‘corner of your eye’ vision.
Tips on how to spot birds
- Scan the trees without using your binoculars. Listen out for birdsong or rustling that might indicate movement from birds.
- A good tip while doing this is to keep your eyes relaxed. Rather than focussing hard or sharply on the details of the scenery, keep a soft focus and move your eyes slowly in a relaxed way.
- Once you’ve found the bird, follow it with your eyes for a few seconds. This will help you to get a sense of its movements and of any other birds around it, trying to anticipate where it might move to next. This gets easier with practice.
- Then lift up your binoculars to get a better view. Remember to stay still and keep your eyes fixed on the bird as you bring your binoculars up to your eyes. This will help you keep the bird in sight.
- If you need to, adjust the focus using the center focus wheel to see the bird clearly.
Keep the bird in sight
It’s very common for beginners to lose sight of the bird when bringing the binoculars up to their eyes. Some experts recommend using your peripheral vision to keep track of the bird when bringing up your binoculars, but how you do it really doesn’t matter.
If you are having difficulty following the bird with your binoculars, try focusing on a landmark near the bird instead. This can help you keep track of where the bird is in relation to your surroundings.
For example, there might be a distinctively shaped branch, or leaves of a different color. Making a mental note of these points of reference can also be useful if you want to describe the location of the bird to a fellow birder.
It is also a good idea to try and anticipate where the bird will move to and focus on that spot ahead of time. This will help you follow the bird and to get the binoculars in the right place before the bird moves.
Learning more about the habits and patterns of birds and their behavior will also help you in this regard.
Now you are well practised at bringing the birding binoculars to your eyes while still keeping your eyes trained on the same subject, it’s time to find some birds.
Tips on which birds to use for practice
Birds on feeders
A good option for practice is to watch birds when they are relatively still when resting or feeding. If there is a bird feeder or feeding area in your garden or a nearby park, this can be an ideal starting place.
Common birds like sparrows or robins
These small birds that spend a lot of time on the ground are easier to follow than birds hidden among foliage.
Water birds
Bigger, slow-moving birds are easier to use to start with. Water birds, for instance, are fairly good targets for practice. They are often larger than songbirds, and located in a wide open space. Herons, for instance, may be moving slowly on water or around the edges of it while they are hunting.
Once you are used to tracking a large, slow-moving object, it will be much easier to move onto the little birds that insist on staying so well hidden among foliage and branches.
Tips on scouting for birds in open areas
Though in general it is best to locate a bird with the naked eye before zeroing in using binoculars, it can also be worth scanning wider areas with the binoculars.
This is especially helpful when your surroundings are more open landscapes than wooded areas or forests and you have a broad clear view. Using your binoculars to scan helps you to pick out birds in the distance when otherwise it looks like the area is free of wildlife.
Areas to cover include:
- hedgerows
- tree lines (especially the tops of trees for larger birds like hawks, buzzards and eagles)
- ridge lines of hills
- thick grass (for ground-nesting birds)
- fence posts and fences
- telephone wires and power lines
- shorelines of ponds, lagoons or e
- waterways like rivers and estuaries
- mud flats and marshes
- horizon when out at sea
- the sky
Tips on how to scan the sky for birds
Begin by focusing on a distant tree top. Then move your line of sight right or left across the horizon.
Look at the sky around you rather than directly above you. You’ll notice that birds are more likely to spread out across a wider area rather than fly in a tight formation. It will also save your muscles from neck ache!Look first at clouds.
The silhouettes of birds stand out well with clouds as a backdrop.
Bird watching on cloudy days: are birds more or less active?
Tips on describing a bird’s location
When describing a bird’s location to a fellow birder, give as specific directions as possible. Pointing is of limited value in this situation.
Remember that even if someone else is right next to you, they will have a slightly different perspective of the environment.
- Use an obvious point of reference, like a particular tree. Be sure that your companion is looking at the right tree by briefly describing its specific features, like a distinctive branch or knot.
- Step by step, narrow down the location. For example, ‘look at the base of the trunk, then go up until it forks. Follow the right fork until the dead branch.’
- When you are sure you are both looking at the same area, use the clock system to pinpoint the exact location. So in our example of a tree, 12 o’clock would be the top, 6 o’clock the bottom, etc.
This can take some practice so try it when you are by yourself, noting points of reference with the naked eye before you bring up your binoculars to focus more closely.
When you have a companion, persevere with the description until they can see the bird too. It’s very satisfying when this works and you can share the sighting.
Hopefully your companion will be close enough for you to be able to whisper. This avoids scaring any animals or annoying fellow birders.
It can be difficult to contain your excitement but remember to stay as quiet as possible in order to see as many creatures for as long as possible.
Summary of tips to remember when bird watching with binoculars
– Look for birds that are perched or moving slowly. Birds that are in motion are easier to follow with binoculars.
– Stay still and keep your eyes fixed on the bird as you bring your binoculars up to your eyes. This will help you keep the bird in sight.
– If you need to, adjust the focus using the center focus wheel to see the bird clearly.
– Make a mental note of any landmarks near the bird that can help you describe its location to another birder later on.
– Anticipate where the bird will move to and focus on that spot ahead of time to help you follow the bird.
– Practice on large, slow-moving birds before moving onto smaller, more difficult targets.
By knowing how to use birding binoculars correctly, we can pick out birds in the distance more easily. We can also describe birds’ locations to one another using detailed instructions.
Our top tips include how to give directions of where to look, using landmarks and the clock system to help us to be more specific about where we’ve seen a bird.