Why identify birds?
Knowing which bird species breed on or use a site is a valuable aid in directing habitat management. Because they respond quickly to habitat change, are easily visible and fairly easy to identify, birds are one of the primary groups used to assess habitat change and habitat quality and, thus, to direct management. Many species are scarce or decreasing and managing areas for them is crucial if we are to reverse this trend.
The state of the nation's birds is one of the better known aspects of our wildlife, but is only made possible by large scale surveys using volunteers as well as professionals. National, and local, surveys are constantly taking place and it is not too difficult to set up your own local survey or bird monitoring system. Volunteering to help in one of these surveys is a wonderfully enjoyable and rewarding experience.
Whether you help with management of a site, wish to survey birds or just wish to enjoy them having a knowledge of their identification, habits and habitats will be a valuable asset to you. Please note that we also run more specific courses on monitoring and surveying birds.
The course
This one day course gives you the basics of how to identify birds. As with all Project Fred courses we intend to give you the tools with which to identify the subject, so that you can then identify birds when you are on your own.
Learn about:
- Identification, both in the classroom and in the field
- Binoculars - which ones are best, how to use them effectively and where to buy them
- Parts of a bird - some of the technical terms for body parts explained!
- Books to use - there is a bewildering array of bird books available. We give you advice on what to look out for when choosing a bird ID book, where to get them from and which ones we feel are best
- Technological aids - we go through some of the more useful web sites, CDs, DVDs and other new technological aids that can help you with bird ID
Highlights include:
- Field work - to develop identification skills and field craft and how best to use binoculars and telescopes
- Slide show covering habitats, tips to aid quick identification and more detailed identification characteristics
- Hand outs on identification characteristics, binoculars and books to use
- Bird songs and calls. We touch on this briefly by playing you the songs of some of the commonest birds that we should hear in the field today and we discuss hints on how to remember them for future reference
Equipment and things to bring
The minimum requirement is to bring a pair of binoculars. 8x40 or 10x50 are recommended specifications - the first figure is the magnification and the second the diameter of the larger lens in mm. Binoculars with magnification over 10x and zoom binoculars are not so suitable for birdwatching. If you have a telescope and tripod there will be opportunities to use these too. We have a telescope that will be available for the group to use.
A notebook and pencil are useful, plus a field guide. We shall bring copies of a range of guides, but we recommended the following as a great guide for the beginner:
Peter Holden and Tim Cleeves RSPB Handbook of British Birds. Published by Christopher Helm (2002)
The course will involve some walking, but there will be nothing too strenuous. Strong, comfortable walking boots or shoes are therefore important, as is a good selection of appropriate clothing to the time of year - all in natural colours as far as possible please - greens and browns are preferable. A small rucksack will also be useful for carrying your equipment. Wellingtons may be needed at some sites. Drinks and snacks can also be bought along.
Cost
£40 per person. Group size minimum 5 and maximum 15 people. Smaller groups can be catered for at a standard cost of £200 per course. Larger groups may also be accommodated. Conservation Groups and Charities may be able to get a discount. Please contact us to discuss.
