According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service there are about 52 million birdwatchers in the United States, making bird watching an extremely popular pastime. This can be done all year, in yards, parks or at well coordinated bird watching events. These events during certain times of the year, like when birds migrate over well known routes.

If you are looking for peace, joy and the feeling of being more closely in touch with “mother nature” then don’t put it off any longer. All you need is binoculars, a birding guide book and a notebook to write down what birds you saw, or perhaps, a personal recorder in order to record a bird’s song for later identification. Some birds you might not see, yet you can still hear them.

Recordings of various bird songs are available on the internet and can be bought on CD for convenience. Mid-sized binoculars that are 8x32 or 8x42 cost around $60 or more and either would be an excellent choice for any bird watcher. Your guide book tells you what to look for on a bird. The most important first look would be to notice the color, type of beak, the pattern around its eyes and head and the shape of its tail. Maps are also included to show which birds are normally seen in your area.

Every February Cornell University has an event called the “Great Backyard Bird Count.” Also, all winter long is the “Project Feederwatch.” All this can be done from the comfort of your back window overlooking your feeders. So, relax and enjoy watching the birds.