subject: Bird Watching and Migration [print this page] Short distance migration doesn't mean you will not see something of interest
Some birds move from higher country to the low lands where the weather is a little less harsh, so you may see some birds in the winter months that you do not see in the summer. Some move to the lower elevations in the spring for breeding and after hatching go back to the high country.
The bottom line is even though it is short migration nature is always in flux.
You will have resident species but their habits and behaviors change with the seasons. There are always opportunities to see a bird you did not notice the day before. Like the saying goes stop and smell the flowers, if you stop and take notice you will see something new.
Long distance migration offers quite a bit more to observe, not just the Canada goose. In Colorado in the San Louis Valley we have the Sand Hill Crane with up to 450,000 of these birds migrating through annually. The sexes look alike, immature birds have reddish brown upper parts and gray under parts, the sand hill crane has a red forehead, white cheeks and a long dark pointed bill. We also get Bald Eagles in January and February, quite a few areas are of limits so they can hatch their eggs. It is always fun to watch as they dive and catch fish from the lakes and ponds. Some times of the year the Blue Heron is more noticeable, they are distinctive when they fly their long legs trailing behind.
It is always fun to see a species you have noticed before and some of the mating rituals amaze you and the colors can be vivid.
You don't need expensive optics to bird watch in your back yard the eye can be just perfect. If you want to get up close and personal a pair of binoculars or spotting scope will be what you want. A spotting scope is a small portable telescope. They are used for bird watching, for hunting and marksmen, for surveillance, and for any other applications that requires more magnification than a pair of binoculars. The typical magnification is 20X to 60X. Magnifications of more than 60X can lead to poor image brightness, a narrow field of view, and show too much image shake, even on a tripod.
There are many brand names and price ranges to choose from, look at your options, spend a little more and get a good pair and they will last you a life time. Just not for bird watching but camping wildlife observation also.
