#16 Optics Tip: Taking the Weight off your Shoulders

If your binoculars feel heavy when they are around your neck, consider purchasing a shoulder harness strap which allows you put your arms through the straps.

This will take the weight off your neck by distributing it across your upper body for maximum relief and comfortability. Your binoculars will feel lighter and easier to manage, especially during a long day of birding.

photo © adrian binns

#15 Backyard Tip: Window Silhouettes

Just as you and I can see through windows, birds can as well. Unfortunately, the difference is that the birds do not realize that there is a pane of glass. This sadly leads to many injured birds and fatalities, as birds fly at top speed and hit the glass head-on.

We can help our feathered friends by placing silhouette cutouts of raptors on the windows, or draping a fine netting over the glass. Both of these serve to break-up the view, and deter the birds from flying that way.

photo © adrian binns

#14 Conservation Tip: Counting Hawks

Fall (mid August-late November) is the perfect time to watch kettles of hawks and streams of raptors migrating south. During this time, official hawk watching sites, such as Hawk Mountain Sanctuary and Cape May in the east, and the Goshute Mountains and Hazel Bazemore in the west, are engaged in counting numbers and documenting important information about population trends and species distribution.

Raptors are at the top of the biological food chain, and sensitive to environmental changes; they serve as a great biological indicator of the overall health of our environment. Monitoring raptors helps identify potential problems, and better understand ongoing conservation challenges. Visit a local hawk watch to enjoy some great birding and learn a little more about the importance of raptor conservation.

photo © adrian binns

#13 Travel Tip: Less Laundry

If you spend a whole day in a location where you can expect high humidity, without going into great detail, I recommend traveling with quick-dry clothing - shirts, shorts, pants, socks, etc.

These can easily be washed in hotel or lodge sinks and left to dry overnight. This reduces the number of articles of clothing that one needs to pack and travel with - lightening the load!

photo © adrian binns