When tackling any activity in life, it is always best that you have proper information so that you are well prepared to approach it — and bird watching is one example. There are two approaches to bird watching; either you are a birder or birdwatcher.

Birders are quite serious with this past time as they make it a point to share what they learn from their observations to the rest of the world. Each movement of every species is studied carefully and they even travel all over the globe to discover new bird types and study them and make use of special equipment.

On the other hand, bird watchers merely watch birds for fun. They enjoy the scenery at the same time that they look at birds and do not need high-tech kits. For them, simple binoculars will do — bird watching is more for relaxation at anytime and anywhere even in their own yards.

So what type of gear does one need to bird watch? The basic instruments are the binoculars, a spotting scope that has a tripod, and a notepad that is extremely handy so that one can place their field guides and journals.

Binocular manufacturers have come up with special binoculars that are specific for bird watching only, which enables seeing birds crystal clear. Good ones, of course, are more expensive than the simple ones. But if you are really into this hobby and want to capture specific details, then the expensive types are certainly worth the investment.

If someone buys a spotting scope with a tripod, more likely than not, that person is very much an enthusiast of bird watching. Spotting scopes are in fact telescopes which let one see more clearly and farther than a binocular could. To make it easy for the user to navigate, one should mount it on a tripod.

For one to know where they should go to find birds, a field guide is very essential. There is no limit to the number of guides one can have as it depends where they have already been or want to go in the future. A notepad is useful to document and write down observations and what you want to research further.

Through the years, bird watching equipment has gradually evolved and has become more technologically advanced, and it definitely helps bird aficionados. The better the quality of the gear, the more it costs but it is worth the investment as it is also more durable.