Discover Your Countryside – Bird Watching

A pastime that interests thousands of people all over the UK, bird watching dates back to the Victorian Era where the study of birds and natural history became fashionable, however during this times it was mainly eggs and later skins that were the artefacts of interest.

Today’s bird watching or twitching is much different and much more highly developed. Most birdwatchers pursue this activity mainly for recreational and social reasons, with birds observed for their aesthetic beauty or study of sound rather than their utilitarian value. With many organisations and national bodies committed to bird watching and different bird species such as the RSPB (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, BTO (British Trust for Ornithology), WWT (Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust) and the RAFOS (Royal Air Force Ornithological Society), associations and bodies supporting this type of hobby is on the rise.

As a sporting pursuit, bird watching can take place all year round with the seasons bringing in a variety of different species for watchers to monitor. They may even take part in censuses of bird populations and migratory patterns which are sometimes specific to individual species.

Highly developed in places like the UK, Netherlands, Denmark, Ireland, Finland and Sweden, bird watching or twitching often draws in large crowds at a time, with like-minded people travelling to spot birds that may be known to a particular area. With over 10,000 species of bird said to be in existence, only a small number of people have seen more than 7000 of these, perhaps demonstrating the appeal of this type of activity.

Not only is this type of hobby a great sporting pursuit, the tools and sound equipment available to bird watchers today has allowed for excellent educational and environmental awareness within out schools and communities too. To find out more about bird watching and how to get involved in your local area, visit the Birds of Great Britain website at www.birdsofbritain.co.uk which lists bird clubs and various societies for you to get involved in around your county.

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