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Whether you choose to go bird watching alone or with a single other person or with a group is really a matter for personal preference. Another">All three have pros and cons.

Bird Watching Alone

If you enjoy silence and solitude and become easily irritated by mindless chatter, you had better go bird watching alone. However, if you're a beginner, even if you have a detailed field guide, you may well fail to recognise some of the birds that you see. Nonetheless, bird watching alone can be a refreshing experience and an opportunity to indulge in uninterrupted thought.

Lone bird watching definitely isn't for the gregarious types who want to compare notes with like-minded souls and make the outing something of a social occasion.

Bird Watching with Another Person

Going bird watching with one other person, preferably someone you know well, can be very rewarding. You have the advantage of another pair of eyes and another range of experience when it comes to bird recognition but if you choose your companion wisely, they will be just that - companionable, without being intrusive or noisy. Choose someone to go with you who has been bird watching for a good long time and who will already have learnt the tips and tricks to telling some birds apart.

Bird Watching with a Group

Group outings can be fun and a sociable experience but make sure that the members are serious bird watchers and not just chatterers. Much of bird watching involves waiting and searching, so the more people looking the better. Someone may spot a rare species and will be able to point out to everyone where it is. If the birds are in hiding, then you'll have a variety of people to chat to about their bird watching experiences or share books with.

In addition, if you plan on going quite far afield, then you can save on transport costs by car sharing or even hiring a minibus between you.

If you don't already have a friend or friends who are interested in bird watching and want to find someone to go with, here are a few tips on how to go about it.

Join a local bird watching club or if you don't want to take the plunge straight away, ask if you can join one of their trips so that you can get a feel for the type of people who belong to the club and the range of their expertise on the subject.

If you are in education or work in an office, check the notice board for clubs or societies. You could even post your own notice asking for fellow bird watchers to contact you.

Search the internet for bird watching websites that are based in your area. If there is a forum, join and you'll soon learn what's going on in the bird watching world.

Magazines and newsletters can be useful sources of information about bird watching events in your vicinity, so subscribe to a couple and see what turns up.

Whether a lone or group activity, bird watching will always be a fascinating hobby to pursue.

Liz Canham

For more information and articles on bird watching, visit Worldwide Bird Watching.