Birding 101: Summer Birding for Beginners

Summer birding might not be what you think it would be. It can be hot, buggy, and tough to find different species of birds. However, it's a great time to work on your birding by ear, and to appreciate your nesting bird species, or travel elsewhere.

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Panasonic LUMIX FZ80 4K Digital Camera
Used for most bird videos) - check credits as we do source some photos/videos elsewhere which is noted in the description

Cayer FP2450 Fluid Head Tripod, 75 inches Aluminium Tripod
Derek's lighter tripod

Andoer Video Tripod Aluminum Alloy 67 Inch
Derek's heavier tripod

Nikon D5300
Derek's vlogging and macro camera

Rode VideoMicPro Compact Directional On-Camera Microphone
Derek's external microphone for Nikon D5300

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Thanks to Terry Sohl for allowing us to use his range maps

Background of cover image by Bonnie Moreland (Public Domain, edited)
Phoebe chicks in cover image by Renee Grayson (CC by 2.0, edited)

All other photos and videos by Derek and Ryan Sallmann

#Birding #BirdWatching #BadgerlandBirding

[lilaquickel]

We recently hiked the Turkey Path trail at the Pa Grand Canyon. The most beautiful song was heard throughout the walk. It echoed through the trees! I was happy to tell fellow hikers it was a Wood Thrush. They were so happy to learn. Thanks for your inspiration Derek and Ryan.

[NathanWebb-ch]

I would love to visit places where I can see new birds like Arizona and Costa Rica.

[Oltoir]

It always amazes just *how much* the sun's rays dull their wings over the summer. Having helped ornithologists at a museum and seeing a spring and fall collected samples of the same species, the contrast is amazing! But then, when you're almost always exposing a wing to UV radiation, that's bound to happen

[Soongoomie]

Thank you for the video! 💛 I just started birding last winter and was worried about the “summer slump”. This helps me redirect my focus towards building different skills and enjoying birding in a new way during the summer season.

[Shrock]

People definitely hate on Summer birding too much. In St.Louis during the Summer we get some southern rarities and there are a lot of herons and other cool breeding birds. For us young birders it’s better because we are of school and are traveling more.

[frednorman]

I found this for useful. I’m a relatively new burger although I’ve been doing bird photography for about five years. Most of my photography has been done with waterfowl and shorebirds. I find it very difficult to see or photograph the passerines. Especially when Merlin Bird ID picks up 10 or 15 birds in my backyard from their songs and I can only see one or two

[nickpaarlberg]

Great tips! Winter is also great for owls!

[bradleykerswill]

Great advice! And very helpful. Thank you

[timjozwiak]

I feed the birds all year round. Also set up a few different bird houses. I don't go to the birds...they come to me! Lol

[olenskafanboy]

When you mentioned the option of going elsewhere to bird, you cut to what looks like a lesser Antillean bullfich, which is a common bird in my country! That was a little surprising.

[sidneycase]

My mom ordered a shirt from your website and was charged for it but no confirmation email or anything. She tried contacting on the website but haven’t heard anything

[markshen]

Maybe it will be best if you could be more helpful in going out and identify the various species of birds, please.