While staring at each, raise the binoculars to your eyes and focus. Skip from target to target until you can do so with ease. Then rehearse for flying birds by training your binoculars on a child riding a bicycle or a passing car. You will also need a good field guide. The latter includes volumes for Eastern and Western species.
Some birders enjoy solitude, but others thrive on companionship.
To find fellow birdwatchers, contact the nearest National Audubon Society chapters . A number of natural history museums and community colleges also offer introductory birdwatching classes and field trips. Interest in birds is not limited by age, occupation, or formal education. Birding often becomes a life-long hobby, allowing participants to enjoy feathered visitors in their own yards as well as on adventures afield.