He also suggests contacting a local bird club. Jensen said a beginning birder needs to start with finding and identifying one bird and then build on that. The Cornell Lab’s All About Birds has one such free tutorial. Some bird watchers invest in a scope or camera.Īlso, a bird watcher who is a beginner or experienced could benefit from a tutorial to help better identify birds. Other items a bird watcher may want include a bird book to identify the birds and their sounds. What does a bird watcher need to find birdsīesides a location, a bird watcher may want binoculars.īirding sites recommend binoculars but also say they aren’t a must.

Cemeteries are often free of disturbing noises.īirders understand they need to keep their distance and respect any funeral that is in progress at the cemetery, Jensen said.Īudubon Society chapters in most states also provide locations for good bird watching. Many cemeteries have mature trees including evergreens, he said. “Cemeteries, they’re great birding spots. Various bird watching clubs and organizations suggest respectfully looking for birds at cemeteries. It’s one of his favorite birding areas because it has prairie, lakes, marshes and woods. Oakwood Lakes State Park near Bruce is not far from Jensen’s home. Birding maps and websites will help a bird watcher find different species of birds. Wooded areas, prairies and wetlands will attract birds and waterfowl. State parks in Minnesota offer additional spots to find birds. “(Big Stone) is a super great area,” Jensen said. The Big Stone National Wildlife Refuge in Ortonville, Minnesota, is near the border with South Dakota. The Waubay National Wildlife Refuge in northeastern South Dakota is one. The states also have national wetlands areas. South Dakota, Minnesota and Iowa are home to several national wildlife refuges. In western South Dakota, there are the Black Hills and Badlands Birding Trails. Areas on that map include Newton Hills State Park. It has details about what birds can be found in the locations and directions on how to get to each. The SD GFP has birding map for specific regions such as the southeastern part of the state.

Fowl twins