When was the last time you travelled for birding? Since the Covid-19 era, I have become a patch birder. On rare occasions I do visit some other areas, but when I hang binoculars around my neck, even without a second thought I head for Beljarica backwaters. It offers the richest pickings in Belgrade, especially with the incoming spring, but I must admit, the thing I miss the most is travelling and birding overseas.
And in the times when lockdown is the word of the year, I am not sure how much sense it makes to write about packing for a birding trip. Whatever, here I go.
The first thing is obviously a pair of binoculars. Normally, I’d take my standard (and lightweight) 8s, plus a scope. But, in the rainforests of e.g. Central America, a scope is – most of the time – a total waste of space and weight. During a week in Costa Rica, I used it only twice. It would make more sense and I would feel much more comfortable if I took only the 8s. Leaving the scope behind means leaving the tripod at home and the tripod is possibly the single bulkiest equipment item.
Camera, too, is a must-have, but I don’t like the idea of exchanging a bulky scope for an overweight DSLR camera. I should get myself a new one, and I am eyeing the Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark series (I hope that company will survive this period, otherwise we would be stuck with huge Nikon or oversized Canon, without much difference between them). A backup camera, clearly, is my phone, and I should finally master the use of a scope adapter with binoculars, where I always miss having a third hand (it is easier with a scope, where a tripod acts as a third hand).
Then, a torch for owling and a headlamp for finding one’s way around the lodge in the dark. Whenever possible, I’d leave my laptop at home and opt for a digital detox. Back to the phone, it is important for navigation, too, as well as for a bird ID app, especially calls and songs. Some birders might consider a voice recorder and a speaker (but I prefer not to use playback). Don’t forget all the cables, chargers, backup batteries and international electrical adapters!
The field guide I always bring as a paper book, and there’s no substitute for snooping through the pages. Also a field notebook and pens. And with these few items, birding equipment is mostly covered.
Let me summarise this:
• binoculars
• scope and tripod
• camera
• mobile phone and scope adapter
• torch
• headlamp
• laptop
• voice recorder
• speaker
• cables, chargers, backup batteries and electrical adapters
• field guide
• field notebook and pens
We all dream of travelling lightweight, but rarely succeed in it. Noah Strycker’s tactic to take only one piece of a carry-on sized luggage is almost perfect for tropical destinations, although I take two: one smallish carry-on sized suitcase that gets checked-in, one carry-on sized rucksack that travels with me (about 40 l, for optics, important medication and a basic change of clothes in case I am flying to Johannesburg, South Africa, but my luggage goes to Munich, Germany), plus a multi-pocket vest.
Optics is never checked-in and it always travels with me. And the field guide stays in my vest pocket, so I can go through it on an outbound flight (and try to memorise some more details of the common birds, plus a few targets) as well as the inbound flight (when I work through my tour list).
I would usually study the travel guide prior to the trip and then leave it at home (perhaps photograph a few pages to have them in my phone). Again, I prefer paper over e-books.
Other than birding equipment, I’ll bring a hat, a bandana or two, sunscreen, refillable water bottle, mosquito repellent, pocket knife (I am thinking of downsizing to Victorinox Super Tinker, and should remember to pack it into a checked-in luggage – it was a painful lesson at the Athens airport, Greece), 4-5 metres of a prusik (a thin climbing rope) and a carabiner or two, lightweight plastic compass, rain poncho (some lodges provide those for their guests, so check in advance whether you need to carry your own), sleeping-bag liner (but not the sleeping bag: in under-developed countries, not all accommodation is up to western hygiene standards) and a roll of 3-ply toilet paper.
Do not forget passport, credit and ATM cards or cash. I see no point in mentioning shoes or clothes, no one ever forgets that and if a particular shirt still ends up forgotten, you can do without. I usually make a checklist of what to pack using the Universal Packing List (since 1996) at https://upl.codeq.info
Bon voyage.
Had to reshare this FB comment by RhoAnn Wallace: “Great list…two things I recommend to birders visiting the tropics is bringing a nice pair of insoles that they can slip into a cheap pair of rubber boots that they buy upon arriving or often times the lodges lend out and emailing an image of your passport to yourself, just in case you lose it and have to go to the closest embassy for a replacement. Happy birding and safe travels!”
Good post. There’s always that issue of whether bringing a scope is worth the extra weight and just having extra stuff to deal with. However, even in places where it doesn’t see as much use, without a scope, one could miss key lifers. In Thailand, I was glad to be carrying one around, even inside the forest and picked up lifers because of it.
I would do the same for the Amazon and any other places where one could view the canopy, in fact, a scope works very well for a canopy tower. That said, it is sort of a pain to pack and always carry around…
BUT, if were hiring a guide, as long as the guide had a scope, I would leave it at home.
I don’t mind carrying the scope if I travel by car, but on a long international flight it’s quite a nuisance.
While necessary for large water bodies and open habitats, I’m thinking along the lines of a local guide…
And am also curious, can the new Swarovski 12s become the ultimate open habitats weapon?
How do you manage to fit all of your optics, plus other essential items, in one carry-on bag? No way I could fit binocs, a scope, camera with long lens, plus other essentials, in a carry-on bag. My tripod barely fits in my checked suitcase. If I tried to put all that in one bag it would be 1) too big for carry-on, and 2) weigh a ton! Many airlines flying out of Australia have a weight limit for carry-on bags of 7kg, and some of them do enforce it.
I use a Swarovski CT Travel tripod, and with its head off, it fits my carry on. Still, the tripod gets checked in, I do not carry it with me. It’s not optics and isn’t too sensitive.
The rest fits my rucksack, although I do not carry a large telephoto lens. So, scope (1.6 kg), moderately sized camera (I should get a new one), lightweight binoculars (Swaro CL Companion – only 0.5 kg), it certainly ends up under 7 kg, less than 3 kg of optics, altogether perhaps 5 or so.
To answer my previous Q, NL Pure 12×42 comes as a strong and highly specialised beast, great for waterbirds and raptors, and for open habitats such as marshes, grasslands, open savannas, mountain-tops and deserts, and sea-watching. And yes, for shorter distances 12s can replace the scope! More: https://www.10000birds.com/birding-with-12s-swarovski-nl-pure-12×42.htm