Blind and Visually Impaired Community
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Does anyone have experience birding? (self.Blind)
submitted by coffee4jesus16
I have been wanting to get into birding. I have low vision, and still have a relatively good amount of usable vision but struggle identifying things like color patterns, feather details, and other things that could be identifiers of things like gender or species markers. I can see the ducks at the local park. I can see the general colors of the ducks and their sizes, but beyond that, the details are vague.
I regularly go to a local park to feed the ducks and when other regulars point out characteristics that identify different types of ducks, I’m unable to see those differences. This is all in an open area. I struggle more in wooded areas.
I’d like to expand beyond my local park. Birding locally is relatively popular and there is an active audubon society and a well frequented Birds Unlimited but I’m nervous to jump in as someone who is young for the hobby and someone who can’t participate to the same level.
Are there any good resources for being low vision and birding? Does anyone have advice on approaching it?
I regularly go to a local park to feed the ducks and when other regulars point out characteristics that identify different types of ducks, I’m unable to see those differences. This is all in an open area. I struggle more in wooded areas.
I’d like to expand beyond my local park. Birding locally is relatively popular and there is an active audubon society and a well frequented Birds Unlimited but I’m nervous to jump in as someone who is young for the hobby and someone who can’t participate to the same level.
Are there any good resources for being low vision and birding? Does anyone have advice on approaching it?
OutWestTexas 3 points 2y ago
I can‘t see the birds but I have learned as many of their songs as I can so I can identify them when they sing or call to each other. I really enjoy it.
appollo2020 2 points 2y ago
I know it’s not using your vision, but, I believe the Hadley school for the blind has a course on Birdsong so you can identify them through the sounds they make
meeowth 2 points 2y ago
I try to take pictures of them flying with my longer lenses. The success rate is really low but taking a ton of pictures compensates for that haha
siriuslylupin6 1 points 2y ago
I know a completely blind guy who does this calls himself a birder too haha! Very nice guy but yeah.... so it’s very possible.
blind_cowboy 1 points 2y ago
Only with a shotgun. Okay sorry that wasn’t nice.
On a serious note, I don’t have any vision so I don’t know if this would work, could you try to examine them with binoculars? Depending on how bad your vision is or isn’t binoculars on a low power setting when they are closer might help with details.
As far as your fear of getting into it goes you have nothing to lose. Who cares about your age, how blind you are or aren’t, etc. You’re getting into nature and it’s something you enjoy doing. Go do it, and make the most of it.
On a serious note, I don’t have any vision so I don’t know if this would work, could you try to examine them with binoculars? Depending on how bad your vision is or isn’t binoculars on a low power setting when they are closer might help with details.
As far as your fear of getting into it goes you have nothing to lose. Who cares about your age, how blind you are or aren’t, etc. You’re getting into nature and it’s something you enjoy doing. Go do it, and make the most of it.
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