Month: October 2022

Bird watching also commonly referred to as birding has grown to be one of the most popular hobbies in the United States. There is an estimated 47 million people that participate in bird watching. 

Despite the popularity many people still seem to struggle on figuring out how to get started birding. I wrote this guide to hopefully teach you everything you need to know about bird watching so you can get started today.

What Is Birdwatching?

Birdwatching (often called birding) is the practice of observing and studying the appearance and behavior of wild birds. It is a hobby for many and a sport for a few that gained a lot of popularity in the 20th century.

Birdwatching actually started in the 19th century, but due to the lack of modern equipment, birders (or birdwatchers) used to shoot birds with their guns and would become familiar with the species only when they had its corpse in their hands. The development of modern optical aids such as binoculars made it possible for the birders to see birds without harming them.

How To Identify Birds?

Learning to correctly identify birds is one of the toughest things when it comes to bird watching. However, there are several methods and technologies that you can use to help you.

First thing to learn when it comes to birding is learning to narrow down the bird to a group. If you can narrow a bird down to at least it’s grouping then you’re already half way there. Next pay attention to the shape of it’s body and head. Almost no two species have the same shapes so this can really help you. 

Keeping in mind the habitat you’re in will also help you out a lot. For example, you might see a Red eyed Vireo in a tree top but chances are if you see one on the ground then it might just be a Horned Lark. These are just a few ways of identifying a bird this list has more. 

If you’re still having issues or want to take the easy way out then this is where birding technology comes in. There is this very popular app called “Merlin Bird ID” which by just simply answering five questions about the bird the app will come up with a list of possible matches. 

You can also take a picture of the bird and it will offer you some matches. We found most of the time it’s very easy to pick the bird out from the list of matches it gives you. 

Where To Bird Watch?

For the most part this will all come down to where you live. You can technically bird watch just about anywhere birds roam even in your backyard! Now if you’re looking for birding hotspots then check out the following link which will show you hotspots by your state. 

Tips for Birding

Here are some general tips you should know or follow before you step into the world of birding.

1. Start from Your Home

Yes, you read that right. To start birding, you don’t even have to to leave your home. All you need to do is buy bird food or build a bird house and watch the birds come to you. It’s been proven by studies that bird watching even from the comfort of your home can improve your mental health by decreasing the risk of anxiety and stress. 

2. Decent Binoculars Are a Must

Imagine you want to prepare an apple pie but you don’t have apples; would you be able to make it without them? The same goes with birding without binoculars (unless you’re just doing it from your backyard of course!)

To watch birds and see great views, binoculars are a must. 

Trust me, without binoculars, even if you are surrounded by hundreds of birds, you can’t enjoy birding as good. Binoculars are not very expensive and if you really enjoy birding, it’s worth it.

3. Don’t Lose Hope

Birding isn’t always easy. Sometimes when you just aren’t seeing what you want to see it’s easy to want to give up. 

However, if you are passionate about it, no matter how difficult it is and no matter how many hurdles come your way, you should not give up. The effort will be worth it. Just remain focused and determined, and you will surely see what you were striving for.

4. Read Up on Birding and Be Prepared

Reading and learning just about everything you can about birding will improve your experiences. It will also help you study and learn about birds and their special qualities which will make them easier to identify. Books are a great way to go about learning more about birds. You could also try videos like the one down below: 

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5. Take A Birder Friend With You on Trips

As a birder, you will haves to visit different places to enjoy birding to the fullest. You should try to take a birdwatching enthusiast with you when going on trips. This is because they can help you in birdwatching, you can share your knowledge with them and the two of you can guide and give each other tips on birding.

Plus, when you have to be patient and look around for birds, you will not be bored and will be able to enjoy the experience to the fullest.

6. Have a Field Guide App

Taking a guidebook with you is not a bad idea as it will help you identify and even locate birds. However, at times, using the guidebook can be a frustrating experience as by the time you take out your guidebook and locate a specific bird in it, it will have flown away.

Hence, downloading an app on your smartphone that can give you detailed information about birds in a much faster time. 

Bird Watching from Boats

While there are lots of places you can go watch birds such as forests or parks, I have found that some of the best birdwatching trips I’ve been on have been in the water. 

If you’re looking for a boat I recommend a Jon boat. These type of boats are designed for rivers. Its body is wide, and it has a flat bottom with square ends that keep it stable on water even when it’s carrying a lot of weight. It allows you to stand up in it with ease, which is great for birding as you can get better views this way. 

It will also allow you to explore places that you might not be able to by foot. This curiosity is what lead me to buy a cheap used boat just for bird watching and oh it was definitely worth it. 

Overall, birding from boats have made birding a much more fun experience and the views that birders get from them are incredible. 

Basic Birding Equipment

Now that you know what birding is and where you should go to watch birds let’s talk about the equipment needed. Here is a list of birding equipment:

Binoculars

The most important piece of equipment you’ll use when it comes to birding. If you are a beginner, you shouldn’t spend too much on binoculars, but before buying them, there are a few things that you should keep in mind.

The binoculars you are buying should give you a clear view, be lightweight, be high quality and be in your budget. Some great and affordable binoculars that you can buy for birding are:

• Nikon Action Extreme 7×35 ATB
• Bushnell Legend Ultra HD 10×42
• Zeiss Victory 8×42 HT

Scopes

Sometimes binoculars just aren’t enough to fully enjoy everything birding has to offer. While they work great for the most part, if you want to get a better glimpse of what lay’s in the distance then scopes are the way to go. With their superior magnification abilities it makes it easier to watch birds that are very far from you. 

Bird Guide Apps

As explained before, having a bird guide app is better than a guidebook. However, not all apps provide great performance.

This is why you should try out the app and experiment with it before you go birdwatching, so you don’t end up wasting your time. Here are a few birding apps that I would recommend which are available on both Android and iOS:

• eBird – An app that provides a free bird guide. It works even with no internet connection so that you can use it without worrying about signals.
• Song Sleuth – An app that listens to the sounds of the bird and suggests you the possible matches for which bird it is.
• Merlin Bird ID – As mentioned up above, this will help you identify birds by getting answers to just five straightforward questions. You can even upload a picture of the bird instead of answering the questions, and it will tell you what type of bird you are looking at.

Final thoughts​

Birding is a great hobby, but to become a successful birder, you have to invest time into it. If you have the patience and gain the sufficient knowledge then trust me the birding experience is definitely worth it. 

While birding is fun, it can be challenging, but if you remain focused on what you are doing, nothing can stop you from enjoying the experience to the fullest.

Pickleball is a paddle sport that derives from the combination of several sports such as tennis, ping-pong and badminton. You can play it both indoors and outdoors and it can be played singles or doubles. Pickleball is played with a paddle and a perforated polymer ball. 

The court that it is played on is similar to a badminton court, measuring 20 x 44 feet. There are currently over 15,000 courts in the U.S and as of 2018 there are over 3.3 million Pickleball players.

Here is our guide for beginners on everything you need to know about playing Pickleball including how to play it, terminology, tips and much more. 

How Is Pickleball Played?

The games are played best two out of three and they go up to 11 points. 

The Serve – The start of the game begins with a serve which is usually done by the player on the right. It is custom for the player serving the ball to say the score beforehand. When serving the player must be behind the line and he must hit the ball underhanded.

For the serve to be considered valid it must cross the net without hitting it and it must not land in the Kitchen. If the ball hits the net but still manages to land on the opponents square then it is called a “let” and the person reserves. If the ball hits the net without crossing or it lands in the Kitchen area then the opponents get one point or a fault. (For those who play ping pong you might have started seeing the similarities) 

Double Bounce – Once the ball has been served, the opposing team must let the ball bounce at least once on their side then the team who served it must let it bounce once on their side too. Once this is done then both teams are allowed to hit the ball in the air without letting it bounce on their side, this type of shot is called a volley. 

Faults – When a player makes a mistake and breaks the rules which gives the opposing team a point. Note: Only the serving team can score a point.  

Here are the reason’s why a fault might occur: 

• The ball hits your side twice
• A player hits the ball twice
• A player steps into the Kitchen while trying to hit a volley
• Both teammates hit the ball
• The ball hits the net
• The ball is played out of bounds

Pickleball Terminology

Here are some of the most common terms used in Pickleball:

Volley: To hit the ball in the air without letting it bounce on your side first. 

Kitchen: This is the box in the middle that is on both sides which is the no volley zone. Players are not allowed to step on the Kitchen if they’re trying to hit a volley.

Fault: When a player breaks a rule which gives the opposing team a point if they’re serving. Ex: A player hitting a volley while stepping into the Kitchen. 

Ace: A serve that isn’t returned by the opposing player. 

Approach Shot: When you hit the ball as your approaching the net.

Baseline: The line all the way at the back of the court. 

Backcourt: The court area that’s a few feet from the baseline. 

Bounce It: Someone usually tells their partner to let the ball bounce if they think the ball might land out of bounds.

Carry: Hitting the ball in a way that it sort of gets carried with the paddle as it’s moving forward. 

Champion Shot: A ball that hits the floor twice in the No Volley Zone. 

These are just a few of the important ones. To get a full list of all the terms check this list: http://www.pickleball.net/learn-to-play/glossary-terms.html

Tips for Pickleball

1. Hit the ball with the paddle from the side rather than upwards.

A lot of beginners make the mistake of hitting the ball with the paddle head straight towards the ground instead of the paddle head being towards the side to be perpendicular towards your wrist.

When the paddle head is positioned towards the ground this causes the ball to pop up and bounce too high. 

2. Be careful with your aim

If you notice your opponent is returning your attacks twice as hard then it might be because of where your balls are landing. What we mean is that if you send the ball straight at your opponents paddle then all they have to do is hold it out and move it right before it hits.

Instead of aiming straight at your opponent try aiming it to their sides. Here is a video explanation down below: 

3. Communicate with your partner

If you’re playing doubles then having good communication with your partner is a must. It doesn’t matter how skilled either you or your partner is if you can’t communicate good enough. 

Here are some tips:

• Call your shots. A lot of people lose points when the ball lands mid court and they hesitate cause they’re not sure if their partner plans on hitting it and what ends up happening is that nobody hits it.
• Tell your partner if the incoming ball is in or out. When you see the ball coming towards you, in your mind you’re ready to hit the ball no matter what. When the ball is landing on your partners side if you see it coming in or out then let your partner know. 
• For more strategies and tips for doubles check out this article: https://www.usapa.org/strategies-for-doubles/

These are just a few of the important ones. We can write an entire article on them and we will but for now you can see more tips here: https://www.usapa.org/more-playing-tips/

Places to Play Pickleball

So let’s go over where can you actually play Pickleball:

Local Parks

Every state in the U.S and even some parts of Canada has a Pickleball court that you can use. USAPA has a website that can show you all the courts around you by simply putting in your zip code. Check it out here: https://www.places2play.org/

Local Gyms: 

There are quite a few gyms that have their own Pickleball courts. As the sport becomes more and more popular a lot more gyms will hopefully add their own Pickleball courts. You can see which gyms have them with the same link I mentioned up above.   

Colleges/High Schools: 

If you’re in high school then chances are that your school might offer Pickleball as part of an after school program or a physical education class. If you’re a college student then quite a few colleges offer Pickleball as part of their intramural sports. 

Pickleball Tournaments

If you’ve been playing Pickleball for a while and you’re getting tired of beating all the local competition then maybe you need a step up in competition. There are several Pickleball tournaments that occur throughout the year in the United States. 

The divisions are usually divided by age and perceived skill levels. You can use this website to find upcoming tournaments: https://www.pickleballtournaments.com/pbt_main.pl

The largest tournament (the national championship) to date was held in Arizona with nearly 1300+ Pickleball users competing. 

History Of Pickleball

Pickleball was invented back in 1965 by two dads – Joel, Bill, and Barney. The story goes that they where at Joel’s house one day and the kids were bored. They wanted to find something fun for their kids to do. Joel’s home had a badminton court but they couldn’t find the badminton rackets. 

Not giving up on keeping their kids entertained they instead used ping pong paddles and a perforated plastic ball instead. After a couple of days they lowered the net more after they realized how good the ball bounced on the surface. 

Quickly realizing how fun this game was and the potential for it they built a company with the purpose of expanding the sport. The media quickly picked up on the sport and started publishing articles on it which greatly increased it’s popularity. By 1990, Pickleball was being played in every state in the United States.  

That just about completes our guide on Pickleball for beginners. We hope we showed you everything you needed to know and hopefully peaked your interest in it a bit more. As our stats up above mentioned today there are nearly 3.3 million users. You can expect that number to keep increasing as more and more people learn what Pickleball is and how to play. Have fun!

There’s something so alluring and satisfying about keeping your own bee colonies. Perhaps it’s the fact that you can enjoy fresh backyard-to-table honey. Also, that you’re doing your part in helping save the bees or even simply because it gives you something to focus on which helps you distract from the daily stresses of life. 

If you’ve been thinking about starting beekeeping, there’s no better time to start than now. But first, here are the basics you should know before becoming a beekeeper. 

How to Start Beekeeping

Familiarize yourself with Beekeeping Rules

One thing you’ll want to do ahead of time is to learn the laws and regulations that relate to beekeeping. These rules vary from state to state and from one municipal to the next. 

Thus, it’s important that you find out the specific beekeeping policies that apply to your area. Speaking of policies, there are two main things you’ll need to do:

Avoid being negligent

Negligence is when an individual fails to practice routine or expected care. In the context of beekeeping, it means the beekeeper has perhaps located his/her hive in an area that poses a risk to others. 

Being negligent also happens when a beekeeper handles the colonies at a time or in a manner that makes it hazardous to other people. Lastly, negligence occurs when a beekeeper intentionally keeps aggressive bees like the Africanized honey bee. 

Take precautions

As a beekeeper, it’s your responsibility to keep your family members, neighbors and other people who frequent your home, safe. The easiest way to go about this is to post signs in strategic places within your property, notifying them that you keep beehives. 

Also, give your bees have all the resources they need so that they’re not forced to look for these resources elsewhere. We’re talking about things like water, food, and space. 

On the same note, you should ensure that the temperature and humidity levels in the hive are just right. Though these creatures have their own mechanism for regulating temperature, there are a few things you can do to help. For instance, if it’s too hot:

• Invest in a slatted bottom board and a screened inner cover to provide maximum ventilation
• Place the hives in a shaded area 
• Ensure there’s adequate space in the hive for proper air circulation

Types of Bees

There are many books, case studies, videos and other resourceful materials that can help you learn about these sweet creatures. You should read as much as you can about them so that you’re ready to handle them when they finally arrive. 

One of the most important things to know entails the different species of bees. They fall under two main categories: 

Social Bees

The main attribute of social bees is that they form massive colonies. Their hives consist of swarms of bees that are crawling over each other as they feed and create honey. Essentially, this is the kind of insect that comes to mind when anyone mentions bees. 

There are three main types of social bees namely bumble bees, honey bees and Africanized honey bees. Among these three, honey bees are the most prevalent, and they’re also the ones used for beekeeping. Thus, we’ll take a closer look at them:

Honey bees

What makes these bees so popular is the fact that they’re the leading pollinator insect in the whole world. To be more specific, scientists have discovered that they are pollinators for over 100 agricultural crops.

Smaller in size than bumble bees, these creatures work in what is known as the caste system. This means that every bee plays a specific role in the process of maintaining the hive. There are three castes:

• Queen – this is an adult female bee. She is the parent mother of the majority of bees in the hive. The queen bee stays in one location and is taken care of by other hive members.
• Worker – also females, the worker bees are those that tend to the queen by taking food to her and caring for the larvae.
• Drone – these are males, and they’re responsible for flying out and pollinating flowers. In essence, drone bees are those that bring nectar to the hive. 

Here are 3 type of popular honeybees:

Italian Honeybees:  These bees tend to be the most popular type of bees for beekeeping. They are hard working, aesthetic and easy to handle. They’re tender character makes them easy to handle for beginners. Now one drawback is that they can be demanding when it comes to resources.  

Carniolans Honeybees: They have a very mild temperament however they can require a bit more work when it comes to handling. If you live in a colder climate with harsh winters then Carniolans are a good option. Something important to know about them is that during Spring the population increases rapidly which can be a good thing if you’re looking to build up the population quickly before summer but you should be ready incase of swarms.  

Russian honeybees: These honeybees tend to be very submissive which makes them easy to work with. Although due to their breeding habits it’s a bit harder for the average beekeeper to obtain them. 

Solitary Bees

Solitary bees prefer working individually. Even if they do work together, their colonies contain only a small number of bees. Otherwise, they’d rather fly alone, and look for food that is just enough to feed the larvae they have. 

One good trait about solitary bees is that they don’t cause harm to humans. Very few of them can cause problems that warrant a visit to the doctor. 

Examples of solitary bees include: 

• Carpenter bees
• Digger bees
• Leafcutting and mason bees

Beekeeping Equipment

Beehive – It’s a no-brainer that the first thing you’ll need to get is a beehive. The two most common variations of beehives are:

• Top Bar Hive – This is considered the oldest model of beehive. It’s a single-storey, one-box hive containing all the resources the bees need to thrive. This hive has a protective roof, under which there are detachable wooden bars running across. It’s from these bars that bees form their honeycombs. 
• Langstroth Hive – Named after their inventor- Rev. Lorenzo Langstroth- these hives consist of three main parts.

There’s the bottom board, which serves as the entrance for bees; inner cover and top cap, which protects the bees from external elements; and several framed boxes. The boxes are the storage units for brood and honey. 

Bee Suit – If you’re planning to spend most of your time around these insects, invest in a quality bee suit. Ideally, this protective outfit should be able to prevent the bees from coming into direct contact with you, especially your face. 

Bee suits are designed differently with some covering just a small portion of your body. They are categorized into: full body, upper body, and veils. If you can afford it, the full body bee suit is the best because it protects your entire body. 

Gloves – Even though they’re not a compulsory gear, gloves are recommended, especially for beginner beekeepers.  My favorite pair of gloves are those made of leather since they’re durable and sturdy enough to protect my hands from bee stings. 

Boots – The other thing you’ll need is a good pair of boots to protect your legs and feet against bees. These insects have a tendency to climb upwards so it’s advisable to tuck your trousers inside the boots. 

Smoker – A smoker is another essential piece of equipment. The purpose of this tool is to generate smoke, which is then directed to the hive. When bees detect this smoke, they naturally think that their hive has caught fire; hence prepare to leave. 

That said, lighting a smoker takes a little bit of getting used to. Ideally, you shouldn’t use actual fire- just the smouldering material that emits smoke.  

How & Where To Get Bees

After buying all the equipment you’ll need for beekeeping, the next step is figuring out where to get the bees from. You have two main options:

From your local beekeper’s association

If this activity is allowed in your locale, chances are that there’s already a beekeeping association that exists. 

Often, these organizations enlighten consumers on the benefits of beekeeping. They also engage in economic activities like selling bees and bee products. 

Local beekeeper’s associations are the most reliable source of bees. For one, you can receive a lot of guidance on how to go about the whole process. This entails aspects such as how and where to set up your hive, how and what to feed them just to mention a few. 

From a fellow beekeeper

Beekeepers have different reasons for why they keep them around. Most keep them to benefit from crop pollination. Others like the fresh supply of rich honey while some just do this as a hobby. 

If there’s no local beekeeping association in your region, you can buy your bees from fellow bee enthusiasts. However, ensure the bee breeder you’re buying from is a local. This way, you’re guaranteed that the bees are used to the local climate meaning that they’ll adapt easily. 

Helpful Beekeeping Tips

Place the hive in a strategic place: Bees will be flying in and out of the direction of the hive. This means you should be very careful about where you place your hive. Don’t place it anywhere your neighbors backyard or keep it far away from your pool. A good recommendation if possible is to elevate it as far as you can. Rooftop hives are a great choice or perhaps high up on a tree. 

Join a beekeeping club: You’re beekeeping experience will be much easier if you can have a group of people as resources when your first starting out. Fortunately there exist a lot of beekeeping clubs all over the US and the world. Use the link mentioned up above to find a club near you. 

Keep your hives close: If you choose not to set up your beehive in your backyard and choose another place try to keep it as close to you as possible. Although a 10 minute travel time might not seem a lot right now it adds up and after a while you might stop checking up on them as often as you need to

Be prepared for swarms: Bees swarm, its a fact of nature. You can try your best to split the hive before the swarm but chances are it will happen eventually. Being prepared for a swarm is a must and having a new home for the swarm will make the task easier when the time comes.

Key Takeaway

Beekeeping is an exciting venture, whether you’re doing it as a hobby or a full-time vocation. If you’re just getting started, you’ll need to learn the basics first. For starters, find out if there are any beekeeping rules that apply to your area. 

Secondly, read and learn as much as you can about the different types of bees, their behavior and how to care for them. Once you have a good understanding of these creatures, gather the necessary supplies such as beehive, bee suit, gloves, boots, a smoker, and notepad. 

The last step entails finding a reputable breeder to buy bees from. Whenever possible, get your insects from your local beekeeping association. This way, you’ll have someone to guide you every step of your beekeeping journey.