All About Twitching When Bird Watching
January 29, 2008
The art of “twitching” may seem like an odd pursuit, but if you are a bird watcher twitching is actually a fun activity. Bird watching is becoming quite a popular activity, and twitching is now at the heart of every bird enthusiast — amateur and expert alike.
Although, technically, the term “twitching” hails from British bird watchers, younger American bird watchers are starting to pick up the term as well. The object behind twitching is to mark as many birds in your journal as possible. A person that has numerous species on their “twitch list” is likely to be known in bird watching circles as something of a bird guru. In fact, some bird watchers have taken it upon themselves to create twitching competitions, in which the person with the most birds on their list gains a certain famed notoriety.
Twitching is more popular throughout Europe than it is within North America due to easy flight schedules and quicker travel routes, but this popular pastime is really becoming a reason to travel within North America as well. Twitchers tend to travel in packs, since they are all after the same rare species, and some popular spots tend to become quite crowded with twitchers during optimal bird watching months.
Though twitching may seem slightly humorous to those outside of the bird watching world, this sport is actually quite a serious thing. So serious, in fact, that some twitchers within the United Kingdom have developed an entirely vocabulary based upon twitching. “Twitcher’s vocabulary” is surprisingly well organized and thought out, but it is also entirely confusing to those not accustomed to it. If you plan on attending a twitching competition, you may want to brush up a bit on your twitching terminology.
There are a few popular twitching competitions that happen throughout the year, but be prepared as some of these events take quite a bit of time and money. Hundreds of twitchers show up for events such as “Big Day” (where teams must sit for 24 hours in order to list as many species as possible); “Big Year” (you guessed it – individuals must track and record birds for one year); and “Bit Sit” (participants are expected to view birds from a 15 foot circle).
Attending your first twitching event can be both thrilling and exhausting, but make sure that you have a proper journal in hand along with a large cup of coffee – some of these gatherings can last well into the evening hours. Twitchers often come largely prepared as well, so grab your best binoculars; your hiking shoes; and some warm clothes – the birds await your arrival!
Rick Chapo writes for NomadJournals.com – makers of rugged and fine bird watching journals for life lists.
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