There’s something special about bird watching. It’s the stillness; the silence; the anticipation; like some kind of meditation, almost †the thrill of the hunt without actually hunting; trophies written neatly in little notebooks rather than shot and hung on walls. Bird watching holidays offer real enthusiasts (as well, of course, as first timers or relative beginners) the chance to go see some of the world’s rarest and most spectacular species in their natural habitat. They tend to be well organised and attached to a highly qualified guide, the advantages of which are obvious. A person can quite happily trot off to Canada in search of Wilson’s Storm Petrel, but he or she isn’t going to find it without some help. That help comes as part of the ticket price when a bird watching holiday is booked †one doesn’t just pay for transport and accommodation, but for the greatly increased chances of seeing the things one came to see. Using organised holidays to fuel one’s ornithological passion, almost by accident, gives one the chance to visit some pretty wild and far flung places †from the Galapagos Islands to Africa; from Antarctica to Sri Lanka (reputedly one of the most fertile birding locations in the world). A bird watching trip to Sri Lanka, under the auspices of locally sourced, highly reputable guides, can yield some spectacular results for the note book, including the Sri Lankan Hanging Parrot; the Sri Lankan Blue Magpie; and the Serendib Scops Owl. It’ll also yield some astonishing food, glorious scenery and a chance to relax on some of the world’s most beautiful beaches. The same could be said of any birding location †as long as the guide is good (and with organised birding holidays, of course, the guide is always good), results are good; and because birds tend to favour wild locations, attendees end up going on some of the most spectacular looking trips of their lives. Bird watching takes its devotees to mountainous regions, replete with ancient cities; imperial deserts; lush rainforest; clean, bright, airy wetland; even some of the world’s most legendary cities. Where there’s an interesting habitat, there are interesting birds; and where there are interesting birds, there are organised birding holidays designed to deliver experiences un-guided twitchers simply can’t have. Booking a birding tour with a reputable wildlife tour agency (consider Limosa, a UK based tour operator whose user reviews seem uniformly positive) ensures safety both for the tourist and the wildlife they’ve gone to find. The essence of bird watching is its non invasive nature †that’s why it’s called bird â€watching††and the essence of a good birding tour operator is its ability to retain that lack of intrusion. Companies like Limosa work regularly with tried and trusted guides, many native to or now living in the country of destination. It’s a close knit employment practice that ensures a duty of care to the environment in which the birds are found, as well as the communities who live near them: and the sign of a conscientious tour operator. Picking a bird watching holiday with this kind of outfit guarantees results for everyone †the birds; the watchers; and the natives.
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