Gear

The Gear Every Birder Needs


Accessories for your Big Year migrations (or backyard observations).

Words by Jennifer Justus

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Updated

12 Aug 2024

Reading Time

5 Minutes

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  1. FIELD NOTES EXPEDITION EDITION
    Ever tried to make an important observation in a soggy notebook? Waterproof pages let you jot whenever inspiration strikes. $15.
    fieldnotesbrand.com

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  2. THERMACELL MOSQUITO REPELLENT CAMP LANTERN
    Mosquitoes come with the birding territory. The Audubon Society recommends this lantern, with a 15-foot protection zone. $30.
    thermacell.com

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  3. OM SYSTEM OM-1 MARK II
    Birders rave about this camera's shutter speed for capturing fowl in flight. Bird ID function too. $2,400.
    explore.omsystem.com

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  4. WINGSPAN
    The premise: You're an avian admirer trying to attract birds to your wildlife preserves. Game night goes birding, with lovely art. $60.


    stonemaiergames.com

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  5. SIBLEY BACKYARD BIRDING FLASHCARDS


    Sure, you could rely on an app alone. Or you could study up, analog style, with this

    set of 100 beautiful cards. $15.


    sibleyguides.com

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  6. NOCS PROVISIONS TAPESTRY STRAP


    A woven, jacquard-patterned strap, with quick-release clips, to keep cameras and binoculars close at hand. Soft cotton out- side, durable polyester inside. $27.
    nocsprovisions.com

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  7. BIRD BUDDY SMART BIRD FEEDER
    Build out your yard list with a sleek feeder that snaps pics of your winged visitors. $239.
    mybirdbuddy.com

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  8. FOR THE BIRDS: THE BIRDSONG PROJECT
    More than 220 creators (Beck! Alice Waters! Greta Gerwig!) making birdy music and reading birdy poetry on this Grammy- winning 20-LP boxed set. $430.
    audubon.org

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  9. SWAROVSKI OPTIK AX VISIO
    Do you need a pair of bins that cost as much as a jet ski? Maybe not, but this swanky set links with your phone (and apps like Cornell Lab's Merlin Bird ID) to tell you what you're spotting. $4,799.
    swarovskioptik.com

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  10. FILSON JOURNEYMAN BACKPACK
    Durable and water repellent, thanks to its waxed-canvas construction. The leather straps and chunky brass buckles and pulls are just plain stylish. $395.
    filson.com

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  11. FISHER SPACE PEN
    It'll write on basically anything. And in par- akeet green, it's easy to spot inside a dark bag. Good enough for NASA, good enough for us. $25–$80.
    spacepen.com

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  12. TILLEY LTM8 AIRFLO HAT
    Mesh crown for breathability, a UPF 50+ rating for protection. Slight Dr. Livingstone vibes. $99.
    tilley.com

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  13. THE BIRDS OF AMERICA
    More for your coffee table than your backpack, a large-scale new edition of 435 of John James Audubon's seminal watercolors. $99.
    moppetbookspublishing.com

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