When watching birds in their natural setting, you need a few supplies. Among them is a camera to record what you see, and many modern cameras have a video mode. Digital cameras now have so many pixels that the image is clear, and can easily be printed. So, choose a camera wisely.
Canon PowerShot A2500 16MP Digital Camera with 5x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom with 2.7-Inch LCD (Silver)
This is an inexpensive camera with video and sound capabilities, and 16 Megapixels. Yes, it will have to go into the woods, so buy an inexpensive camera. Stop far enough from the birds and use the zoom.
Use a USB cable to transfer your images, which is not included, or take the memory card and plug it into your computer. The USB cable is easy, and inexpensive. I recommend that you not skimp on cable length. The one pictured is longer than many, which allows you to set your camera where convenient, especially os you choose to use a television set to preview your images and videos.
Mediabridge USB 2.0 - A Male to B Male Cable (16 Feet) - High-Speed with Gold-Plated Connectors - Black
And always bring a spare memory card. I went taking pictures once, sure that my memory card was in my camera. Well, it was home in my computer, so there I was using my phone instead of my much better camera, which was next to me. Had I brought a spare memory card I could easily have used it. No, I missed many great shots. Another time I did check, but failed to realize how many pictures I take. It was full after just a few pictures. This meant I had to screen what was there and select images to delete. But, that wastes valuable time.
Make certain to match the memory card to the camera.
SanDisk 32 GB Class 4 SDHC Flash Memory Card SDSDB-032G-AFFP
Let's assume you come across birds in a nest feeding. Yes, you can zoom, but would it be better to get a view first, perhaps identifying the bird family? Never forget the binoculars. With binoculars you can get a great view at a distance not likely to cause the birds to leave. Sttle in and watch, then photograph them. Photography first might just be noisy enough to scare the birds away, so get your actual viewing done first.
Bushnell Falcon 7x35 Binoculars with Case
What else do you need? A pen or pencil, a notebook for writing down your observations, spare batteries, and a bird watching guide book. Choose according to your expertise and location. If you are in unfamiliar territory, a guide is a must.
Finally, what do you do with those images and videos. If you leave too many on a computer ou may slow the computer down. Thumb drives are not the answer, they can go bad and you will lose your precious images. The solution is an external hard drive, and if you are serious, buy two in case one fails.
WD My Passport Ultra 1TB Portable External Hard Drive USB 3.0 with Auto and Cloud Backup - Black (WDBZFP0010BBK-NESN)
Carry your field equipment in style.
