Q1 : What is the basic manner of bird-watching?

The Wild Bird Society of Japan states following 7 articles as the basic manner of bird-watching.(Quoted from the web site of Wild Bird Society of Japan. Clickhttp://www.birdfan.net/bw/field/tanchokai.html)

  • Comfortable and enjoyable outdoor activity

Nature does not exist only for human beings. There might be unexpected danger hiding. Act safely with knowledge and a relaxed mind.

  • Refrain from gathering, leave the nature as it is.

Nature is a residence of wild-birds, and most creatures are their food. Looking what it is expands your world in a way you have never noticed. Refrain from gathering without reason.

  • Be quiet. Be gentle.

Most wildlife fear human beings. They keep on guard for loud noises and movement. As long as you are quiet, you will never scare them. Moreover, you can enjoy the natural sound such as small chirps and flapping wings.

  • Straight road, never go off the road.

Be careful not to go off the road in order to avoid danger, not hurt nature, nor give the inhabitants who own the field trouble.

  • Be careful about pictures, feeding and disturbance

Photographing could have harmful effects on wildlife and surrounding nature. Try to avert the negative impact after understanding the subject and the surrounding environment. Refrain from feeding crows or pigeons which conflict with human lives, alien invasive species which have effects on the ecological system or at the place water deterioration is pointed. Also, pay attention to take photos, feeding and observation because they might cause misinterpretation or stress the neighbors.

  • Bring home memories and garbage.

You should bring your garbage home and dispose of it. Vinyl or plastic might cause the birds' death. Moreover augmentation of omnivore caused by leftovers badly affects the balance of nature. Anyone can do conservation work dealing with garbage responsibly.

  • Never approach the nests.

Most parent birds become nervous in the child-rearing season, and they might abandon the nests when they feel danger or the neighborhood change. Especially, near the nest birds can die. If you do not know wild birds' behavior much, you do best by avoiding the nests.. In addition, a bird which has just left the nest looks like a stray bird, but they are under the benevolent watch of the parent birds. Never get them by mistake.

Q2 : What should I prepare for attending a bird-watching party for the first time?

When you attend a bird-watching party for the first time, you might have anxieties as well as anticipation.
We will introduce some points to attending a bird-watching party.

  • Points

1) Attend a bird-watching party suitable for your experience and physical strength.
There are various kinds of bird-watching parties such as for beginners, for experts, accompanied by mountain climbing, for 2 hours or all day long. If you attend a bird-watching party for the first time, you should choose "For beginners"
2) Confirm the time and place appointed for assembling and material possessions etc.
Most bird-watching parties are held early in the morning of Saturday or Sunday. Therefore there are few means of transportation. You should leave home earlier than usual. Confirm the route for assembly point, lunch and drink in advance.
3) Stay near the leader as possible as you can.
As a beginner you do not know when, where and what bird you can encounter. Stay near the leader as much as you can. However if you stay near the leader all the time, you could give the others a hard time. You had better be aware of the others taking turns.

  • Manner at bird-watching parties

Some bird-watching parties make their own rules. Here we introduce the manner in general.
1) Sometimes there are many people in a bird-watching party.Be careful not to be an obstacle for other passengers or cars while watching birds on a narrow road etc.
2) It's natural to clamor when you are surprised at the first sight of a wild bird.If you speak out loud, the birds might be scared and fly away. Be calm and observe gently
3) The leader explains the dos and don'ts at the beginning of the party.So, listen to him carefully. Please pay careful attention to those nearby as well as the participants.

Q3 : Please tell me about the care and cleaning of binoculars.

Please take good care of your binoculars after using to use it comfortably at any time:.

• Body：If they get wet by rain etc., dry them with towel etc. Especially, after using on the beach, wipe off the salinity with a freshwater moistened soft cloth. Then dry with a waterless cloth.
• Lens : Dust on the surface should be blown away with blower or removed by a soft oilless brush. Stains such as fingerprints should be removed with cloths for cleaning glasses or wiped softly with cleaning paper moistened by separate cleaning fluid.
• Storing : Please store them after cleaning in the above mentioned way. Dust might make stain and the lens could get fungus and dull easily.