I started birding in May 2019 after catching a photo with my iPad of an egret with a gecko hanging out of its beak. Soon after that, my husband gifted me with an entry-level Nikon camera and we started birding while hiking. We were Colorado hikers, but hadn't been hiking in Hawaii nearly as much, and I had never hiked while birding.
During the pandemic, I got more serious about birding photography. I upgraded my equipment, starting with a new camera body that added about a pound to my carry weight. Later, I purchased a long lens, adding an additional five pounds. I started using a sling strap to redistribute the weight. It can be a challenge - you don't want to deviate from your typical gait and injure yourself. Because my camera is heavy, I also started doing daily pushups to strengthen my core and upper body. This eliminated the occasional tired back and shoulder muscles.
Birding while hiking offers incredible benefits:
It's great for your mental health! The American Heart Association says spending time in nature can help relieve stress and anxiety, improve your mood, and boost feelings of happiness and wellbeing.
Hiking is a great whole-body workout, strengthening muscles, as well as increasing heart health and your Vitamin D levels.
Just moving is a good thing, but carrying weight (when properly balanced) increases the intensity of your hiking workout without forcing you to increase your speed.
Weight-bearing exercise builds bone density. Bone is living tissue that responds to exercise by growing stronger, especially important for women.
Hiking at a higher elevation increases your oxygen-carrying capacity.
Walking on uneven terrain with an expensive piece of equipment tunes up your body awareness, sensory perception, and balance.
Personally, every hike increases my level of gratitude. It reminds me that I am fortunate to live in a beautiful place!
So, grab your camera (no matter what type) and get on the trail. Take photos of whatever you see - landscapes, bugs, birds, people, plants. Make a memory, enjoy the outdoors, get some exercise. I hope to see you on the trail!
“I took a walk in the woods and came out taller than the trees.” – Henry David Thoreau
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