GEAR UP!
INCREASINGLY, we live in a society estranged from the outdoors. In this age of passive indoor climate control and dual-passenger automobile climate settings, basic principles relating to staying dry, warm, or cool are no longer part of our cultural DNA.
The result is that many new birders go afield without field skills pertaining to even basic dress.
An old axiom in the outdoor recreation community goes like this: “There is no such thing as bad weather, only bad equipment.” To this, I will add “and poor preparation.”
So, in this article, in place of my usual “Birder at Large” column, I offer advice on what to wear when you’re birding, especially in cold and wet weather but also in hot areas. And to reduce birders’ discomfort, I also give tips for avoiding mosquitos and other biting insects.
KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT
Before setting out on a day’s outing or a two-week birding tour, learn about the terrain you will face and what climate and weather you are likely to encounter. Gearing up for a trip to the Aleutians is unlike packing for a river cruise in the Amazon Basin.
Whether or not Alaska is in your plans, here are tips for dressing for cold climates.
It begins with the base layer:
