Tips for Trip Leading

Below are some helpful hints on how to lead a successful trip.

Planning Your Trips

• Consider your audience. You may design your trips for beginners, kids, advanced birders, older birders, special groups, etc. It’s up to you!

• Consider the size of the group. The field trip submission form allows for leaders to select the group size.  Keep the group sizes smaller if the trails are narrow or there is limited parking. 

• If you are planning an accessible trip, use the phrase “bird outing” or “bird trip” rather than “bird walk”. If you would like some advice on how to make a trip more accessible, contact Unice Chang, one of our volunteers, at unice_chang@yahoo.com. Also read “Access Considerations for Birding Locations” by Birdability.

• If you would like to lead a bilingual trip, we have a Spanish or Mandarin speaking volunteer who is interested in helping out.

• Consider ending your trip with an optional group lunch for those attendees that have more questions or who enjoy the social aspect of birding.

Few Days Before Your Trip

• If possible, scout out your route. Sometimes a rare bird shows up or trail conditions have changed. Scanning ebird data is also helpful.  

• Check the number of attendees who have RSVPed so that you are prepared for the potential group size. Not all RSVPs will show and many attendees will sign up at the last minute. (See the “Ticketbud” page in the lefthand column.)

• Read up on ticks here if relevant for your trip.

• A few days before your trip, I will send out a simple email reminder to all your trip attendees.   

During the Trip

• If possible, bird the meeting area for 10 minutes or so just in case there are any stragglers.

• Wear your name badge. If you don’t have a name badge or need a new one, contact Carolyn Knight at programs@scvas.org

• Be a good host.

• Start by introducing yourself. Include a general overview of the plan for the day. Include times, restroom breaks, trail conditions, what you will be looking for and where to find it. Review any relevant safety instructions such as poison oak, steep drop-offs, etc.

• Ask everyone to introduce themselves. I like to start with “What city are you from and what brings you out here today?”

• It’s nice to know who the new birders are - they may need a little more help from the co-leaders.

• Consider asking everyone if they are looking for a special bird. They may be from out of town or looking for a particular life bird.

• Face the sun when speaking to the group so that your guests face away from the sun.

• Help everyone get on the bird, discuss field marks or other interesting facts about the bird.

• Keep the group together without making them feel “herded.” This can be done by periodically waiting for the whole group to catch up, and then getting everyone’s attention and addressing the group.

• Feel free to discuss any other natural history knowledge that you have with regard to the trip location - you do not have to solely focus on birds.

• Remember to leverage the other knowledgeable guests in your group.  Often you will have people in your group who know more about the birds, wildlife, geology, or history of the area.

• Remember people have joined your group for a variety of reasons: to learn to identify birds, to see a new bird, to learn how to bird a new location, or to be social.

• Be a good steward. Follow all park rules including staying on the trails, limiting use of bird calls, picking up trash, etc. Follow the ABA code of ethics.

• Remember that for new birders, all birds are interesting.

• It can be helpful to have interesting things to say about the most common birds especially if the birding is slow.

• End the trip with a recap, a thank you, and information about SCVBA.