Watching wildlife is a rewarding pastime but it can be a challenge to get up-close to animals that are, in most cases, determined to keep humans at a safe distance. Luckily, there are a few simple steps you can take that can help you to blend in to the surroundings and thus increase your chances of observing animals at closer proximity.
1. Select clothing that helps you blend in and stay comfortable. When watching wildlife, it is crucial to blend-in with your surroundings. But before you dash out to your nearest army surplus store to purchase an outfit of head-to-toe camouflage, it's worth knowing that there's more to blending-in than the color and pattern of your clothing. Take care to select clothes that are soft and quiet, you don't want materials that tend rustle when you move. Cotton is always a good material to select. Avoid noisy zippers and velcro if possible, buttons are a better option. Also keep the climate in mind. Watch the forecast and dress for the weather at hand, be prepared to adjust your outfit as it warms or cools throughout the day by adding or removing layers. Finally, select colors that are toned-down but practical, blacks and browns work well. You don't need to match your background completely, you just want to avoid clothing that would draw attention.
2. Pay attention to how you move. When approaching wildlife, move slowly and steadily. Avoid sudden bursts of motion and crouch down to reduce the overall size of your silhouette. Try to stay upwind of animals and stay hidden behind bushes and other cover when possible.
3. Be selective in what you carry with you. Keep your equipment to the essentials, the more things you carry around, the harder it is to conceal yourself from the wildlife you're watching. Straps can become entangled in branches and the sudden thud of a dropped camera will likely scare off even the boldest of creatures.
4. Be patient and flexible. If you make mistakes and scare off the wildlife you're trying to watch, don't give up. Try and learn from your mistakes, find out what works and what fails. If one animal decides to leave, be flexible and look around before calling it quits. You may discover that the animal left not because it detected you, but because another animal wandered onto the scene.
