Bird Watching Journal: The How's and Why's of Keeping Your Own

Anyone who loves watching birds knows that it is an enjoyable, relaxing hobby that is also educational. I know you might be wondering why anyone would care about keeping a bird watching journal, and the answer is because it enhances your experience. There really are no rules or regulations here; you just write what you like without worrying about spelling or grammar. It's your own personal bird watching diary of sorts that actually helps you focus more on what you are watching. What you are actually doing is interpreting what you are watching, so that you can read back on it years from now. Add a few amateur drawings of your own, write what you think while you are watching the birds, and you'll find that keeping a journal is actually fun!

Now for those who are interested, I will explain how to keep a bird watching journal. Of course you do it however you want, since it is your own journal - but for those who have no idea where to start, here we go:

1. Buy a journal that you can write in. You probably want to buy one that has an entire page for every day of the year, so that you can record your thoughts, what you are seeing, where you are and other information. You may even want to go with a journal that has blank pages, so that you can draw your own sketches of the birds or place photographs inside.

2.
I suggest that whether you are in your own yard or at a national forest, jot down the date and what time of day it is. You may even want to include what the weather is doing, the temperature and other notes about your surroundings. I have found that doing this helps you understand the habits of birds.

3. Jot down information about the markings of the birds you study, especially if it is one you aren't familiar with. A bird watching journal is great because as you get older and your memory isn't as great as it once was, you can look back and enjoy the experience all over again.

4. It's also fun to watch what type of food the birds are eating and jot that down. Are they eating bugs or worms, or are they in a specific type of tree eating berries? Note how they interact with other species, if they are trying to attract a mate, even the type of song it sings.

Bird watching is a hobby that lets you enjoy not only the birds, but all of the nature surrounding you. Whether you just want to watch the birds that visit your own backyard or take notes everywhere you travel, I recommend that you record your experiences in a journal. Years from now you'll be glad you did!