No bird watcher is complete without his or her bird watching
journals. When you go bird watching, you need to keep your life
list.
The Life List
If you are or become an avid bird watching enthusiast, you're
going to need to keep records. The reason for this is you want
to keep a running list of the various bird species you've seen.
Since there are a zillion species, the list can become quite
long. Frankly, it becomes a life long project that is very
enjoyable. Trust me, you'll start planning vacations and trips
around it. A business trip will soon evolve into a chance to see
new species.
Part and parcel to your bird watching life list is your journal.
Some bird watchers combine these two while others keep them
separate. The bird watching journal is used to fill out your
sightings. Information kept in the journal includes things like
where you were, whom you were with, the weather conditions, the
lighting, time of day and your overall impressions from the
sighting.
When keeping your journal and lists, you are going to have
sightings of species you've seen previously. Most bird watchers
will add such sightings to their journals, but not their life
lists. The reason for this is there may be peculiar or
significant factors in the sighting. Perhaps the bird is not
typically found in the area in question or perhaps it is
exhibiting some unique characteristic.
New Sightings
When it comes to bird watching, there is no greater joy then
sighting a bird you have never seen before. Often called "life
birds", the sighting can be added to your life list and is a
feather in your cap. When you first start watching birds, you'll
obviously have a lot of new sighting. As time passes, however,
they will become less frequent and you will come to enjoy and
value them even more.
Bird watching is an addictive hobby. Part of the thrill is
watching your life list grow and reading through your journal of
sightings.
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