Bird Watching Journals ? Preserve Your Bird Watching Experiences

Bird Watching is a great way to escape the rat race and be one with nature. Alas, your bird watching experiences can fade with time. The best way to prevent this is to keep a bird watching journal for your sightings and trips.

Bird Watching Journals

Take a minute to give some consideration to your most recent bird watching experience. What sticks out in your mind? Now think about the first time you ever went bird watching. Undoubtedly, you remember few things about the geography, people you went with, every bird sighted and so on. The experiences you've forgotten are lost to time. If you had kept a bird watching journal, this wouldn't be the case.

There are famous instances of people keeping journals throughout time. Of course, Anne Frank's Diary is the best example. In her diary, Anne kept a running commentary of the two years her family spent hiding from the Nazis. While your bird watching experiences better be more lighthearted, keeping a journal will let you remember them as the years pass.

A good bird watching journal combines a number of characteristics. First, it should be compact so you don't have to take up unnecessary space for other things. Second, it should have a case to protect it from rain, spills and so on. Third, the journal should contain blank areas to write your notes. Fourth, the journal should contain cue spaces to remind you to keep notes on specific things. Cues should include:

1. Who you went birding with,

2. Where you stayed and if you enjoyed it,

3. Who you met and contact information for them,

4. The geographic and weather conditions, and

5. The birds you sighted and added to your life list.

At the end of the trip, you should be able to get the following from your journal:

1. Contact information for other bird watchers and people you met,

2. Enough detail to provide you or a friend with a guide if you travel to the location a second time.

3. Memories to reflect upon years later, and

4. Something to pass on to your children and grandchildren.

To get the most out of your bird watching journal, you should write in it during and immediately after birding. Every sighting brings new experiences even if you're just sitting in your backyard.

Bird watching is a great way to commune with nature. Make sure to preserve the experience.

Rick Chapo is with http://www.nomadjournals.com - makers of writing journals for outdoor activities and traveling. Visit http://www.nomadjournaltrips.com to read articles and stories on travel and outdoor activities.

---

Going it Alone: The Waterfall at Mendenhall Glacier, Alaska

I stood at the observation point on the balcony at... Read More

Topographic Maps 101

The intricate details on a topographic map can be befuddling,... Read More

River Rafting: An Overview

White-water rafting can be one of the most exhilarating experiences... Read More

Survival in the Wilderness: What to Do, What You Need

Summer is for picnics, hikes, outdoor concerts, barbeques ... and... Read More

Hard Labor Creek State Park Earned Its Name

One afternoon during a trip across the country in our... Read More

Stay Out of That Old Mine!

It seems like the most adventurous thing in the world.... Read More

Kayak Travel and Trips

If you love the thrill and adventure of kayak travel,... Read More

Unforgettable White Mountains Vacations ? The Most Scenic 100 Miles in New England

This amazing drive through the White Mountains of New Hampshire... Read More

Tamil Nadu ? A potpourri of culture and festivity

Tamil Nadu is a delightful anachronism. With a rich culture... Read More

About Table Mountain Cape Town - Well Known in South Africa and Around the World

Table Mountain sheltered the original Cape explorers in the 16th... Read More

Malaria Prevention - Five Ways to Avoid Catching It on Safari

Malaria is endemic to most of the areas in Africa... Read More

What Do Cowboys-n-Campfires Have in Common?

I bet you're wondering where the heck this articles going.... Read More

Sleeping Pads For Ultralight Backpackers

Ultralight backpackers want to give up weight, not comfort. Sleeping... Read More

Stay Warm - A Backpacking Skill

Stay warm or die. That's what it comes down to... Read More

Plymouth Plantation and Mayflower ? Links to Our Past Guide, Part 1

Plimoth Plantation and the Mayflower II ship are major attractions... Read More

Hawaii Snorkeling - An Underwater Paradise

Hawaii snorkeling is a fun activity available to almost any... Read More

Hawaii Volcano Tour

A Hawaii volcano tour can be a most memorable experience,... Read More

Side-Tripping in Montana

Nightlife in Big Sky, Montana is more exciting than you... Read More

South Africa Safari Top Five National Parks and Game Reserves

A South Africa safari is the ideal wildlife trip to... Read More

Mystic Seaport Captured ? Links to Our Past Guide, Part 3

Mystic Seaport celebrates the seafaring past of New England. Known... Read More

Discover Eaton Canyon In Pasadena California

Eaton Canyon Natural Area Nature Center, entrance, 1750 N. Altadena... Read More

RV Vacations: Ten Tips

Perhaps you have wondered about taking an RV vacation. It... Read More

Be Sure to Buy the Best Discount Camping Gear Before Going on that Family Adventure

When you're on the Internet looking for discount camping gear,... Read More

Bird Safaris: Timbavatis Most Desired Plumage

Normally when you think Safari you think Big 5. The... Read More

Yellowstone Camping In The Fall

Soon, the busy summer tourist season will be over in... Read More

Planning Your Own Gorilla Safari Will Save You Money - Heres How

Going on a gorilla safari must rank as one of... Read More

Boondocking America

Boondocking is fun! Boondockers go anywhere they want, at any... Read More

Trekking in Jordan

1st day : Airport / Amman, O/N Our representative will... Read More

Kerala ? Holiday in Gods Own Country

Touted as one of the world's fifty destinations of a... Read More

River Cruise in Bangkok ? Sightseeing on the Chao Phraya

A river cruise in Bangkok gives an insight to the... Read More

How To Get The Most Out Of Your Trekking Poles

How to get the most out of your trekking poles... Read More

Alaska Sport Fishing Guide

WHAT TO FISH AND WHERE: Alaska offers some of the... Read More

Canoe Trip with Nature

A canoe trip is a great way to appreciate Nature!A... Read More