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