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Step 1
Purchase a journal in which to keep your birding notes. Anything from an expensive journal to a cheap notebook, like those you would use for school, will do.
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Step 2
Start each entry with a basic set of information. Note the time of the bird sighting, the location and the weather conditions. This will aid you in trying to track a certain kind of bird in the future.
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Step 3
Take the basic information and add more detail. Note whether the bird was in a tree or in a flower bed, whether the surroundings were damp or barren, and whether the foliage had food or protective properties, like thorns. Try to note as many environmental factors as you can recognize.
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Step 4
Describe the physical aspects of the bird with as much detail as possible. Describe color, plumage, beak shape and size, eye location, feet and claws. Note whether the bird stays with a group or goes off on its own.
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Step 5
Sketch the bird and the surroundings if you are able. A camera with a long range lens is another excellent option. A camcorder will also work well, especially if the bird is too quick to snap a photo. If you take a picture or record a video, keep track of your photo number or the timer on the camcorder, and log it in your journal.
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Step 6
Take note of the behavior of the bird, including calls and songs. A camcorder would work well to record sounds as well as images. See whether the bird preferred the shade or the sun, whether the bird was eating, protecting a nest, fighting with a predator or performing a mating ritual.
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Step 7
Collect as much data as possible and do not skimp on observation time. Try to catch the same bird at different times of day and perhaps different locations. Multiple journal entries on the same bird only work to your advantage. You then have a highly detailed and in-depth description that can rival that of a published journal.
