Listing Your Birds: The Importance of a System
For the beginning birder, there are tools that can make your experience more enjoyable. We discussed these important tools in a previous article. However, having a system to record your bird watching is a large part of the sport’s overall enjoyment. In this article, we will take a more in-depth look at listing options and the importance of them.
The term listing when related to birding simply means to track, or to record the information related to sightings. Birders and Naturalists record information including the species (or subspecies or identifiable form) they see, and often other details including times, locations, and many other similar details. Most will start small, merely using a field guide to check off birds they've seen, or a pen and notebook with short entries regarding their sightings. As the hobby progresses, many find that more is desired from their listing method. Choosing the best system for your needs can seem to be a daunting challenge. Fortunately, a little research can go a long way in finding the optimal listing method for you.
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