Hobbies And Interests
Things You'll Need
Instructions
Purchase a good field guide for the state of Texas. Field guides are broken up into four areas: the North, South, East and West. Look for a field guide specific to the state of Texas. Stan Tekiela has written such a field guide.
Learn about the various strengths of binoculars. Strengths range from 1x to 20x in magnification. The wider the front lens of the binocular, the more light enters, which means the closer the object appears. For bird-watching, 10 x 40 binoculars are more than adequate.
Set up an area for bird-watching. You need a comfortable place to sit that is relaxing. Also, you don't want to run and get your binoculars and field guide every time you see a bird, so keep these items close at hand.
Write in a journal used just for bird-watching; write what you see, the date and the time. Tracking bird migration is a daunting, yet important task. The Audubon Society uses such information to track migration patterns.
Determine the size of the bird observed. Compare the bird observed to other common birds. Is it the same size as an owl or a robin? Is it fat or is it thin? Is it short and stout or is it long and leggy? Write these size comparisons in your journal.
Look at the color and markings of the bird. What is the overall color of the bird? Identify any unique markings on the bird, such as a red breast or white wing tips. Write these observations in your journal.
Explain the shape of the bird's beak in your journal. Describe if it is short and stocky or long and slender. A short, stocky beak is characteristic of a seed-eating bird. Long and slender beaks imply that the bird is an insect feeder.
Enter into your journal the behavior of the bird observed. Each bird belongs to a family. Each family of birds shares structural characteristics. An example of a family of birds is the Picidae family; Woodpeckers are in the Picidae family. Other structural characteristics include perching, ground foraging and living around water.
Listen for the song or call of the bird. It is not uncommon to hear a bird before you actually see it. Learning to identify certain bird calls and songs will help you identify birds more easily. Again, write all your listening observations in your journal.
Organize your notes in the journal so that you can use your Texas bird-watching field guide. The identification information you wrote in your journal will help you narrow down the possibilities of bird types listed in the field guide.