Taking Field Notes (1 Viewer)

Patchbirder said:

What do I do? You mean job? I'm a university chaplain - or at least that's the bit people understand. I work for a Christian charity, a lot of speaking and teaching. The advantage is that I can organise my own time. The downside is that it is very irregular and free time to go birding is likewise erratic, so I don't know if I would be consistent enough to be a reliable source of briding information... at least I don't think so. Is that what you meant, Simon? I get out every week if I can, though my proper 'patch' takes a little more time than I can afford every week.

I use Castelli A6 notebooks: pencil attached, hardback, elastic band, ribon marker - perfect. Not so easy to find and not cheap, though.
Peter

Click to expand...

No sorry, i meant in birding - some go patchworking, some twitching, some just general birdwatching etc.

Easy misunderstanding to make though - the british have an obsession with what people do for work

Jane -

Now THAT's what I'm talking about!! Your drawings are beautiful and simple - just capturing the moment with the bird, observing its details. The notes are quite randomly arranged, not unlike mine, but more comprehensive and the drawings are much better.

Thanks for taking the trouble to scan them in. Quite a treasure.

Oh, sorry, Simon. Misunderstood. I guess I'm new to this.o

After spending a year "interviewing" possible local spots, I settled on nearby RSPB Otmoor which is an easy drive from home. Patch birding was always going to be my staple as though my time is flexible it doesn't come in big chunks, an hour here, a morning there and sometimes there's only time to get to Port Meadow which is nearer, but not my prefered. So I really don't twitch and even locally I miss a lot, sadly.:-C

I get the odd day out and I squeeze in a bit of birding elsewhere when I can. But I am keen to really get to know my local patch as well as possible. I am also a biology grad, so even though nothing that I do constitutes 'science', part of me feels I ought to be looking at the birds 'in context', so to speak, not just species listing (no disrespect intended).

I constantly meet other birders at said patch who say there's "nothing much" around. I have actively resisted thinking this way (not always successfully). That's why Jane's notes and sketches excite me because it means potentially bringing more home from a day at the local patch, even if there's nothing spectacular about.

That probably more than answers your question!

Patchbirder said:

I constantly meet other birders at said patch who say there's "nothing much" around. I have actively resisted thinking this way (not always successfully).

Click to expand...

'Nothing much around' does mean 'Nothing much of interest to me' but that doesn't mean it isn't of interest to you.

If you want to go a bit further away on occasion have a go at the Cotswold Water Park (check the website first)

Will do, Bob. Work takes me to Cheltenham now and again, so a detour will do nicely.
Peter

Patchbirder said:

After spending a year "interviewing" possible local spots, I settled on nearby RSPB Otmoor which is an easy drive from home. Patch birding was always going to be my staple as though my time is flexible it doesn't come in big chunks, an hour here, a morning there and sometimes there's only time to get to Port Meadow which is nearer, but not my prefered. So I really don't twitch and even locally I miss a lot, sadly.:-C

Click to expand...

Hi Patchbirder

I have visited Otmoor once only, so far... March 2011, and I really enjoyed the area. We got lost while driving on the Oxford ring road..so funny as we went around and around over and over again :eek!:
It was great to have Red Kites flying above our heads and the Kites remained unperturbed by our presence. At times I felt I could almost touch them if they flew any lower. Great place! :t:

Jane has give you helpful hints how to document and produce your field notes - you do not need to be artist of year either as it is for your own personal use

Look forward to hearing all about the Reserves you visit in the future, where you can visit and take in all the bird life you can.

Here is my link to my report of the area in March 2011

http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=196089&highlight=otmoor

Bob Philpott said:

'Nothing much around' does mean 'Nothing much of interest to me' but that doesn't mean it isn't of interest to you.

If you want to go a bit further away on occasion have a go at the Cotswold Water Park (check the website first)

Click to expand...

Yes, it make us think that even the birds that are taken for granted like the Mute Swans and Mallards are still great to see anyday. No matter where.

I do not know where the Cotswold Water Park is but one day we will find our way there no doubt. :gh:

Jane Turner said:

I used to keep a field note book in which scribbled notes and sketches, that I then dutifully wrote up neatly at night into large books....

Click to expand...

Great experiences on paper, and worth its weight in gold to keep for keepsakes. :t:

Regards
Kathy
x

and...

just want to thank everyone for your suggestions. I like the idea of using preexisting patterns or silhouettes for drawing observations. This takes some of the pressure off of having to be a "magnificent" artist before I can put pencil to paper.

John

Reminds me of one of the few rarities descriptions I have had to submit. The bird was a Pectoral Sandpiper. The field notes included a "sketch" illustrating the distinctive breast pattern. But I had to add a disclaimer that "contrary to the picture, the bird had a neck!"

idaho john said:

just want to thank everyone for your suggestions. I like of using preexisting patterns or silhouettes for drawing observations. This takes some of the pressure off of having to be a "magnificent" artist before I can put pencil to paper.

John

Click to expand...

Sounds like you have a plan there, John.

Never mind about being a 'Monat' painter - just be you... in your own ambitions. :t:

Regards
Kathy
x

peter.jones said:

Reminds me of one of the few rarities descriptions I have had to submit. The bird was a Pectoral Sandpiper. The field notes included a "sketch" illustrating the distinctive breast pattern. But I had to add a disclaimer that "contrary to the picture, the bird had a neck!"

Click to expand...

Hi Peter

A sketch can be as informative as we wish as long as it gives us enough information to help us us ID what we are looking for.

The famous sketch, I have done.. is of a bird we know too well but because of the lighting - ie low sun it makers the bird look a different species all together..so embarassing when the penny drops LOL :gh:

Regards
Kathy
x

I always set out with good intentions to take notes, but usually just find myself taking a list of sightings. However, a couple of days ago I saw a moth that I didn't recognise and while I managed a photo, it didn't have the greatest focus on it, so I decided to do a quick sketch, noting colours and things like that. That made me look at the moth in more detail.

Sketching is a bit hit and miss, and while I can come up with a half-decent skecth (in my own estimation!) if I'm sat at home, balancing notebook in the field while standing and grabbing a quick outline tends to be erratic and messy to say the least, but it has meant I can refer back and check details. I think it is worth persevering with.

That said, my earliest notebook contains a "corncrake" at Otmoor, complete with sketch. And while we've had corncrakes on rare occasions there, this was almost certainly a (ahem!) female pheasant (brief sighting + inexperience + wishful thinking + smug lack of self-critique = extreme stringing!!!).

I think I'm going to try marrying the ideas of making it a diary-type journal, describing the experience of the day, with something more methodical. I've steched mini maps before to show new places where I have been. I like the idea of a basic species list to avoid missing Robins and Woopigeons, plus more detailed notes on 'things of note', including behaviours as well as i.d.s

Peter

quote: Sketching is a bit hit and miss, and while I can come up with a half-decent skecth (in my own estimation!) if I'm sat at home, balancing notebook in the field while standing and grabbing a quick outline tends to be erratic and messy to say the least, but it has meant I can refer back and check details. I think it is worth persevering with.

That said, my earliest notebook contains a "corncrake" at Otmoor, complete with sketch. And while we've had corncrakes on rare occasions there, this was almost certainly a (ahem!) female pheasant (brief sighting + inexperience + wishful thinking + smug lack of self-critique = extreme stringing!!!).

I think I'm going to try marrying the ideas of making it a diary-type journal, describing the experience of the day, with something more methodical. I've steched mini maps before to show new places where I have been. I like the idea of a basic species list to avoid missing Robins and Woopigeons, plus more detailed notes on 'things of note', including behaviours as well as i.d.s

Hi Peter

I would love to see your sketches/artwork/maps, or any painted artwork that you show here. Quite often we all unconsciously underestimate ourselves, and our abilities at times which we should not do at all. So naughty!

To others what we see of another persons work is a different, interesting, informative, and we will see things in a different light to yourself.

Take a leap forward, and post those pictures to your hearts content! :-O :t:

The 'Corncrake' sounds wonderful :-O

Regards
Kathy
x

Good suggestion. I've scanned some examples into the computer, but not sure what to do next and have no time to fiddle at the moment. Will try again in a few days. P

Patchbirder said:

Thanks, Laura, that's really helpful.

So far I have been largely writing down things 'of note', but that's pretty random. What you do is pretty thorough and much more impressive - but do you ever look at a field of birds and say, "Wow! How am I ever going to get all that down on paper? (and still enjoy my day out)"?

(I'll swap you a Black-tailed Godwit for a Killdeer, btw)

Click to expand...

You know, I never really think about it, I just do it! It sounds like a lot, but it really isn't!!! I thoroughly enjoy birding, not always do I enjoy counting....hate counting ducks in the winter!!! Have gotten really good at estimating - I estimate and then count to see how close I really was! Most times I am within 10 birds or less! But when you are looking at a thousand ducks or more, it is very intimidating! If I am looking at a lot of different species, I will get the names down as fast as I can and then count! It is worse with warblers in spring! If I am seeing a good number all at once, I get my views first & foremost and mentally keep track of what I have seen and then after I feel I have gotten to see all that is around & have a moment - I write down the species seen & how many, etc.

Don't get me wrong, my field notes aren't extensive!!! My descriptions of birds I am puzzled with are usually limited to key field marks. Behaviors may entail lengthy descriptions, but that is up to you. The rest is a matter of species names and then you decide how detailed you want to be. If I am dealing with huge numbers of birds, I don't always document male/female, especially with large numbers of mixed duck species at a distance.

If you get familiar with the banding codes, you can keep writing to a minimum.

Now when I am trying to photograph bird, that is when I feel like I am kissing everything trying to get the best shot - even if the best is a sorry shot!!!

I'll take your Black-tailed Godwit for a Killdeer!!!! Went out to some local sewage ponds today and the 1st pond I drive past had 23 Killdeer alone!
Over 100 for the 1 1/2 hr outing!

In rereading the other posts, I find a share some tendencies to not count some the more common birds and I have had to school myself to count them. The other point you brought up is birding a selected patch, which may seem mundane, but if you are tracking species, you might find some really interesting birds are showing up there or finding that populations crash at certain times of the year or when there is a weather variable involved. What you do is citizen science, especially if you are reporting on something like eBird. You might find trends you never noticed before like more of the native birds are being muscled out by introduced species or some native species have simply disappeared from your patch or habitat changes at your patch. It is all relevant!

I recently read a book called Field Notes on Science and Nature edited by Michael R. Canfield and this had several interesting essays from scientists and naturalists about how they take notes or make sketches/artwork.

The scientists are mainly those working in a professional capacity so what they write about are notes that they take to inform and back-up their research, but as an amateur it's still a good read just to see how they do it - perhaps you could borrow it from a library...

Hmm.. sounds like a worthy tome! Then again, I have found I enjoy reading the science behind birding.

I went out today with a mind to take more comprehensive notes, and I did. That said, many details I had to write when I got home as I spent too much time chatting with other birders! I saw a turtle dove (best sighting yet) which stayed long enough for me to get down a few notes and a quick sketch of sorts. All in all, my notes were twice as long as they usually are, but it wasn't a chore and I think I'll be glad when I look back.

A bird artist I chatted to once at Slimbridge (he was selling his art but took a look at my notes) said that drawing birds was like learning to drive, but field sketching is like driving Formula One! No wonder - I've had a few "crashes"!

Sorry all, I'm hopeless at I.T. and I still haven't worked out how to get my scanned in notes onto the site (problem with size??).

P

Writing notes (if you like writing) is a very enjoyable but increasingly rare birding behaviour. I was inspired by the examples in the books by Ian (DIM) Wallace - well worth reading. I was additionally encouraged by the diary of Norman McCanch in A Lighthouse Notebook and Sir Peter Scott's diaries. However, the key to successful note making is making it personal. The record is for the enjoyment of the writer. Trained in the observatory tradition by my mentors at Hilbre Island Bird Observatory I have spent three decades converting notes into a daily log much like those espoused by DIMW above. They have proven to be a great enjoyment for reliving many days in the field. Notes of numbers of individuals, directions of movement, high counts can all be worth recording in a notebook and personal logbook. Check your local bird report to gauge what records may be worthwhile and then send your records to the local recorder.