A Step by Step Guide to Getting Started Birding on Your Own

1. Choose a place to look and listen for birds. This could be anywhere:
• a fire escape
• a city park
• a trail in the woods
• a body of water
2. Be very still and take note of what you see and hear. There are several ways to record your observations, including:
   • a notebook and pen
   • the Notes app on your phone
   • a birding app such as Merlin or eBird
3. You do not need binoculars to bird, but this would be the next step to take your birding hobby to the next level. There are several good, not too expensive, options, including:
   • these
   • these
   • and these
4. Practice! There are many ways to improve at birding, including:
   • Go often--try going to different locations and at different times of the day
   • Ask more experienced birders for help--most will be happy to tell you what they have seen that day
   • Write down your observations--even if you can't identify a bird right away, you may be able to figure it out later