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A Microcassette Recorder is a Useful Tool on Birdwatching Excursions.

A microcassette recorder might not sound like a useful birding tool, but in my estimation it ranks right up there with binoculars and field guides. For years, I carried notepad and pencil for jotting down the names of birds seen or to list obvious markings and habitat of "mystery" birds. I suffered through the usual broken pencil points, ballpoints that had gotten so cold that the ink wouldn't flow, and scribbles that were indecipherable at the end of the day.

Then I was given a microcassette recorder to use in my daily job. It was small and lightweight enough that I got in the habit of always carrying it in my pocket. One day, I had it with me when an unusual bird hopped close to the bench on which I was sitting. I didn't have binoculars or a bird book with me, so I described aloud what the bird looked like and how it was acting, tape recording the information. When the bird sang briefly before flying away, I got that on tape, too. When I got home, I was able to identify it as a Harris' sparrow, uncommon in my area.

On my next birding walk, I took the microcassette along and found that I could hold my binoculars steady with one hand while holding the recorder with the other. I could list the birds I was seeing without taking my eyes off them. During warbler migration, it was indispensable. Trees were alive with many species, and I didn't have to take my eyes from them, fumble with a checklist, or try to keep a mental record of what I was seeing. When an unfamiliar bird came by, I could keep my eyes on it while recording markings, movements, habitat, and song. In the past, if a bird moved while I was making notes, I often lost sight of it. With the recorder, I could move with the bird and catch some identifying trait that I might otherwise have missed.

On bird counts it's great, too. You can simply say aloud the bird species and numbers seen without taking your eyes from them. At the end of the day, you can record the information on the checklist or forms and not have to try to decipher scribbles made in the field.

Convinced of just how useful the recorder was as a birding tool, I purchased an inexpensive adapter for it that allows me to record telephone messages. When traveling, I call the bird hot lines for an update of birds in my particular locale. Instead of trying to remember the birds or the exact directions to locate them, I have a recorded copy of the message and can follow the directions to see rare and unusual birds firsthand.

If you don't have a microcassette recorder, consider investing in one. If you do have one, take it on your next birding trip. I'm sure you'll agree that it is an indispensable birding tool.