Scrapbooking Is For The Birds: How To Preserve Your Birdwatching Journey For Generations To Come

If you are an avid birdwatcher, you already know the excitement that comes when you encounter a rare bird on your latest birding adventure. You may have a notebook for documenting this information, but a book full of dates and sightings isn't necessarily something exciting you can share with others.

Making your own birding scrapbook is a great way to show off your latest bird photos. It's also a creative and colorful way to document important information about your personal bird watching journey.

Quality counts

Always choose acid-free books and materials to use for your birdwatching scrapbook. While the scrapbook you find at the local dollar store may look okay, chances are it lacks in quality. A high-quality scrapbook will hold up to years of use. The pages will fit securely, and you will be able to add additional pages later if desired.

Purchase acid-free pens and markers. The same holds true for embellishments and stickers. You will have to spend more, but it will pay off in lasting benefits when preserving your photos and information.

Size matters

A 12 x 12 size scrapbook is the preferred size if you plan to display your book on a coffee table. It will allow you plenty of room for enlarging special photos. It will give you additional room to journal your adventures and will be easy to expand as your birdwatching journey continues.

If you don't plan to display your book, you may prefer a smaller scrapbook. A smaller size will be easier to tote if you plan to take it with you on birding trips or vacations.

Be smart about photo printing

Even the best scrapbook materials won't look nice if you settle for cheap-looking photos. If possible, have your bird photos professionally printed and use the best high-gloss photo paper you can afford by a company like Refill Ink. Have your best photos enlarged to at least a 5 x 7 size. High-gloss photo paper will capture attention and make your scrapbook stand out.

Not every photo needs to be perfect for your scrapbook. However, showcasing your best shots by having them enlarged will make up for the shots that aren't the best. The goal is to document the variety of birds you saw.

Treat it like a journey

One of the easiest ways to make your scrapbook is to use it like a timeline. Don't worry about keeping all of the similar birds in one section. Begin your book with an introduction about why and how you got interested in birdwatching.

Once you complete your introduction, create each page to correspond with your earliest birding days until the present. Adding sections will be easy once you have the earlier part of your journey documented in words and photos.

You may also want to include clippings from a newspaper or magazine showing birds found in your local area or a place you visited. You can also include unique information about specific species of birds.

There's really no right or wrong way to showcase your photos and information. It's your book and your own personal journey. Get creative and make it your own.

Having your own birdwatching scrapbook is a great way to document bird sightings, dates, and specific birding information. It's also a great way to share your best bird photos with your friends and family.

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