Bird feeder journal
Note each sighting: the day, the bird, how many at once and what was in the feeder. Your journal stays in this browser and nowhere else, and downloads as a spreadsheet whenever you want it. The example below shows a weekend’s notes; your first sighting replaces it.
This is an example weekend. Add your first sighting and your own journal replaces it.
5 sightings of 4 kinds of bird
Seen most: Black-capped Chickadee, 2 sightings, up to 3 at once.
| Bird | Sightings | Most at once |
|---|---|---|
| Black-capped ChickadeeLast seen Sunday, 7:55 am | 2 | 3 |
| Mourning DoveLast seen Sunday, 9:10 am | 1 | 4 |
| Northern CardinalLast seen Saturday, 8:15 am | 1 | 2 |
| Downy WoodpeckerLast seen Saturday, 4:30 pm | 1 | 1 |
Sightings, newest first
Mourning Dove × 4 Sunday, 9:10 am
In the feeder: Millet on the ground tray
Black-capped Chickadee × 2 Sunday, 7:55 am
In the feeder: Black-oil sunflower
Downy Woodpecker Saturday, 4:30 pm
In the feeder: Suet
Male: red patch on the back of the head. Short bill, so not a hairy.
Northern Cardinal × 2 Saturday, 8:15 am
In the feeder: Black-oil sunflower
A pair, feeding from the tray under the tube.
Black-capped Chickadee × 3 Saturday, 7:40 am
In the feeder: Black-oil sunflower
Took one seed each and flew to the lilac to crack it.
Make your notes count
A note of what was in the feeder and when shows which foods and times bring which birds, so you can fill less of what goes untouched. When a bird stumps you, a photo and Cornell’s free Merlin app will suggest a name; our lookalikes guide covers the four pairs people mix up most.
Your counts can help science too. Cornell Lab’s Project FeederWatch asks people to count the birds at their feeders through the winter, from November, and eBird takes a checklist from anywhere, any day.