Tools -Equipment & basic know-how  People can bird watch almost anywhere - in public parks, in one's own backyard, jungle or along the shorelines. So it is best start your hobby by learning how to identify birds. By your own observations and guided by a book. AND not the other way round. Many hobbyist photographers use birds as an object. They shoot the bird pictures by chance and then ask the first available birder to attach names to them. That's is a No! No!. You will never learn this way. See you have no intention on learning about birds.  

For a start, I would say that the best way is to go out to the field with a blank template of a bird silhouette in outline. Each time you see one, quickly note and starting recording details on that template. Colors, tails and beak etc. For this, we now go to the next "must" to assist you in identifying? Binoculars - This actually lead you into staring at the birds through the glasses. You have focused and getting a better impression. But, you may need to see the same type of birds for a while. Long duration each time to study. Here, get a good pair good binoculars. Not just any type nor the other extreme end, the state of the art expensive type. Learn to handle it well and start enjoying watching the same type of birds. Like peeping at their private lives. Not just once, but perhaps over several sightings to get one meaningful description. Of course, photographs would flag out all details and a more effective means than a template. Be careful with photographs too, there are also pitfalls. I still advocate for the hard way of learning -the template. Either way- back home, you will compare these details with the Field guide.

Most field guide, like reference book contains the details. Just too much information and confusing. Then for beginner, choose a book that specifically contains birds in your own domain. e.g. a Malaysian guide rather than a South-east Asian guide. There are 2 kinds of "bird" books. A photographic guide and a field guide. There are photographic guide books that include one specific page detailing various silhouette of birds. A new and  potential birder will find this hint helpful. Matching your images and the silhouette you think more appropriate to the type of birds, newbie can on their own narrow down the browsing to more likely pages. That likelihood with the colors recorded, you can now almost zero into a small group of birds. As you get along, you will feel more confident with knowledge of some know how & find the identification less tedious and less frustrating.

 Tricks of spotting birds  - Birding can is actually a quiet and relaxed outdoor sport. Critical aim is to spend time with nature where the birds are. Where you are going to, have in mind the birds that you would most likely to meet up with. Do not discard the chance to the birds that you have seen before, but know them well. Not until there are others that you think are some birds new to you. These are the basic pointers. Seek out that habit as to how you can get interested in birds. Need not hurry, as new types of birds will occasionally fly into your area of watching. Or you will be visiting another habitats nearby, once in a while. The birds in these places will keep you busy. Learn what you can do to keep yourself busy. What make you feel satisfied?

But I can firmly advise you as to what you should not do!

Meaning - do not work yourself into having the need into scoring and seek out rare birds. You will continuously hear of other seasoned birders traveling long distances to see a new species to add their "lists". But do you know that most of them have not sit down and draw up a formal list of birds they have seen so far. One they called their own "Bird List". They are merely claiming "lifers" through their recollection. Well, very few do have a National List or district list. They appear serious. But they too are just following an act of ticking off birds names as lifer. Such act do not make them a real birder. Because of these going-ons, in Great Britain, these "birders" are better described by the light-hearted slang term of twitchers.

On odd occasions, it is inevitable that news of a rare bird e.g. Frogmouth was sighted, the frenzy among the community begins.

Photography helps in birding. For years the cost of good cameras and long lenses confined this mode to semi-professionals. Today DSLR cameras becomes affordable to many. Then Digiscoping caught the uncertain users as a cheap way of getting good pictures. Photography- with DSLR or Digiscoping are of dissimilar discipline. Requiring different skills and timing which again done in another way away from birding. Photographs are good records specifically under some circumstances as an extension, but never as an important tool for birding. Note book  is more important and essential tool in birding is too record your observations. How trivial these opinions may seem, remember that birding is an experience and a process in developing into a skills. An expertise that can only derive from records made during sightings or of making notations on an unusual bird to assist with later identification. So to sum this short explanation, make it a point to carry a small notebook on field trips. Even if you plan to transfer the information to a more permanent bird watching journal later on. Example of a very basic record. From the first record like bird list of your own garden, you may want to make a list of the birds you see on each outing, in each place, and in total.

  Clothing  should be informal and comfortable. Long trousers, sleeves shirt is preferable to keep away mosquitoes and sun rays. Avoid bright light colors or gaudy designs. Good walking shoes should be worn. Find out where you are going to. Match your shoes with the terrain. Sometimes bringing repellents is imperative. Timing. Though more often than not, it is the rule of the thumb that its best you have to be up and out by the crack of dawn to get better results. But, the location that you are going to do make a huge difference to what you will see. Read field reports by others to prepare yourself.

Needs more guidance as to "How to go birding?" Field practices - Step 1 - Meeting up with those birds you are seeing in your garden or around your house may be erratic. They are there, perhaps, fixed time of the day. Or when you least expect them. Either way you will learn quickly what you should doing. What about the next step, going to some untested territory, like the jungle? You are not there every day. When trying to observe birds in forest there are at least three methods of you can adopt. One can walk along a path slowly and quietly, hoping to come across birds before they sense your presence. Alternatively, one can rush through a section of forest, with consequent noise, with the hope of spotting the birds before they have flown off. Second stance is to wait patiently in a concealed position for birds to appear. Whichever you choose, it is best you read and understand, what birds are you expecting? Which part of the forest these birds are likely to be. e.g. lower or upper storey, in the bare branches or hidden among foliages. So, a lot will depend on the habitat and species and numbers of birds in the area.

Having located a bird, always keep your eyes on it at the time getting your binoculars to your eyes. So often you may be walking a long time in the forest without seeing any bird. Suddenly, a 'bird wave' comes right into your face. Then you are taken by surprises of the many types of birds that appear at one time and all over the place. What then? Identify and count species, notes of species unknown to you or disputing with yourself with on the spot ID-ing. Clear your mind and decide on a strategy.

Third way. You may even start the next step of birding. Collecting bird calls with a small cassette recorder. It is no secret that many seasoned birders do bring along pre-recorded copies of bird calls. These are used to attract individuals to the species' call. In the way the chance of seeing these intended birds responding is improved. Or at least, you may simply verify their presence through their calls in response.

All in all, make it a good habit, research and good planning is critical to the results of a field trip. After the initial exhaustive training sessions, you will find subsequent outings getting much easier and more productive. Then you decide on the level of birding that you wish to get involved. Progress into birding depended on so many factors and personal aspiration. I just continue rattling away to let you have a peep as the type of scenarios that one likely to see as more progress is made.