Hi Tweets,
Just to piggyback onto what Wayne was saying, many of us now carry
around a serviceable audio recorder constantly in the form of our cell
phones and cameras.

Smartphones have many apps that will record an audio file and allow
you to transfer it to your computer or email it. Typically the
recordings come out too quiet to replay well as is, but can be edited
on a computer (or probably some apps) to get a louder, cleaner sound.
Non-smartphones often have a "voice record" or "voice memo" function
that can do the same thing, although I'm not sure how many of them
give you a way to export the file to a computer.

Most digital point and shoot cameras, as well as newer DSLR cameras
can record videos as well and this could be used to ID a bird with a
diagnostic song or call.

When recording, try to point the microphone (assuming you can find
where it is) at the bird, hold it as still as possible (setting it
down would be good too, if you have a good location), and make as
little noise yourself. I also will often try to whisper any facts into
the mic before I stop recording. Quick notes like location, time,
habitat, behavior etc. "Probable Alder Flycatcher singing from an
exposed tree at Beaver Lake." could really help you remember what
you're supposed to be hearing once you return home.

Here's a few related blog entries I was able to find for further reading:
http://blog.aba.org/2012/04/mic-up-that-iphone.html
http://blog.aba.org/2012/05/mic-up-that-iphone-follow-up.html
http://earbirding.com/blog/archives/2240

For those who want something that might be a little better
http://earbirding.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/recording_gear.pdf


Josh Adams
Lynnwood, WA