Nature Journal Notes

Last entry was all about birds, and we received some awesome examples from community members who were able to capture the essence these fast, feathery creatures! Thank you! It feels like within the last two weeks the local bird activity has increased dramatically. It’s hard to know if this is because I was journaling about them so they seemed more abundant, or if there are more birds around, or a little bit of both. Either way, it has been such a joy to watch them and try to learn more about their unique behaviors and lifestyles.

As we talked about last week, one way to hone in our observation skills is to focus on something very specific. Last week it was birds, and the idea was to start with something like a photograph and then move on to trying to capture them in the natural world. Another way to focus our observational skills is to create journal entries around the various seasons. Seasonal changes can be a really helpful reference, especially when looking at the phenology of an area. Phenology is a branch of science that studies the relationship between climate and periodic animal and plant lifecycles such as budding, migrating, and blooming. Nature journals are an incredible tool for looking at when these major seasonal changes begin to happen over a long period of time.
 
There are a couple of different ways you can cater your journaling to fit a specific season, so I will go through a few of them. Everything I talk about will be taken from either The Nature Connection by Clare Walker Leslie or Keeping a Nature Journal by Clare Walker Leslie and Charles E. Roth, both are exceptional resources if you are looking to learn more about nature journaling!

Each year, especially in Massachusetts, we can count on a fairly dramatic changes in weather, landscape and wildlife activity with each new season. Lucky for us, this means we all have a pretty great base understanding of what to expect during the different times of the year. We are in the height of Spring at the moment, so I will be focusing on springtime phenomena, but a lot of these activities can be done during any time of the year! As a reminder, when you are in the field, be sure to record time, temperature, cloud coverage, weather, and any other details you think may help you when looking back through your data.
 
Springtime in New England is known for being a damp season filled with showers, as we have definitely been experiencing over the last couple of weeks. With an abundance of fresh hydration, comes some really incredible opportunities for nature! This is when our amphibian friends thrive in vernal pools, our decomposers do some of their best work, and our plants are finally energized enough to start sprouting out of the ground! Here is a list of things you can do in the Spring to try and capture some of these incredible changes:

• Grab some rain boots and explore a pond, stream, or vernal pool for new activity! You can bring some kind of collection tool, i.e. a net, Tupperware, or jar, and scoop up what you are finding. This makes specimens easy to observe and allows you to return them safely home when you are done.

• Flip over some logs! With moist weather, comes the perfect opportunity for amphibians to become more active as well as many insects and decomposers! Salamanders, frogs, and insects alike find shelter under damp logs and leaf litter.

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• Look for new shoots! Some plants are already in full bloom and others are just beginning to sprout up from the earth. Grab your journaling supplies and sketch what new life you are beginning to see.

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• Start a collection! Find some nature related objects that remind you of Springtime! You can bring your findings inside, sketch them, and put them on display. Label your objects so that other people know what they are.

​Another great way to make observations in the Springtime is to focus on a specific branch, plant, or small area and draw it every other day. You’ll find that a lot changes in just a short period of time. You may start by sketching a budding branch and in just a couple of days have a limb completely covered in flowers! By revisiting the same vegetation, you can document when budding begins and how long it takes for a bud to turn into a flower, or for leaves to begin to unfurl. All of this is great information when looking at phenology.

Not only are nature journals perfect for observing the natural world, but they are also a way for us to become more connected with our surroundings. Human input is an important part of the journaling process and your reflections and feelings help to make stronger connections with the natural world. Springtime is known for rebirth and growth and it’s also a great time to check-in with yourself. Take some time while journaling to reflect on your own feelings and how Springtime makes you feel. Take in the colors, fresh air, new signs of life, and animals noises. What does this mean to you? You can draw or write down what the longer days and changing environment symbolize for you in your journal.

For next week, I challenge you to document some of the change that is going on around you. You can do this by looking for signs of Spring that you know are happening, or by observing one specific piece of nature and revisiting every day or every other day to see how it evolves. I also challenge you to make some personal connections to what Springtime has to offer and check-in with yourself in the coming week. As always, if you would like to share some of your journaling efforts or have any suggestions for our community, feel free to email education.nrt@gmail.com. Until next time!