We had a fun time counting birds for the project even though we had snow two of the three days and temperatures down into the teens. We had far fewer birds than the last two years. 2021 has turned out to be a surprising year of crazy ups and downs as far as the weather here in Central Oregon. I think this influenced the bird count.
Eurasian collared dove 5
Mourning dove 3
Downy woodpecker 1
Hairy woodpecker 1
Mountain chickadee 6
Pygmy nuthatch 3
House finch 11
Dark-eyed junco 3
Northern flicker 1
Song sparrow 1
Common raven 1
Here’s a video sharing the GBBC’s results for 2021.
We’re going to study the horned lark this week as part of the new bird nature study series.
Here are a couple links to get your study started:
Look at the range map in a field guide or on All About Birds . In practically the whole continental United States, this bird is a year-round resident if you have the right habitat.
Do you have a habitat nearby where a horned lark may live? Use your Outdoor Hour to look for this beautiful bird. Take along a pair of binoculars and a field guide to observe and identify any bird you see while you’re out on your excursion.
Here’s a video of the horned lark singing: Horned Lark.
Please note that I will not be posting the complete challenge here on the blog, but you will find the detailed challenge in the Bird Nature Study Set #1 ebook that’s available both in the Ultimate Naturalist and Journey level memberships.
Members: Sign into your account and download the ebook for the details, more links, and notebook pages.
Birds included in this ebook include the pelican, sandhill crane, Clark’s nutcracker, egret, American dipper, horned lark, magpie, swan, and snipe.
We moved to Central Oregon four years ago hoping to spend a good deal of time exploring this part of the world. The pandemic slowed us down but we’re hoping this year to get out and have some new adventures over the spring and summer months.
One place that’s been on the list is the Painted Hills here in Oregon. They are part of the John Day Fossil Beds National Monumentfoundin eastern Oregon. Turns out they’re not extremely far from us and we took a day trip to hike the Painted Hills on a bright sunny spring day.
If you’re traveling from Bend, Oregon, the trip to the Painted Hills is an easy drive of a little less than 2 hours. The scenery is gorgeous so the time passes by quickly. The route takes you through the town of Prineville where you can stop for a coffee break or pick up groceries for a picnic.
The Painted Hills are dog friendly so bring your leash and some extra water for the trail.
Once you arrive, there will be a place to stop at a restroom and gather up a map from the kiosk. The trailhead to the overlook is just a little way down a dirt road. There is plenty of parking for the short overlook trail. I highly recommend this as a first hike to get the best views of the colorful terrain.
Note: If you’re on a road trip and are passing this way, take the time to visit the Painted Hills, taking a rest stop and a short hike.
We walked out to the overlook, snapped a few photos of our group, and then headed back to the parking lot.
We had the whole morning to spend exploring so we walked from the overlook trail to the Carroll Rim Trail. This was a little longer hike with some elevation gain on the way out. The day we visited was very windy so we were not too hot, but I would imagine in the summer this is a grueling, hot trail because it is completely exposed.
In late March, the wildflowers were just starting to bloom. I of course had to stop and take a few photos. We thoroughly enjoyed this hike because it led us away from the crowds and up to the top for a bird’s eye view.
After the Carroll Rim Trail, we took the cars over to the Painted Cove Trail. This is the trail you often see on Instagram where people are walking along a boardwalk with the colorful landscape in the background. It’s a short accessible trail that you could add onto a day trip if you have time.
What a fun day we had! Views, hiking, picnic, wildflowers…just my kind of place.
We made it back to Bend in time for dinner at a local brewery. Everyone, including the dog, loved the adventure of a new place to explore together.
Even in the pandemic, we are determined to get out and hike if we can do it safely. Now that we’re all vaccinated it seems more likely to happen.
Tips:
There are no concessions at the Painted Hills, so bring all you might need for your day. I highly recommend a picnic at the grassy picnic area where there are lots of tables to sit in the shade.
This is an excellent day trip if you’re visiting the Bend, Oregon area.
I would arrange to arrive early to beat the summer heat.
There is no fee to enjoy the Painted Hills.
There is the opportunity to travel on from the Painted Hills to John Day Fossil Beds where there is a paleontology center and the official visitor’s center for this whole area. (We hope to visit here soon!)
This week’s bird is one that’s on my personal wish list. I hope to see a dipper in person at some point in my adventures. After completing the nature study for the American dipper, you’ll be prepared to see one too!
Read all about the American dipper on AllAboutBirds: American Dipper.
Below you’ll find a few ideas for a dipper study. Make sure to download and use the complete Outdoor Hour Challenge from the Bird Set #1 ebook available in the member’s library.
Here are a few study ideas for you to get started:
Choose a resource to use for the American dipper, Cinclus mexicanus.
Make sure to look at the range maps in a field guide or on All About Birds to determine if you live in their range and habitat.
Their diet is mostly aquatic insects and their larvae, dragonflies, small fish, worms, and fish eggs.
Please note that I will not be posting the complete challenge here on the blog, but you will find the detailed challenge in the Bird Nature Study Set #1 ebook that’s available both in the Ultimate Naturalist and Journey level memberships. Sign into your account and download the ebook for the details, more links, and notebook page.
Birds included in this ebook include the pelican, sandhill crane, Clark’s nutcracker, egret, American dipper, horned lark, magpie, swan, and snipe.
The great egret is one of those birds that once you can identify it, you start to see it everywhere! This unique bird is both majestic and interesting.
Make sure to read the entry on AllAboutBirds: Great Egret.
Fun fact: During breeding season, a patch of skin on their face turns neon green.
Below you’ll find a few ideas for an egret study. Make sure to download and use the complete Outdoor Hour Challenge from the Bird Set #1 ebook available in the member’s library.
We see egrets regularly, but I rarely get a good image.
Choose a resource to use for the great egret, ardea alba.
Make a day trip to a habitat where you might see a great egret or other water bird. Take your field guide along and try to identify any bird you spot during your Outdoor Hour. Look for birds hunting along the shore or wading in the water.
Please note that I will not be posting the complete challenge here on the blog, but you will find the detailed challenge in the Bird Nature Study Set #1 ebook that’s available both in the Ultimate Naturalist and Journey level memberships. Sign into your account and download the ebook for the details, more links, and notebook page.
Birds included in this ebook include the pelican, sandhill crane, Clark’s nutcracker, egret, American dipper, horned lark, magpie, swan, and snipe.
May 2021 Nature Study Plans – Outdoor Hour Challenge
Our sping bird nature study continues throughout the month of May. We just saw some magpies last weekend during a camping trip and it was super exciting to note their unique shape and sound. Use the challenges each week to prepare for possible sightings in the future!
Please note that all of the birds in this series are ones not found in the Handbook of Nature Study by Anna Botsford Comstock. Instead, the challenges will be providing field notes for each birds, as well as online links and videos. If you have access to the ebook, you will also have notebooking pages and coloring pages to print and use as desired.
5/7/2021 –Egret Nature Study
5/14/2021 – American Dipper Nature Study
5/21/2021 – Horned Lark Nature Study
5/28/2021 – Magpie Nature Study
New Printables in the Members Library
Wildflower Poetry Notebook Page: Use this notebook page to follow up a wildflower walk in your neighborhood. The suggestions will help your child write a simple poem after making wildflower observations.
Spring Nature Hunt Notebook Page: Print this activity out and take it along on a spring nature walk. Use the prompts in the grid to challenge your family to see some signs of spring. Follow up with a sketch!
Click the graphic above to view the complete list of printables available as part of an Ultimate Naturalist Library membership.
Members also have access to the Nature Planner pages in their library. Print out this month’s page and use it to stimulate your weekly nature study time.
If you would like to have access to the member’s printables and the newsletter archive, I invite you to join with an Ultimate Naturalist Library membership. Your membership will be valid for one year from the date of purchase. Click the graphic above to see the many benefits of an Ultimate Naturalist Library membership.
The Clark’s nutcracker is a bird that not many of us will encounter, especially at a backyard feeder. This bird lives high in the mountains and actually is an important part of the forest’s story. As they cache seeds for their food stores, they are actually helping to broadcast the seeds that may end up sprouting into new trees to replenish the forest.
We see the Clark’s nutcracker every time we visit Crater Lake National Park here in Oregon.
Although the nutcracker is not a common backyard bird, your family will enjoy learning how birds and their unique habits help humans and the earth.
Fun Fact:
The Clark’s nutcracker has a pouch under its tongue to carry seeds long distances. They bury tens of thousands of seeds each summer as winter food caches. The seeds not retrieved play a crucial role in new pine forests.
Please note that I will not be posting the complete challenge here on the blog, but you will find the detailed challenge in the Bird Nature Study Set #1 ebook that’s available both in the Ultimate Naturalist and Journey level memberships. Sign into your account and download the ebook for the details, more links, and notebook pages.
Here are some videos for you to watch in preparation:
Our bird study is leading us to a nature study of the sandhill crane this week. I’ve long admired this bird for its unique story and its migration habits. We currently live in the migratory path of the sandhill crane. I won’t forget the evening my son and I were out on a walk and we heard the sandhill cranes coming with their bugling call far overhead. It was an awesome experience.
Then, last summer, we were out on one of the Cascade lakes and there were sandhill cranes feeding along the shore in the reeds. It was a highlight of my summer to see them up close for the very first time.
Use the Outdoor Hour Challenge to learn more about this amazing bird in hopes that someday you too will encounter it in your travels.
Watch a video and look up a link to get your study started:
Make sure to look at the range map in a field guide or on All About Birds to determine if you might spot a sandhill crane in your area. Don’t forget to think about its migratory path and the time of year you’re most likely to have a sandhill crane in your region. We’ve heard them flying overhead at certain times of the year so make sure you listen to the sound of the sandhill crane which is quite distinct, like a rattling bugle: Sandhill Crane.
Please note that I will not be posting the complete challenge here on the blog, but you will find the detailed challenge in the Bird Nature Study Set #1 ebook that’s available both in the Ultimate Naturalist and Journey level memberships. Sign into your account and download the ebook for the details, more links, and notebook pages.
Birds included in this ebook: pelican, sandhill crane, Clark’s nutcracker, egret, American dipper, horned lark, magpie, swan, and snipe.
In the original 2021 nature goals entry, I talked a lot about the process of making goals and then refining goals as you saw the need. Here were the steps:
Be flexible.
Review your goals periodically.
Break larger goals into smaller steps.
Make a reasonable list.
Create achievable goals.
If you’d like to read the complete entry with all of the suggestions, you can click here: Nature Study Goals 2021.
One way that I review my goals and how I’m doing, is to reflect back at the end of each quarter to see how things are going. You can read the goals for the year in the entry linked above. I will give you a little update for each goal below.
We have cleaned up the boxes and made sure the drip watering system is ready to go for seed sowing. Probably going to wait until May 1st to get seeds started.
Backyard Habitat development: We just started working in the garden in the past few weeks. But, I have on paper a lot of ideas we want to implement this year. For the first quarter we made plans, ordered seeds, and spent time observing what was already working as far as supporting the local wildlife. This quarter will be the heavy lifting aspects of creating more wildlife friendly habitat. If this is something you are interested in doing for your family, you can read my entry: Creating a Wildlife Habitat in Your Own Backyard.
Look for an entry in May that reveals our day trip to the Painted Hills.
Local Hikes: We found new places to hike even in the winter as part of this local hikes goal. There are several places along the Deschutes River that are accessible to hiking in the winter. We chose sunny days to explore Sawyer Park and Steelhead Falls. We drove out to the Painted Hills for a day hike with some of the kids. I’m saying this quarter went better than expected and I’m eager to do some spring hiking here in Central Oregon.
Make notes in field guides: I’m keeping up the habit of making notes in my field guides as we identify new species of birds, animals, and plants.
Our unexpected visitors! We had a group of crossbills come through on a Feederwatch count day.
Project Feederwatch and Great Backyard Bird Count: The Feederwatch project is coming to a close here at the end of April. We’ve only missed a couple of weeks of counting and it has helped us be aware of the comings and goings of the birds at our feeders. The GBBC was another enjoyable experience as we took part in the worldwide bird count. I’ll be posting about the particulars soon!
Go camping: We didn’t make it out camping in the first quarter. But, we have several trips planned for the spring season and one for the summer.
Learn about succulents: I spent some time reading books about succulents over the quarter. Our library has quite a few to choose from since succulents are a big part of the landscaping here in Central Oregon. I went out yesterday and looked at the ones we have in our yard and they are all looking mighty healthy. I noticed new growth and spreading for many of them. I will continue to work on my knowledge as we get into our real growing season.
I did a pretty good job of keeping all my goals in mind this quarter. Now, I just need to keep it going.
Have you created nature study goals for your family?
Could you use some help in keeping nature study a regular part of your week?
You can join as an Ultimate Naturalist Library member and immediately have access to hundreds of nature study ideas and printables.
Click the graphic above to see the complete benefits of a membership. Join and make 2021 the best year of nature study ever for your family!
Use the discount code NATURE5 for $5 off an Ultimate Naturalist Library membership!
Plan a fun pond and frog nature study with these frog life cycle activities, a lapbook download and suggestions for a homeschool pond nature walk!
Pond and Frog Nature Study
It’s getting to be that time of year when the tadpoles are swimming in our pond. It makes me feel as if spring is truly coming and we look forward to soon hearing frogs while out hiking at the river. The cycle of seasons and life bring me such joy!
With a pond and frog nature study in mind, I’ve had a special printable to share for your studies and outdoor hour challenge time. Members now have in their library a fun and informative Frog Life Cycle activity printable.
Frog Life Cycle Activity Printable Lapbook
Here’s what you get in this download:
In the frog life cycle activity printable and lapbook there are components for:
vocabulary
frog facts
bullfrog facts
frog noises
the frog life cycle
In the Frog Nature Study lapbook:
You can also mount your life cycle of a frog drawing (instructions for this drawing project are included).
There is also a set of copy work pages focusing on frog poetry.
There are two blank lined pages you can use for the copy work, as well as a page of frog poetry and suggestions for how to use them.
Homeschool Nature Study Annual members can log into their account and go to the Pond course and find the two printables there to use any time.
Suggestions for a Homeschool Nature Walk at a Pond
To go along with a frog nature study, everyone can use these suggestions to follow up a nature walk at a pond, the river, or a lake.
Homeschool Nature Study Membership Brings the Handbook of Nature Study to Life in Your Homeschool
We make it easy for you!
To get each Friday’s homeschool nature study Outdoor Hour Challenge and for access to a continuing series of new nature studies, join us in Homeschool Nature Study Membership. With homeschool nature study membership, you will have everything you need to bring the Handbook of Nature Study to life in your homeschool.
