Barb, Author at Homeschool Nature Study

Posted on March 14, 2018 by Barb — 2 Comments

Outdoor Mom – March 2018

Outdoor Mom

March 2018

So much has happened in a month! We’ve been focusing on bird counting as part of both Project Feederwatch and the Great Backyard Bird Count. Because this was the first year counting birds in my new Central Oregon home, I was hoping that we would see a variety that represented what my Feederwatch results have been over the past month or two.

Sure enough, we had all our usual visitors and a few surprise guests too!

Great Backyard Bird Count 2018

Mourning dove-6
Eurasian collared dove-3
Northern flicker-1
Varied thrush-1
California scrub jay-5
Mountain chickadee-4
Red-breasted nuthatch-1
Pygmy nuthatch-10
Dark eyed junco-14
Hairy woodpecker-1
House finch-5
Pine siskin-2
Canada goose-37
Mallard duck-9
European starling-3
Western bluebird-50
Common raven-2
Red-winged blackbird-4

A huge flock of Western bluebirds swarmed our backyard feeders one morning during the count period. It was an amazing sight. Many of them stuck around for a few days and they would sit all over the feeders and on our fence, glistening blue and red in the sunshine.

We were also surprised during the count to see the return of the red-winged blackbird to our yard and feeders. It seems so early and we’ve had quite a bit of snow since their arrival. I did some research online and read that the sturdiest birds return first and they should be able to make it through until we have a real spring.

The return of the elk to our neighborhood has been a delight to watch. The best time to spot them is early in the morning as the sun is rising. We’ve seen them in small groups right behind our fence and in large herds in several areas around town. I never tire of seeing them as they graze and move on.

We took a trip to the San Diego area for a week to have a little beach and ocean time with our daughter. She flew out from New York to meet up with us for a week of camping and adventuring. There was a lot of outdoor time!

Bike riding along the coast at Crystal Cove State Park was gorgeous! The views of the ocean and the clouds on this particular day made it look like a postcard. We rode our bikes to a spot where we could go down to the shore for some tide pool observations.

We found lots of interesting things to watch and photograph in the tide pool area. We planned our visit to be there at the negative tide, so there were lots of things exposed for us to see that are normally under water. The most prevalent living creatures were sea anemones, mussels, hermit crabs, snails, and sea slugs!

We couldn’t get over the size of this slug! There were quite a few in spots we could watch closely and they moved amazingly fast.

We had a memorable day at the tide pools!

One last thing I want to tell you about is our visit to the NAT at Balboa Park in San Diego. If you ever get a chance to visit this area, make sure to plan some time here checking out the Coast to Cactus in Southern California exhibit. I found it to be top notch! The displays and the interactive elements make this habitat come alive. I could have explored this area for hours.

But, by far, my favorite exhibit they have on display currently is Unshelved: Cool Stuff from Storage. It has collections of things that are normally in storage, out for you to see. It’s an eclectic group of things from tiny bugs to big bones. My favorite things on display were the collections of butterflies. So astonishing to see how beautiful these insects are up close!

This last image shows my happy face on a happy day with my family at the ocean. The ocean just seems to wash away my troubles and refreshes me in a way that keeps me coming back time after time. I forget how much just the sound of the waves and the scent of the salt air can bring relief from the busy life I lead. This photo will remind me that an ocean visit may be just what the doctor orders when I start to feel anxious and overwhelmed.

Do you have a place that refreshes you when you are facing trials?

Follow me here: Instagram – outdoorhourchallenge. If you would like me to take a look at one of your images on Instagram, use the hashtag #outdoorhourchallenge.

Want to join in the Outdoor Mom post?

Answer all or just one of the prompts in a blog entry on your own blog or right here on my blog in a comment. If you answer on your blog, make sure to leave me a link in a comment so that I can pop over and read your responses.

During our outdoor time this month we went…
The most inspiring thing we experienced was…
Our outdoor time made us ask (or wonder about)…
In the garden, we are planning/planting/harvesting…
I added nature journal pages about…
I am reading…
I am dreaming about…
One last image…

Posted on March 9, 2018 by Barb — Leave a comment

Outdoor Hour Challenge – Blue Jays and Bluebirds

Outdoor Hour Challenge

Blue Birds – Jays and Bluebirds

From the Archives and from the Learning About Birds ebook

This is a fun challenge that incorporates a study of blue birds and also the study of bird beaks. Even the youngest of children will be able to participate after you explain the challenge to look for various kinds of bird beaks.

Make sure to use the ideas in the archive link above to encourage the observation of birds and their beaks.

Additional Idea for Bird Study

Use the All About Birds website to look up more information about any birds you study this week: All About Birds. The archive link above includes links (bottom of the archive post) to this website for the particular blue birds we are learning about in this challenge. I always love to click on the “sound” tab to hear each bird’s particular song.

Are you enjoying your bird study? You may wish to check out the complete series of bird challenges included in the Learning About Birds ebook.

This blue bird challenge is from the Learning About Birds ebook here on the Handbook of Nature Study. It’s found in the Ultimate and Journey level memberships for you to download and use with your family. If you would like to gain access to this ebook, you can purchase a membership now and have instant access.

Use the discount code BIRDLOVER5 for $5 off an Ultimate Naturalist Membership.

Posted on March 7, 2018 by Barb — 2 Comments

Torpor and Animals

Torpor

Simple definition: A survival mechanism employed by some mammals and birds where there is a temporary reduction of body temperature on cold days. Torpor is triggered by ambient temperature and food availability. Note: Hibernation is an extended form of torpor.

To read more about what torpor is and how it compares with hibernation, here’s a link: The Difference Between Hibernation and Torpor.

We came across this term for the first time when we were learning about the life cycle of the pygmy nuthatch. Reading in our field guide, we came across the term “torpor” and didn’t know what it meant. This led to some research online and it amazed us how this little bird is able to survive the below freezing temperatures we have here in Central Oregon by going into torpor and huddling together with other nuthatches in tree cavities.

These things all work together to conserve energy and keep the tiny little birds alive through the long winter nights.

Please note that I am just skimming the surface of this topic here in this post and I intend on continuing to learn about this topic as time goes by. It fascinates me to see how there are such amazing mechanisms for survival in the seemingly ordinary animals right in my own backyard.

Additional Links:

4 Nuthatches, 4 Ways to Make it Through a Cold Winter

Hummingbirds Sleep

What is torpor? -includes a short list of mammals that go into torpor

You may wish to check out the Learning About Birds ebook here on the Handbook of Nature Study. It is found in the Ultimate and Journey level memberships for you to download and use with your family. If you would like to gain access to this ebook, you can purchase a membership now and have instant access.

Use the discount code BIRDLOVER5 for $5 off an Ultimate Naturalist Membership.

Posted on February 28, 2018 by Barb — 1 Comment

March Planning Page and Printables

March 2018 Nature Planning Page-Print out your own copy here!

This month we are starting a series of bird nature study challenges as noted on the planning page. I am hoping you will join us as we learn more about the colorful birds all around us! Please note there are are additional nature study ideas listed on the planning page for you to use if you have access to the newsletter library. (Right now use the discount code OHC10 for $5 off any membership here on the Handbook of Nature Study.)

Plus, I have included a poem for your nature journal…copy it into your journal if you wish.

Download your copy here:March 2018 Nature study Planner Page

New printables are now posted in the Member’s library!

Members have access to several brand new printable notebook pages.

1. Mammal Set #3 – Bison, Pronghorn, and Weasel: I have created three more notebook pages for mammals. These are less common to most of us but doing the research and then completing a notebook page with interesting facts will help you be prepared for a possible future sighting.

2. Torpor: This page is for use by more advanced students after researching the term “torpor”.

Print a complete list of printables available to Members for easy reference: Printables for Members

Posted on February 26, 2018 by Barb — Leave a comment

Nature Observer – February 2018

Nature Observer – Journal Examples

February 2018

I’m excited to share my nature journal pages this month! I’ve had some great experiences to record and that makes all the difference in my attitude. When I have things to write about and sketch, I’m eager to open my nature journal to put those memories on paper.

My enthusiasm is sparked in part by using the Nature Observer – Guided Journal.

When you have fun nature observations to include in your journal, it makes it super easy to be motivated!

Make sure you are spending time outdoors looking for interesting things to create nature journal pages about each week….or as often as you can.

Have you seen my Pinterest board for the Once a Month Nature Journal Project? I started this board but there are some really nice pins from group members. Take a look: Once a Month Nature Journal Project.

Here are my weekly entries for February!

There have been so many interesting things observed during our outdoor time so I decided to create a page featuring four of those items. I’m not super happy with the sketches but each one will remind me of a special item we saw and then learned more about during our outdoor time.

I love ponderosa pines and I created a page with some of the interesting things about these magnificent trees. I even managed to draw a decent looking ponderosa pine for the page.

What a surprise! We found this garter snake in our front yard and it became the star of a page in my nature journal.

Hike Map and interesting things nature journal page — From Nature Observer journal

I scheduled a hike at the Deschutes River just so we could complete these two pages in the Nature Observer journal. We had such a wonderful time walking along the riverbank and then it was easy to create a map of the trail and a list of ten things we found interesting.

If you need a little nudge in your nature journaling, I would highly recommend the Nature Observer journal as a starting point to record your nature observations and be inspired to make particular activities happen each month.

Are you keeping a nature journal? What is your biggest challenge to creating entries regularly?

Don’t forget that I’m sharing a nature journal page each week on my Instagram account if you want to see the pages as they unfold. Follow me here: Instagram – outdoorhourchallenge. And, if you want to create a page and share it on your Instagram for me to see, use the hashtag #OHCnaturejournal.

Have you looked at the sample for the newly revised Getting Started with the Outdoor Hour Challenge ebook? I updated and revised the original ebook as part of my 10 year anniversary. The nature study challenges in this ebook can be used over and over for as long as you would like with your children. It’s appropriate for all ages and includes custom notebooking pages for you to print out and use alongside the nature study ideas.

This edition of the Getting Started with the Outdoor Hour Challenge is available in every level of membership here on the Handbook of Nature Study.

Be encouraged! Be inspired! Get outdoors!

Posted on February 23, 2018 by Barb — Leave a comment

Outdoor Hour Challenge – Signs of Winter Mammals

Please note this is the very last Winter Wednesday challenge from the ebook and next week we’ll be moving on to the Learning About Birds with the Outdoor Hour Challenge ebook. You can get a copy with your Ultimate Naturalist Membership. Use the discount code NATURE5 to receive $5 off an Ultimate Naturalist Membership.

Outdoor Hour Challenge

Signs of Winter Mammals

From the Archives and the Winter Wednesday ebook

I’m really looking forward to the nature challenge this week! I’ve spent a lot of time this winter following and photographing animal tracks in the mud and snow, and now I want to slow down and really try to identify who is making these tracks.

You’ll find a fantastic online resource in the archive link to a website to use along with your field guide. I would love to hear which animals you’ve found tracks for this winter.

I just posted a review and activity here on my blog to go along with the book Tracks, Scat, and Signs and I would love for you to read it. It’s part of the Nature Book Club link-up for February and if you click over to read that entry, you’ll find even more resources for studying small mammals from a fantastic group of bloggers from all over the world. Don’t miss the chance to receive a Kid’s Spring Ecojournal!

If you’re interested in seeing how our family completed this challenge way back in time, here’s a blog entry from the archives: Another Glorious Winter Walk Searching For Mammals.

If you have access to the Winter Wednesday ebook in the Ultimate Naturalist Library, there’s a custom notebook page available to use as a follow up to your nature study.

Another resource that I love and use all the time is the North American Wildlife book from Reader’s Digest. I wrote a review of this book in 2015 that shows how beneficial it is as a supplement to the Handbook of Nature Study.

Posted on February 20, 2018 by Barb — 3 Comments

Winter Mammal Study – Tracks, Scat, and Signs

It’s another month of nature book fun here on the Handbook of Nature Study. Last month we were learning about birds using the fantastic resource, Backyard Birds. This month I’m again joining with the same group of bloggers for another fun nature topic: small mammals! We’ll all share a book and activities that go along with that theme. You can use the links at the bottom of this post to see all of our books/activities.

Tracks, Scats, and Signs: So many people have this book on their shelf but have never actually used it for their nature study. (It’s part of the Fun With Nature Take Along Guide as well!) I’m hoping to help you use the fantastic information in this book to get outside and look for some signs of animals in your yard and neighborhood. Look for the book at your local library!

(Note there are affiliate links in this post)

Simple Idea for Using Tracks, Scats and Signs for Your Nature Study

Read the book Tracks, Scats and Signs with your family before you go on a nature walk. Keep it light and enjoy the words and illustrations, noting any animals you may have in your local area. Each topic in this book shows an illustration of the tracks and the scat that each animal makes so you know what to look for during your outdoor time. You will need to explain the word “scat” to younger children; expect giggles as they realize it’s just a fancy word for animal poop. Along with each selection, there’s a short description of where to look for each animal and a little bit about their behavior.

Take a nature walk looking for tracks, scat, and signs. We were always excited when we found animal tracks in the snow, mud, or ice! Take photos of any animal tracks you find as you explore. You may wish to bring along a ruler to measure the size of the animal tracks you find for future reference. Take a few minutes to use your imagination about who made the tracks and what they were doing.
When you get back home, make a nature journal entry recording any observations you have from your nature walk. I have used the illustrations in the Tracks, Scats, and Signs book to help me draw the tracks and scat into my own nature journal.

I’ve written a few Outdoor Hour Challenges that you could use along with the Tracks, Scats and Signs book.

Winter Mammal Tracks: Use the idea during the winter months to learn more about the animal tracks you observe during your outdoor time.
Signs of Mammals: We’ve found in our family that many times we don’t actually see small mammals but we observe signs of them during our outdoor time. This challenge helps you do some research about signs you find and then make a nature journal entry.

Look for these additional books at your library: Track Finder by Dorcas Miller and Whose Tracks are These? by Jim Nail.

I’m hoping you will consider using my Winter Nature Study ebook with your family in the future. There are many more winter nature study ideas for you to include with your outdoor time each week during the cold winter months.

NOTE: There are ebooks for each season here on the Handbook of Nature Study. You can find a complete list of the ebooks in my library here: Join Us! Right now I’m offering a $5 discount for every level of membership. Use the discount code OHC10 at checkout.

Make sure to subscribe to my blog to follow along with those mammal-related nature study activities.

Posted on February 16, 2018 by Barb — Leave a comment

Outdoor Hour Challenge – Winter Bird Study 2018

First, a quick reminder that the Great Backyard Bird Count is February 16-19, 2018. This is a perfect way to learn more about your winter birds!

Outdoor Hour Challenge

Winter Bird Study 2018

From the Archives and the Winter Wednesday ebook

You can use the link above to look at the winter bird study activity in my archives. Your family may be interested in learning more about feeding your own backyard birds in the winter. To help you do this, I put together a page that explains how to keep Birdfeeders in Winter.

In winter, birds still need the basics: food, water and shelter.

Plus you may be interested in taking a look at my Learning About Birds With the Outdoor Hour Challenge ebook for a more in-depth study of backyard birds. For the month of February, I’m offering a $5 off coupon for every level of membership here on the Handbook of Nature Study. This ebook is in both the Ultimate and Journey levels of membership. Take a look at all of the benefits of having a membership!

Discount Code: $5 off any membership on the Handbook of Nature Study by using the code FEB5 during the month of February 2018.

If you have access to the Winter Wednesday ebook in the Ultimate Naturalist Library, there is a custom notebook page available to use as a follow up to your nature study.

Join us for the Winter Wednesday series of challenges here every FRIDAY. You can find them under the winter tab on the blog or if you have an Ultimate Naturalist Library membership, you can find the ebook there for downloading.
You may be interested in following my Bird Nature Study Pinterest board for lots of bird nature study ideas.

Posted on February 14, 2018 by Barb — 3 Comments

Outdoor Mom- February 2018

Outdoor Mom – February 2018

It’s been unusually warm here in Central Oregon; some days the thermometer rises up to temperatures that are to be expected in spring. Well, you know that just makes me want to be outside and continue exploring!

During our outdoor time this month we went….looking at tree silhouettes.

We don’t have a huge variety of trees in our area, mostly pines and a few aspens. I absolutely love the aspens and the big gorgeous ponderosa pines. The Outdoor Hour Challenge for winter trees helped us get to know our new habitat better.

Side note: It’s hard to take a good tree silhouette photo.

I’m dreaming about….the green grasses and plants of summer.

The Outdoor Hour Challenge for winter weeds focused our attention on the plants we see during our river walks. Mostly dried and packed down by the winter snow, the winter weeds we observed are pretty much done for the season. But, on closer inspection, we can see new green growth starting to sprout underneath….that is exciting.

Our outdoor time made us ask….who made the trails in the weeds?

I noticed last month there appear to be “trails” under the weeds where small animals are moving around beneath the matted grasses. Some of the trails lead to holes and have fresh dirt at the openings. Could these be the subnivean zone trails of our local rodents?

I even found a spot that has a pile of scat, small little droppings sort of like mouse scat but much lighter in color. Fascinating!

The most inspiring thing we experienced…seeing beaver bank dens.

The ongoing hunt to actually see our beavers down at the river continued this month as we took to our kayaks and floated over to the opposite side of the river to check out some activity we could see going on over there.

On this warm afternoon, we spotted lots of signs of beaver activity like gnawed willow branches, beaver “slides” where they enter and exit the water, and trees that the beavers cut down.

We spent an hour or so traipsing around the willows and trees and along the river bank trying to see where they are living. We found a spot on the bank that looked like it was a possibility so we got back into the kayaks and checked it out from the water side.

Could this be it? When we got back home, we researched bank dens of beavers and discovered this is exactly the kind of place they create for shelter. We’ve been looking for the typical beaver lodge with its big mound of branches and a dam. But, we have learned that they will create hollows in the river bank to make a series of dens for living space.

Now we need to get out there at a time they’re active which is typically an hour before darkness or at sunrise. I have a friend who lives down river from us and he says he has seen the beavers out in the late afternoon and he’s heard their tails slapping on the water so that gives me a glimmer of hope that we may see our beavers if we’re persistent.

One more image….our elk!

Finally, the elk have returned to our neighborhood. We had visitors from California that were keen to see them and we spotted them not too far from the house. Then the next week, we had four elk right behind our fence in the early morning hours. It was barely light enough to spot them but they stuck around for a little while and I was able to get an image. They are such beautiful animals, much larger than expected, and so agile as they move along. I’m looking forward to observing them until the late spring when they return to the mountains.

Follow me here: Instagram – outdoorhourchallenge. If you would like me to take a look at one of your images on Instagram, use the hashtag #outdoorhourchallenge

Want to join in the Outdoor Mom post?

During our outdoor time this month we went….
The most inspiring thing we experienced was…
Our outdoor time made us ask (or wonder about)…
In the garden, we are planning/planting/harvesting….
I added nature journal pages about….
I am reading…
I am dreaming about…
One last image…

Posted on February 9, 2018 by Barb — 2 Comments

Getting Started with the Outdoor Hour Challenge – 10 Year Anniversary

I’m celebrating the 10 year anniversary of the Outdoor Hour Challenge this month! It’s hard to believe that it’s been a decade of sharing nature study with all of you here on my blog and getting to know so many families from around the world. It started off as a small community of nature-loving families who encouraged me to put my ideas into an easy to use ebook and look at where this has taken us!

Why not celebrate this milestone with a new edition of the original Getting Started ebook!

I’ve just finished updating and improving the original Getting Started with the Outdoor Hour Challenge ebook! The tried and true first ten challenges are all there but with updated links and some fresh resources for you to use with your family.

Here’s what you’ll get with the second edition of the Getting Started with the Outdoor Hour Challenge ebook:

The 10 original Outdoor Hour Challenges with custom notebook pages to use in your follow-up time.
6 additional notebook pages that can be used with nature study topics and activities.
Tips for nature study, tips for using the Handbook of Nature Study, and nature journal ideas.
My “3 Steps to Better Nature Study” resource and printable, including information for more advanced nature study students.
My nature table resource explaining what a nature table is and its benefits.
Plus, seasonal nature walk printable notebook pages that you can use year after year.
See a sample here: Getting Started with the Outdoor Hour Challenge 2nd Edition

I’m adding this new ebook to every level of membership here on the Handbook of Nature Study!

This means that if you would like the new ebook and have a membership you can go directly to your account and it’s there for you to download and use right now!

If you need to purchase a membership, I’m offering a $5 discount for EVERY level!

Use the code: OHC10

Amazing Deal >>>>>>> This means if you just want the new ebook,

you can use the discount code for the Discovery level membership

and receive the ebook and all 76 issues of the newsletter too for only $15!

Thank you to everyone who has made the last ten years a fun adventure learning about so many things in nature using the Handbook of Nature Study. I really hope this new edition of the ebook will help your family get outside and discover your local habitat with renewed interest!

Author: Barb

Outdoor Mom – March 2018

Outdoor Hour Challenge – Blue Jays and Bluebirds

Torpor and Animals

March Planning Page and Printables

Nature Observer – February 2018

Here are my weekly entries for February!

Outdoor Hour Challenge – Signs of Winter Mammals

Winter Mammal Study – Tracks, Scat, and Signs

Outdoor Hour Challenge – Winter Bird Study 2018

Outdoor Mom- February 2018

Getting Started with the Outdoor Hour Challenge – 10 Year Anniversary

Use the code: OHC10

Outdoor Hour Challenges for families since 2008!