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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Now that there is no longer a newsletter with a planning page, I decided that I am creating a printable page for you to use instead. Keep track of the month’s Outdoor Hour Challenge topics, be inspired to create a nature journal page, jot down notes for future study, and use the list of archived suggestions to go deeper into a particular topic.
New printables are now posted in the Member’s library!
Members have access to two brand new printable notebook pages.
Squirrel Watch Activity: Use the ideas on the page to take a fun look at squirrels. There is also a place for you to draw a squirrel.
Know Your Own Backyard – Window Observations: This time of year it can be a challenge to get outdoors. Use this page to record your window nature observations.
Print a complete list of printables available to Members for easy reference:Printables for Members
Horses are a favorite topic of study for many children. Can you arrange to visit a stable to observe a horse up close? Perhaps there is a horse at a nearby farm stand or apple orchard that you are visiting this season. Be on the lookout for a horse to see in person.
Even if you complete this as a preparation for a future horse visit, you will learn a lot from the lesson in the Handbook of Nature Study.
We are currently working through the Autumn 2010 ebook. For a complete nature study schedule for the next year, please click over and read this entry: Plans for October 2017 through August 2018.
I just keep adding to my list of animals seen here in Oregon. This week there were sightings of a porcupine and a coyote! The coyote was just trotting along through the back pasture until he came upon a downed tree. He hesitated and then pounced on some little creature, shook his head a bit, gobbled it up, and then continued trotting on down the way. It makes me very happy that my cats are indoor cats!
We’ve seen a variety of birds this month, including a whole flock of mountain quail. They are a bit different than the California quail I’m used to seeing. They don’t have the curved topknot like the California quail but rather have a straight plume sticking up. The mountain quail are much smaller too.
The most memorable outdoor related thing about the past month has been the amount of wildfire smoke in our area. It’s been a constant feature of every day as it obscures the view of the mountains and sometimes even just the across the street. Looking on the bright side, it makes for some crazy colored sunrises and sunsets.
Our grown boys are staying with us right now and we try to fit in some local fun as we all get to know our new area. This past week we hiked up to some waterfalls that create a natural waterslide. The water was pretty cold but the air temperatures were hot. The men all gave the slide a try while I was content to watch, photograph, and stand with my feet in the water along the shore. What a memorable day!
I picked up a new-to-me bike at the thrift shop for $20 and we’ve had it out for a spin a few times on the bike trail at Sunriver. There are miles of trails that wind around the resort and down along the river. Whoever planned the trail was smart! They strategically placed park benches along the trail in perfect spots for viewing the beautiful vistas (when there isn’t wildfire smoke). This new bike will allow us to cover more ground when we explore the beauty of Sunriver.
Garden Update
Just to note my gardening challenges, I was told I live in plant hardiness zone 5A. I’ve been talking to my neighbors about their success in gardening here in the high desert and so many of them have told me to only plant things that are meant for garden zone 4. This means I have to look for plants that have a range down to -40 degrees! I couldn’t understand why at first but just this week I had someone explain it to me in a way that makes sense.
Garden zones take into consideration the low temperatures overall. Here in my area we have the potential for frost throughout the summer and very cold nighttime temperatures will affect the growth of plants. So, this explains why on the surface it appears that I could get away with plants for zone 5A, but just one night of a cold snap will kill them or stunt their growth. It’s far better to pick plants that will grow in zone 4 range instead and not chance it.
I get it now. I will continue my quest to make a practical garden plan over the winter.
If you live in my area, I have found this to be a very helpful guide that we’ve printed out and saved: Xeriscaping in the High Desert.
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 week 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….
Use the link in this post or the mammal tab at the top of the Handbook of Nature Study website for the list of mammal study options to choose from for this week’s Outdoor Hour Challenge. We have been observing lots of mammals this summer and I’m anxious to do my own mammal study using the Handbook of Nature Study.
Many of the Outdoor Hour Challenges listed on the mammal study page include resource links, videos, and printables.
Do you have a pet dog, cat, mouse, or rat? Do you have a neighbor that has a dog or cat they will let you observe? How about a relative? How about visiting a pet store? Be creative.
If you are a Charlotte Mason homeschooler, please make a note of the mammal nature study page here on the Handbook of Nature Study. The Ambleside Online nature study topic for the upcoming winter season is mammals and you may want to refer to this list when you plan your winter mammal study!
I saw my first ever badger in real life! I was driving and it was crossing the road in front of me. At first my mind was trying to figure out what it was; too big to be a possum and not quite like a raccoon. As I approached, I saw the face and realized it was indeed a badger! Here is a link to what he looked like: American badger.
We have seen two adult raccoons in our yard (and trees) plus two adorable and entertaining young raccoons.
One evening they were playing in our front yard and were just as curious about us as we were about them.
My husband has been telling me about the river otters that live right near our house but I didn’t see them until this past week. They are really good swimmers so I didn’t get to see them for very long because they swam upstream from where we were kayaking.
We regularly have deer and fawns in our yard. There was a mama and two little ones that made an appearance at my birdfeeders. I’m sure they’re the ones that keep tipping the seed out.
Or, it may be one of the many squirrels that scurry around from tree to tree. We have several kinds of squirrels here but the most prominent one is the gray squirrel.
We have lots and lots of little frogs in our yard! Every time I go out to water I have to be careful not to squish them when walking in the grass.
The most interesting insect sighting has been the hundreds of California tortoiseshell butterflies that made an appearance all at once in our area. They’ve been seen flying in mass over the roads. We felt bad as we ran into so many of them on our way to a hike. Then, the next few days they were all over our yard. I definitely need to do more research into their lifecycle.
This nature loving mama is having a fantastic summer of wildlife viewing right in my own yard and then my neighborhood.
You may be interested in reading the other parts in this series:
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This month’s newsletter link will be available only during the month of August so be sure to download it before 8/31/17.
Contents of this edition of the newsletter include:
This month we are going to think about zoos and zoo animals. I wrote two articles for you to enjoy, including one with lots of tips and suggestions to make your zoo visit more enjoyable.
Printables this month: August nature study planner page for mom and a mammal nature journal ideas printable.
Please note that Ultimate Naturalist and Journey level members have access to members only printables each month in addition to the newsletter printables. You will need to log into your account and then go to the “Other Releases” section.
New printables are now posted in the Member’s library!
Zoo Visit Notebook Page: Use this page to record some of your zoo observations.
Mammal Tail Study: This activity will help you compare mammal tails.
Print a complete list of printables available to Members for easy reference: Printables for Members
Are you ready for my first Outdoor Mom journal entry from our new home in Oregon? This place is amazing! We had a period of time that we had to be “homeless” as we transitioned from living in our old home until we moved into the new one so we took advantage of those few days by going camping with two of our older children. The weather was perfect and we hiked a bit and had some awesome evening campfires. It was so very relaxing after a whirlwind of packing and transporting our household 450 miles.
Now that we’re settling into the new place, we realize how much wildlife we have living all around us. The most notable animals are the Rocky Mountain elk that graze in the land right behind ours. They make their way slowly by our fence line both at dawn and dusk. So far the largest group we observed was eight elk. Last night, one of the elk was brave enough to jump our fence and eat at the birdfeeder. What a treat to see these magnificent mammals close up!
We have enjoyed the early morning birdsong and many mornings there is a swirling mist rising up over the river. I wake up now and jump out of bed to look out the window to see what there is to see. I let my dog outside early this morning and a few minutes later I spied her sitting at the fence watching a group of four elk. She just sat and watched, sniffing the air. It made me laugh….I can only imagine what the Kona dog was thinking.
I have started a bird list, adding each bird as it makes its appearance. I have a pair of binoculars at the ready near the window just in case a new bird decides to visit the yard. It’s going to be a fun summer of bird watching and learning my waterfowl for this area of Oregon. I think I’m up to the challenge.
I have a really nice neighborhood for walking. It is a flat mile if I walk in a loop. As I walk, I’m making mental notes of any plant emerging that looks like it may be a wildflower. It is still very early spring here and many of the trees are just getting their leaves. I am hoping to learn my Oregon wildflowers one flower at a time, just like I did in California when I first started out with nature study with my children. I realized already that I need new field guides and a really good hiking guide book. I will be researching them on Amazon over the next month or two.
We took our first hike since moving at Smith Rock State Park. My daughter was with us which made everything more fun. I will share more about this awesome place in a future post.
Well hopefully you’ve had a great month of nature time as well. Share a comment or a link to your blog entry if you want me to pop over and take a look!
Don’t forget that I am 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
