Tag: Life List

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Outdoor Hour Challenge – Where Are the Sparrows?

Outdoor Hour Challenge Sparrow Bird Study @handbookofnaturestudyOutdoor Hour Challenge

Sparrow Bird Study – from the archives and from the More Nature Study Autumn ebook

This time of year, the first birds I hear each morning are the sparrows. The have such a pretty light song that can’t help but cheer you up. This week use your local field guide to learn more about sparrows that live in your neighborhood. My suggestion is to pick one and read all about it and then go look for it. Sparrows are often in and under our birdfeeders (sunflower seeds and millet) but you may want to learn what your sparrow sounds like since they often are hidden in the shrubs or brush piles.

House Sparrow Sounds

White-crowned Sparrow Sounds – This is the sparrow that is most often spotted in my yard here in Northern California. You can listen to its pretty song at this link.

Song Sparrow Sounds – We don’t hear these in our yard but one of our favorite Oregon campgrounds always has these song sparrows in the blackberries and other bushes.

10 Ideas for a Bird Life List @HBNatureStudy

Please feel free to choose a different bird for this week’s study if you don’t have a sparrow to observe in person. You may wish to read about creating a Bird Life List and download a free printable list to start with your family: 10 Ideas for a Bird Life List.

Outdoor Hour Challenge Plans for Sept 16 to March 17 @handbookofnaturestudyNote: You do not need to purchase the ebooks to participate but they are handy to have for planning and for the regular and advanced notebook pages included in each one. Click the graphic at the bottom of this post to go over to check out the Ultimate Naturalist Library membership. If you would like to see a sample of More Nature Study Autumn ebook, you can download a sample here: More Nature Study Autumn Sample.

Ultimate Ebook Library @handbookofnaturestudy

 

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Keeping a Bird Life List

10 Ideas for a Bird Life List @HBNatureStudy

Bird watching is an active sport. With each new bird you identify you are inspired to get out and look some more! The life list is a simple way to not not only encourage your young birder but also to help them view birding and nature study as a life long habit. Creating a life list is an extension of your time outdoors that helps your child learn how science can be documented and analyzed over a period of time.

Keeping a life list of birds is a simple project. It can be kept in a variety of ways as shown below.

Bird Life List 10 Ideas @handbookofnaturestudy

Ways to Keep a Bird Life List

  1. On paper – in a journal dedicated to keep track long term.
  2. In a book – there are log books specifically created for keeping a life list. Here is the one we have used: Bird Log Kids: A Kid’s Journal to Record Their Birding Experiences.
  3. Back of a field guide – in the back of many bird field guides there is a place to record your life list.
  4. On the pages of a field guide – I have seen people make a note with pen next to the photo or the illustration of each bird they observed right in the field guide.
  5. Notebook page- there are notebooking pages from various sources (including the one below) that you print and keep in a binder as an on-going record.
  6. Online – there are websites specifically dedicated to keeping a birds life list (like e-bird which is an app for your phone as well).
  7. Online- I have discovered several people who create a Pinterest board sharing their life list (like this one Bird Life List).
  8. Computer spreadsheet – some people take their field notes and consolidate them on a spreadsheet on the computer.
  9. Checklist – Find and print a bird list for your local area. Use this as a checklist as you observe each bird, recording your observation data right on the checklist.
  10. Your own cards – Create a field guide card for each bird on your life list (use my printable and idea).

Special Activity:Life List Printable

Bird Life List Printable
I have attempted to create a Life List Printable that will be flexible for you to use in your nature notebook. Your list can be as detailed as you wish. Things to include: Date and Time of Day. Location. Gender. Weather. Bird Sounds. Number of birds seen.

Additional resources:
Printable Checklists by Country or Region (updated the link with one that should get you started)
Bird Nature Journal Ideas – from my archives

Learning About Birds 3D coverYou may be interested in the Learning about Birds ebook available here on the Handbook of Nature Study. If you have an Ultimate or Journey level membership, you have access to this ebook that covers every single bird included in the Handbook of Nature Study by Anna Botsford Comstock.

Handbook of Nature Study Ultimate Naturalist Library

Also I am highly recommending that you purchase the Bird Bundle from NotebookingPages.com as a great supplement to your study of birds using the Outdoor Hour Challenge. Note: These are affiliate links.

All About Birds Basic Study Notebooking Pages
Birds of North America Notebooking Pages

Use code discount5 to save $5 on any purchase $10 or more from the NotebookingPages.com Shop. (This does not include membership purchases.)

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Outdoor Hour Challenge – Starting a Bird Life List

Outdoor Hour Challenge:
For this challenge, I encourage you to start a life list of birds. A bird life list is a cumulative list of birds that a birder sees and identifies.There are a variety of ways to do a life list including a handwritten list in your nature journal, using a pre-made book, checking off birds and noting the dates in your field guide or from a checklist, keeping an online list at eBird, or using an app on your phone. 

Don’t get stuck on picking the “perfect” way to keep your list. Review the choices and then get started. My only regret is that I did not start my personal life list sooner. 

I have found that I like to keep multiple lists including one for our yard and neighborhood (by month), by location when you travel (like my Oregon and Yosemite lists), and perhaps even lists by the month or season. You can see my entry on Nature Journal Organization for more information.

You can also start a bird “wish list” and keep track of birds you would like to see in the future. This is especially helpful if you are traveling and can do some preparation before you leave noting the birds you may encounter. 

Special Activity:Life List Printable

Bird Life List Printable
I have attempted to create a Life List Printable that will be flexible for you to use in your nature notebook. I am in the process of testing it out in my everyday bird sightings.

Your list can be as detailed as you wish.
Things to include: Date and Time of Day. Location. Gender. Weather. Bird Sounds. Number of birds seen.

Additional resources:
Printable Checklists by Country or Region (updated the link with one that should get you started)
 

Getting Started Suggestion:
If you already own the Getting Started ebook, complete Outdoor Hour Challenge #5. I love the quotes in this challenge from Charlotte Mason. Remind yourself that you are the key to a successful outing and follow your child’s lead as much as possible. After your outdoor time, start or add to your running list of birds you see in your backyard. You can use the notebook page from the ebook for further information.

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You can see and download a sample challenge and notebook pages: OHC Getting Started Ebook Sample.


Please note that this ebook is included in every level of membership here on the Handbook of Nature Study.

 

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