I would study it and sketch it in my nature journal. But, I have lots of favorite bloggers who just might do something different! I invite you to get to know some of my blogging friends….this post is just a fun way to introduce you to them.
If you are a bird-loving family and are looking for fun as well as educational apps for your iPad, Larkwire Backyard Birder and Master Birder are two apps you may be interested in knowing more about. I received both apps as a gift from Larkwire (no other compensation) and I have been using these apps over the last few months to learn bird songs by ear.
The format for each app is similar and is based on the idea that you will view an image of a bird and then hear its song. After you have listened and are confident that you can recognize the bird’s song, you play a matching game with four birds at a time. This sounds easy but your ear really needs to be trained to hear the subtle differences in bird songs.
In the Gallery Game, the screen shows four birds and then quizzes you by playing the bird song and you pick the bird you think it is. If you match them correctly, it moves you on to the next song. If you miss it, you have a chance to replay the bird’s song and then continue with the game. You are allowed to choose which birds to learn and in what sequence by choosing groups of birds like birds with simple songs, birds with complex songs, songs with repeated notes, etc. I am working my way through the simple and complex sets with some success.
There is also a Search and Browse feature which lets you enter a bird’s name and then click over to hear calls and read a bit more about its distinctive song by state. You can also browse by category like hawks, owls, and woodpeckers. This is such a fun way to learn more about each bird family, learning which birds are related to each other.
The images used in these apps are stunningly clear and brilliant. I have enjoyed browsing the images which I know will also help me learn more birds that I can eventually identify.
Larkwire Apps I Reviewed Backyard Birder (California Top 25) allows you to choose your region/state and gives you the top twenty-five birds to learn. Priced at $3.95 for the desktop version and customizable to your region. The iTunes version is 99 cents and you customize it once you start to use it (per Phil at Larkwire). This was more than enough to get me started with my local birds and I highly recommend purchasing the songpack that is appropriate for your area. Don’t be surprised if after using this songpack when you hear your children identifying birds by ear…they pick up on them really fast!
Master Birder (land birds) allows you to select your level (beginner, intermediate, advanced, or master) and a song pack with 344 songs. Priced at $24.95 for the desktop version and from iTunes $14.99. I think this songpack will last me a very long time. There are so many birds to learn and to enjoy over the months and years to come.
There are many songpacks available allowing you to choose just what you need and can afford.
Not sure if your children will like Larkwire apps? Go ahead and try their free starter pack with 21 birds. You will not be disappointed.
The app is available in the iTunes store- look up Larkwire. This app is also available for your desktop computer but you need to purchase it through the website.
For more information about how to purchase and whether it will work on your device, see the Larkwire website.
This year Renee’s Garden sent me my whole seed order as a gift so that I could share my results with my dear blog readers. I love the selection of seeds found at Renee’s Garden and I have grown them in my garden for many years. I usually order them directly from their website but my dad purchased his whole garden seed order at our local Orchard Supply Hardware (OSH) which would even be easier!
We got our seeds in the ground last month and we are already seeing tremendous growth in the veggie and flower gardens!
Our Blue Lake pole beans have all sprouted and with the heat we are getting this week we should probably see them double in size. The seeds we planted are from Renee’s Garden Organic Seed Collection. I am so thrilled to have these in my garden that I planted two different boxes with these green bean sesds. I am anxious to see how they taste!
This is something new for our family from Renee’s: Tricolor Zucchini. The zucchini seeds are mixed in the packet and contain three different kinds of squash. The seedlings look strong and are growing like crazy. I have a whole houseful of zucchini lovers so hopefully we will get our fill of squash this summer.
A whole row of sunflowers…which need to be thinned a bit. We have three really big ones which were self-sowed from last year’s crop but there are some little seedlings that we planted from our Renee’s Garden seeds. There are Van Gogh, Chocolate Cherry, and Royal Flush.
We planted plenty of morning glories right in the middle of our back garden. I am hoping they do well here and have been watching them grow week by week. Morning glories make me super happy and I love to draw them in my nature journal…relaxing. The seeds we picked are a heritage blend that are traditionally grown to decorate fences and mailboxes.
There are also some really pretty showy flowers in the garden right now which are not from Renee’s Garden but I want to share with you.
The hydrangeas are very happy this year and this is my favorite color…so delicate.
In my container deck garden there is a beautiful calla lily blooming. This plant always surprises me when it pops back to life after the winter weather. It soon will be a whole pot full of blooms which the hummingbirds and I will enjoy.
It is very hard to believe that it is day lily blooming time but they are all budding out and a few are blossoming.
I love the peachy color of this day lily and am always happy to see it in bloom in my butterfly/hummingbird garden.
There are lots more of Renee’s Garden seeds to share and I will as the season progresses. I am always happy to share our favorite seed company with my blog readers.
This month’s blog sponsor is Udi’s Gluten Free….a premium gluten-free foods company that caught my attention when I attended the BEECH Retreat way back in January. I was so impressed with their products and their company that I decided to seek them out for a partnership here on my blog as a way to help promote their delicious foods to my readers. If you are gluten-free in your family or thinking about it, I highly recommend that you see if you can purchase their products in your area (look in the frozen foods department).
Why have Udi’s Gluten Free sponsor my nature study blog?
Personally, I think eating healthy foods is a part of the lifestyle that I try to promote here on my blog. I know of many families in my real life that are gluten-free and I have seen the struggles they have gone through to provide alternatives to gluten for their children who have Celiacs or other grain-related allergies. I want you to experience what I did at the BEECH Retreat. I was shocked to taste gluten-free that was so yummy!
As an active family, I wanted to show how you can take Udi’s Gluten Free products with you on the trail and on the road. This month we will be traveling to Yosemite for our big spring trip and Udi’s foods will be going along with us. I look forward to sharing the many varieties of tasty treats and staples that have found a place in our family’s diet.
Udi’s Gluten Free – Giveaway So let’s start the month off right with a fun giveaway for two free products from Udi’s Gluten Free. Use the Rafflecopter gadget to enter for acouponfor free Udi’s products. Two winners will get to try their choice of products using the coupons that I will mail to them. I will pull the winners on Wednesday night. It is as simple as that!
Udi’s provided free product for my review and for the giveaways but no other compensation was received. I love these products and want to share them with you…you will always get my honest opinion.
This month has flown by with Singing Bird Studios as the sponsor! I am wearing my butterfly necklace as I type this…always makes me feel pretty and happy. I want to thank Stephanie for her generous gift of necklace and keyring…they are very loved. So far this month, we have given away a beautiful Vintage Butterfly Necklace and a Vintage Bird Keyring.
Now I have something a little different to offer in a giveaway…a Scrabble tile necklace with a black and white design featuring a bird and flowers.
This necklace is so very pretty and I know you will love wearing it.
It feels like spring now that the dogwood is blooming! Our front garden is such a source of joy right now with it colors and textures. I spend far too much time gazing out the window at the beauty and sitting out on the steps just breathing it all in deeply. The birds and insects are visiting daily as they find different things to enjoy too…the bird bath, the blossoms with pollen to collect, or the seeds in the feeders.
Whether you enjoy the fragrance or the color of lavender…..you would be happy sitting in this part of the garden. The bees are buzzing again, stopping by many of the purple flowers many times before flying off again. I am anticipating the summer harvest of my lavender and creating many more sachets to give away to friends and family.
So this is the view from the top of the garden looking down from the top terrace. The yarrow is huge this year and already covered in flower buds. We weren’t sure about our pruning that was done last fall because we were worried we had trimmed it too far to the ground but now look at those mounds of yarrow! The lavender is filling in after being trimmed almost all the way back as well. I love using the internet and YouTube.com as a reference for my gardening tasks…there is a lot of practical advice out there. The butterfly bushes are going to be amazing this year and the poppies are showing their color (middle right of the photo).
Since the front yard is so low maintenance, we can focus our thoughts and energy on our vegetable garden now that the weather is warming up.
My husband and I are so very happy with our no-mow yard and enjoy having the neighbors stop by and tell us they love driving by and seeing all the different flowers. If you are interested in removing your lawn and switching over to drought tolerant plants and natives, I highly recommend a book I am reading from Timber Press: Beautiful No-Mow Yards by Evelyn J. Hadden. It claims to have fifty lawn alternatives…most of them are spectacular but yet not too complicated.
One thing I have learned about my own no-mow yard is that there is going to be a lot of color if you plan it right. No-mow yards are much more interesting and enjoyable to all the senses. You can see how our project started here: Frontyard Remodel.
“A singing bird is one who enjoys life and spreads happiness.”
I am so very pleased to share with you April’s Blog Sponsor! Singing Bird Studios specializes in unique jewelry and other special handmade items that I know you be happy to know about. I was introduced to Singing Bird Studios at the BEECH Retreat back in January where I received a special key chain as a gift from Stephanie the owner and creator of Singing Bird Studios.
Here is a little introduction from Stephanie @ Singing Bird Studios:
I am a mom who works full time. I have been making jewelry for ten years and decided just last year to turn it into a business. Singing Bird Studios is my creative outlet. A singing bird is one who enjoys life and spreads happiness. That’s what I want to create for myself and those around me. I design many of the images you see, but I also use digital art, vintage papers, and scrapbook papers to achieve the look I want. I make all items by hand in my home studio. I am excited to launch a Wedding Party collection this summer so brides can thank their wedding party {in style}. I LOVE what I DO!
Stephanie graciously accepted my offer to be my blog sponsor and I will be sharing her work during the month of April. I love every piece she sent for my review…my favorite is this lovely Blue Butterfly necklace that has been worn on quite a few occasions lately. Everyone compliments me on the design and I love the way it feels and looks with the silver snake chain.
But this week I am going to be giving away one of the pieces from her Vintage Collection – This gorgeous orange butterfly with the pretty copper plated pendant and chain. Click over and see all the pieces in this collection. These are sure to be a favorite and I already am planning on purchasing one from this collection as a gift for a special friend.
Stay tuned for more giveaways this month and please take advantage of her generous special discount offer code for my readers: Enter “sweet” and receive 30% off your entire order!
March has been filled with lots of free notebooking pages, giveaways, and inspiration from NotebookingPages.com. I want to thank Debra one last time for having such an innovative company that is always trying to take notebooking to the next level. There are so many things I love about notebooking both for homeschooling and for nature journaling and this company always has just the right page for us to use.
Notebooking Opportunities For My Readers
I would love for my readers to take advantage of the 50% off discount code for any nature or science sets: nature50. Please note: add all items to cart before applying the discount code.
I encourage you to become a free member and have access to many notebooking pages to get started if you aren’t sure about this method of keeping your nature journal.
I invite you to one last giveaway coming up this Friday for the Nature Study Bundle of notebooking pages.
Congrats to the three winners so far this month!
Jen G
Gail F
Dianne O
I loved sharing my enthusiasm for notebooking this month and NotebookingPages.com is my preferred supplier of pages for our nature journals.
You can read more about our notebooking in our nature journal here:
Keeping a nature journal using notebooking pages has been a part of our routine for many years. Each page is a treasure, showing some aspect of our personalized learning. Taking the time to slow down and record a memory, an experience, or an interesting fact takes nature study to a higher level.
But, it is always easier to have a stock of pages on hand to quickly print when the mood strikes. That is where this month’s blog sponsor comes in….NotebookingPages.com has a huge library of pages you can use that are ready to go. Although I use many, many of their pages in our homeschool, I will introduce the nature study sets we use in our home for you to get a taste of. You will see just a sampling of the pages available and for most topics there are multiple choices with lines or no lines, some with illustrations and some with a variety of sketch boxes. There will always be a notebooking page you can adapt to your area and topic.
Note: If you have visited NotebookingPages.com before and been overwhelmed, please note that they have done a complete makeover and navigation of their many resources is now much easier and simpler.
How to Personalize Your Pages
Use colored pencils or watercolors
Add an image from your study
Use the pages to keep your life list of birds
Keep track of your garden plants
Complete a four season nature study project
Add your own stories to the page…front or back
I have always had a Treasury Membership which gives me access to all the notebooking pages on the website plus all the new pages she adds during the membership year. There is no need to download every page when you purchase your membership because along with the membership comes access to all those pages forever.
But, if you are just looking to add access to pages for your nature journal and aren’t ready to jump into a full membership, you can purchase individual sets to build up a library of pages to choose from for your nature journal.
Tip: If you purchase a set of notebooking pages, print out the table of contents as a reference. This way you will have a complete list of available notebooking pages and you will be able to quickly find the page you need when the time comes.
Basic Nature Study Set
Click over and see all 292 pages in this set for your to choose from: plants, trees, flowers, rocks, weather, etc. There are primary and regular lined pages with a variety of borders, boxes, lines, and prompts. You will have access to cover pages, bordered pages, and a special Creation Notebook set too. Follow the link above and view every page you will get in this Basic Nature Study Set. $10.95 (Take 50% off with the discount code: nature50 during the month of March 2013).
Birds: North American This is the set we use the most in our family with 97 different birds and over 280 pages available at this time. $8.95 (Take 50% off with the discount code: nature50 during the month of March 2013). World This set adds 30 more birds and over 680 pages available at this time. $5.95 (Take 50% off with the discount code: nature50 during the month of March 2013). Tropical This set adds 43 tropicalbirds for your nature study. $5.95 (Take 50% off with the discount code: nature50 during the month of March 2013). All About Birds This set of 55 pages is a must have for any family that is studying birds. It includes pages for parts of the bird, feathers, migration, and plenty of general birds pages to make it valuable as a reference.$2.95 (Take 50% off with the discount code: nature50 during the month of March 2013).
Wildflowers, Weeds, and Garden Flowers This set includes pages for 45 plants featured in the Handbook of Nature Study. I love the variety of pages that are offered for each plant including coloring pages, lined pages in both primary and regular-8 different styles for each plant. $12.95
Please note: If you already own the Notebooking Treasury Membership, you have access to all these pages already and can find them in your Member Download Center.
I want to thank my sponsor for the month of February for their wonderful products that encourage families to learn more about the awesome world around us! These DVD’s are such a gift to all of us with the amazing images and information that children love.
I encourage you to support this family business and share their work with your friends and family.
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![North American](<a href="https://notebookingpages.com/archives/1107?ap_id=BarbaraMccoy" target="_blank" ><img src="https://notebookingpages.com/wp-content/uploads/affiliate-images/npc-square-birds-na-300X300.png" alt="Birds of North America Notebooking Pages" border="0" /></a>){kind=link}
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![All About Birds](<a href="https://notebookingpages.com/archives/1111?ap_id=BarbaraMccoy" target="_blank" ><img src="https://notebookingpages.com/wp-content/uploads/affiliate-images/npc-square-birdstudy-300X300.png" alt="Birds - Basic Study Pages" border="0" /></a>){kind=link}
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