If you do not already have a notebook for recording your observations while hiking, it is time to grab one and create a hiking journal.Take the time to observe nature, reflect, learn, and create a connection to nature. You can use the journal to write down the types of plants and animal life you find on the trail. If you come back in different seasons you can look to see what changes have occurred and note the diversity of animal and plant life you have written or drawn about during previous seasons. If you are need of a notebook stop by the library, we can get you started!
Here are some items to include in your nature notebook each time your record an observation:
- Date – This will help you remember when you were there.
- Time – This will cause you to think about the different animals that are
around at different times.
- Location – This doesn’t have to be exact but knowing town, road, or preserve
can help with context.
- Habitat – is it a forest, field, pond, beach, parking lot, yard, playground, or
more than one.
- Weather – I like to include this because it can affect what is around you to
see. I like to include the basics- sun or clouds, rain, snow, or other,
wind, etc –
- Drawings – Include the animals, tracks, trees, bushes, bodies
of water. Take your cue from the observations you have listed
above.Winter is the best time to explore and identify animal
tracks in the snow. The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries &
Wildlife or MDIFW has a handy pocket guide of tracks that you
can print out and take with you to identify the animal tracks you
observe.
Share your Observations with Others:
You can add your own observations to a database along with the many hikers who have enjoyed the beauty of Cooper Farm by clicking either of these websites, iNaturalist or eBird you might be the first to add your observations!