Are you feeling the winter blahs? Getting outside is the best way to get rid of those blahs! I know. I know. It can be harder to motivate yourself to go outside when it gets dark so early and the temperatures are on the chilly side. However, it’s important for our bodies to get some outside time to keep away those winter blues. One way to get motivated to head outdoors is by keeping a field journal. In fact, you might be surprised to learn that winter is the best time to make observations. So, embrace the chill! Winter is one of the BEST times to be outside!
Don’t get me wrong, I love the slowing down that comes with winter time! But don’t confuse slowing down with shuttering yourself up in the house and hunkering down. Actually, I think we love the winter season not because of the slowing down, but rather the changing of our priorities. Your daily life becomes enhanced in winter time because there are typically less demands on your time. At our house, for example, the kids are out of school and most extracurricular activities take a break. We are able to shift priorities and focus on family.
What priorities change for you during the winter season?
Embrace Field Journaling
Field journaling is one of the best ways to build your connection to nature. And it’s easy! To keep a field journal you simply make observations at a specific place during a specific time. You record things you notice while in nature using all your senses. You immerse yourself in a natural or wild setting. If you are new to field journaling, try out my Guided Field Journal to help develop your observational skills.
Ideally, you journal about the things you see, smell, and hear each time you visit a certain place. Over time, you begin to understand how that place changes with the seasons and gain a sense of the ebb and flow of life that occurs there. Of course if you are traveling to a new place, like a national park, taking your field journal is a great way to record your experiences. But the real value of a field journal comes when you are able to journal observations of the same place over time.
Embrace the Chill
Rachel Carson, the famed biologist, observed that “those who dwell among the beauties and mysteries of the Earth are never alone and weary”. Life is what is happening all around you when you are in nature. Even in winter❄️ Here are some main reasons why winter is the best time for field journaling.
- Wildlife migrations bring different species to your area
- Tree leaf loss makes it easier to spot birds and other wildlife
- Changes in weather patterns causes changes in animal behaviors
- Snow provides a perfect medium for animal tracks
Experience Winter Wonders
Depending on where you live, nature will respond to winter at different times. For example, I live in the southwest and the fall foliage peaks at the end of November. The wind shifts from the south and begins blowing from the north bringing cooler temperatures and migrating birds and mammals. Around here it’s an exciting time to watch the local summer population of Brazilian free-tailed bats fly out towards their wintering grounds in Mexico and Central America. Of course, if you live in the mid-west, northeast, or other region of the country these changes will take place on a different time scale.
Wildlife Migrations in Your Area
North America experiences some of the greatest animal migrations on the planet! One of my personal favorites is the Monarch Butterfly migration which you can learn about in my post about these amazing animals! To learn more about some of the animals that migrate through your area I suggest starting with the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation map. Then you can determine which species of birds, butterflies, fish, and mammals to expect.
In fact, in your field journal you will be able to note the changing of the seasons by observing which migrating animals are observed. Your journal will also become a record of how those populations may be changing, increasing or decreasing as the years and seasons go by. There are organizations that engage citizens in collecting this data to help them conduct scientific research and expand our understanding of these animals. This is known as participatory science and it’s a great way to contribute to some amazing scientific research projects right where you live!
Bare Trees Means You Can See More
Getting outside in the summertime is a no brainer. Sunshine and warm temperatures means the hiking trails are busy with both people and wildlife. But, I can’t tell you how many times I have tried to identify a bird up in a tree to no avail! Birds are experts at hopping among the branches behind leaves and staying hidden from curious naturalists.
Fortunately, shorter days signal trees to begin dropping their leaves. Bare trees open up the landscape and increase your ability to view wildlife. If you’re like me you may still be learning bird calls, so being able to see the bird makes it much easier to identify. I recommend downloading the Merlin identification app to help you identify birds using both sound and sight.
All Animals Prepare for Winter
Just like the shorter days signal the trees to begin the process of dropping their leaves, changes in weather patterns signal different behaviors in animals. For you, the wildlife watcher, this can be an exciting time to record new and different types of animal activities in your field journal. You may witness animals migrating, preparing for hibernation, engaging in food storage, or making physical or social adaptations!
Of course, many species of birds migrate giving you an opportunity to add species to your Wildlife Life List. You might see various mammals and reptiles prepare burrows or other spaces for hibernation. Or watch those animals that stay active in winter begin creating caches of food in trees, underground, and in rock crevices. I think one of the most interesting things to note are the ways animals change physically for winter, such as changing fur color, dropping antlers, or plumping up (like many of us)!
But how do you find wildlife in winter?
This Snow was Made for Tracking
Animal tracking requires a number of different skills. For example, you need to be able to recognize animal trails and runs, sleeping areas, and look for signs where they may have rubbed on bark or gnawed and chewed while feeding. All these skills require a little study and a lot of practice! But everyone can begin by learning common animal tracks.
Once you have learned the shape and size of various animal tracks, such as a coyote, rabbit, or raccoon, then you will begin to notice more tracks when you go outside. Now, tracking in the summer is a challenge because tracks quickly disappear in grassy areas, dry compacted dirt, or sandy areas. This is what makes tracking in snow so much fun! You have probably retraced your own easily found steps before as you waded back and forth through the snow. So you can definitely follow the tracks of a raccoon, deer, or turkey!
Find a Spot to Field Journal All Year Long-Even in Winter!
Connecting to nature has many benefits! Spending time outdoors can reduce stress and anxiety and increase mental well-being. (For more on that read my Take a Hike! post.) Hopefully, you have a spot where you can spend some quality time outdoors. It could be your backyard, the front porch, local park, or nature trail.
You do not have to travel far or figure out how to get to some epic vista or trail! Iconic landscapes are a treat, and spending time outdoors anywhere is beneficial. What makes the spot important is that it is accessible to you and provides you with an opportunity to connect with nature.
Start Where You Are
I want you to think about your nature spot and consider when you visit this place most often. I wonder if it’s the same time of day or year. If so, you may be missing out on some wonderful outdoor experiences.
Now, think about if you have spent time in this spot during each of the four seasons? Have you noticed the changes in plant and animal life as the seasons change? Do you know what types of animals remain during winter? Where do they live? What do they eat? What type of plants continue to grow? Are there migratory animals that move through the area hunting or foraging? Take some time this winter to answer some of these questions!
The winter season often gets wrongly labeled as being an indoor season. No matter what time of year it is, we need outside! Truthfully, your body notices when it gets fewer hours of sunlight. We get more sluggish, tend to catch more illnesses, and may even feel depressed. Sunlight prompts Vitamin D production, stimulates the production of serotonin, and boosts our immunity. In other words, we need the sun to be healthy!
Keeping a field journal can help motivate you to get outside during those cold winter months. Journaling how the landscape changes during each season builds your connection to nature and gives you insight into a special place. So, don’t spend all your winter days cooped up next to the fire, under a blanket (although make time for that too!). Be more outdoors. Embark, Explore, and Enjoy!
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