I usually see many deer and their fawns on our nature walks, so I chose this white-tailed deer fawn for my theme. I also love learning about patterns! 

Why are all the aspens looking at me? Beautiful eyes on many trees. Finally I realize that they are the places of empty branches that have sprouted from the trunk, died, and been healed by the tree. When the healing process doesn't go as well, dark patches of scar tissue and dripping flesh appear on the trunk. I welcome the diversity of eyes which watch the forest for me when I am not there.

In the late afternoon/evening, I watch the ruby-throated hummingbirds at the feeders I’ve hung. (They’re most active in mid-morning, and early evening.) They like the red-colored plastic feeder, near the butterfly bush, and the multi-colored glass feeder, which is near the wisteria.  None of them like the plain glass feeder with a white base, which is near the hanging baskets of flowers that they do like. One female, in particular, regularly sits on the wisteria branch watching over the multi-colored feeder. Just as soon as another hummingbird approaches to get a sip, she buzzes her away, though she herself doesn’t seem hungry.  Are hummingbirds territorial? What is the benefit to protecting this feeder so fiercely? I don’t know if there are families of hummingbirds, so perhaps they’re protecting for their babies?   There seems to be one male, and several females who regularly visit.  It seems the females are the ones who fight the most. Sometimes, I see two or three of them chasing each other around. It seems to use a lot of energy as they dart and dive above the pergola. Is the energy expense worth it? There’s plenty of food — between the flowers in the hanging baskets, the wisteria, the butterfly bush, and the hibiscus, as well as the three feeders and the insects.

I think this natural journal of mine includes "Patterns" in it. Observation: Sparrows sometimes scratch their heads. Possible explanations: 1. The sparrows have parasites on their heads, so the sparrows scratch their heads to clean up the parasites. 2. Many animals (eg dogs) also scratch their heads, perhaps genetically. 3. Just to groom the feathers. Question: Bird scratching its head seems simple, but we humans can't do it, why is this? If birds scratch their heads because they have parasites on their heads, can birds scratch their heads to reduce parasites?

I feel like my nature journal includes "scale and quantity". Observation: Sparrows like to flock for food, but turtledoves do not. Possible explanations: 1. Sparrows are small and vulnerable to predators. So they gather together to find food, which can distract predators, in fact, there are many animals in nature who like to gather together. 2. Turtledoves have fewer natural enemies, so they are often alone. Question: Does the "gut" of a bird have anything to do with the size of the bird? Do sparrows forage alone or with other birds when there are no companions?

I recognised the theme "Systems and Flow" in my  sit spot and on my journal page (posted again here, sorry).  Where else do the Rainbow Lorikeets go to eat and rest in unusually cold and wet conditions?   How do they find food when it's too wet for nectar?  What food do they find?  Do these conditions cause loss of Lorikeet life? Can this be measured?

I'm looking out onto our backyard and considering the blossoms on the apple, summer pear and winter pear, and plum trees. I pruned the apple tree quite hard this year and see that some of the cut branches have new leaves but no blossoms. There are scant blossoms on the apple compared to the summer pear. The summer pear has the most and looks healthier, however, is that just because of it having more blossoms? Last year, the apple produced far more fruit than either pear tree, and the plum tree did well, too. Yet, the plum tree doesn't have any blossoms on it yet. Do they come out later? All of the blossoms are predominantly white, with a pink centre. The blossom petals are light and when falling to the ground, they rest on top of the grass. They are still fresh and still white, however, I know they will start to turn brown. What is it that makes a petal white, and once it falls, it decays to brown? Small birds have been enjoying the blossoms, and when I get closer I see bees are too. When we get a strong south easterly wind the blossoms will fall. They'll be gone soon, but for now, they grace the trees and make me think of weddings :)

Yes when I use a sit spot and look, listen, and feel what is around me I find I notice more things and this makes me wonder, ask more questions and see things with "awe". Some of the things I have seen, wondered about, enjoyed and researched due to questions that have developed are what makes a whirlpool in a stream or river and how dangerous are they. Why are the white butterflies flying low over my lawn over and over again? Are they looking for food? Are evergreen trees able to take in water and nutrients through their needles? What bacteria is in my garden soil? Why are Nuthatches dominant over Chickadees? A very helpful exercise.

As I sat at my desk thinking what to choose for my subject, it presented itself with a rustle. Namely, I have a Maranta plant in my room and every now and then its leaves will move making a rustling sound! While observing my Maranta's leaves in the afternoon and evening I noticed the change in their position and that there is a pattern to their movement: upward during the night and downward during the day. I also noticed the drastic difference in color between the top and bottom side of the leaves. I noted my observations and the possible explanations (one of several theories which states that they move upward to conserve moisture). I ended up with the following questions: What other theories about the leaf movement are there? It is usually the top part of a leaf that is more intensely pigmented so as to trap more light energy, while the bottom is less pigmented and lighter. Does the dark red bottom side of the Maranta leaf have a hidden function?

Exploring: Form and Function Bird Beaks of three birds that were observed in our wetland!

Observation: Starlings' murmuring is very much like sardine baitballs. Possible Explanation: Both animals have adapted as prey to partake in safety in numbers. Question: Why have two different animal classes adapted such similar behaviors?

Observations of Hairy and Downy Woodpeckers at our feeders; what they do and why they may do it, and reasons they might have similar coloring.

I was exploring and questioning the relationship of flowers to pollinators on these pages.  I also documented a predatory introduced wasp eating leaf miner caterpillars.

Today in my sit spot I took the time to notice and ponder why tree bark varies from species to species. Bark protects the inner workings of the tree but what occurred to me today is the interrelated-ness between bark type and insect eating birds. Certain bark attracts certain bugs upon which certain birds eat. Said birds also eat the seeds from the tree then spread those seeds by flying and pooping out the seed in other places. So there is a complete lifecycle dictated by the bark on each type of tree or at least that is how my pondering went today in my sit-spot!

One theme I noticed was Systems and Energy Flow. I observed two species of slugs on my hike to my sit spot. One was carrying some fir needles in its mouth, slowing moving across the trail. Possible Explanations: 1. It eats fir needles because they are plentiful and available when they have fallen to the ground. 2. It acts as a natural "composter" 3. It is clearing the forest floor of dead material, as part of a system of other life forms that eat dead or decaying life.   Questions: Do slugs always eat "waste material?" Things that are no longer alive? I wonder if they ever crawl up on a rock or tree to look for food? I have only ever seen them on the ground. What other life forms help to decompose things in the forest?

Yes I am more aware of my surroundings and asking more questions from my observations. Prior to this lesson while sitting outside in my front yard I noticed and asked the following questions. There were several sparrows and chickadees eating sunflowers from my feeder. Why do chickadees zoom in grab a seed and carry it off to a tree to eat while sparrows tend to sit at the feeder and eat? Sparrows and chickadees eat one at a time at the feeder, even when paired with the same species. Why is this and how do the birds decide who gets to eat first, age, sex, strength, personality? Something I hadn't noticed before was how long the chickadees is compared to his body and compared to the sparrows tail. Why is this? Why do some birds prefer a dust bath while others prefer a water bath; sparrows and robins. And the birds were feeding continuously and at 215 pm they just stopped. Is it siesta time, get to hot, was there a predator nearby that I could not see?

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• Observation:  A coast live oak loaded with acorns, some just starting to peek out of their caps, others more fully formed.  Another coast live oak next to it hardly had any acorns, could spot just a handful on the tree, and very tiny/immature.  Another coast live oak, approx. 40 feet away and very mature, had a lot of acorns too, but not as dense as the first oak.
• Possible Explanations:  The first oak may be in more favorable conditions relative to the oak next to it (more sun, more water, some other favorable condition or a combination,  or something unfavorable for the other oak).  This upcoming acorn season could be a mast year for coast live oaks.
• Questions: What conditions would favor the abundant production of acorns?  What would hinder this?  What is the pattern of acorn production for this tree from year to year?  For the other trees?

I am starting to notice things that perhaps I’ve never noticed, for example today for one of our assignments I went a little off roading on the one of my favourite hiking trails. Once reached well sitting in the middle of a river way that had mostly dried up I noticed the types of low rooted flora and what was wondering it’s purpose and wondering where the seeds came from to cause it to grow? Further more the grass, tribe poeae , I considered if it came  from further upstream when this was a rapid river!? The birds that were living in the bushes near me are ive seen mostly in marshes why are they all the way out here? Is it for the stagnant pools of water and the water striders living in them?   these things I have a desire to know and write on my paper.

Why the Apus Apus sleep while flying?