kathleen
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Viewing 7 posts - 1 through 7 (of 7 total)
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This has been a good practice for me. I am outdoors a lot and have really struggled with capturing an animal/plant on paper without the help of a photo. This exercise is giving me a new way to put things on paper. I notice a particular way the animal stands or move on different terrain and positions they take.
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There are Ninebark bushes all over our property, they are native to the area. I wonder if I can collect the seeds and start them myself? I love the button bush but I don't believe they are native here. Thanks for the comparison I will look around to see if we have any Button bushes around here.
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This fall we have had a flock of Clarks Nutcrackers and several Stellar Blue Jays co-habitating in our canyon. At one point we had over 50 Nutcrackers, but the majority of them moved on and about a dozen have stayed and the Jays are staying too. In the four years that we have been here (Salmon Idaho) we have not had Nutcrackers in our canyon so this is very interesting.
There are differences and similarities between the two species. Physically they are similar in size. Socially the Jay is much more aggressive, but the Nutcrackers are very verbal if you invade their space. The Jays seem to be solitary where the Nutcrackers are in a large group, but are paired up. They are both feeding on the Douglas Fir pine cones but the Jays are always looking for a handout at the feeders.
A very interesting note; this past spring we planted fifty White Pine seedlings, along with Ponderosa, Lodgepole and Western Cedars. We did this to bring diversity to our DF woodlots but also to attract Nutcrackers (their main source of food is WP seeds). The seedlings are not producing seeds yet and will not for quite some time, but whenever I tend to the WP seedlings the NC's put up quite a ruckus.
Is it possible they were drawn to the canyon by the presence of the seedlings?
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I loved this exercise, it is something I do often. We have a second home in Idaho, very remote, I often wander the property for hours at a time. Now I can put my observations down on paper and refer back to them to research what I have found. I notice birds more then others so the bird IDs are easy but I have just started to ID plants. I am becoming more aware of what is an invasive plant versus a native plant. Im not sure what would be 'outside of the box' for me, maybe insects.
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I enjoy sketching and the lesson on contour and shading was very helpful to me. The 3D part of it will take me quite a bit more time to learn.
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My path to nature journaling has been a slow progression. I first starting birding about six years ago and for the past two years have dabbled in drawing. The first example of the journals really appealed to me because I always come back to the house and research what I have seen. It would be great to have a page dedicated to each subject, with research added to document my findings.
This is a sample from one of my birding journals
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I prefer drawing from a photo, it gives me time to study the subject. For me the most challenging part of drawing is getting the sizing right and keeping it similar on the page. When sketching in the field I tend to pick objects that don't move to much or can't fly away, like a grass, flower, tree or a scene. I am hoping this class will help me to overcome the reluctance I have to sketch living things in the field.
This fall we have had a flock of Clarks Nutcrackers and several Stellar Blue Jays co-habitating in our canyon. At one point we had over 50 Nutcrackers, but the majority of them moved on and about a dozen have stayed and the Jays are staying too. In the four years that we have been here (Salmon Idaho) we have not had Nutcrackers in our canyon so this is very interesting.
There are differences and similarities between the two species. Physically they are similar in size. Socially the Jay is much more aggressive, but the Nutcrackers are very verbal if you invade their space. The Jays seem to be solitary where the Nutcrackers are in a large group, but are paired up. They are both feeding on the Douglas Fir pine cones but the Jays are always looking for a handout at the feeders.
A very interesting note; this past spring we planted fifty White Pine seedlings, along with Ponderosa, Lodgepole and Western Cedars. We did this to bring diversity to our DF woodlots but also to attract Nutcrackers (their main source of food is WP seeds). The seedlings are not producing seeds yet and will not for quite some time, but whenever I tend to the WP seedlings the NC's put up quite a ruckus.
Is it possible they were drawn to the canyon by the presence of the seedlings? 
This is a sample from one of my birding journals 
Viewing 7 posts - 1 through 7 (of 7 total)