Nature Journal
Keeping a nature journal is a fun way to remember what you’ve seen in Point Reyes. Naturalists keep nature journals to record their observations of places they visit. Naturalists are people who spend lots of time outdoors exploring and observing the natural world. You can be a naturalist too!
Prepare your nature journal
Choose a blank notebook of any size to use as your nature journal. Choose one that’s easy to carry. Decide if you want lined pages or blank pages without lines. Blank pages are good for pictures, and lined pages are easier for writing.
Choose a pencil or pen to write with.
You can also make a nature journal by folding several sheets of paper in half and stapling them on the folded edges.
Write your name inside your nature journal.
What to include in your nature journal
At the top of the page, write the date, place, weather (sunny, rainy, foggy, cloudy, windy, cold, hot).
Write the names of the plants and animals you see and underline them in your journal. Hint: Get a list of the plants and animals in the area you’re going to visit.
Draw pictures of interesting things you see and write labels to tell what the parts of the things are.
Start journaling!
Now, you’re ready to get outside and starting journaling! When you see something interesting, stop and find a place to sit and draw. Here are a few ideas of things you might want to draw: a bird, a bug, Tule Elk, a bird’s nest, a pretty flower, an interesting plant, a banana slug, a lizard, a butterfly.
Look at these things when you draw:
shape — what shapes does it have?
patterns — what are the patterns you see?
colors — how many colors does it have? where are the colors?
size — how big is it?
habitat — where did you see it? was it on rocks, in the grass, in the sky, in the water?
