4th June 2021

I notice…

“Look closely at nature. Every species is a masterpiece, exquisitely adapted to the particular environment in which it has survived. Who are we to destroy or even diminish biodiversity?” EO Wilson

Today’s theme prompts us to pay close attention to what we notice around us. Observation is one of the key elements of nature journaling and it is a skill that we can exercise and develop. We will practice being observant explorers and taking in the world with all of our senses .

Workshops

There will be two live workshops today to explore what we notice around us and capture this in our nature journals. Please click the links below to learn more about each workshop.

Take a walk with expert ‘noticer’, ecologist, Tom Hunt

Ecologist, Tom Hunt takes us for a walk in the Australian desert to practice noticing nature around us. Find more from Tom on his Instagram www.instagram.com/moth_nut.

Nature journaling prompts and ideas

• Sit-spot - A sit-spot is a place you regularly return to, each day or each week, over a period of time. By observing nature from one location close to home, you begin to build a deep knowledge of the plants, animals and natural rhythms of the area. Take the time to notice what is around you and how this changes over time.
  

• Magnifying tools - Magnifying tools are an amazing way to get a different view of nature. You can use a simple magnifying glass or loupe, or you can use a microscope. Use a magnifying tool to study the parts of a flower. What do they look like up close? Do you notice anything that surprises you? Can you create a diagram and label the parts?
  

• Sensory awareness - One way of focusing your attention when you sit down to nature journal is to observe what you notice through each of your senses. Notice and record what you see, hear, smell, touch and, (if appropriate) taste.
  

• Zoom in/zoom out - This is an activity which helps you observe nature at different scales, deepening your understanding of what you’re seeing. Start by observing something, such as a leaf, at its actual size, and record it in your journal. Then try zooming in, looking at one detail of the leaf in detail (perhaps even using a magnifying tool). Record this zoomed in view on the same page. Then zoom out and observe the leaf in its environment, perhaps sketching the tree it fell from our the whole scene in a small landscape sketch.
  

• Look high, look low - Similar to zoom in/zoom out, this activity can help us look at nature in new ways and get us thinking differently. Start by looking up into the sky or high in the branches of a nearby tree. What do you see there? What are the clouds doing? Record what you notice in your journal. Next look at eye-level and see what you notice. Record what you see on the same page. Now look low down or on the ground and see what you can observe. Record this in your journal.
  

• Observe out-loud - When you are in nature, try saying your observations out-loud. For example, if you are looking at a bird, you would say what you notice about its colour and markings, beak shape and size, body posture and size, and say all this out-loud, not just in your head. Observing and vocalising your observations acts to cement the information in your mind more deeply. Try it!
  

• Observe over time - One very exciting and educational way to observe nature in your journal is to document something as it changes over time. Perhaps you have a budding flower in your garden or local park. Draw and write about the bud as it is emerging, then visit the same flower again in the coming days as it opens and blossoms into a mature flower. You can do the same with plants in your garden. Watch a tomato plant as it changes from bud, to flower, immature fruit and then ripe tomato!

Learn more