Hi, I'm naturalist Paul Roos, and we are heading outdoors to discover Michigan's nature.

And that reading and writing is everywhere.

As a naturalist, I'm reading and writing about things I see in nature all the time.

Today we are birdwatching and recording our observations using a technique called nature journaling.

Nature journaling is done by naturalists and scientists who watch and track changes in the natural world over time by writing, drawing, or photographing things we see in nature.

We not only capture information, but we can also see how this information changes over time.

Birds are everywhere on every continent and you can see birds in the country, in the city, at a playground, in your school, or even in your backyard.

So come birdwatching with me and activate your naturalist skills with some nature journaling.

Some people might think you need a fancy notebook to journal, but you can also just use a piece of scrap paper like me.

So grab something to write with and some paper and let's get started.

First, let's take a look around.

What do you notice?

Notice I'm attracting birds by providing food and water.

Each year I record the first day I see a rabbit.

This year it was March 5th.

It's a lot like Michiganders.

It migrates or moves to Florida in the winter and back here in the spring.

Birdwatchers use five key descriptors to help them identify birds size, shape.

Some color, and habitat.

We can practice nature journaling with their chart using the bird descriptors of the state bird of Michigan.

The rabbit.

Looking at this robins size, is it a small, medium, or large bird?

The robin is a medium sized bird, whereas a black cap chickadee is a small bird and a great blue heron is considered a large bird.

What shapes or features do you see?

Does it have noticeable shapes in its beak or a crest on its head?

The robin has a round head.

Let's listen.

Do you hear a particular sound or rhythm?

What colors do you notice?

This feature really defines the robin because it has a reddish orange breast, blackish brown body, and a yellow bill or beak.

Where's the bird found?

Robin's are found in grassy areas, often in a backyard or a park.

Hunting for worms.

How about a quick review of what we've written in our nature journal?

Now let's practice observing more birds.

Take a moment and journal.

You can write down how many birds you see, or even focus only on one kind of bird over a six day period.

I saw 22 kinds of birds and six robins.

Did you see a black and white bird that had a little pointy tail?

Did you see a small bird that was all brown?

How can we figure out what kind of bird it is or its name?

Naturalists use field guides to identify things in nature.

Field guys are books you can find at your local library or sometimes even online.

Today we had a bird's eye view of nature journaling.

When you journal, not only can you record your observations, but you can also use this space to express yourself creatively through writing, drawing, or photography.

Remember, the sky's the limit when it comes to writing and journaling.