Wolf Journey Journal Cover Page for Field Exercise # 002
Name of Field Exercise: Drawing Your Study Site
Date & Time of Study Site Visit: 1500, February 11, 2010
Approx Temperature when you were at study site, plus today’s high and low, if known: 43f
Wind direction and strength when you were at study site, plus other wind factors today if known: Calm
Describe any precipitation and cloud cover while at study site and at other times today if known: Drizzle; clear last night, cloudy this morning
Approx. Humidity while at study site, plus any changes you noticed: 100%
Barometric Pressure, if known: 29.89 in, steady
Ground water level, lake/stream/river level, or tides: 1.0 foot under surface
Degrees above the southern horizon the sun was at noon (1 p.m. DST), or where it rose or set on the horizon as viewed from your secret place: 28.7 degrees above southern horizon at 12:20
Phase of the moon, and where it rose or set on the horizon as viewed from your secret place, or degrees above the southern horizon at midnight (or 1 a.m. DST): Waxing 10% Crescent; Rose at 05:40, Sets at 16:10
Describe and/or draw in any extra space above the arrangement of the planets you saw in the sky (and if possible, what constellations were overhead, rising or setting) and at what time of night: Mars appears slightly orange/red high in the east at sunset and is setting at approximately 02:30. Jupiter seems to have fallen behind the sun, or perhaps is in the morning sky now with venus? Orion is high in the south at sunset and sets at around 23:30 along with the Pleiades, Sirius, etc. The Big Dipper is standing on its handle at sunset, with Cassiopeia appearing like an E to the west of the north star, Polaris.
Plants, Animals, Minerals Experienced Today: I’ll be focusing on the birds this spring, and my drawing depicts some which are frequenting the feeders.
Species or Mineral, if known, or make up a name / give it a number if unsure: Black-capped Chickadee, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Bushtit, Dark-eyed Junco, House Sparrows, House Finches, Anna’s Hummingbird, Goldfinches, Kinglets, Flicker, Pileated Woodpecker, Stellar Jays, American Robins, Bewick’s Wren, Song Sparrows, Winter Wren, Spotted Towhee, Red-Tailed Hawk, Cooper’s Hawk, Canada Geese
Description and/or Drawing/Photo of Individual, Track or Sign:
Where Seen, Status and/or Health, if known: Has been interesting watching the birds act like it was March for the past couple weeks due to very warm and bright winter weather. Now that they are using the feeders a lot, it will be interesting to monitor their health.
Were you prepared for this field exercise? Did you start and complete it at good times? Did you accomplish what you set out to do? This is a different approach to Wolf Journey field exercises than I did when I was in my 20s. I actually did this field exercise from inside my office window! I guess I’m trying to see whether someone who is home-bound, or who lives in an apartment, can experience the richness of the journey as well.
Write if and/or how you are progressing toward the goals you wrote before this chapter. What were your best achievements and greatest challenges today out in the field, while studying, or while working on a Wolf Journey project. Name at least one achievement. Got the idea to have the Wolf Journey Earth Skills Training Course online so that students can journal using WordPress! I’m also getting lots of ideas on how to edit the course, including featuring how to prepare for the outdoors better, how to use Wolf Journey in the city and apartments, etc. etc. And I just added a “goals and milestones” category as well as a “commentary and evaluations” category that I’ll go back and start using myself.
How are your physical health, emotional feelings and mental attitude today? It may be best to put any further feelings about yourself or others in your diary, unless it has to do with a large turning point in your life as an earth skills specialist. Way too much computer time. Upper back strain! Next field exercise will be outdoors, and this weekend will be outside in Sequim!
Further observations, field experiences, uses and research of species/minerals studies: Looking forward to distinguishing male and female bird species, as well as doing an inventory of plant species in my spot after mapping it.
Further comments on your your goals, achievements, or planned research if you need to do additional work or study site time before completing this field exercise: This week I’m going to go back and write my goals for moving through Wolf Journey again, and also edit FE 001 to insert this journaling format.
