The Field Guide:
What is it?
The Thousand Eyes field guide contains descriptions and
pictures of 50 different natural events in Nova Scotia.
Natural events can include anything from the first leaf
to appear on a tree in spring to the first snow to fall
in autumn. All of these natural events happen as the climate
changes throughout the seasons.
The field guide tells you where and when to expect your
events to happen. For instance you should expect to see
your first Robin in April sometime and you may see one just
about anywhere. Other plants or animals are more choosy
about where they live. The Spotted Salamander, for instance,
is likely to show up in a wet area near a river or lake.
Pick a spot outside that is easy for you to watch a place
that you visit a lot anyway. This could be your schoolyard,
the path to your friends house, or your cottage.
A journey through the seasons
The field guide can take you on a journey through spring,
summer and fall. For instance, as days get longer in late
February and March we notice more birds flocking. Many of
these birds spent the winter down south and migrate north
in the spring. When you start to see these migrating birds
you know that the season is changing. The field guide describes
the birds you can expect to see in spring and where and
when you might see them.
Spring also brings its own special sounds. Ice cracks and
drips. And you hear curious gurgling and trickling noises
from under the melting snow. These thawing noises warn that
the ice is starting to break up on the lake. Sadly it is
no longer safe to go skating. The field guide also describes
inanimate events like frost, snow falls, ice on lakes and
rivers and thunderstorms.
Warmer days invite you to spend more time outside. Watch
as the buds on trees and shrubs open into flowers and leaves.
And then school is out and strawberries start to appear
in your kitchen in little green boxes. They are much bigger
than the wild strawberries growing in your lawn or along
the edge of the road. By the way, don't eat wild berries
until an adult says it's okay. Look in the field guide to
find out where plants live and what they look like.
Days start to get shorter and in September you notice just
a hint of cooler air. Flowers fade and leaves turn colour.
Your parents get out the rake. You go back to school. People
start wearing mittens in the morning to scrape the frost
off your car. The field guide warns you to start expecting
the first snowfall which is always exciting. Will there
be enough to go sledding or to build a snowman? And what's
that honking? Oh, right. The geese are flying south again.
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