Nature Watch
Nature unfolds with the seasons. Newcastle Nature Watch aims to encourage you to carefully observe and record what is happening in the natural environment around you, day by day throughout the year.
You can a get a copy of the Newcastle Nature Watch Journal by contacting Council on 02 4974 2848.
Most people who record natural history observations soon become fascinated by the regular and predictable sequence of happenings in nature. Experienced nature watchers can predict to the very week of the year when a certain plant will commence flowering, or a particular migratory bird is sure to be seen or heard. Yet there is always something new to discover!
Once you "get hooked" on keeping a diary of natural events you realise what an enjoyable and rewarding activity it is. You can observe nature wherever you live, whether in a rural area, the confines of your own backyard, exploring a National Park or walking along the beach.
Recording your discoveries
Anyone can record interesting and useful observations. Encourage your whole family, class or work mates to get involved. Here are some ideas on how to use this diary:
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Set aside time once a week to observe and record nature in your backyard local park
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Try to make your observations at different times of day
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During your first session, simply get familiar with the area you are watching
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On subsequent expeditions, look for things that have changed
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Make a note of regular occurrences as well as the interesting and unusual
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Take your journal and make notes whenever you visit natural places in Newcastle
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Fill in the summary for each month and send it to the address shown.
What to record
| Weather | Rainfall, temperature (maximum, minimum), wind strength and direction, humidity, cloud cover, bush fires. Note for the day you make a record. |
Plants |
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| Observe | Fungi, moss, ferns, cycads, shrubs, vines, trees, water plants, seaweed etc. |
| Record | What species have buds, flowers, fruit, seeds, insect infestation, weed invasion, appearance of fungi. |
| Animals | |
| Observe | Fish, crustaceans, frogs, lizards, birds, mammals. Distinguish between natives and domestic, feral or introduced species. |
| Record | Note behaviour such as migration, feeding and breeding. |
| Insects | |
| Observe | Beetles, bugs, spiders, dragonflies, butterflies, ants, cicadas, bees, wasps... |
| Record | Population explosions, stages of the lifecycle, behaviour, the activities and movements of favourite spiders in your house or garden. |
| Habitats | |
| Observe | Your backyard, local park, a wetland, the beach, rockpools, bushland. |
| Record | Plant communities, wildlife, the relationships between plant communities and site aspects, soils etc. |
| Interconnections | |
| Observe | Linkages, relationships, the turning seasons. |
| Record | Trigger events eg. when the wattle blooms, pardalotes start calling. |
Helpful hints
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Be systematic and organised
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Always note the day, month and year for each observation
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Keep weather records. You can get them from your local newspaper, or the evening news, or just write, for example, "cold, raining" or "strong westerly wind"
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Use field guides shown in the reference list to help with species identification
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Stick photographs or relevant newspaper stories in your diary. Make some notes to go with them
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Summarise observations at the end of each month. For example, number of rainy days, bird behaviour, plants in flower, species of fish caught etc. Send your summary to the address shown.
What to do with your records
Keep them to use for comparisons in future years. Send copies to the address shown for use in biodiversity education campaigns, radio broadcasts, newspaper stories and displays. Get involved in some of the national data collection programs.
Timelines Australia Project
Aims to encourage ongoing seasonal nature data-bases. Distributes a CD-ROM for seasonal nature records and a bi-monthly newsletter. Archives annual nature observation records for research.
Timelines Centre: 240 Burns Road, Glenburn, Victoria. 3717. Ph: 03 5797 8495.
Backyard Birdwatch
This site allows you to participate in bird monitoring and surveys.
Atlas of NSW Wildlife Project
You can become a registered contributor to this Atlas, run by the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service. To register your records direct, log on to their website. NPWS, PO Box 1967, Hurstville,New South Wales 2220. Phone 02 9585 6688.
Birds Australia
Record unusual bird sightings on this web site.
Scribbly Gum
Log on to this wonderful site to register your observations and find out about nature each month. Great for kids of all ages.
