Week 5 Nature Scavenger Hunt for Families and my week 3 and 4 photos

A little late...

This week we will be exploring Patterns in Nature.

Here are this weeks challenges:

There will be 10 points awarded for the first picture and 2 additional points per picture added to the corresponding photos comments up to a maximum of 5 bonus pictures...how many can you find of each? Remember you are looking for natural items found in nature.

July 27th something with dots and spots 10 points

July 28th something with stripes 10 points

July 29th a spiral 10 points

July 30th something with a crackle effect 10 points

July 31st a heart shape 10 points

Aug 1st something camouflaged 10 points

Aug 2nd something with a wavy pattern 10 points.

Week 5 bonus: Make a mandala design land art (google it if you are unsure) from found natural items 100 points. Happy Hunting!

My photos:

Week 3

July 13th: 

Sunbathing turtle. We found a painted turtle but he is so small and so far away that you can barely see him. I really need to get my camera fixed as my phone just doesn't cut it for these shots.

July 14th: 

Beaver Dam or lodge 

Beaver Lodge in River Bank

Way off beaver lodge in pond

Beaver damn (this was taken during week 4 not 3 but I added it in)

July 15th: 

Flowering pond plant (more points if not a water lily)

Swamp loosestrife

July 16th: 

Reflections on the pond

July 17th: 

Canoe on the pond

somebody enjoying a canoe ride

July 18th: 

Water Fowl

July 19th: 

Dragonfly

Week 3 BONUS: Make a handmade net...we failed on this...and didn't even have time to try it

Week 4

July 20th: 

At least one member in front of the Provincial, National or State Park ... a really bad picture as we were leaving the park but I remembered last minute and the girls didn't want anything to do with getting back out of the truck.

July 21st: 

A natural animal home in the park

Chipmunk home...couldn't catch him in it but we saw them coming and going

July 22nd: 

Watch for wildlife (see chipmunk above)

American Toad

wild turkeys

Green frog

Female mallard duck

moth...not sure what kind

Caterpillar

Spider

I also saw a bear while camping but was unable to get a picture. Those of you that know me...know how sad that makes me.

July 23rd: 

Search for items you think an animal might eat... we found blueberries and not only did my wild animals love them but when we saw the bear, he was munching on some blueberries too.

July 24th: 

Moss or Lichen

Love the red fungi against the green moss

July 25th: 

Mushroom

July 26th: 

Search for signs of wildlife...a beaver damn is a sure sign of wildlife but mr beaver was no where to be seen

WEEK Four Bonus: Take a nature journal (or even just some paper), markers, coloured pencils or paint with you on your walk. Near the end of your walk find a place to stop and draw as many species of plants or animals that you saw, in your journal. Post a picture of your journal page. 

My girls were too busy playing with their friends who joined us camping to sit still and draw but I enjoyed breaking out the colour pencils to remember all the different flora I saw in Algonquin park.

And the summer bonus picture of our camp site at Algonquin Provincial Park

A busy busy couple of weeks for us...now off to find our patterns in nature for week 5.

Week Four Challenges for the Nature Scavenger Hunt for Families

I am camping until Thursday so my last week photos will be late and I'll catch up when I get home...or if I can get some good wifi while away I will try to get my photos up sooner.

I hope you all enjoyed your pond discovery. We've had another crazy busy week and I can barely believe how fast the summer is flying by. We were not able to get to as many ponds as we hoped; catching frogs is one of my girls favourite things to do, but we did manage to get out a bit.

This fourth week is all about exploring a Provincial Park or National Park (or State Park for our US friends joining in). All pictures must be taken inside the park where you took the photo in front of for July 20th.

July 20th: At least one member in front of the Provincial, National or State Park sign 5 points

July 21st: A natural animal home in the park 10 points, 10 bonus points if your animal is at home

July 22nd: Watch for wildlife 5 points for the first picture, 1 bonus point for each additional animal photo added to the comments and 1 bonus point for correctly identifying it

July 23rd: Search for items you think an animal might eat. Correctly identify what you found 10 points. What animal do you think might eat it 5 points

July 24th: Moss or Lichen 5 points

July 25th: Mushroom 5 points  (Do NOT touch as many mushrooms are poisonous)

July 26th: Search for signs of wildlife. 10 points. Post a picture of what sign you found and explain what you think you found signs of...ex..maybe you found animal tracks. Post a picture of the tracks and have your child(ren) hypothesise what they think made the tracks. Share their guesses for another 5 points.

WEEK Four Bonus: Take a nature journal (or even just some paper), markers, coloured pencils or paint with you on your walk. Near the end of your walk find a place to stop and draw as many species of plants or animals that you saw, in your journal. Post a picture of your journal page. 50 points

I hope everyone is having fun exploring...and actually getting more time to explore then we are! Enjoy your park discovery as I'm looking forward to seeing all your pictures come in. Have a great week!

Week Three Nature Scavenger Hunt for Families and my week two pictures

Week three already...the summer is disappearing! We had another week where life got in the way and we barely got out to explore and capture all the wonderful colours to be found in nature but from seeing your pictures in the facebook group it looks like you all got out to explore a lot. Before I get to our photos for the week here is what you'll be hunting for in week three.

This week we will be exploring ponds and marshes. With this weeks challenge the point is to actually get out to a pond and explore. There is so much to see and investigate if you take the time to do so. Take a net with you, a field guide, a nature journal, a see through container to observe your findings before setting them free. Boots are recommended so you can get in the pond and have a very hands on investigation.

Here are this weeks challenges:

July 13th: Sunbathing turtle (out of water on rock or log)10 points (10 bonus points if you can correctly identify it. 25 bonus points if you can find a second species of turtle and add that photo to the comments)

July 14th: Beaver Dam 10 points (25 bonus points if you find the beaver and add that photo to the comments)

July 15th: Flowering pond plant 10 points (5 bonus points to correctly identify it and 10 bonus points if it is not a water lily)

July 16th: Reflections on the pond 5 points

July 17th: Canoe on the pond 10 points (25 bonus points if your team member(s) are in it)

July 18th: Water Fowl. Find a Duck 5 points, swan 10 points or Heron 25 points (50 bonus points if you find all three species. Add the second two photos to the comments of your first photo please)

July 19th: Dragonfly 5 points. Two dragonflies in same photo 10 points

Week 3 BONUS: Make a handmade net (from natural items or recycles items but no purchased items) to take to the pond. Show us a picture of your net at the pond.

Now for my week two pictures:

July 6th Red

July 7th Orange

July 8th Yellow

July 9th Green

July 10th Blue

July 11th Purple/Indego

July 12th Pink

Week two's bonus was to take a paint chip card and try to match the shades on it to real items in nature...but we did not get around to doing this. time seems to just fly by these days :(

Now off to hit the ponds; one of my girls favourite spots to explore. They love to try to catch frogs, observe them and let them go. Green frogs are by far the most common frogs around our area. Hopefully while exploring a couple different ponds we will be lucky enough to spot a leopard frog. They are one of our favourites.