Grinnell System - Field Journal

Grinnell style field journal

A field journal is what professional naturalists and biologists use. It is a nature journal which uses the scientific method.

It is where you write out your field experiences and observations in a diary-like format.

The entries are written in complete sentences and narrate what was observed.

It is drawn from the notes taken in the field notebook. You basically take the scribbled notes and partial sentences of your notebook and turn them into full coherent sentences.

It is ideally written in the afternoon or evening of the observation. Don't let too much time past (even 24 hours) before writing. Memories fade very quickly.

It includes information gathered based on the observation checklist and what you observed. Also how you did something, such as finding tracks and signs, where you looked for plants and animals.

Write on only one side of the paper. Usually the right side.

This leaves the left side for maps, photos, sketches that complement what is written on the right page.

If you are left- handed you can reverse this.

The book usually covers one calendar year.

The journal can be in many forms. The original form Grinnell recommended was a 6X9 loose-leaf notebook. But, 6X9 loose-leaf paper that doesn't yellow is hard to find. I tend to like a hardbound, Moleskine Ruled Notebook Large . Probably because at the end of the year. I have a pretty illustrated book. 

More on the Grinnell System:
Grinnell System Overview

Indian Moon Names

Harvest moon over my house in Philadelphia

 I have always like the Indian names of full moons. Since Philadelphia is Algonquin territory, I use the terms they use. These terms have local variations, but these are pretty basic to follow. The named moons will span across more than one Julian/Georgian calendar month.

These names tell us more about the land than the standard Julian/Georgian calendar names. January is named for the god Janus, but what does it tell about the land we live in?

For each entry in my nature journal, I like to note the moon phases, which is why there is a moon phase widget on the side panel of this blog.

Many people count from full moon to full moon as one moon. A good way to follow the moons through the year is to display full moon on an electronic calendar or mark or buy a paper calendar with the moons already shown. Then it is just a matter of placing the full moon names on the proper spaces.

Full Wolf Moon - January
Apparently, wolf packs howled hungrily outside of Indian villages at night. It's no wonder many Indian villages were palisaded with wooden fences.

Full Snow Moon or Full Hunger Moon - February
The month of the heaviest snowfall. It is also the toughest month to find food, for animals and humans. And remember to feed the birds.

Full Worm or Full Sap Moon- March Moon
This is when the ground begins to thaw and we see the first tiny earthworms wiggling along the ground and their spiral casts appears. The robins should also be back from their winter in nearby woods when the earthworms appear. This is also the time when sap begins to rise in the trees and Maple sap is tapped to make syrup.

Full Pink Moon or Full Fish Moon - April
When the Shadbush or Serviceberry blooms. Also when the shad begin to run and swim up stream to spawn. This happens in the Delaware River here in Philadelphia. The Fishtown neighborhood of Philadelphia holds a Shadfest in April.  There are an abundance of blooming flowers during this time, like Pink Creeping Ground Phlox. This moon is also called Full Corn Planting Moon.

Full Strawberry Moon - June
Strawberries are ripe and ready to be picked!

The Full Buck Moon or Full Thunder Moon - July
The time when male deer begin growing their fighting antlers in preparation for mating season. And it is also the time of summer thunderstorms

Full Sturgeon Moon or Green Corn Moon - August
Fresh corn on the cob is ready for eating.

Full Corn Moon - September (often the Harvest Moon)
Corn is ready for harvest. The Harvest moon is the full moon closest to the Autumnal Equinox. This bright full moon allows people to gather crops late until the evening, during the rush to gather food before freezing sets in.

Full Harvest Moon - October (often the Hunter's moon)
Corn, pumpkins, squash, beans, and wild rice the chief eastern American Indian staples, are now ready for gathering. The Hunter's Moon is the next full moon after the Harvest Moon. This bright moon makes it easier for hunter's to see at night.

Full Beaver Moon or Frosty Moon- November
Beavers actively prepare for winter and so should we.

The Full Cold Moon; or the Full Long Nights Moon - December
The long night of the Winter solstice marks the longest night of the year.

The full moon names were explained courtesy of the Farmer's Almanac -  http://www.farmersalmanac.com/full-moon-names.

Grinnell System Format

a Grinnell style journal

The Grinnell Format follows certain conventions that make it easier to write up observations and for others to read them. Once you begin using these conventions they will quickly become automatic. Following these guidelines has improved my nature journal entries, 100%.

Duration Each journal should cover one calendar year.

Margins - 3 cm (1 3/16 inches) on left side of sheet and top

Date day-month-year (example - 01 June 2008).All four components of the system are written based on one full calendar year. One year per notebook, journal, catalog and species account. Use the day-month-year format to eliminate confusion.

Time24-hour clock (example - 1408 is 2:08 p.m.) Remember to note time changes, such as daylight savings time.

Page Numbers - All pages should be numbered.
They can be number consecutively thorough all the observer's journals,where the first journal starts with page one and the numbers continue with each new journal. Say, the first journal has page numbers 1through 218. Then the next year's journal would start with page number 219.
Or each new journal can start with page one.

Write on one side of the sheet only-  i think since most people are right handed, most people write on the right side of the page only. I suppose lefties could do the opposite. Writing on one side makes sure the ink doesn't "ghost" or "shadow" on the other side making the writing hard to read. Also, it leaves the opposite page for sketches, drawing, maps, photos, etc.
Species lists should be written at the end of a journal entry.Sometimes, in our journals we make a list of blooming plants, birds seen, etc. These list should be placed at the end of a journal entry after the day's account has been written.

Numbers Use the numeral instead of the word. Example: use "1" instead of "one".

Abbreviations Avoid them. Instead use the full word, because later you may forget what them mean. Also, anyone who reads your journal or notes after you may not know what the abbreviations mean.

Underline species names Scientific species names should be underlined with a straight line. Common names with wavy line. This may seem a bother, but I have found it is very useful when I want to make end-of-the-year-what-did-I-see species list in the back of my nature journal.

Write in full sentences.You should be able to lift a quote or full sentence right from the journal entry and use it in a publication.

Write with a pen.Write with a acid-free, archival, water-resistant ink pen. Micron, Pilot G7 and Stafford Uniball are good brands.