Using Pocket Naturalist Nature Guides -- Waterford Press

Backpacking should not be a matter of just seeing how far and fast you can hike in a day. It should be a fun experience with maybe even some learning a long the way. Surely you do not just sit around your camp once you get there? It should be time to explore the wilderness around you.

Reach in to your backpack or pocket and take out a nature guide. What, you did not bring one? Too much extra weight. You are kidding, right? Guess you know all about the flora and fauna where you are. What is that dark blue bird with the black crest perched in that tree? You do not know as much as you think. It is a blue Stellar's jay in a narrowleaf cottonwood tree.

For years, no matter where I hike, I carry whatever Pocket Naturalist Nature Guide that applies to the area or what I hope to see. Waterford Press designed these reference guides to be easy-to-use, lightweight, and durable. A little over eight inches tall and four inches wide they fit nicely in the back pockets (hence the name Pocket Naturalist) of trail pants or the side pockets on daypacks and backpacks. The accordion folds allow them to open up to twenty-two inches with information on both sides. The lamination protects them from dampness but you can still mark them with a ballpoint pen.

They are advertised as being for "beginners" but I have depended on different ones for years. The colorful pictures and concise descriptions make identification in the field a simple task. Shown in the picture is the Colorado Trees and Wildflowers with markings showing what we have discovered on our backpacking trips. Use them to keep track of what you see, how many, what year, and where you were.

You can get Pocket Naturalists covering birds, bugs, butterflies, trees, flowers, fish, mammals, reptiles, seashore life, dinosaurs (and if you see a live one you might want to let someone know), rocks, minerals, mushrooms, urban wildlife, and constellations. There are even ones that can teach you knots, how to recognize weather patterns, and how to do first aid. They also cover distinct regions of the country from Arizona to the East Coast, from Colorado to the Northwestern Seashore.

We attach information on animals tracks and scat to the front and back pages so as not to waste any space. They also make great fans when the weather is hot and still.

Pocket Naturalists are easy to find. Online you can order them from Acorn Naturalists and Amazon.com. Many bookstores like Barnes and Nobles or some local book sellers carry them in stock or can order them.

Everyone that hikes, backpacks, has a bird feeder in their backyard, or wanders around their local park should learn what flora and fauna inhabit the area. Pocket Naturalist Nature Guides are a great way to keep a Critter Log.