Taking the Master Naturalist class was an absolute joy, I learned so many things or I should say relearned some things grade school. Now prepared with my new-found knowledge, I happily spend hours in the woods. I can easily tell you, according to Ben, “Rushes are round, sedges have edges and grasses are found where willow abound.” Perhaps you laugh, however remembering some of these rhymes definitely helps those with a less scientific mind.
But inquiring minds want to know what tree, bush, flower, plant, bird, lizard, rock, etc. as it is seen in the wild. How will I ever learn all this identification? The bottom line is, you won’t. Everyone, even the professionals, needs reference guides from time to time. With this new desire to learn, I find myself stopping and looking at everything and asking “What is this?”
In the class we received some very helpful guides, many from the Virginia Department of Forestry. These have extensively been used already, as the guides are specific to Virginia. But sometimes the desire for additional data or for covering species not in these Virginia Guides is too great. Now filling up a backpack with a number of guides may not be great on your back, so I suggest the first few times you go out with a guide you try to concentrate in a specific area. I have some phone apps I use as well in a pinch, but much prefer the physical guides.
Always have some basic equipment with you. Personally, I always carry a jeweler’s loupe, binoculars, a camera of sorts and a notebook. If I am find something of interest taking a number of photos and making notes with my mobile device is helpful for review later. Then after studying let’s say a plant, I use the guide to find the plant, determine its scientific name and read about additional information. Most guides have some type of key to help you identify the species, many using a dichotomous key.
Occasionally some local naturalist may have written a book on a specific area, those I have found most useful. Such as Hal Wiggins “A Field Guide to Crow’s Nest” or “Virginia Native Plants”. Many of photos in his books are taken from areas local to Fredericksburg so I should find those species. As for personal favorite commercially available guides, I use "Sibley’s Guide to Field Birds – Eastern North America" and a very old Audubon Guide (with color plates) that belonged to by grandmother for birds. For trees, I use the “Sibley’s Guide to Trees”, for wildflowers “Newcomb’s Wildflower Guide”, for insects “Kaufman’s Field Guide to Insects of North American & Field Guide to Butterflies of North America”. I do have other Audubon Guides as well and did pick up a guide on mosses from the Princeton Field Guides “Common Mosses of the Northeast & Appalachians” by as I really find mosses interesting.
Needless to say, as a naturalist you will find your library grow with your knowledge and desire to learn more about the species we see in the wild.
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