Natural Resources Institute
UW –Madison Division of Extension
BECOME A
NEIGHBORHOOD NATURALIST!
A Winter Backyard Challenge
Without blooms or bright leaves, winter may seem like the dullest of
seasons. Pay attention, though, and you’ll notice more than the arrival of ice
and snow outside your door. The study of these seasonal changes is called
phenology. Think of it as nature’s calendar, and you’re helping mark down
all of the important events. Whether you live in the city or out in the woods,
this challenge will test your ability to tune your senses to the signs of winter.
Grab your friends and family, and let’s get started!
GUIDELINES: Complete challenges to earn badges using your backyard or
nearby green space. The more you complete, the more badges you earn.
Can you become a neighborhood naturalist?
LEVEL UP!
Complete more challenges to move
up to the next level. Compete with
friends and family for even more fun!
1-4 CHALLENGES
FLEDGLING
PHENOLOGIST
5-7 CHALLENGES
EAGLEEYED
ECOLOGIST
8 CHALLENGES
NEIGHBORHOOD
NATURALIST
WINTER BACKYARD CHALLENGES
Identify three types
of snowflakes.
Is it true that no two snowakes are alike?
Winter is the right time to nd out. When
it’s snowing, collect a few falling akes
on a dark piece of paper or fabric. What
shapes do you see? Use the following
guides to learn more about snowake
formation and type.
• NOAA SciJinks — How Do Snowakes Form?
https://scijinks.gov/snowakes/
• Guide to Snowakes
http://www.its.caltech.edu/~atomic/snowcrystals/
class/class-old.htm
List three dierent snowflake
types
1. __________________________________________
2. __________________________________________
3. __________________________________________
Learn
about frost.
Extension Natural Resources Educator
Michelle Scarpace can help you see the
crystal clear differences between frost,
hoar frost and rime ice.
• From the Desk of Extension: Rime Ice
https://www.wiscnews.com/columbusjournal/
announcements/community/from-the-desk-
of-extension-rime-ice-creating-the-winter-
wonderland-of-2021/article_678998b7-4a01-
5913-9431-f8fbc3cf1aa7.html
Feed
the birds.
While many animals hunker down for the
winter, birds remain active and on the hunt
for fatty, high-energy foods like nuts and
seeds. Help a bird out and x up a snack!
You can make a simple bird feeder using
a pine cone, peanut butter or shortening,
and birdseed. Hang it near a window and
see who shows up.
• Environmental Education for Kids—
Pine Cone Bird Feeder
https://www.eekwi.org/activities/arts-crafts/pine-
cone-bird-feeder-and-suet-feeder
• Cornell Lab of Ornithology Online Bird Guide
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/search
• Cornell Lab of Ornithology Merlin Bird ID App
https://merlin.allaboutbirds.org/
List three dierent birds
1. __________________________________________
2. __________________________________________
3. __________________________________________
BECOME A NEIGHBORHOOD NATURALIST!
A Winter Backyard Challenge
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Become
a night owl.
Hoot, hoot, who is that you hear when the
sun goes down? Winter is the breeding
season for owls, so they are especially
talkative this time of year. Get help
identifying owl calls using this guide from
Wisconsin Public Radio.
• WPR— How to Identify Five Owls
Around Wisconsin
https://www.wpr.org/how-identify-5-owls-around-
wisconsin
Identify
three evergreens.
While many trees lose their leaves
in winter, some keep their leaves
year-round. These trees are known
as evergreens. Identify three in your
neighborhood. (Hint: needles are leaves!)
• Environmental Education for Kids —
Forever Green
https://www.eekwi.org/plants/forever-green
• Arbor Day Foundation
Tree Identication Guide
https://www.arborday.org/trees/whattree/
List three dierent evergreens
1. __________________________________________
2. __________________________________________
3. __________________________________________
Spend time
with the stars.
Although the days of winter are short,
the long nights provide the perfect
backdrop for stargazing. The three stars
that form the belt of Orion the Hunter
(of Greek astronomy) or Biboonkeonini
the Wintermaker (of Ojibwe astronomy)
are especially visible this time of year;
look to the southwestern sky for three
stars in a line. Check out the following
resources to learn more about Orion and
Biboonkeonini.
• Society for Popular Astronomy —
How to Find Orion
https://www.popastro.com/main_spa1/how-to-
nd-orion/
• Native Skywatchers —
Biboonkeonini-Wintermaker
https://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=FMCiovaIQGU
Find some
snow fleas.
Before you feel phantom itches on your
arms and legs, you should know that these
critters are not the eas that make your
cat or dog scratch! Snow eas are tiny
arthropods that help decompose plant
material, and you can often nd them
peppering the snow beneath trees. How
do they survive the cold temperatures?
Listen to Extension bug expert P.J. Liesch
as he discusses how snow eas make
their own antifreeze (and jump with their
“pogo-stick” tails).
• WXPR—What Are Snow Fleas?
https://www.wxpr.org/post/what-are-snow-
eas#stream/0
• Environmental Education for Kids —
Snow Fleas
https://www.eekwi.org/animals/insects/snow-eas
Track
an animal.
Snow makes it easy to see who is coming
and going. Determine who is hanging
around your neighborhood by sleuthing
for footprints in the snow. Use the
following guides to identify the tracks of
some common and less common animals
that may live in your area.
• My Wisconsin Woods —
Opossum, Raccoon, and Skunk, Oh My!
https://mywisconsinwoods.org/2018/02/06/
opossum-raccoon-and-skunk-oh-my/
• WDNR Mammal Tracks of Wisconsin
https://dnr.wi.gov/topic/trap/documents/mtracks.
pdf
Draw the animal tracks you see.
