Nature Watching: How to Find and Observe Wildlife

Overview

Course No. 80190

Discover the hidden wonders of the natural world through the art of wildlife tracking. This 24-episode course with professional tracker Casey McFarland teaches you essential skills to uncover and understand animal behaviors in their natural habitats. Learn to:

• Identify and interpret animal tracks and signs
• Understand bird language and behaviors
• Recognize animal marking and communication
• Develop field observation techniques
• Track wildlife through different terrains and seasons

From your backyard to wilderness areas, these practical lessons will transform how you experience nature and connect with the environment.

Video Lectures

01: Signs and Sounds of the Wild (18 min)

Introduction to wildlife tracking and its many applications for understanding animal behavior and ecosystems.

02: Bugs and the Backyard Serengeti (18 min)

Explore the fascinating world of insects and their vital role in the food chain through their tracks and signs.

03: What Feathers Tell Us about Birds and Flight (22 min)

Learn to identify birds through their feathers and understand different wing designs and flight capabilities.

04: Paws, Claws, and Hooves: Who Stepped Here? (18 min)

Practical guide to identifying common animal tracks and interpreting animal behavior from track patterns.

05: Migratory Trails Explain Much about Life (16 min)

Understand animal migration patterns and how to read the stories trails tell about ecosystem dynamics.

06: Camouflage and Becoming Invisible (14 min)

Techniques for blending into the environment to observe wildlife without disturbing natural behaviors.

07: Bird Nests and the Stories They Tell (23 min)

Decode the architecture of bird nests to understand species behaviors and environmental adaptations.

08: Animal Bedding and the Dream World of Deer (18 min)

Learn to identify and interpret animal bedding areas, with special focus on deer behavior patterns.

09: Using Your Eyes and Ears Outdoors (20 min)

Sensory exercises to heighten your awareness and observation skills in natural settings.

10: Marking Behavior: What a Funny Way to Talk (19 min)

Explore how animals use scent marking for communication and territory establishment.

11: Bird Language and the Art of Listening (10 min)

Develop skills to interpret bird vocalizations and understand what they reveal about the environment.

12: Trees and Life: Food, Homes, and Communication (21 min)

Discover how animals interact with trees through feeding, nesting, and marking behaviors.

13: Wildlife Mating Behavior (16 min)

Recognize signs of animal mating activities and understand seasonal reproductive patterns.

14: Making a Map with the Moon, Clouds, and Stars (17 min)

Natural navigation techniques using celestial bodies and environmental landmarks.

15: How Long Ago Was an Animal Here? (15 min)

Techniques for determining the age of tracks and signs to reconstruct animal movements.

16: Holes, Burrows, and Life Underground (9 min)

Identify and interpret underground animal habitats and tunneling behaviors.

17: What Scatology Teaches If We Don’t Look Away (20 min)

Learn to read animal scat for valuable information about diet, health, and territory.

18: Is That a Front or Back Foot? Left or Right? (20 min)

Advanced track identification skills for determining foot placement and movement patterns.

19: Gaits: How Animals Walk and Run (19 min)

Understand different animal movement patterns and what they reveal about behavior.

20: Exploring the World of Winter Wildlife (16 min)

Special techniques for tracking in snow and understanding winter animal adaptations.

21: Becoming a Great Tracker (17 min)

Fundamental skills for following animal trails over distance in various terrains.

22: Advanced Tracking and Trailing (16 min)

Professional techniques for maintaining and recovering animal trails in the field.

23: What the Beaver Teaches Us about Our Planet (15 min)

Case study on beaver ecology and their remarkable impact on ecosystems.

24: Testing Yourself: The Wildlife Tracking Exam (21 min)

Comprehensive review and self-assessment of tracking knowledge and skills.