Leaf & Footpath https://ledburyscoutgroup.org.uk/ Independent British editorial magazine on keeping field notes, seasonal comparison and talking about nature discoveries with family or group volunteers. en-gb Sun, 20 Sep 2026 08:00:00 GMT Photographs as notes, not trophieshttps://ledburyscoutgroup.org.uk/shared-discoveries/photographs-as-notes-not-trophies/https://ledburyscoutgroup.org.uk/shared-discoveries/photographs-as-notes-not-trophies/Sun, 20 Sep 2026 08:00:00 GMTShared DiscoveriesOrganise outdoor photographs as usable observations: consistent framing, a scale object, date order and captions that say what is uncertain and why. Keeping a family log across seasonshttps://ledburyscoutgroup.org.uk/shared-discoveries/keeping-a-family-log-across-seasons/https://ledburyscoutgroup.org.uk/shared-discoveries/keeping-a-family-log-across-seasons/Sun, 20 Sep 2026 08:00:00 GMTShared DiscoveriesA calm year-round routine for one shared nature log: who writes, what gets kept, and how entries stay useful without becoming a chore. Group note sharing without a leaderhttps://ledburyscoutgroup.org.uk/shared-discoveries/group-note-sharing-without-a-leader/https://ledburyscoutgroup.org.uk/shared-discoveries/group-note-sharing-without-a-leader/Sun, 20 Sep 2026 08:00:00 GMTShared DiscoveriesA simple round for comparing walk notes in a small group when nobody is in charge: one observation, one uncertainty and one question each. Questions to Ask an Experienced Naturalisthttps://ledburyscoutgroup.org.uk/shared-discoveries/questions-for-an-experienced-volunteer/https://ledburyscoutgroup.org.uk/shared-discoveries/questions-for-an-experienced-volunteer/Sun, 20 Sep 2026 08:00:00 GMTShared DiscoveriesWhat to ask a local naturalist so their answer sharpens your field notes, not just names a species. Practical prompts for better records. Explaining a Guess to a Childhttps://ledburyscoutgroup.org.uk/shared-discoveries/explaining-a-guess-to-a-child/https://ledburyscoutgroup.org.uk/shared-discoveries/explaining-a-guess-to-a-child/Sun, 20 Sep 2026 08:00:00 GMTShared DiscoveriesHow to answer "what is that?" honestly when you are not sure, keeping the difference between a guess and an observation clear and interesting. Leaf fall timing on one tree: a simple methodhttps://ledburyscoutgroup.org.uk/seasonal-comparison/autumn-leaf-fall-timing-notes/https://ledburyscoutgroup.org.uk/seasonal-comparison/autumn-leaf-fall-timing-notes/Sun, 20 Sep 2026 08:00:00 GMTSeasonal ComparisonA practical method to track autumn leaf colour and fall on a single tree across weeks using a fixed branch and dated photographs. Clear, calm, and. Noticing behaviour, not just presencehttps://ledburyscoutgroup.org.uk/seasonal-comparison/noticing-behaviour-not-just-presence/https://ledburyscoutgroup.org.uk/seasonal-comparison/noticing-behaviour-not-just-presence/Sun, 20 Sep 2026 08:00:00 GMTSeasonal ComparisonHow to record what an animal was doing, so a later visit can ask whether the same behaviour recurred, not just whether the species was there. Weather notes that earn their placehttps://ledburyscoutgroup.org.uk/seasonal-comparison/weather-notes-that-earn-their-place/https://ledburyscoutgroup.org.uk/seasonal-comparison/weather-notes-that-earn-their-place/Sun, 20 Sep 2026 08:00:00 GMTSeasonal ComparisonWhich weather details make field notes comparable later: recent rain, wind direction, temperature feel and cloud cover, and what to leave out. Setting a first visit baseline recordhttps://ledburyscoutgroup.org.uk/seasonal-comparison/first-visit-baseline-record/https://ledburyscoutgroup.org.uk/seasonal-comparison/first-visit-baseline-record/Sun, 20 Sep 2026 08:00:00 GMTSeasonal ComparisonHow to build a reusable first visit baseline: fixed viewpoint, date, time, weather and observation notes that make later comparisons fair and honest. Drawing When You Cannot Name a Plant or Insecthttps://ledburyscoutgroup.org.uk/field-notes/drawing-when-you-cannot-name/https://ledburyscoutgroup.org.uk/field-notes/drawing-when-you-cannot-name/Sun, 20 Sep 2026 08:00:00 GMTField NotesHow to draw an unfamiliar plant or insect usefully with no identification: capture shape, proportions and a scale reference so the record earns its place. Reading two records side by sidehttps://ledburyscoutgroup.org.uk/seasonal-comparison/reading-two-records-side-by-side/https://ledburyscoutgroup.org.uk/seasonal-comparison/reading-two-records-side-by-side/Sun, 20 Sep 2026 08:00:00 GMTSeasonal ComparisonHow to compare two wildlife visit records without blaming every difference on the weather, with a checklist for time, route, attention and effort. Describing a habitat in four lineshttps://ledburyscoutgroup.org.uk/field-notes/describing-a-habitat-in-four-lines/https://ledburyscoutgroup.org.uk/field-notes/describing-a-habitat-in-four-lines/Sun, 20 Sep 2026 08:00:00 GMTField NotesLearn how to write a four-line habitat description that makes two records comparable, using ground cover, height, light, water and edge. Field note formats that survive a walkhttps://ledburyscoutgroup.org.uk/field-notes/field-note-formats-that-survive-a-walk/https://ledburyscoutgroup.org.uk/field-notes/field-note-formats-that-survive-a-walk/Sun, 20 Sep 2026 08:00:00 GMTField NotesA practical field guide to picking a recording format for wet, cold or hurried conditions, comparing notebooks, folded sheets, phone audio and photographs. Separating observation from identificationhttps://ledburyscoutgroup.org.uk/field-notes/separating-observation-from-identification/https://ledburyscoutgroup.org.uk/field-notes/separating-observation-from-identification/Sun, 20 Sep 2026 08:00:00 GMTField NotesHow to write field notes that keep what you actually saw apart from what you guessed, using phrasing that a later reader can trust.