Diario del proyecto City Nature Challenge 2023: Western Mass

At 9AM this morning our time, the CNC staff recorded our official Western Mass City Nature Challenge numbers:

• 2,976 observations
• 811 species
• 223 observers
• 259 identifiers

Congratulations! You all did a great job in less-than-ideal weather. We predicted we’d get about 800 species this year; we exceeded that goal. We had about a thousand more observations than in 2022 – great! But we had about the same number of observers as in 2022, even though we added Berkshire County this year. Was that because of the weather? Are people spending less time hiking and observing now that the pandemic has calmed down considerably? Who knows, but we would love your suggestions for improvements for next year.

Thanks again; we hope you have a lovely summer enjoying the biodiversity of Western Massachusetts and we’ll see you again next year!

---Lynn Harper and Melanie Radik, co-organizers

This is just a reminder that we have through Sunday, May 7th, to finish uploading observations and make identifications. On Monday morning, May 8th, 9 AM our time, the City Nature Challenge will declare our final numbers and let us know later that day.

We are actually doing great so far! At the moment, we have 2,944 observations of 804 species made by 218 observers. There have been 243 identifiers working on all the observations – thank you so much! Tom Norton, @tsn, has contributed an astounding 882 identifications for others – thank you, Tom!

But there are still 1,107 observations that need identifying. Not all of these can be identified to species, however. A fuzzy photo of a tiny spider from 5 feet away will likely never make Research Grade, but if two people agree that it’s a spider and one person marks it “as good as can be” in the Data Quality Assessment, the observation will move out of Needs ID and become Casual. Casual observations still count for the CNC and are still available for spider experts to look at in the future, so you may want to mark some of your own observations “as good as can be” to help reduce the Needs ID pile.

And since we are nearing the end of the Challenge, it’s time to ask you what changes you’d like to see for next year. We can all hope for a warmer, sunnier weekend next year, but guaranteeing that is beyond our control. But are there more or different kinds of field trips you’d like to attend, or do you prefer to go out on your own? Did you find the journal posts helpful? Many CNC cities and regions involve high school and college students; can you suggest some ways we could make that happen? (Email notifications didn’t garner much response.) Should Berkshire County be spun off into its own CNC region, or should we take over western Worcester County, or should we just stay the same? What else can we do to involve more people? Thanks for any responses you can give!

---Lynn Harper and Melanie Radik, co-organizers

Today’s the start of the six-day upload and identification period for the City Nature Challenge, but at least you get to put your feet up for this! Here are some reminders for this process.

Step One
Upload all your own observations. Check your iNaturalist app and make sure all your observations uploaded properly. If you use a separate camera, get all those observations uploaded. Remember you can make Casual observations as long as they have a date and place, so if you didn’t get a chance to make an observation for that moose you saw from Rt. 2 when there was no place to stop, now’s the time.

Step Two
Make sure all of your own observations have an initial identification. Sometimes with the iNat app, the automatic uploading glitches a bit and doesn’t translate the ID you gave into the official ID in the iNat observation. Here’s a URL to see if any of your Needs ID or Casual observations are Unknowns and missing an ID entirely; just substitute your username for Lynn Harper’s at the end of this URL: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/identify?quality_grade=needs_id%2Ccasual&iconic_taxa=unknown&order=asc&identified=false&project_id=154296&user_id=lynnharper

(And that’s how Lynn discovered three of her Casual observations from last year were missing an ID. Oopsie.)

Step Three
Refine your own observations. Maybe you only had time to identify something as a salamander during the CNC itself; now’s your time to pull out your field guides and see what iNaturalist’s computer vision suggests. And please check your notifications in iNaturalist to see if other people have confirmed your ID or made comments.

Step Four – and this is the Important Step
Help others with their identifications. Nobody’s observations on iNaturalist get to Research Grade without at least one other person agreeing with an ID, and you can be that other person. What – you say you aren’t an expert? That’s fine; nobody is an expert in every single taxonomic group, just do what you can. Can you tell if something is a Plant or an Animal or a Fungus? Then add those IDs to Unknowns with this link. You say you’re pretty good with moths and butterflies; here’s a link for you. You love wildflowers? Here’s a link to dicots. And so on. Feel free to ask us questions about this process (and see yesterday’s journal post for a list of today’s identification workshops).

Every identification you add helps, seriously. If you run out of observations in the Western Mass City Nature Challenge, your help will be just as welcome in the Boston CNC or the Burlington, VT, CNC or even globally. And thank you!

--Lynn Harper and Melanie Radik, co-organizers

Whew! The four days of the Western Mass City Nature Challenge are almost finished (although you have till midnight tonight, if you have any energy left). Thank you all so much for hiking with us or by yourselves, making thousands of observations on iNaturalist. We hope you had fun and appreciate even more the wonderful biodiversity of our region.

We particularly want to thank our field trip leaders: Charley Eiseman (@ceiseman), Karro Frost (@karro_frost), and May Gryzbowski (@maygrz). Thank you!!

Here’s where the numbers stand as of 7 PM May 1st:

• 2,736 observations
• 744 species
• 200 observers
• 202 identifiers

Wow!!! And there’s more to come: remember, you have through Sunday, May 7th, to upload your observations and help confirm the observations of others. We’ll be back tomorrow with another post to help you with that process. In fact, there are three workshops tomorrow to help with making identifications:

Wildlife Species Identification with iNaturalist - VIRTUAL
Tuesday, May 2, 2023; 10-11 AM

This workshop takes place entirely online over Zoom. We'll get to know the built-in iNaturalist tools for species identification, as well as the rich online and print resources available at UMass for field guides and species ID tools. Similar guides may be available at your local library. You'll leave the workshop having contributed to at least one species ID. A two-screen setup is strongly recommended, to have Zoom open in one screen and your own iNaturalist account open in the other with the web interface, but it is not required. This workshop will be recorded and posted openly on the web. Registering indicates assent to be in a recorded session. To sign up, follow the link to the event page and register with your name and email. You will be sent the Zoom link.

Wildlife Species Identification with iNaturalist
Tuesday, May 2, 2023: 4-5 PM; Science and Engineering Library in the Lederle Graduate Research Center, UMass, Amherst

This in-person workshop takes place in the Learning Studio of the Science and Engineering Library. We'll get to know the built-in iNaturalist tools for species identification, as well as the rich online and print resources available at UMass for field guides and species ID tools. Similar guides may be available at your local library. You'll leave the workshop having contributed to at least one species ID. To sign up, follow the link to the event page and register with your name and email.

Wildlife Species Identification with iNaturalist
Tuesday, May 2, 7-9 PM, Millers River Environmental Center, 100 Main St., Athol

Join us in-person at the Millers River Environmental Center as we add identifications to the CNC observations on iNaturalist. Bring your laptop (if that’s convenient, but it’s not necessary) and your field guides. We’ll learn how identifications work on iNaturalist, puzzle through the difficult species together, and tell stories about what we saw. Everyone is welcome; no registration is necessary.

On Monday, May 8th, the global City Nature Challenge staff will publish a summary of the official results for all the cities and regions taking part; we’ll certainly let you know how we did. In the meantime, take a look at the world-wide summary CNC project on iNaturalist and marvel at the number of species, observers, and observations.

---Lynn Harper and Melanie Radik, co-organizers

Here it is, Monday morning, May 1st, the last day of the 2023 Western Mass City Nature Challenge. We hope you had fun! It was lovely to meet some of you over the last three days; maybe we’ll see some of you today.

We’ll be back tonight with the initial wrap-up, but first, here are today’s activities:

Bioblitz at Quabbin Watershed, New Salem
Monday, May 1, 2023; 1PM – 3PM; Gate 29, Rt. 202 and Elm St., New Salem

Join Charley Eiseman and Lynn Harper for an easy stroll through woods and fields, past vernal pools and powerlines, to the northern shores of Quabbin Reservoir. Charley is a freelance naturalist based in western Massachusetts and the co-author, with Noah Charney, of the fascinating Tracks & Sign of Insects and Other Invertebrates; Lynn is a conservation planner, retired from the Massachusetts Natural Heritage & Endangered Species Program. Space is limited to 24 participants. Please email Lynn at harperlynn@msn.com to register for this event.

Bioblitz at Alderbrook Meadows Wildlife Sanctuary
Monday, May 1, 2023; 6PM – 7PM; 839 Millers Falls Rd. (Route 63), Northfield

Join Mount Grace Land Conservation Trust for our third City Nature Challenge event! Meet May Grzybowski, Mount Grace’s TerraCorps Land Conservation Steward, for a bioblitz at our accessible Alderbrook Meadows Wildlife Sanctuary Trail. May has worked in environmental education at Nature’s Classroom and is passionate about citizen science! All ages are welcome to this event! We’ll be walking the short trail which leads to a beaver pond and we will be trying to observe as many different plants and animals as we can! At Mount Grace we are using iNaturalist to learn more about the land we conserve and keep a record of the natural history of our forests. To register, please e-mail May Gryzbowski at grzybowski@mountgrace.org . Participants should download the iNaturalist app to their phones before arriving at the event or be ready to share a device with others. Adults with kids can also download the kid-friendly app Seek.

---Lynn Harper and Melanie Radik, co-organizers

Only one day left! We hope your feet, eyes, and enthusiasm can last through just one more day.

As of 7PM on the 30th, the numbers stand at 2,075 observations of 666 species, made by 166 observers. We are doing great! Here are some of today’s highlights:

• On Saturday, @jeremycoleman flushed an American Woodcock off her nest in the Montague Plains. Today, he led us back to the nest, where we watched briefly from far enough away the bird set tight and didn’t flush again.
• The red of Elf Cup fungi is stunning against the dark leaves of the forest floor, as this observation by @afassler shows.
• @pshubin did a little dip-netting and came up with several cool aquatic macroinvertebrates (and a tadpole). This mayfly larva was particularly impressive.

Tomorrow’s events include:

Bioblitz at Quabbin Watershed, New Salem
Monday, May 1, 2023; 1PM – 3PM; Gate 29, Rt. 202 and Elm St., New Salem

Join Charley Eiseman and Lynn Harper for an easy stroll through woods and fields, past vernal pools and powerlines, to the northern shores of Quabbin Reservoir. Charley is a freelance naturalist based in western Massachusetts and the co-author, with Noah Charney, of the fascinating Tracks & Sign of Insects and Other Invertebrates; Lynn is a conservation planner, retired from the Massachusetts Natural Heritage & Endangered Species Program. Space is limited to 24 participants. Please email Lynn at harperlynn@msn.com to register for this event.

Bioblitz at Alderbrook Meadows Wildlife Sanctuary
Monday, May 1, 2023; 6PM – 7PM; 839 Millers Falls Rd. (Route 63), Northfield

Join Mount Grace Land Conservation Trust for our third City Nature Challenge event! Meet May Grzybowski, Mount Grace’s TerraCorps Land Conservation Steward, for a bioblitz at our accessible Alderbrook Meadows Wildlife Sanctuary Trail. May has worked in environmental education at Nature’s Classroom and is passionate about citizen science! All ages are welcome to this event! We’ll be walking the short trail which leads to a beaver pond and we will be trying to observe as many different plants and animals as we can! At Mount Grace we are using iNaturalist to learn more about the land we conserve and keep a record of the natural history of our forests. To register, please e-mail May Gryzbowski at grzybowski@mountgrace.org . Participants should download the iNaturalist app to their phones before arriving at the event or be ready to share a device with others. Adults with kids can also download the kid-friendly app Seek.

---Lynn Harper and Melanie Radik, co-organizers

We are about half-way through the City Nature Challenge (if we ignore those who are still out owling and looking for moths for the next few hours). This morning was pretty wet in spots – the trip to Notchview got rained out – but there were definitely lots of observers out there anyway!

As of 7PM on the 29th, the numbers stand at 1,261 observations of 495 species, made by 124 observers. Wonderful! Here are some of today’s highlights:

• @explore413 saw a blooming Virginia Saxifrage near Poets Seat Tower in Greenfield.
• @friedsonoma took a photo of a lovely swath of Dwarf Ginseng somewhere in eastern Hampshire County.
• The black flies are definitely out, as @adamkohl documented for all of us to admire.

Remember, heavy rain will cancel an event, but tomorrow’s trips include:

Bioblitz at Montague Plains WMA
Sunday, April 30, 2023; 9AM – 11AM; Plains Road at powerline (approach from Turners Falls Road only), Montague

Join Lynn Harper to explore the globally uncommon pine barrens and wooded hills of the Montague Plains Wildlife Management Area. Lynn is a conservation planner, retired from the MA Natural Heritage & Endangered Species Program. There is no limit to the number of participants for this trip, but please email Lynn at harperlynn@msn.com if you’re planning to come.

Bioblitz at Arthur Iverson Conservation Area
Sunday, April 30, 2023; 1PM – 3PM; 67 Gale Rd., Warwick

Join Mount Grace Land Conservation Trust for our second City Nature Challenge event! Meet May Grzybowski, Mount Grace’s TerraCorps Land Conservation Steward, for a bioblitz hike at Arthur Iversen Conservation Area. May has worked in environmental education at Nature’s Classroom and is passionate about citizen science! We’ll be exploring all the area has to offer – mossy forest, vernal pools, and a beautiful washbowl falls. We will be trying to observe as many different plants and animals as we can! At Mount Grace we are using iNaturalist to learn more about the land we conserve and keep a record of the natural history of our forests. To register, please e-mail May Grzybowski at grzybowski@mountgrace.org . Participants MUST download the iNaturalist app to their phones before arriving at the event, as Iversen has limited cell signal, or be prepared to share devices.

Bioblitz at Whiting Street Reservoir, Holyoke
Sunday, April 30, 2023; 1PM – 3PM; Mountain Park Road (park just after crossing over I-91), Holyoke

Join Lynn Harper for a walk along the edges of this small reservoir at the base of Mt. Tom. The rich basalt bedrock of Mt. Tom supports many unusual plants, and we may see a Bald Eagle soaring overhead as they journey along the Connecticut River. Lynn is a conservation planner, retired from the MA Natural Heritage & Endangered Species Program. There is no limit to the number of participants for this trip, but please email Lynn at harperlynn@msn.com if you’re planning to come.

---Lynn Harper and Melanie Radik, co-organizers

It’s the evening of the first day of the Western Mass City Nature Challenge and we hope you had a great time today! It was lovely to meet some of you at today’s events and we hope to see more of you at events over the next three days.

As of 7PM on the 28th, the numbers stand at 281 observations of 162 species, made by 60 observers. A great start! And we know many people haven’t uploaded all their observations from today yet. Here are some of the highlights:

• @pshubin observed a cool leafhopper in Amherst. We’re curious to see which species this turns out to be!
• @kristinejellybean took a lovely photo of blooming Canada Violet in Egremont.
• @treefrogjodi observed everyone’s favorite, an Eastern Red-backed Salamander, in Pelham.
• @maxwell_francke photographed these shed skins of stoneflies (maybe two different species? we certainly don’t know) in Amherst.

Tomorrow’s events include:

Bioblitz at Notchview, Windsor
Saturday, April 29, 2023; 9AM – 11AM; main entrance off Rt. 9 in Windsor

Join Lynn Harper for a hike through the fields and forests of the 3,000-acre Notchview property of the Trustees of Reservations. Lynn is a conservation planner, retired from the MA Natural Heritage & Endangered Species Program. There is no limit to the number of participants for this trip, but please email Lynn at harperlynn@msn.com if you’re planning to come.

Vernal Pool Nature Walk
Saturday, April 29, 2023; 1PM – 3PM; Wendell

Join Karro Frost, Conservation Botanist with the Massachusetts Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program, at a private Mount Grace Land Conservation Trust property in Wendell to explore the wildlife of vernal pools. Space is limited to 15 participants. Before the event, please download the iNaturalist app onto your smartphone. To register, please e-mail Jess Bryant at bryant@mountgrace.org; she will send the address of the meeting place.

---Lynn Harper and Melanie Radik, co-organizers

As of 12:01AM tonight our time, the Western Mass City Nature Challenge begins! The weather looks to be not perfect for the weekend, but at least there’s no heavy rain or 90-degree days forecast.

We hope you have a wonderful time and see many species and places that thrill you! As always, feel free to ask questions as a comment on this journal post (or on any journal post). We’ll keep you up-to-date each day with cool sightings and how the numbers are mounting up.

Tomorrow’s workshops and field trips include:

Learn iNaturalist for Nature Appreciation and Citizen Science
Friday, April 28, 2023; 11AM – 12:30PM; Science and Engineering Library in the Lederle Graduate Research Center, UMass Amherst

This workshop begins in the Learning Studio of the Science and Engineering Library. We'll get to know the iNaturalist app, how it works, and what the web interface looks like. Then we'll step outside and put it into practice with our individual devices. Please bring a smartphone or tablet with iNaturalist already installed. To sign up, follow the link to the event page and register with your name and email.

Learn iNaturalist for Nature Appreciation and Citizen Science - VIRTUAL
Friday, April 28, 2023; 2:30PM – 3:30 PM

This workshop takes place entirely online over Zoom. We'll get to know the iNaturalist app, how it works, and what the web interface looks like. This will include an observation taken live on the smartphone app and uploading previously taken photos through the web interface. To sign up, follow the link to the event page and register with your name and email. You will be sent the Zoom link.

Bioblitz at Hitchcock Center
Friday, April 28th, 2023; 4:30-5:30PM; Hitchcock Center for the Environment, 845 West St. Amherst

Join Melanie Radik and Lynn Harper, the co-organizers of the Western Mass City Nature Challenge, for an hour or so exploration of the woods and fields of the Hitchcock Center. This walk is geared towards those who are new to iNaturalist and the City Nature Challenge. If possible, please bring a smartphone or tablet with iNaturalist already installed.

And because one of your co-organizers (that would be Lynn Harper) is always forgetting something when she goes on a hike, we want to ask: Do you have lunch, water, and snacks packed? Your cell phone and/or camera? Extra batteries? Is everything fully charged? All the appropriate charging cords for your car? An external power brick? Tick/insect repellent? Sunscreen? Binoculars, maybe your spotting scope? How about a loupe for tiny mosses or insects? (Or just look through your binoculars the wrong way.) An aerial net, dipnet, dredge net, or beating sheet, should your fancy run in those directions? Tall waterproof boots, if you’re going into wetlands (or just sneakers you don’t mind getting wet and a change of dry socks for afterwards)? Digital or paper maps? Are you sure you have enough snacks?

Have fun!

---Lynn Harper and Melanie Radik, co-organizers

The City Nature Challenge starts this Friday!

We thought this might be a good time to give you some quick reminders:

• The CNC observation period runs for four days straight, April 28 – May 1, a total of 96 hours, followed by six days for uploading to iNaturalist and making identifications.
• Make observations of wild organisms, not captive animals or cultivated plants.
• One individual organism equals one observation on iNaturalist. You can take several photos of an organism for each observation, but different individuals get different observations.
• Do feel free to make several observations of the same species at different places or on different days.
• Remember to give an initial identification to each of your observations as they are uploaded to iNaturalist.
• Do check your notifications on iNaturalist often during the observation and identification portions of the CNC, as other people help refine your initial identifications.
• Check our April 14th journal post for a list of workshops and field trips, if you’d like some training or company in the field. We’d love to meet you!

As always, feel free to ask questions. Let’s hope for good weather!

---Lynn Harper and Melanie Radik, co-organizers

P.S.: Lay in a nice supply of snacks for your walks – naturalists always need more snacks than they think they do. And don’t forget to hydrate! wink