The Yolo County Resource Conservation District is working with the Xerces Society and landowners to increase breeding and foraging habitat for western monarch butterflies across the county.
Hedgerows bordering farmland – plantings with native trees, shrubs, bunch grasses and wildflowers – support bug-eating birds, which helps with on-farm pest control, according to research by recent UC Davis graduate Sacha Heath and UC Cooperative Extension advisor Rachael Long. The study was published in the October 2019 issue of the online journal Ecosphere.
Two smaller cormorants are fairly easily identified. The two bigger Great Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo hanedae) and Japanese - or Temminck's - Cormorant cause more trouble.
Sublte differences are recognised but not always easily applied in the field.
Because I too struggle from time to time, I will give the main ID-paper links here... in the hope to get this problem fixed sometime soon and to help others maybe to ID their Japanese larger phalacrocorax records.
NB. feel free to comment, add links to (japanese) texts or.... please... thanks in advance.
Temminck's <> hanedae Great Cormorant
http://www.birdskoreablog.org/?p=14250
https://www.dutchbirding.nl/journal/pdf/DB_1999_21_1.pdf
http://www.biodic.go.jp/kawau/d_hogokanri/hunt_leaflet.pdf
general features to be checked:
Phalacrocorax capillatus
PRO
broad and high ending white cheek
angular yellow patch
slightly more gentle , sloaping head.
Location: both species may occur inland and in coastal areas. I don't think that is a safe IDentifier. General opinion though apparently is that capillatus is more tied to the coast,
*
NB. I don't claim scientific status for these scribbles. It's just a reminder of what to look for.
Thank you so much for joining our second Almaden Quicksilver BioBlitz! We recorded close to a thousand observations of 230 species, which is quite amazing, considering the timing - the end of fall, before the rain. Most of the flowers were already gone, many of the galls already dropped to the ground, and fungi and slime molds haven't emerged yet.
We documented 80 species of plants, including at least 6 of our native oak species, we noticed toyon bushes heavy with berries, and last years buckeye seeds ready to germinate when the rain will finally arrive. Lichens are especially difficult to identify (and notice), and we were lucky to have lichen experts on board, documenting 32 lichen species!!
We were also lucky to have expert birders with us, documenting 31 bird species, including 4 woodpecker species, and 14 observations of wild turkeys...
We documented almost 70 arthropod species, many of them are gall wasps. The high diversity of oak species contributes to the hike diversity of gall wasps - 20 species! Many of the galls on the white oaks - valley oaks and blue oaks - already dropped to the grounds, but we were still able to find some. The rest will drop soon. This park has an unusual high diversity of coast live oak galls - we documented 7 species! Interestingly, we saw both the spring and the summer generations of some of the species.
We hope to see you on our future events!
You can find all our future events here - https://www.bioblitz.club/
Merav
Caros,
Estamos nos aproximando do final do ano e também entrando no período de preparação do Desafio de 2020.
Para começar, creio que o nome que escolhi no ano passado, apesar de ser bem explicativo, era muito extenso. Portanto, gostaria de ver se concordam com mudar para:
1- Desafio da Natureza Urbana
ou
2- Desafio da Natureza das Cidades
Outra coisa muito importante é começarmos a identificar quem topa articular pequenas bioblitz em algum parque ou próximas às suas casas com grupos de naturalistas conhecidos, escolas, escoteiros, caminhantes etc. Qualquer área verde do DF é elegível.
Quem estiver disposto a colaborar com a organização de grupos ou locais, por favor, mande um e-mail para o.marini@gmail.com ou zap para 61 98529-6474.
Abraços,
Onildo
ТОП-10 Птиц России!!! по версии #iNaturalist
Самые узнаваемые виды, прошедшие цифру 1000 наблюдений!
1533 наблюдения Parus major Большая Синица
1519 наблюдений Anas platyrhynchos Кряква
1326 наблюдений Motacilla alba Белая Трясогузка
1250 наблюдений Turdus pilaris Дрозд-Рябинник
1167 наблюдений Pyrrhula pyrrhula Снегирь
1105 наблюдений Corvus cornix Серая Ворона
1074 наблюдения Dendrocopos major Большой Пёстрый Дятел
1026 наблюдений Passer montanus Полевой Воробей
1018 наблюдений Fringilla coelebs Зяблик
1017 наблюдений Columba livia Сизый Голубь
У нас очередное событие - 150 видов в проекте. Большое спасибо @elena358 за активное участие в наполнении проекта! У Елены сегодня еще одна круглая цифра - 100 сфотографированных в Кировской области видов птиц. Поздравляем и желаем новых видов и интересных фото.
По состоянию на 20.11.2019 в проекте 1317 - НАБЛЮДЕНИЙ, 150 - ВИДОВ, 207 - ЭКСПЕРТОВ, 12 - НАБЛЮДАТЕЛЕЙ
Друзья, в нашем зонтичном проекте 25 регионов! Поздравляю с первой круглой датой! Особенно Новые регионы, которые создались под этот проект!
Особая благодарность Админам проектов регионов! Вот какая у нас команда!!!
@merlu
@igor-dvurekov
@evgenyboginsky
@aquacielo
@bespalov
@dinanesterkova
@tomegatherion
@jul_b
@ruseva
@janems
@birdchuvashia
@vladimir_m
@eduard_garin
@olga_chernyagina
@nat_zouieva
@elenavalova
@konstantinsamodurov
@maribirds
@anisimov-43
@ev_sklyar
@uilitta
@okasana
@denzanova
@beetle23
Фиксируем статистику:
48 836 - НАБЛЮДЕНИЙ, 456 ВИДОВ, 1 543 - ЭКСПЕРТ, 1 037 - НАБЛЮДАТЕЛЬ
Нас всего 25 регионов, но он объединяет 78.75% всех наблюдений Птиц России!.
Наблюдений
12 772 - Birds of the Altai krai
6 301 - Птицы Москвы и Подмосковья
4 436 - Птицы Нижегородской области
3 686 - Птицы Новосибирской области / Birds of Novosibirsk region
3 089 - Птицы Томской области
2 782 - Птицы Красноярского края
2 620 - Птицы Санкт-Петербурга и Ленинградской области
2 299 - Birds of Chuvashia
1 380- Птицы Курской области
1 352 - Птицы Республика Алтай
1 310 - Птицы Кировской области
1 159 - Рязанский клуб Птицы | Birds of Ryazan
1 055 - Птицы Республики Карелия | Birds of Karelia Republic
804 - Птицы Владимирской области | Birds of Vladimir region
700 - Birds of Kamchatka region Птицы Камчатского края
586 - Птицы Свердловской области
572 - Птицы Волгоградской области
567 - Птицы Удмуртской республики
321 - Птицы Ярославской области
287 - Птицы Новгородской области / Birds of Novgorod Oblast
265 - Птицы ЯНАО | Birds of Yamal
150 - Птицы Белгородской области
136 - Birds of Nenets Птицы НАО
133 - Птицы Курганской области
123 - Птицы Марий Эл
Видов:
271 - Birds of the Altai krai
239 - Птицы Нижегородской области
234 - Птицы Новосибирской области / Birds of Novosibirsk region
216 - Птицы Республика Алтай
215 - Птицы Москвы и Подмосковья
209 - Birds of Chuvashia
181 - Птицы Томской области
178 - Птицы Курской области
176 - Птицы Санкт-Петербурга и Ленинградской области
173 - Птицы Красноярского края
160 - Птицы Владимирской области | Birds of Vladimir region
154 - Птицы Республики Карелия | Birds of Karelia Republic
152 - Рязанский клуб Птицы | Birds of Ryazan
150 - Птицы Свердловской области
146 - Птицы Кировской области
136 - Птицы Волгоградской области
132 - Птицы Новгородской области / Birds of Novgorod Oblast
131 - Birds of Kamchatka region Птицы Камчатского края
109 - Птицы Ярославской области
107 - Птицы Удмуртской республики
93 - Птицы Марий Эл
71 - Birds of Nenets Птицы НАО
67 - Птицы Курганской области
60 - Птицы ЯНАО | Birds of Yamal
55 - Птицы Белгородской области
Наблюдателей:
483 - Птицы Москвы и Подмосковья
246 - Птицы Санкт-Петербурга и Ленинградской области
83 - Birds of the Altai krai
48 - Птицы Новосибирской области / Birds of Novosibirsk region
46 - Птицы Республика Алтай
46 - Птицы Свердловской области
37 - Птицы Нижегородской области
33 - Птицы Владимирской области | Birds of Vladimir region
33 - Птицы Республики Карелия | Birds of Karelia Republic
31 - Птицы Красноярского края
29 - Birds of Chuvashia
25 - Птицы Волгоградской области
23 - Птицы Ярославской области
22 - Birds of Kamchatka region Птицы Камчатского края
19 - Птицы Новгородской области / Birds of Novgorod Oblast
18 - Рязанский клуб Птицы | Birds of Ryazan
15 - Птицы Томской области
13 - Птицы Марий Эл
12 - Птицы Кировской области
12 - Птицы Курской области
9 - Birds of Nenets Птицы НАО
8 - Птицы Белгородской области
8 - Птицы Курганской области
6 - Птицы ЯНАО | Birds of Yamal
5 - Птицы Удмуртской республики
Wow, with more iNatters out searching, the number of observations and number of buprestid species observed in SA have both rocketed in recent weeks. I did wonder if all the observations would come from the southern Mt Lofty Ranges but I'm pleased to see that there's quite a good scatter across SA, including some very interesting finds. Thanks must go to local researcher, Peter Lang, who has provided expert opinion and IDs to help things along. I've definitely learned a lot in recent weeks and, as anticipated, to be able to compare multiple observations, displaying local variation, has helped 'get my eye in' with the commoner species. The season isn't over yet so keep the observations coming!
The Observations in this Project are just some selected when it takes our fancy - or yours. Anyone can add an observation to this Project by selecting itin the Observation's "Projects" drop-down menu.
The Observations in this Project are just some selected when it takes our fancy - or yours. Anyone can add an observation to this Project by selecting itin the Observation's "Projects" drop-down menu.
The Observations in this Project are just some selected when it takes our fancy - or yours. Anyone can add an observation to this Project by selecting itin the Observation's "Projects" drop-down menu.
are just some selected when it takes our fancy - or yours. Anyone can add an observation to this Project by selecting itin the Observation's "Projects" drop-down menu.
are just some selected when it takes our fancy - or yours. Anyone can add an observation to this Project by selecting itin the Observation's "Projects" drop-down menu.
The BioBlitz was such a fun day, one that left me encouraged and excited about the professional prospects of the young Oregon State University students who participated in this event, volunteering their time, energy, and expertise! While weather and site conditions weren't optimal (too dry, too cloudy, too cool), they nevertheless maintained enthusiasm and a willingness to explore every nook and cranny at the site. You all are exemplary naturalists who will contribute in a big way to your chosen fields in science, and I thank you for all your contributions! I look forward to future opportunities to get together again.
Ann
I have updated the banner image on the Moths of Oklahoma project page with yet another caterpillar. This one is an Isabella Tiger Moth (Pyrrharctia isabella) observed by Bill Carrell (@arrowheadspiketail58) at Oxley Nature Center in Tulsa. Thanks for sharing this great observation, Bill!
We only have 3 iNat observations of this species within Oklahoma and all three are of caterpillars. Chances are good that this moth occurs throughout most of the state, although the available data suggests it is probably most common in the northeast part of the state. Looking at iNat's data, I see that there are two periods of time when caterpillars are seen: spring (April) and fall (August-November). There are fewer adult observations and mostly during the months of June and July. I wonder when and where someone will observe the first adult in Oklahoma.
“Rain, rain, go away” is not a song I anticipated singing the week before Thanksgiving, yet here we are. I guess at this point, I shouldn’t be surprised. I can’t speak to how this weather compares to historic Vermont early-winters, but I know that winters are no longer normal. They say that anyone born during the past few decades has never experienced a true Vermont winter and I believe it. Even within the past few years this season has felt increasingly erratic. Just over the last two weeks I’ve seen single digits, mid-forties, pouring rain, and snow that clogged I-89 for miles. Although there is still some uncertainty surrounding the magnitude of climate change’s effects on Vermont, there’s little question in my mind that it’s disrupting winter’s “business as usual”.
Despite the indecisive weather, there’s still plenty to see! The new ground cover has increased my awareness of the diversity of life that I share the land with. Every morning a new row of deer tracks crisscross my yard and the delicate skips of mice are often seen tracing their way to and from my wood pile. I now know not only which animals are present, but also what areas they frequent most regularly. Although the November rain makes it tempting to stay indoors, I do encourage you to venture outdoors when the showers cease.
This Week on Tech Tip Tuesday
In the meantime, this dreary weather makes the perfect backdrop for indoor activities, such as iNaturalist housekeeping. Today I will go over a couple of basic tips for improving the quality of your iNaturalist observations. Quality is important when it comes to iNaturalist observations. Although the app’s goal is to collect data for scientists and others, only the research grade observations get stored where scientists can access them. This data storage program is the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF). Once an observation achieves research grade status, it gets sent to GBIF where it is stored with data from other programs. GBIF then provides open access to this data, making it available to anyone who needs it.
In order to help your observations achieve research grade and provide scientists with an accurate data point, I’ve outlined a couple tips to keep in mind when creating new observations and reviewing previously recorded ones.
Tip # 1: Make sure that your photo has a focus. I’m sure that you’d be hard pressed to find someone who doesn’t love a good landscape shot. However, your gorgeous photo of a forested hillside can prove tricky for iNaturalist. When your photo contains multiple species, both iNaturalist and other users can struggle to figure out which species you wanted identified. If you post a photo of a clump of trees and don’t specify which species you’re interested in, other users will struggle to help you make an identification. The easiest way to clearly indicate your focal species is by zooming in on it in your photo. If this is not possible, then provide an explanation in your observation’s comments section to help guide others towards the species of interest.
Tip #2: Make sure that your observation contains photos of only one species. While there are plenty of websites that encourage you to group photos of many different things, iNaturalist is not one of them. iNaturalist bases its identifications off of the first picture you upload. Therefore, if your first photo is of a grey squirrel and your second is of a mallard, the grey squirrel will get identified and cataloged while the mallard will remain hidden and unaccounted for. In order to ensure that the species you see are accurately represented, make sure that a new observation is made for each individual species. It is ok to reuse the same image and tag a different species. For more information on this, see TTT #2.
Tip #3: Try your best to provide an identification for your observation. Even if all you know is that you’re looking at a plant, animal, or fungi, write that down! If you identify something as unknown, others who might otherwise be able to assist may have a hard time finding it. “Unknown” observations are more likely to get lost in limbo waiting for someone to identify them. If you want help identifying your observation, labeling it as a “plant” will allow others to find it more easily.
Tip #4: Make sure that you mark captive animals and cultivated plants accordingly. There are few who scowl at a good pet picture. Personally, I’m usually a sucker for the artfully arranged garden as well. However, animals and plants that are raised and/or controlled by humans aren’t usually considered iNaturalist’s targeted biodiversity demographic. Discerning which animals and plants are considered captive and cultivated can be tricky at times. Thankfully, iNaturalist explains what they mean by “captive” or “cultivated”. If you do snap a photo of a captive animal or cultivated plant, make sure to select the “Captive/Cultivated” box below the date and location when adding your observation.
Tip #5: Make sure that your observation’s date is the date you observed it, not the date you uploaded it. Most of the time, iNaturalist will use the date that your phone stamped on the photo. However, if you’re using a photo that you took on a different device or that function is turned off on your fancy camera, you will have to input the date manually. Whenever you’re creating a new observation, check to make sure that the date is set to the day that you saw the animal/plant/fungi. If the date is wrong it will either make your photo “casual” grade or, if not caught, will provide inaccurate data to those who may use it in the future.
Tip #6: Make sure that your observations’ locations are correct. An easy way to do this is by going to your calendar (located in your profile icon’s drop down menu in the top right corner of your screen) for a specific day and click on the observations present. Once on the observations page, you can select “map” view and it will show you your observations’ locations for that day. If you notice any outliers, go directly to the questionable observation’s page for further evaluation. You can edit the location if needed to restore its accuracy.
TTT Task of the Week
For those who like to use these extra-wintery days for hunkering down and tackling indoor projects, this week’s task is for you! Revisit older observations you’ve made and check that all of the information in them is accurate and follows the tips outlined above. If you have hundreds or thousands of observations and understandably don’t want to go through all of them, then focus on ones that have yet to receive identifications. Use the observation map to double check that your observations show up in the correct location. I know that these housekeeping tasks can be tedious, however performing them from time to time ensures that your observations are contributing high quality data so that scientists like those with the Vermont Atlas of Life can use them to further conservation projects in Vermont.
If you would rather spend your time outside wandering the slushy landscape, then iNat your way around while practicing these tips.
Thank you for helping us map Vermont’s biodiversity and happy observing!
Originally published by Kent McFarland.
Here at the Vermont Atlas of Life we're always on the lookout for historic biodiversity data. When we find it, our mission is to save it from potentially being lost in the dustbin of history. Recently, we unearthed a 43 year old document - Lady Beetles: A Checklist of the Coccinellidae of Vermont. The authors listed the first and last date each species was collected in Vermont and the total number of specimens known, a snapshot of Lady Beetle life in Vermont prior to 1976.
Since at least the 1980s, native Lady Beetles that were once very common across the Northeast have become rare or have even gone missing. But there was little information readily available from Vermont. Spurred on by this old document, we began to assemble as much data as possible. First, we digitized 201 records covering 37 species reported in the historic document. We added 185 Vermont records from the Lost Ladybug Project and uploaded them to the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) through the Vermont Atlas of Life IPT server. This is coupled with over 400 verified photo-observations comprising 20 Lady Beetle species that community naturalists have reported to the Vermont Atlas of Life on iNaturalist that are also shared with GBIF.
These datasets join other records at GBIF, where there are now 865 records representing 40 lady beetle species (seven introduced) available for use. Uniting Vermont data, stored in locations far and wide, shows the power of a data gathering infrastructure like the Vermont Atlas of Life and GBIF.
Most records come from Vermont Atlas of Life iNaturalist users contributing photographs of these beetles. In 2018 alone, 13 verified species were documented from 128 observations. And observers have contributed some unique Vermont records to crowd-sourced databases:
- Undoubtable Lady Beetle (Brachiacantha indubitabilis) – the first and only state record was found in 2014 and reported to BugGuide.net.
- Hieroglyphic Lady Beetle (Coccinella hieroglyphica kirbyi) – the last record in Vermont was reported in 1969 until one was reported to VAL on iNaturalist in 2017.
- Mountain Lady Beetle (Coccinella monticola) – the first and only state record was reported to VAL on iNaturalist in 2017.
Lady beetles, aka ladybugs, are adored by many. But they are also important for farmers. Many species eat plant pests like aphids, scale insects, and mealybugs-- which can be serious pests of trees, vegetables, and flowers. Lady beetles lay hundreds of eggs and when they hatch, the larvae immediately begin to feed. Several species are even collected and sold to growers for control of insect pests.
The Missing Lady Beetles in Vermont
What species are we missing now? Fourteen of the 34 native species known from Vermont have not been reported since the 1976 checklist was completed. Three of these species were designated as "species of greatest conservation need" in 2015 in New York: Two-spotted Lady Beetle (Adalia bipunctata), Nine-spotted Lady Beetle (Coccinella novemnotata), and Transverse Lady Beetle (C. transversoguttata). And the Nine-spotted Lady Beetle was recently declared "Endangered" in Canada.
An extensive USDA APHIS survey in 1993 failed to find any Nine-spotted Lady Beetles in 11 Northeastern states, including Vermont. Both the Two-spotted and the Nine-spotted lady beetles were both thought to be extinct in New York until citizen scientists rallied to help Cornell University Lost Ladybug Project search for them. In 2009 the Two-spotted was reported from western New York and in 2011 several Nine-spotted lady beetles were spotted by citizen scientists on Long Island.
Help Us Find Vermont's Missing Lady Beetles
This year, we hope you’ll search for Lady Beetles near you and report them to the Vermont Atlas of Life on iNaturalist. The Discover Life pictorial key is a resource that can help you identify them, but no experience is necessary! Just find them, photograph them, and add them to the Vermont Lady Beetle Atlas, even if you don't know what species you found. Maybe you'll be the lucky person to find one of our missing lady beetles!
It's Week 22 of the iNaturalist World Tour. This week we'll visit. Lebanon in the Mediterranean region, three islands: Christmas Island in the Indian Ocean, Cook Islands in the South Pacific, and Aruba in the Caribbean. And three countries in Africa: Rwanda, Burkina Faso, and Gabon.
We begin in Lebanon. Lebanon is located with Israel to the south and Syria to the north and east. The top 10 observers are @epopov, @pintail, @subhashc, @marcelfinlay, @supergan, @rhabdornis, @jorgejuanrueda, @tzmyanmar1, @seasav, and @bryanjbd.
The number of observations per month jumped up in 2019.
The top 5 identifiers are @sethmiller, @rajibmaulick, @kokhuitan, @subirshakya, and @briangooding
.
What can we do to improve iNaturalist in Lebanon? Please share your thoughts below.
@mohammadm @mortdork @vmoser @eli_talh @skyrk @ronf @fragmansapir @ariel-shamir @cliygh-and-mia @sammyboy2059
Next stop is Christmas Island!
We end week 21 of the iNaturalist World Tour in Greenland. Greenland, the world's largest island, sits to the northeast of Canada and is a territory within the kingdom of Denmark. The top 10 observers are @rburn2018, @ibdj, @hitchco, @suneholt, @simoncrameri, @christianrixen, @aheathco, @mhoefft, @serguei_ponomarenko, and @jensallan.
The number of observations per month is very seasonal as is to be expected at these high latitudes.
The top 5 identifiers are @ibdj, @suneholt, @jasonrgrant, @kai_schablewski, and @christianrixen.
What can we do to get more people in Greenland using iNaturalist? Please share your thoughts below.
@rburn2018 @ibdj @hitchco @suneholt @simoncrameri @christianrixen @aheathco @jasonrgrant @kai_schablewski @christianrixen
Next stop is Lebanon!
We're in Latvia for the 146th stop on the iNaturalist World Tour. Latvia is a country in the Baltic region of Eastern Europe. It lies north of Lithuania and Belarus, south of Estonia, and west of Russia. The top 10 observers are @almantas, @juhakinnunen, @solokultas, @belyykit, @iliafes, @kraskyo, @bikinitrip, @ked, @linda619, and @marinastelte.
The number of observations per month jumped up in 2017 and again in 2019.
The top 5 identifiers are @almantas, @iliafes, @kastani, @ldacosta, and @wojtest.
What can we do to get more people in Latvia using iNaturalist? Please share your thoughts below.
@almantas @juhakinnunen @solokultas @belyykit @iliafes @kraskyo @almantas @kastani @ldacosta @wojtest
Next stop is Greenland!
The link below is to a page at my hiking website that shows what I did this summer for my ongoing project to map the distribution of Lewisia leeana in the North Fork Kings River drainage.
We're in Gambia for the 145th stop on the iNaturalist World Tour. The Gambia is a country that surrounds the Gambia River in West Africa. It is a former British colony nested within the former French colony of Senegal The top 10 observers are @paulcools, @wildchroma, @hoppy1951, @womanofearth, @torwart, @stephen54, @florin_feneru, @burguenomuc, @michieldg, and @mattblissett.
The number of observations per month is fairly jagged indicating contributions from a small number of visitors.
The top 5 identifiers are @johnnybirder, @jakob, @wouterteunissen, @john8, and @davidbygott.
What can we do to get more people in the Gambia using iNaturalist? Please share your thoughts below.
@paulcools @wildchroma @hoppy1951 @womanofearth @torwart @johnnybirder @jakob @wouterteunissen @john8 @davidbygott
Next stop is Latvia!
We're in the Seychelles for the 144th stop on the iNaturalist World Tour. The Seychelles is an archipelago off the coast of East Africa. The top 10 observers are @seasav, @bsenterre, @mazzeip, @massimilianofinzi, @pierreandre2, @martin, @manumea2000, @silhouetteco, @aldrea, and @swanand.
The number of observations per month jumped up in 2018.
The top 5 identifiers are @maractwin, @sammyboy2059, @guillaumeamirault, @seasav, and @jakob.
What can we do to get more people in the Seychelles using iNaturalist? Please share your thoughts below.
@seasav @bsenterre @mazzeip @massimilianofinzi @pierreandre2 @maractwin @sammyboy2059 @guillaumeamirault @seasav @jakob
Next stop is the Gambia!
Wildlife numbers are increasing within many British Columbia municipalities, leading to more interactions with humans and our infrastructure. Interactions can lead to property damage, public safety issues, public health concerns, impacts on biodiversity, and death or suffering of wildlife. Deer, elk, coyotes, moose, geese, racoons, bears, and other animals can become more than a nuisance, putting themselves and humans at risk.
PHOTO: Looks like the deer was looking for a plugin
Detailed recap and outlook on weather patterns, fires, and the impact of climate change on Southern California:
https://www.wunderground.com/cat6/Fiery-Weather-Could-Plague-California-December-Hints-El-Nio-Modoki-Popping
Magona, N., Richardson, D.M., Le Roux, J.J., Kritzinger-Klopper, S. & Wilson, J.R.U. (2018). Even well studied groups of alien species are poorly inventoried: Australian Acacia species in South Africa as a case study. Neobiota 39: 1-29 https://doi.org/10.3897/neobiota.39.23135
Abstract
Understanding the status and extent of alien plants is crucial for effective management. We explore this issue using Australian Acacia species (wattles) in South Africa (a global hotspot for wattle introductions and tree invasions). The last detailed inventory of wattles in South Africa was based on data collated forty years ago. This paper aimed to determine: 1) how many Australian Acacia species have been introduced to South Africa; 2) which species are still present; and 3) the status of naturalised taxa that might be viable targets for eradication. All herbaria in South Africa with specimens of introduced Australian Acacia species were visited and locality records were compared with records from the literature, various databases, and expert knowledge. For taxa not already known to be widespread invaders, field surveys were conducted to determine whether plants are still present, and detailed surveys were undertaken of all naturalised populations. For all naturalised taxa we also sequenced one nuclear and one chloroplast gene to confirm their putative identities. We found evidence that 142 Australian Acacia species have been introduced to South Africa (approximately double the estimate from previous work), but we could confirm the current presence of only 33 species. Fifteen wattle species are invasive (13 are in category E and two in category D2 in the Unified Framework for Biological Invasions); five have naturalised (C3); and 13 are present but there was no evidence that they had produced reproductive offspring (B2 or C1). DNA barcoding provided strong support for only 23 taxa (including two species not previously recorded from South Africa), the current name ascribed was not supported for three species, and for a further three species there was no voucher specimen on GenBank against which their identity could be checked. Given the omissions and errors found during this systematic re-evaluation of historical records; it is clear that analyses of the type conducted here are crucial if the status of even well-studied groups of alien taxa is to be accurately determined.
Read the full paper at:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/mvjwj235fi50vrs/Magona%20Richardson%20et%20al%20Neobiota%202018_CIB.pdf?dl=0
Last Saturday morning I had to the wonderful opportunity to go birdwatching with the Los Angeles Audubon society! Here are the highlights of the trip:
My first time seeing peregrine falcons! I'd been reading about them since I was a child so it was like seeing a celebrity for the first time. The other birdwatchers brought scopes and were kind enough to let me take photos through them.
Black-necked stilts, my first time seeing them as well! Very cute.
Someone pointed out that these were Herring Gulls. As an inexperienced birder I'd initially brushed them off thinking they were just Western Gulls. I learned a lot from this trip!
Beautiful osprey, shot through one of the scopes brought on the trip. There were a lot of them around, many of them females building nests.
At some point someone looked up and shouted, "Look! Pelicans!" It was quite a magical moment.
A Hooded Merganser, definitely the highlight of the trip. I never would have even noticed it if it weren't for the other birders pointing it out, and my binoculars weren't strong enough to see the details on it. These were also shot through a scope someone brought along. I'm really glad I didn't miss out on this!
Black-crowned night heron hiding in a tree. I love that vibrant red eye. Also shot through a scope, I'm very impressed at how experienced birders can even find birds hiding in trees like this.
Double-crested cormorants... Not much to say, I just think they're cute. I've only seen Brandt's Cormorants up until now. I guess I do see these guys regularly when I'm driving on the I-5, but it was nice getting to see them up close!
American Wigeons. My first time seeing these guys as well. Love that vibrant green color!
Overall I can't wait to go on another birding trip with the LA Audubon, and next time I'll definitely study my local birds beforehand!
One of the Mule Deer’s most distinct features is its big "mule-like" ears. Each ear rotates independently like a scanning radar.
Without this early warning system, the Mule Deer could not detect as easily the rustle of a cougar slipping up from behind. Although in this case the fawn has his back up against a wall preventing any ambush from behind.
