Friday: Trees & Birds

As we head in to our final day of this year's BioBlitz we have over 1,000 observations and over 400 species identified...AMAZING!

Yesterday's native species day brought in some great observations, including an Eastern Box Turtle eating a fish that an Osprey dropped (by dale_ross), an Eastern Fence Lizard soaking up some sun on the trunk of a tree (by erin_allison), two White-tailed Deer prancing through a puddle (by osprey1nj), and a Bluefish leaping out of the water (by destinys).

So many of you found a native "weed" growing in your neighborhood. It's great to see so much milkweed around as monarch butterflies are starting to return! cgb25 submitted an observation of poison ivy. This is a native plant that definitely gets treated like a weed, understandably as it causes an uncomfortable reaction in many people. However, poison ivy is a wildlife beneficial plant, especially when it produces berries for birds and other animals to enjoy! What a perfect example of a native plant with a bad reputation.

Today's focus is on birds and trees. As the World Series of Birding is just one day away, this is a perfect opportunity to do some scouting! Friday’s BioBlitz Challenge: Submit an observation of a bird that nests in tree cavities!

Thank you all for your participation in the BioBlitz, and check back in the coming weeks for a more in-depth report of our findings!

Posted on May 7, 2021 01:47 PM by emily-reed