2024 bioblitz planning
If anyone is already planning events for 2024, please let me know and I'll compile them here.
This Google map documents past, planned, and potential bioblitz locations:
Date(s) to avoid:
- Apr 26-29: City Nature Challenge
- Oct 24-27: Texas Master Naturalist conference
In the queue as potential locations pending discussion with property managers:
- March 23: Benbrook Lake Richardson Tract limestone prairie - see comment from @observerjosh below
- April 13-14: Indian Creek Ranch - Edwards Co., TX (project)
- April 27th: Walsh Ranch BioBlitz (Parker County--between Weatherford and Fort Worth)
- Fall: Independence Creek and Diamond Y (Nature Conservancy properties)
- Roger Fawcett WMA (off I-20 west of Fort Worth)
Events in DFW area for winter/spring:
TPWD Texas Nature Trackers is planning several public bioblitz events - Facebook
- Apr 6: Post Oak Preserve in southeast Dallas
- 7-9 June: Caddo Lake WMA (kayak or canoe encouraged)
- Early October: Devil's River SNA in Val Verde County (limited)
@amzapp, @annikaml, @bacchusrock, @baxter-slye, @bosqueaaron, @brentano, @butterflies4fun, @cameralenswrangler, @centratex, @chasingchickens, @currenfrasch, @connlindajo, @dillon_kyle, @eaneubauer, @elytrid, @franpfer, @gcwarbler, @gwaithir, @ldennis, @immortalwhat, @inhat83, @isaaceastland, @jcochran706, @jeff_back, @jeffmci9, @jgw_atx, @joshua_tx, @k8thegr8, @knightericm, @kimberlietx, @lorimalloy, @lovebirder, @lulubelle, @mammelton50, @megachile, @mpintar, @mikef451, @nanofishology, @nathantaylor, @oddfitz, @observerjosh, @pynklynx, @prairie_rambler, @rkostecke, @reidhardin, @rymcdaniel, @sagaciousoctopus, @sambiology, @sandrahorton, @tadamcochran, @wildcarrot
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Thanks Russell! Will try to be present in 2024.
City Nature Challenge will be April 26 – April 29, 2024 next year. I found these iNat pages:
City Nature Challenge Umbrella Project
DFW City Nature Challenge
San Antonio City Nature Challenge
El Paso City Nature Challenge
Lubbock City Nature Challenge
Heart of Texas City Nature Challenge
Looking forward to much nature with friends in 2024!
Appreciate the continued invites even though I haven't been able to make it out to any of the ones in your area :) I hope to have some more time to get away from Austin in 2024.
Thanks Russell for putting these together! So looking forward to get together with iNatters again.
I don’t have dates yet, but I’m going to the limestone prairies at Benbrook Lake in late March looking for Erythronium albidum, Asclepias engelmanniana, Ophioglossum engelmannii, Vesper macrorhizus, Escobaria missouriensis, Camassia scilloides, Pediomelum spp., Scutellaria spp., Astragalus spp., and whatever else I can observe. I haven’t put a date on it, but was looking at either March 23, 24, 30, or 31.
Thanks Russell for starting this post. I was just considering checking with the other iNatters at Indian Creek Ranch if they want to try to organize another BioBlitz at the ranch. We've had more rain this fall and are expecting more in December so there could be lots of activity. I was thinking of a mid-April timing. Maybe weekend or two before the City Nature Challenge.
@bacchusrock, I was actually going to ask if you could host another event at Indian Creek (during a less parched spring). I think two weekends prior to City Nature Challenge (the weekend before would be too close I think).
Another Indian Creek event would be great!
Cool
Let's plan for the weekend of April 13-14 at ICR. I don't see any reason why it can't go ahead.
I am adding my fellow ICR iNatters to this post so they are aware. @textileranger @pbynum @swissagnes
@jellyfishmambo
It's a good time to start planning! Master Naturalist Annual Meeting is Oct 24-27, 2024.
Following this closely!!! My silly calendar is already filling up fast, so as dates are added, I'll try my best to make some of these this year! :)
Following.
=)
Following as well. :)
I would be interested in attending. Thanks for sharing.
That Devil's River trip looks interesting. Has anyone made that drive? The state parks website has the following vehicle recommendation:
"High-clearance vehicles with 8-ply rating minimum (to minimize flats and blowouts)". So I have been reluctant to try my luck getting there in the past.
I drove my van there. It was so shaken up that a battery cable came loose. It was extremely rough going. =)
I just created a journal post for the ICR BioBlitz (https://www.inaturalist.org/journal/bacchusrock/87950-bioblitz-at-indian-creek-ranch-april-12-14-2024). I have also reached out to the landowners to start gathering permissions. Even if no landowners other respond, we will have 750 acres to explore, much of which we didn't explore in 2022.
I also appreciate the continued invites even though I have not been able to attend yet. My goal this year is to attend as many as I can.....except in the summer!
@observerjosh, I am interested in the limestone prairies! Looking forward to a firm date!
@lulubelle I’m trying to coordinate with our local chapter of NPAT for bioblitzes at Benbrook Lake and Walsh Ranch to try to maximize participation but will likely do at least one more apart from NPAT at Benbrook Lake (which is pretty close to me) this spring. @katermorgan is working out some scheduling, and I’ll adjust my schedule accordingly, but I’ll be sure to let you know!
I'd like to get on the books and invite everyone for a Moth Week event at the quarry land here in Clifton. We'll shoot for Friday, July 26. We can start around 4pm and roam around before dark. Facilities are remote and there's no camping, so everyone will have to drive in and out or make their own accommodations. There are a few electrical outlets.
There is a 70 acres farm in Wood County that they are converting back to prairie. The owner is very welcoming, and very positive to us having bioblitzes out there. I will see when there is a weekend this spring when we don't have anything else planned, and that works for them, too. I will get back with possible dates when I have talked to Julie Mattox.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-PrCV9EIxk
The manager of Riverby Ranch (NE of Dallas) has asked us to come back also--spring would be nice since we were there in the fall last time. Either this spring or next year.
https://www.inaturalist.org/journal/pfau_tarleton/67605-september-16-18-bioblitz-at-riverby-ranch
@sambiology @observerjosh @pfau_tarleton @lulubelle @squaylei2000 @troutlily57 @mustardlypig Ok the Walsh Ranch Pocket Prairie BioBlitz is scheduled for April 27. It is in the DFW area so will count towards the CNC BioBlitz. This is a very small, rugged limestone prairie that has apparently never been plowed - also never inventoried. It's in the middle of the Walsh Ranch development in Parker County. In the few minutes we had on this prairie, we found S. albiflorum, P. virginica, S. texana, O. macrocarpa, D. tagetoides and G. lanceolata. I am asking those of you with a particular interest in Fort Worth limestone prairies to help if you can. Details will follow as I get them worked out.
@katermorgan, I will make sure I have that day off!
@sambiology @observerjosh @pfau_tarleton @lulubelle @squaylei2000 @troutlily57 @mustardlypig
I’m excited to help inventory the Walsh Ranch bioblitz during the CNC. In addition, here’s another date to add to the bioblitz calendar:
Saturday March 23 at Benbrook Lake Richardson Tract limestone prairie. The details are still being worked out, but we’ll start with a brief training and overview, then split off with some taking more of a tour of the prairies while others (like myself) will split off to observe as many and diverse observations as possible. I’m hoping to get some blooming trout lilies near the shoreline and many of the early spring bloomers in the prairies.
I’m also going to add a late spring bioblitz at the Richardson tract prairie, but I’ll wait until the rest of the bioblitz calendar gets populated and work around it. I’m shooting for late May or early June.
@joeysantore I know you enjoy inventory and observation of diverse and habitats. If you’re up in Northern Texas you might want to check out some of these events; more events will be added as we continue to plan.
@pfau_tarleton - Here’s a map showing the approximate location of the Benbrook Lake Richardson Tract limestone prairie if you'd like to include it with the detail above:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?place_id=189498
@katermorgan Unfortunately the Fort Worth Audubon spring bird count is scheduled for April 27th. I will see if I can find someone to cover my count area so I can help with Walsh Ranch.
@observerjosh I have March 23rd on my calendar!
Excited to attend some of these. Thank you for centralizing the information! Hoping Indian Creek Ranch comes together.
ICR is a go ...
Is ICR drivable by car or does one really need a 4 wheel drive?
@bacchusrock can provide further info. I know the main road to the hangar was passable by car last time as Sam had his vehicle there. It sounds like the event may be headquartered at a different spot this year though. There was a map of potentially difficult roads last time, and i do know that there were some roads I did not even feel comfortable on with my Subaru, but probably still plenty to look at along the better roads.
For me I thought ICR was mostly drivable in Subaru Outback. There were some steep hills in succession that I finally decided not to temp fate. The roads were in pretty good shape.
I will probably skip ICR, then. Thnx.
Overall, with normal clearance, you can drive the roads at ICR to most of the properties that are granting access. I am comfortable driving my Toyota RAV4 to anywhere you would need to go. You can also hop a ride with someone else once you get to where we are camping. It is a steep climb for a very short stretch to where we will be based in April, but last time everyone was able to navigate it in their vehicles when they came to my property. There was a crazy birder last year that visited me in a Mustang convertible (@gcwarbler, you know this person). The worst roads are deep into the southern part of the ranch. We will be headquartered in the the northern part.
@zdufran Lots of mothing opportunities at these, Zach!
Cool! I would love to join you all for one or more of these events if the schedule works out for me.
following for Caddo and the independce creek
Following for surveys in DFW area,
@codystricker FYI
Benbrook Lake Richardson Tract Prairie Bioblitz
The bioblitz at the Benbrook Lake Richardson Tract Prairie will be this Saturday from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm. I included a link below to the NPAT information page where you can register (not required, but useful for sharing info about the event) and a link to the gravel parking lot at the trailhead. If the parking lot is full, there is another gravel lot a few hundred feet to the north that is walkable. Many plants are 2-3 weeks ahead of average for this time of year due to our mild winter and well-spaced rain.
The weather should start out cool and warm up throughout the day, and the forecast is for clear, sunny skies. You may want to wear layers to shed as it warms up, and if you plan on venturing into the surrounding scrub/forest you probably should wear long sleeves to protect from honey mesquite and greenbriar thorns.
NPAT Info Page: https://texasprairie.org/prairie-bioblitz-sid-richardson-tract-benbrook-lakeled-by-josh-quiring-usace/
Parking Location: https://maps.app.goo.gl/S9ggDt2hHGhkfN139
Please consider donating time or money to NPAT who helps organize many of these events and are vocal advocates for protecting and preserving our disappearing prairies.
DISCLAIMER: I am helping to organize this event as a volunteer, not as an employee or representative of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers or U.S. Government.
These look fun! I'd be interested in attending some if it's cool. I plan on being at Benbrook lake
@chandlerdavis I’m looking forward to meeting you at Benbrook! Please be aware that some of the events require people to sign up since they’re on private property and/or have very limited parking. Benbrook should have enough parking at the site or the other gravel lot to the north. Here’s an iNat project with the approximate location of the prairie. https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/ftw-prairie-park
Thanks for the info! I signed up and will be there
I will be at LLELA on Mar 30th and at Post Oak Preserve on the following Saturday Apr 6th.
Thank you to all who helped participate in the Bioblitz at Benbrook Lake yesterday! I know many people are still uploading observations, but so far we’ve documented over 350 species including some unique or rare species for the area. Texas slimpods (Amsonia ciliata texana) were in a super bloom, and I’ve never seen them in such an abundance anywhere, ever! Take a look at the following link to see all the observations and species from the event yesterday.
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?nelat=32.63643013639204&nelng=-97.41310810478332&on=2024-03-23&place_id=any&subview=map&swlat=32.620671959199456&swlng=-97.44606708915832&view=species
@observerjosh Thank you for organizing the bioblitz at Lake Benbrook ESA yesterday! The weather was perfect and so many knowledgeable observers fanned out across this beautiful prairie remnant. I've discovered a new passion - seeing this site through the observations of friends and colleagues, a splendid beginning to the spring bioblitz season!
@katermorgan just posted details of the Walsh Ranch bioblitz (just west of Fort Worth): https://www.inaturalist.org/posts/91367
Although it's sad to see more prairie gobbled up by the inevitable suburban sprawl, I'm looking forward to helping the HOA of this new development appreciate and understand the biological diversity of the pocket prairies that will remain as part of their neighborhood.
Hello!! We are hosting a BioBlitz in South East Dallas County April 6th from 8am - 8pm, and we will meet at 1600 Bowers Rd, Seagoville, TX 75159. This preserve contains one of the last stands of Post Oak Savannah in Dallas County. This preserve is underused and under surveyed. This is a taxa-wide BioBlitz, but we want to target Painted Buntings, Strecker's Chorus Frogs, Summer Tanager, Texas Blind Snake, Chuck-Will's Widow, Box Turtles, Prothonotary Warblers, and Coralroot orchids. Dallas County Parks and Open space and DISD STEM Environmental Education Center will be there, and you will have the opportunity to talk with them about continuing citizen science work on this property and other properties. Join us!!!! I will post any guided programs and events and hikes on the journal here: https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/post-oak-preserve-bioblitz-dfw
@wendelia do we need to sign up anywhere? I'd love to visit and would be so excited to see the coralroot orchid or blind snake!!!
@observerjosh We have a sign up form but it is completely optional: https://forms.office.com/Pages/DesignPageV2.aspx?origin=NeoPortalPage&subpage=design&id=p_1keK1i7EeB7DIyZuOjX5ooh9898s1HlBMQ4TcagFpUNTQyN0swVU4wN1o0RFgyWkNYNU5USjI0SC4u . On the Project I posted in my previous comment, you can find the invite for the Slack channel for day-of chatter! I am hoping people can use this for "I found the coralroots!!!!" or similar :)
Details for the early June Caddo Lake Bioblitz: https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/caddo-lake-bioblitz. Jun 8 & 9th across the Caddo Lake WMA, State Park, and National Wildlife Refuge.
@mikag This is where I learn about such events. May try to get my family to Caddo Lake...
Just in case folks miss seeing the journal link to the Caddo Lake bioblitz, here it is: https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/caddo-lake-bioblitz/journal (I added it at the top also).
Ladd Nature Preserve bioblitz! Tuesday, May 7 -- afternoon and evening
https://www.inaturalist.org/journal/sambiology/93764
Before I start a journal post, would there be interest in a BioBlitz in Canada? The location would be Lac La Hache, British Columbia. Timing would be July when the mosquitos are no longer swarming. Maybe 2026 to allow plenty of time for planning.
International bioblitz? Definitely would be interested! Can't say for sure so far ahead if I could make it, but I would try to
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