Greetings iNaturalists!. I hope everyone had an enjoyable long weekend!

I want to first thank everyone who has continued to contribute observations. I cannot stress enough the importance of your role in this project, and my hope is that this has been a fun opportunity for you to get outside and learn about the flora and fauna around us.

This month, the New England Trail will be continuing from last July, and will be hosting another “Fruiting Frenzy” themed BioBlitz from the 17th through the 31st. While the theme is meant to align with the most common plant phenophase right now, any and all observations are welcomed! Did you see an animal or insect foraging for fruit? Post your observation!

As we build out the dataset for this project, the question of changing ecological relationships brought on by climate change can be better answered on a local scale. For instance, how is our rapidly changing climate impacting what’s going on between plants, their pollinators, and the animals reliant on them for food? There’s only one way to find out – get outside and record what you see!

Happy observing 😊
Luis
P.S. Even more reason to go outside - blueberries are approaching peak fruit, and for you mushroom connoisseurs - I’ve started to see chicken and hen of the woods! Yum!

Greetings iNaturalists!

The BioBlitz is officially underway!! For today's post, I wanted to give some tips and tricks for taking observations.

Location: Anywhere along the NET corridor! We encourage project members old and new to go out into the NET corridor (seen here for MA and here
for CT ) and submit as many observations as possible! This event is intended to increase our data used for AMC's climate research, as well as encourage new members to join.

Timing: Interested in seeing animals? Early mornings and late evenings will give you the greatest chances of seeing something cool! In fact, last week I had a black bear (Ursus americanus) walk through my yard as I enjoyed my early morning coffee. Focusing on plants? You are in luck, because anytime will work!

Safety: It is a good idea to share an itinerary with a friend or family member, especially if you are planning to go somewhere remote. Consider bringing a snack, water, and insect repellent regardless of the length of the hike you intend to be on– you never know how long you may find yourself out in the woods!

Would you rather participate from the comfort of your own home? We can always use help with adding identifications to observations and curating observations to the project. Did you know that you can also take observations indoors? Hangout by a window (perhaps there is a bird feeder close by) and take photos of the flora and fauna you see! Any interesting visitors?

And now for the big announcement…

In person event: I am super excited to announce that AMC and Mt. Grace Land Trust are teaming up for a community science data collection hike on Friday, July 21st to the Richardson Overlook in Northfield, MA! Event details can be found on Mt. Grace’s website here.

I hope to see some of you there!!

Happy observing,
Luis

Hello iNaturalists,

Unfortunately the hike to the Richardson Overlook in collaboration with Mt. Grace Land Trust has been cancelled due to weather. Keep your eyes peeled for next year!

Stay safe and happy BioBlitzing!
Luis