Earth Day!

Scarlet Fritillary - Fritillaria recurva 

Citizen Science

Since Earth Day is coming up, I thought I’d write a little about how YOU can help our planet through Citizen Science! Wikipedia defines Citizen Science as: “Research conducted with participation from the general public, as well as amateur and nonprofessional researchers for science, social science and many other disciplines. Citizen science is used in a wide range of areas of study including ecology, biology and conservation, health and medical research, astronomy, media and communications and information science.”

I have been engaged in Citizen Science ever since I started my blog 8 years ago. I participate by regularly posting my recent photos on a variety of websites. Once a photo of mine is posted (along with the date, time, and location of the photo), it becomes part of the website’s data base. By turning in my observation data, it is made available to scientists that normally couldn’t get this information on their own. In turn, amazing data bases are created for the public to use.

Yellow-bellied Racer and Sierra Alligator Lizard in combat - photo by Carl Butz 

Mountain Beaver in the entrance to its den  

photo by the cameratrapcodger.blogspot.com

Friends of mine also send me photos of their observations!  Through their photos, I get to see amazing wildlife that I've never seen!  By sharing their sightings, my "data base" is enriched!  Here are some of their photos! 

 Great Horned Owl and Fledglings - photos by Mary Abbott

One of my favorite websites is iNaturalist.org. It is a collection of millions of wildlife photos from all over the world. If you submit a photo they will identify the species for you, and your info/image becomes part of their data base! It’s absolutely amazing! Here are some more of my favorite websites that you can contribute your photos to: bugguide.net, calflora.org, ebird.org., and butterfliesandmoths.org.

Bobcat in tree - photo by Judy Marovich

Roadside Bobcat - photo by B.J.Jordan 

There is an official Citizen Science website, https://www.citizenscience.gov/, that has a huge number of ongoing Citizen Science projects that you could possibly engage in. Or just Google “Citizen Science” and you’ll be amazed at the variety of opportunities and methods available.

Just this month, a friend of mine photographed an unusual moth in her yard. No one could identify it, so I posted it on iNaturalist.org., where it was identified as a “rare” (for the area) Mendocino Silk Moth! How cool! With just a little effort a lot can be accomplished. So get out there and enjoy the beauty that surrounds us, and then share it with others!

What's Blooming?

What's happening at Table Mountain?

What's happening in the Lakes Basin?

Check back next week for the answers to these questions and more!

Your questions and comments are greatly appreciated.  Please email me at northyubanaturalist@gmail.com.  Thanks!