“There’s another new one!” Grabbing my camera, I run to the window and fire off a few photos before the bird zips away. “I’ve never seen a bird like that, it was so bright! I can’t wait to enter it into iNaturalist and show the others!”
Bioblitz with a Broader Purpose
During the Covid-19 pandemic, I had the wonderful opportunity to participate in a home-based bioblitz, where I photographed and recorded wildlife in my backyard and local natural areas. Like many people, my world was turned topsy turvy by social isolation. I had to find a sense of purpose in new places, entertain myself in different ways, and fight off feelings of isolation. So, when asked by a group of fellow biologists and nature enthusiasts to participate in a home-based bioblitz, I leapt at the opportunity!
A bioblitz is an event where people find and identify as many species as possible. Participants often report their observations for scientific purposes. The Quarantine Counter’s bioblitz was unique though, because it wasn’t only designed as a data-seeking project. Founders, Jamie Sincage and Elizabeth Braatz, explained that this bioblitz was a way to help furloughed employees stay connected, contribute to citizen science projects (i.e. give a sense of purpose), and keep a positive attitude during these difficult times.
Unforeseen Benefits
Bioblitz events are a well-known way to engage people in outdoor environments. They can teach us to look closer at the natural world, and help us discover new things. So, I expected those things out of my bioblitz participation, but I got a lot of unforeseen benefits too!
This particular bioblitz ran from April 18th – June 1st 2020 and involved observing a wild living organism, capturing a photo of it, and using iNaturalist to record your sighting. I logged 211 observations, and 115 of those were unique (i.e. not repeated) species. My observations consisted of 121 animals, and 90 plants.
When I started the quarantine bioblitz, one of the things I was most excited about was the opportunity to learn. Specifically, I was interested in learning about, and using, iNaturalist. I had heard great things about it as a citizen science platform, but never used it myself. So, I was happy for the opportunity to get hands-on experience with the app and website, logging and identifying my own findings. What I hadn’t anticipated though was just how useful iNaturalist would be at helping me to further develop my local plant, bird, and insect knowledge.
When you enter a photo into iNaturalist, the program suggests a species identification. You can then compare your photo to those already on the platform, and identify the species you found. If you can’t identify it with certainty, iNaturalist asks that you place it into a broad category, for example, “bird,” instead of “sandhill crane.” Members of the iNaturalist community then review your observation and identify it for you. Members also confirm, or correct identifications you’ve made. I appreciated the reassurance of other members confirming or suggesting the correct identifications when they were new-to-me species. I identified 20 new-to-me plants, 11 insects, and 9 birds with the help of iNaturalist and its members.
I’d also anticipated being excited about exploring natural areas for the quarantine bioblitz. I often do this with no real purpose other than to observe and enjoy nature, and I always look forward to those opportunities. What I didn’t expect though was the purpose, and motivation the quarantine bioblitz would give me. During the bioblitz, I made time nearly every day to get outside and search for new species. I was excited about adding sightings from my area to iNaturalist, contributing to scientific data sets, discovering new-to-me species, and finding neat things to share with the Quarantine Counters community. I was particularly excited to share a video of a baby wood duck I rescued, and celebrate world turtle day with photos of turtles I’d helped across roads.
I didn’t anticipate what a sense of community the bioblitz would give me. I thoroughly enjoyed checking the Quarantine Counter’s iNaturalist and Facebook group pages to see what everyone was discovering. I enjoyed talking with others on the iNaturalist platform to identify species. Also, because I enjoyed seeing other’s wildlife sightings through the Quarantine Counters, I was inspired to join local groups. I am now an active member of the Minnesota Naturalists Facebook group, and post some of my wildlife photos, help others identify theirs, and generally enjoy the wonders of nature with others.
Finally, I didn’t realize I’d grow my nature and wildlife photography skills so much during the quarantine bioblitz. I gained a lot of experience with my macro and telephoto lenses. I also practiced different shooting techniques; taking simple photos when my encounters were brief, and creating artistic photos when I had more time. Check out my favorite animal shots below!
Get Involved in a Bioblitz
As you can see from this story of the Quarantine Counters, bioblitz events offer an array of wonderful benefits! They can give participants a purpose while exploring their natural surroundings, and they can promote discovery and learning. A bioblitz can also connect people to each other, and nurture a passion for nature.
If you are interested in participating in a bioblitz, check with your local nature centers and state wildlife agencies as a starting place. These organizations often host their own bioblitz days and likely have information about events in your area. Alternatively, you can check iNaturalist’s list of bioblitz events around the country, or you can Google your state, and “bioblitz” plus the year.
Now that you know about bioblitz events and the benefits they offer, I hope you’ll get involved in one, explore and discover, nurture your passion for nature, and protect our world.
This article is about my personal experience with the Quarantine Counters bioblitz. However, a group of us from the project are currently collaborating to write up a broader article about the bioblitz. Watch for that publication to come out! I’ll link it here when it’s available.
One thought on “Quarantine Counters: a Home-Based Bioblitz”
I love tor photos, and your view on nature and what learn with studies.