Hey folks, if you have any observations from the City Nature Challenge days that are not uploaded yet, please upload them tonight or early tomorrow morning.
And if there is any ID-ing that you can do, for yourself, or for others, please do so within the same time frame.
The whole event is over tomorrow morning at 9 am.
Yay NYC!
Well done everyone. We did really great racking up the observations this year, especially considering that although it was warmer than the CNC last year, it was still pretty chilly, and some days were rainy. NYC is quite far north, and nature here is still in the process of waking up from its winter sleep.
Now, over the next seven days, we can upload any observations that we have not yet uploaded, and also work on getting as much as possible identified, which will increase our species total.
Anyone who has some degree of specialized knowledge in one phylum, or class, or any other taxon, please try to check other folk's identifications.
Everyone try to make sure that your observations have at least some kind of ID on them. Even "plant", "bird", "insect", "mollusk" is helpful, because it brings that observation to the attention of someone who specializes in that group.
Actually, if you have an unidentified mollusk observation, you can call me over -- @susanhewitt -- and I will probably be able to ID it. :)
Today is a better day weather-wise: there will be no rain, and it will be warmer, with a high of 58º. It is sunny this morning, although supposedly it will cloud over at some point during the day.
Please make as many observations as you can today, the last day for City Nature Challenge observations. If you are working, snap some pics on your way to work, or during your lunch hour, or on your way home. Pigeons are almost always available, and so are street trees. Weeds sprout in the most unlikely places. Check the basement for spiders.
Good luck everyone. We have a whole entire week after this in which we can catch up on uploading observations, and everyone will be helping with putting IDs on things. :)
We are now on to the third day of the City Nature Challenge, and we are really doing well. Great work Manhattan people. Today it is a bit overcast and the possibility of showers, not very warm, but no heavy rain at all in the forecast, more like a bit of drizzle. So it is good to get out there and try to rack up as many observations as possible.
Even if you can only walk up your block, or find a small patch of grass somewhere in your area, there will be plenty of observations to make. It doesn't matter if they are common things -- it is all good data points. And you don't have to know what anything is -- just record it anyway.
Best wishes to all, and thanks. Keep going!
We racked up well over 2,000 observations today, despite it being cold, rainy and foggy, and there were even some thunderstorms.
Well done Manhattan!
Tomorrow there will be no rain, and some sun even, with a high about 58º. A little bit windy. We should do well tomorrow!
I am going to be on Randall's Island. I look forward to seeing a bunch of saltmarsh plants and snails and hopefully a bunch of cool marine and estuarine species in the afternoon.
Go Manhattan, go!
Here are the (currently listed) events for Manhattan, but probably there are more to come.
FRIDAY April 26......................................................................
Carl Schurz Park -- City Nature Challenge -- Part 1
Date: Friday, April 26th, 2019
Time: 9a-12p
Hosts: "iNat Power User" Susan Hewitt
Location: Carl Schurz Park, meet at East End Ave at 86th Street.
Description: Have fun and help this park record its nature. Make as many observations in this gorgeous park as you can! Please mark planted things "captive" or "not wild". Also look for weeds, birds, bugs, fungi, lichens; it's all good!
RSVP: None needed -- but you can ask @susanhewitt for more details if you like.
City Nature Challenge: Observation Quest
Date: Friday, April 26, 2019
Time: 10a-12p
Host: @datha
Location: Verdi Square, meet at 73rd and Amsterdam
Description: Join fellow iNaturalists at Verdi Square. Get a chance to meet our top observer from last year's NYC CNC - @datha!
RSVP: none needed
SATURDAY APRIL 27..........................................................
City Nature Challenge on Randall's Island
Date: Saturday, April 27, 2019
Time: 10a-1p
Host: Randall's Island Park Alliance
Location: Meet at the north end of Icahn Stadium (10 Central Rd, Randall’s Island, NY 10035)
Description: Join naturalists on Randall’s Island as we comb through this 430-acre landmark park documenting plant and animal species. We’ll cover restored natural areas, vibrant horticultural gardens, fields, forests, and more. All of our observations will help NYC in competing against cities from around the world and perhaps best of all, help us better understand the unique biodiversity of Randall’s Island and NYC as a whole. For those who are interested, we will seine in the Harlem River from 1-3pm looking for marine organisms both along the beach and in the water.
RSVP:None needed.
Lower East Side Ecology Center Meet Up at East River Park
Date: Saturday, April 27, 2019
Time: 10a-2p
Host: Lower East Side Ecology Center
Location: Meet at the Fire Boat House (the brick building located inside East River Park at Grand St)
Description:Join fellow iNaturalists and members of the Lower East Side Ecology center for an exploration of East River Park. Get a chance to meet our top species finder from last year's NYC CNC - @craghorne!
RSVP: None needed.
Washington Square Park Spring Flowers
Date: Saturday, April 27, 2019
Time: 11a-1p
Host: WSP Eco Projects
Location: Meet at the Thompson St. entrance to Washington Square Park
Description:Open flowers are a sure sign of spring. Help us record what spring looks like in Washington Square Park. Photograph the trees and other plants in bloom in the park. Contact hello@wspecoprojects with any questions.
RSVP:None needed.
City Nature Challenge: Biodiversity Blitz
Date: Saturday, April 27, 2019
Time: 11a-12:30p
Host: Urban Park Rangers
Location: Dana Discovery Center, north end of Central Park
Description: Join the Urban Park Rangers for a walk through the North Woods and nearby areas of Central Park.
RSVP: None needed. For more info: https://www.nycgovparks.org/events/2019/04/27/city-nature-challenge-biodiversity-blitz
SUNDAY April 28..........................................................
John Jay Park -- City Nature Challenge
Date: Sunday, April 28th, 2019
Time: 9a-11a
Host: "iNat Power User" Susan Hewitt
Location: Starting at John Jay Park, Between 77th and 78th Streets, east of York Ave. Meet at the 77th Street entrance on Cherokee Place. We will walk around the edge and over onto the Esplanade.
Description:Have fun! Surprise yourself with how much you can find at the edges of this small park, and on the Esplanade near here. (Please mark any planted things "cultivated" or "not wild".)
RSVP: None needed -- but you can ask @susanhewitt for more details if you like.
City Nature Challenge: Biodiversity Blitz
Date: Sunday, April 28, 2019
Time: 11a-12:30p
Host: Urban Park Rangers
Location: Inwood Hill Park, meet at Payson Center (Dyckman St and Henshaw St)
Description: Join the Urban Park Rangers for a exploration of Inwood Hill Park.
RSVP:None needed. For more info: https://www.nycgovparks.org/events/2019/04/28/city-nature-challenge-biodiversity-blitz
MONDAY April 29..............................................................
Carl Schurz Park -- City Nature Challenge -- Part 2
Date: Monday, April 29th, 2019
Time: 9a-12p
Hosts: "Power iNat User" Susan Hewitt
Location: Carl Schurz Park, meet at East End Ave at 86th Street.
Description: Have fun and help record nature for this park. Create as many observations in this very pretty park as you can! (Mark planted things "captive" or "not wild".) Let's try to look for all the organisms (both large and small) that we missed the first time around!
RSVP: None needed -- but you can ask @susanhewitt for more details if you like, or get her phone number in case you run late.
Upper East Side Streets -- City Nature Challenge
Date: Monday, April 29th, 2019
Time: 3p-5p
Host: Susan Hewitt "Power iNat User"
Location: 77th Street at 1st Avenue
Description: Discover just how much nature you can find on the streets of Manhattan. (Please mark planted things "captive" or "not wild".)
RSVP: None needed -- but you can ask @susanhewitt for more details if you like -- and ask for her phone number if you might run late.
On all four days of the City Nature Challenge, starting in the morning on Friday 26th April, I will be doing a great deal of observing, all over the Upper East Side and adjoining areas. If anyone would like to meet up rather than make their own observations by themselves, please contact me.
Beginners are welcome!
Susan
Bear in mind that you can make observations anywhere -- trees and weeds on your block, bugs and spiders in your building, pigeons anywhere. Your little neighborhood park has hundreds, actually thousands, of organisms just waiting to be photographed.
Remember that you can, and should, photograph multiple examples of the same species -- this dandelion, that other dandelion, and the one next to it. Plus that one over there, and that one too. You don't necessarily have to aim to find as many species as possible, although that is a plus, if you happen to be good at that kind of thing.
Don't concern yourself about whether or not you know what something is. The ID is not important right now. Just take good clear photographs and move on to the next organism -- the IDs can be added later. If you photograph trees, do try to show the overall shape, the bark, the twigs and leaves, if any are out yet.
Please though, when you photograph anything that is not wild, do remember to mark it as Cultivated, aka Not Wild.
Also bear in mind that we are just as interested in saltwater and freshwater species as we are in terrestrial species. And we care about lichens and fungi as much as we do about birds and wildflowers. It's all good.
Happy hunting everyone -- this year let's all try to push NYC up into the top five cities worldwide, and let's try to make sure that Manhattan wins the Battle of the Boroughs!
Hey everyone,
Please sign yourself up into this project if you live in, work in, or visit Manhattan!
BTW, you can join more than one Borough project if you want to.
Thanks,
Susan
