Diario del proyecto City Nature Challenge 2021: ABQ

We invite everyone in Bernalillo, Sandoval, and Valencia counties to explore nature in and around your community and share your observations from April 29 to May 2, 2022.

Join the 2022 iNaturalist project

World Rankings
ABQ's 10605 observations put us 28th in Total Observations out of 419 cities (in the top 7% worldwide!)
We ranked 47th in species identified (1,273), 37th in number of identifiers (411), and 42nd in number of observers (350).

In arid climates overall, we placed 5th total observations, 6th in species identified, and 5th in observers!
In our specific climate (BSk (cold semi-arid in the Koppen climate system)), we were 3rd total obs, 4th in species, and 4th in observers. (Denver was 3rd with only 15 more participants than we had!)

Prizes!
We're contacting our top observers, identifiers, and species finders in addition to the members of the winning team, Geography & Environmental Studies, and asking for mailing addresses so that we can send your small prize. We've heard that some people are getting warnings given that we have not corresponded previously so we wanted to let you know it is a legitimate request.

Fun fact from one of our ID events:
Did that you know that those army cutworm moths that sometimes visit in abundance are full of great protein and nutrients? They are a great food source for bears, so the next time we have too many just remember that they are supporting our bear neighbors!

A huge THANK YOU to everyone who helped organize, participated in, and identified observations from the 6th annual City Nature Challenge! Despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, and for the first time ever, we made over one million observations around the globe in the four days of the challenge!

Here are the collective results:
Observations: 1,270,767
Species: 45,300+, including more than 2,100 rare/endangered/threatened species
Observers: 52,777
Most-observed species globally: Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)

Here’s Team ABQ’s results!:
10,605 observations
1275 species
We accomplished that with just 350 observers! (Think what we’ll accomplish when each of you invite your currently non-iNat-ing friends to join in next year!)

A huge THANK YOU to all of you! And a special shout-out to our top...
Observers: @pbgrebe, @zorkkanna, @devoncox, @pecosvalleydiamond, @egordon88, @caitlippitt, @brandtmagic, @mjandersen, @kritter318, @duenda
Species-finders: @devoncox, @pbgrebe, @pecosvalleydiamond, @zorkkanna, @brandtmagic, @caitlippitt, @mjandersen, @kritter318, @wwench, @nancycox1
Identifiers: @devoncox, @brandtmagic, @egordon88, @filee14, @bgdavis, @treestreet, @zorkkanna, @pecosvalleydiamond, @mlwatson, @wolfgangb

The City Nature Challenge also contributed to the most observations uploaded in a week on iNaturalist again - and also gave iNaturalist the first two weeks ever with over one million observations uploaded!

We’ll post details about our competitions and fun sightings in the next few days!
Thanks again, everybody!

What an effort!
Perhaps it was the competition between ABQ & Phoenix (we're leading in all three categories: observations, species, and observers!) Perhaps it was the UNM competition between tiny but scrappy Geography & Environmental Studies vs. the newcomer Department of Biology (Team GES prevailed, taking first place in the team competition overall!)
Whatever the reason, with only 9 more observers than 2019, we've amassed 2,684 more observations with a 2021 total of ~10,596!

There are two more days left in the competition. All that remains is to IDENTIFY IDENTIFY IDENTIFY!
Only 30% of our observations have been identified. We're currently 38th in the world for number of species identified. You can help us move up the list by going to this link to help in identifying observations. If you're a taxonomic expert you can help to take observations to the species level but we can all help to the best of our ability. Even classifying observations at a basic level (plant, bird, insect, mammal, fungi, protozoan, etc.) helps to get those observations onto the screens of experts in that taxonomic area.

Thank you all for your contributions to this effort! Go Team ABQ!

After day one of the identification phase 25% of our 10,577(!) observations have reached the status of "Research Grade". Now that we're moving into the ID phase, we'll be drawing two iNat handles each day that we have an ID event (May 4, 5, 6, & 7) for a New Mexico Department of Game & Fish Share with Wildlife prize pack. One will be drawn from the participants attending that day's ID event, and one from the top 50 identifiers. Today's winners are brandtmagic and treestreet!

Join us for an ID event or help us ID observations on your own. On our project page, go to Observations and then Identify. You can see all the observations or use the filter function to choose your favorite taxonomic group. Registration   Fb Event

May 6, 3:30 pm: Virtual Bug ID event w/ ABQ BioPark Registration   Fb Event

May 6, 7 pm: Phoenix ID Party Registration (to both compete and collaborate, we're sharing each others' ID events)

May 7, 3:00 pm Virtual Plant ID event w/ UNM Biology  Registration   Fb Event

What a sprint to the finish of the observation phase!
Today was the biggest day yet, with over 2867 observations of 725 species by 148 observers! 117 folks helped to identify those sightings. We now have 10,091 observations (and counting) of 1027 species.

Congratulations to today's prize winners: reneecnm, barrowvobio, caitlippitt! They were among the 64 participants with over 10 observations today. Thank you New Mexico Game & Fish for providing the prizes! Now that we're moving into the ID phase, we'll be drawing two iNat handles each day that we have an ID event (May 4, 5, 6, & 7). One will be drawn from the participants in the ID events (details below), and one from those who make more than 10 IDs that day.

While the observation phase has ended, observations will continue to be uploaded through the week. Right now we over 10,000 observations, breaking our 2019 record of 7,914! We're currently leading Phoenix in observations, species and observers. Watch the leaderboard tomorrow for any new developments here.

In the team competition, the UNM Department of Geography & Environmental Studies remains in 1st place with 1763+ observations, but UNM Biology has 35 more species at this point. Bernalillo County Open Space Master Naturalists are in third place. Check the standings of the team competition here.

Now we turn to identifying all those observations. Join us for an ID event!

CNC ABQ Partner ID Events:

May 4, 6-7pm: Virtual Herp ID event w/ NM Herpetological Society Registration   Fb Event

May 5, 6-7pm: Virtual Bird ID event w/ Audubon Southwest Registration   Fb Event

May 6, 3:30 pm: Virtual Bug ID event w/ ABQ BioPark Registration   Fb Event

May 6, 7 pm: Phoenix ID Party Registration (to both compete and collaborate, we're sharing each others' ID events)

May 7, 3:00 pm Virtual Plant ID event w/ UNM Biology  Registration   Fb Event

Go Team ABQ!

We slowed our pace just a bit today but still had a great day with 2291 observations of 599 species by 167 observers! 108 folks helped to identify those sightings. We have 7025 observations and 1027 species at the close of day three (with more observations uploading in at least one household). We are so close to breaking our 2019 record of 7914 observations and 1046 species!

Congratulations to today's prize winners: anna_walker, shapeps, and lcmarron ! They were among the 72 participants with over 10 observations today. Thank you New Mexico Game & Fish for providing the prizes. We'll do another drawing Monday night at the end of the observation phase. Make 10 or more new observations on Monday to put your iNaturalist handle in the hat!

Phoenix narrowed the gap yesterday but we built upon our lead today and have ~1000 more observations and ~150 more species. They are having a fabulous inaugural year and we will likely have our hands full at CNC 2022! Watch the leaderboard tomorrow for any new developments here.

In the team competition, the UNM Department of Geography & Environmental Studies remains in 1st place with 1763+ observations, but UNM Biology has 35 more species at this point. Bernalillo County Open Space Master Naturalists are in third place. Check the standings of the team competition here.

Go Team ABQ!

Wow!
Wow. We are on pace to overshoot our inaugural (pre-pandemic) records!
Today, 2,721(+) observations were made of 656 species by 180 observers! & 117 folks helped to identify those sightings. With over 4,800 observations at the close of day two, we are only a few hundred shy of our four-day total in 2020.

Congratulations to today's prize winners: ric_and_merriam, sfrichey, & patavet ! They were among the 71 participants with over 10 observations today. Thank you New Mexico Game & Fish for providing the prizes. We'll do another drawing Sunday night at the close of day three. Make 10 or more new observations on Sunday to put your iNaturalist handle in the hat!

Phoenix caught up to us this morning but we have regained our lead! Follow the ABQ v Phoenix challenge results here.

In the team competition, the UNM Department of Geography & Environmental Studies remains in 1st place with 1,227+ observations. Check the standings of the team competition here.

Go Team ABQ!

What a day!
141 observers made 2,010 observations of 526 species, and 102 identifiers went to work reviewing the observations and helping with IDs!

We drew the iNaturalist handles of three observers from the 49 who made more than 10 observations today. Congratulations ziatelfair, sterling 17, and danmcculley!
Thank you New Mexico Game & Fish for providing the prizes. We'll do another drawing at the end of day 2 (Saturday night). Make 10 or more new observations on Saturday to put your iNaturalist handle in the hat!

We're a few hundred observations ahead of Phoenix at this point so let's keep the momentum going!
Follow the ABQ v Phoenix challenge results here.

In the team competition, the UNM Department of Geography & Environmental Studies is in the lead at the end of day 1 with 681 observations. Check the standings of the team competition here.

Go Team ABQ!

Daily Prize Packs

CNC ABQ participants who make more than 10 observations are eligible to win a prize pack! Increase your chances of winning by being one of the top 10 observers each day. Winners will be announced in this project journal and on the CNC ABQ social media channels. Big thanks to NM Department of Game and Fish for furnishing the prizes!

Science Fiesta at Whitfield Wildlife Conservation Area in Belen

April 30-May 3 from 9 am to 4 pm
Visit this beautiful nature space in Valencia County to make CNC observation and enjoy hands-on activities, live animals, and hikes.
Learn more on Facebook