California Wild Women - 2021 Sequel
I once again started the month with The 2021 International Biodiversity Championship, August 2nd-5th, under the auspices of the Natural History Section of the Ecological Society of America. I was a member of the team, "California Wild Women". This was a group I connected with last year through iNaturalist. We each separately explore our local area and document the wildlife diversity we find. Last year I had the privilege of connecting with this amazing group of women, and we have deepened those connections through the year.
Team Observations: https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/california-wild-women-2021
All Teams: https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/2021-international-biodiversity-championship
Last year's event was deeply enriching. I approached it with dedication, enthusiasm, and a focus on documenting everything in distinct habitats: My Yard, Urban Parks, Tidal Wetlands, Rocky Shores/Sandy Beaches/Coastal Scrub, and Los Angeles River and Freshwater Wetlands.
Last year's blog: https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/blog/2020/8/california_wild_women
This year my goal was to play a supporting role for my team. Initially I wasn't going to participate at all, but I didn't want to pass up an opportunity to work with this wonderful group of women. I chose to stick to a few local spots and photograph fewer things, but try for the team to find species which I knew I could find but others may not get. I went to the LA River at Willow Street, Dominguez Gap Wetlands, the San Gabriel River Nature Trail, and El Dorado Park. I tried to balance my time between personal obligations and this challenge (which can be quite time consuming with time in the field, and then time processing, uploading, and identifying photos).
I found I faced three major obstacles: 1) my favorite lens and camera are in the shop, 2) there was a heat wave with temperatures in the 80's or above every day, and 3) my own attitude. That last one being my major obstacle. Warning, I am going to sound a little cranky in this post. Fortunately these obstacles seemed less of an issue for my teammates, some braving triple-digit temperatures and traveling great distances to lead our team to victory.
Everyone has their own personal backdrop of obligations and concerns, and mine are not so great. But I will share a few of mine to give a little background to my general crankiness. I have a couple of projects of my own making, and this challenge pulled me away from them. Additionally, I had several social events planned that I didn't want to have to schedule around. I find it is better to undertake this type of challenge with a cleared schedule and a sense of purpose.
Every morning, for the past month or so, I have had to battle ants attracted to cat food. I always win the individual battles, but the ceasefire lasts only a couple of days and then they are back. Although, as you know, I find insects fascinating, looking forward to this every morning makes me cranky. I've had lots of advice, so not looking for any more.
Also part of my daily routine is caring for my elderly cat who has been hanging on for the past 4 years with twice daily injections of insulin and special cat food. The poor thing is missing teeth and has bad hips. I think he is slipping and may be a bit senile. Feeding him is an ordeal. Not only does it take cajoling him, stirring his food for him, and chasing away the ants, but I also have to keep the other marauding fat cats from eating his expensive food.
During the bioblitz, I faced other stresses. My mother, who lives alone in New York City, had a small health scare. She is fine, but I am reminded that hopping on a plane to go there is fraught with the added stress of the highly politicized vaccination/mask debates. And then this week, hearing about the behavior of Governor Cuomo and his defense infuriates me. Among his many indiscretions in a workplace, I can think of no defensible position for running his finger down the back of a woman in an elevator. Would he have done this to a male colleague? Sorry gentlemen, this is just creepy. I will end the discussion there for fear of going into a major rant.
Now on to the bioblitz.
By the numbers:
- We finished 1st place in species (close to 900 species and increasing as more id's are made) (up from last year)
- 16 Teams (down from last year)
- 3 Continents (https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/2021-international-biodiversity-championship?tab=observations&subtab=map)
General Observations:
- I have found that my local habitats are in serious decline since the pandemic.
- Homeless encampments have overrun many areas and have caused fires in our drought parched vegetation.
- Some authorities have scraped away habitat at the LA River for flood control.
- Local parks are filled with trash and areas in the remote corners, which once held vegetation, have been turned into makeshift dirt bike trails.
- Time constraints lead to poor quality of photos, and careless and wrong identifications. Neither of which make me happy.
- However, there are always some things joyful to find in nature, but sometimes you need to dig a little deeper to find them.
Here are some of what I found.
After feeling a bit rushed to shoot things, even if they didn't really interest me, just to add to species, I took some time to photograph dragonflies. I found 10 species and enjoyed trying to catch them in flight. Not a good use of time for the bioblitz, but an excellent use of time for the soul. Here are Spot-winged Glider, Black Saddlebags, and Red-tailed Pennant, and a link to those I submitted to the bioblitz: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?place_id=any&project_id=california-wild-women-2021&taxon_id=47792&user_id=kimssight&verifiable=any
A notable observation was this Alligator Gar at the Dominguez Gap. Last September I reported one to the Fish and Wildlife invasive species hotline. They were very interested. These are invasive non-native fish and have been reported to grow up to 10 feet and weigh 350 lbs. Looking through observations on iNaturalist, I think it was seen since April 2020 or before, but the photos were not clear. Later I reported back to them a report I saw on a Facebook page that showed one was captured by a local fisherman just a short ways from where I had seen it. We assumed it was the same fish. But during this bioblitz I saw another!!!!!! Makes you wonder how many there may be. These were probably released when they got too big for someone's home aquarium. Note that I and other birders have not seen ducklings, Marsh Wren, nor Song Sparrows in this area which I had reported in the bioblitz last year. I reported it again with many people CC'd. Link to the observation https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/89712681
And lastly I thought I would share this little guy found near the LA River. I don't know the species of this solitary native bee, but I like to photograph things showing behavior or some concept. Most people only think of bees in hives, but this is true really only for the non-native Honey Bee. Most of our native bees are solitary, making nests in the ground.
Now back to my other projects. So many things, so little time.
