2023 Bioblitz planning

Replying so I can keep up with planning...

These are great! Thanks for scouting out locations that aren't 9 hours away from Lubbock.

already on your map, but I'll just plug Independence Creek Preserve and Davis Mountains Preserve. Both are Nature Conservancy properties so we'd have to get permission, but they look awesome. Haven't been to either (except for the publicly accessible part of Davis Mountains Preserve which is great). Both are probably farther for most though. I've also heard Clymer Meadows is cool, but never been

No one has to twist my arm to go to SW Texas. LOVE the Davis Mts. I did my own little bioblitz of a 6000 acre property in Iraan, just north of the Independence Creek Preserve back in June of 2019. So much cool stuff out there! Would love to go again. Maybe we could hit this area in the fall?

Kudos on the map, Russell!

I'm a herp guy so the Davis mountains would be fantastic. Lodging in the general area is a bit tight (and the hotel at the state park is closed for 2023 apparently).

Does anyone have any connections at The Nature Conservancy? I just sent an email to the lady in charge of Davis Mountains Preserve to see if it's possible, but would help if we had any connections.

@knightericm I have a couple of contacts. Once we know more info, I can reach out and include Russell on the email.

Also, the Texas Society for Ecological Restoration is tossing around the idea of having the next annual meeting in Alpine next November. That may be an excellent overlap for a lot of us.

FYI @rlhardin @eric_keith

Love @kimberlietx comment: "Need to put a REAL bioblitz on my calendar before I start twitching and gasping for air."!

Is there any planning for a post-monsoon rains date at Davis? Or is it too unpredictable?

@inhat83

Kaylee at TNC Davis Mountains Preserve seems intrigued and said she's going to ask some others if a bioblitz would be ok. Likely won't hear until after the holidays.

@rkostecke

Thanks @knightericm!

Marathon Grasslands info here:
https://www.nature.org/en-us/get-involved/how-to-help/places-we-protect/marathon-grasslands-preserve/
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?nelat=30.337635435246067&nelng=-103.10376700332695&place_id=any&subview=map&swlat=30.280282765000187&swlng=-103.16642340591484

Dolan Falls here:
https://www.nature.org/en-us/get-involved/how-to-help/places-we-protect/dolan-falls-preserve/

And a PDF map showing both here:
https://www.nature.org/content/dam/tnc/nature/en/documents/Trans_Pecos_Map.pdf

And here's a link to a straw poll survey where you can vote. This would likely be for fall 2023 (early October):
https://forms.gle/7VxTM2aQZ8qD1tNU6

@pfau_tarleton I'm also asking her about potential for Independence Creek Preserve and Diamond Y Springs Preserves. We'll see what she says.

They weren't that interested in US? Do they know who we are???

haha, @bosqueaaron clearly not. my marketing skills are subpar so if someone else wants to take a crack at it, feel free :)

I second Old Sabine Bottom. It's a great fishing place.

Sounds great! If we're expanding our horizons interstate, I've got connections at the Ouachita Mountains Biological Station near Mena, AR and the Wallace Lake BS a little south of Shreveport to throw into the hat for sometime in the future.
http://www.theombs.org/index.htm

Hickory Creek looks good. Should be able to go unless we have a workday planned.

Help? Planning my spring. Is there anything definitely set up for us to meet in the near future?

Following.

nice! FYI, TNC is still considering whether Diamond Y Springs or Independence Creek would be open to us for a bioblitz. I'll keep y'all posted.

@knightericm Sounds like excellent news! Both places, DY and IC, look great for exploring. I really enjoy the odonates, and often focus on those wherever I go, but @brentano may already have some odonate experience in that part of the state, too.

Are there any iNaturalist projects established for these sites? I didn't find any with a search.

Boy, there are some really cool herps at those places!

Yes, I think we're settling in on Diamond Y for fall (or try to squeeze in both as many folks will be passing more or less near the other en route). We also want to visit both at some point in the future in the spring season.

I should make Diamond Y on the third weekend of Sep, but the second weekend is a bit too close to a moth festival for me. I'm helping the National Butterfly Center with their inaugural Texas moth festival, a bit similar to the Texas Butterfly Festival, only for moths. Sep 1-4. Publicity should be available by end of Feb, but if anybody is interested in preliminary details they can contact me via iNat or at jcochran706@comcast.net Definitely would be interested in input from this community on that event.

@williampaulwhite17 That's what I was planning to do.

@alisonnorthup, @amzapp, @aprilsee, @arnanthescout, @bacchusrock, @baxter-slye, @benjamindurrington, @birdsandbugs27, @butterflies4fun, @centratex, @charley, @clairesorenson, @cmeckerman, @cosmiccat, @currenfrasch, @elytrid, @eaneubauer, @gwaithir, @inhat83, @k_mccormack, @k8thegr8, @knightericm, @landoniousmonk, @lorimalloy, @lovebirder, @megachile, @melissa_duron, @nanofishology, @oddfitz, @pynklynx, @rkostecke, @rlhardin, @rymcdaniel, @squaylei2000, @tadamcochran, @wildcarrot, @williampaulwhite17

I am familiar with all of the TNC properties mentioned. Diamond Y is most interesting aquatically and has a few rare plants. There could be some ode surprises there. Terrestrially, it is mostly creosote flats with the draw where the springs are located adding some structural diversity. It is not far from Fort Stockton, so that would be the logical jumping off point. There used to be a house on the property, but I am not sure what state it is in and there might not be any water or electricity on site. Independence Creek is awesome. I have done extensive work out there. Incredibly diverse. Insects and other invertebrates would be the least sampled groups there. Aquatics, mammals, birds, and herps have received quite a bit of attention (from researchers, college classes, etc.). Independence Creek has a bunkhouse and some other lodging and there would be access to showers, kitchen, fridge, etc. It has the added bonus of some nice swimming holes. Marathon Grasslands is another cool place at the foot of the Glass Mountains. It has a big prairie dog town which attracts a lot of raptors including burrowing owls, pronghorn, etc. Other than birds to some extent, it really has not been inventoried. The town of Marathon is not far, so that could be a jumping off point. There is a house on site that could likely at least provide access to a kitchen and shower depending on what state it is in. Dolan Falls on the Devils River is absolutely incredible! Quite diverse. The only place I have ever experiences a moth-nado! They have facilities there, mostly screened in bunk houses with cots, but there is a communal, fully equipped kitchen. The trick with Dolan Falls is that you need high clearance at minimum to get in (have to cross the river) and depending on conditions 4WD could be necessary. Since the preserve borders the State Natural Area, it might be possible to use their bunk facilities as well. Davis Mountains is great, and I would argue way bleaker in spring than in fall based on my field work experience out there (I have done extensive bird surveys). Some of the most incredible mothing I have experienced was out there last fall. But, it is an extremely popular site (the demand for access is extremely high) and there has been extensive research and inventory across the board out there. Anyway, depending on the dates, I assume this would be a fall event. If I can be present, then as a former long-time TNC employee who has worked on many of these properties, my presence might facilitate access. And my familiarity with most of these properties could help point folks in the right direction.

I've already pulled loose a car battery cable bumping around Devil's River. I will gladly attend anything else that doesn't require off-road capabilities. =)
I'll also be at the butterfly gathering in the first week of September.

The dates have been set for the fall West Texas bioblitz at Independence Creek and Diamond Y!

Journal post here:
https://www.inaturalist.org/journal/pfau_tarleton/76482

@jellyfishmambo

I've been adjusting the way I do things ahead of this season. I'll continue to do daylight photography, but will add collecting in the dark. My goals are to reliably get better Lycosid photos, especially ventral views, and at the same time have less impact on the ecosystem. Expect to see some little numbered flags around so I can get the spiders back exactly where I found them. Does it really matter? Don't know. An observation made with the help of some redesigned photo aids:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/153164856
This is one of several species that I can field ID this year that I couldn't last year.

Yes, please!

Yes, that would be great!

Interested

I plan on going to Old Camp Leroy Shuman in Lake Worth, but am interested in Roger Fawcett WMA if the date aligns with my schedule. A couple of the other ones interest me as well, but I’ll be traveling for work. 🤨

June 24th is a go for me. Is there a signup place for that one?

I still have Timberlake Field Station the weekend of June 24th penciled in on my calendar.

@bosqueaaron, is there a journal post with info about the Robert Walker Ranch event?

Here are some events coming up in Dallas/Fort Worth in June/July! :) All are open to anyone!
https://www.inaturalist.org/journal/sambiology/80251-events-and-gatherings-in-near-dfw-in-june-and-july