May, June, and July bioblitzes and gatherings!
I get the question, "How do I find out about these bioblitzes?" I don't really have a good answer except to try to accumulate them and toss them on a journal post... There are folks that keep track of state-wide bioblitzes, but I try to accumulate as many as I can around the Dallas/Fort Worth area. If you know of other events, or want to organize one yourself, let me know! I can totally add it to this list! Some details are to be worked out in the near future, and I'll continually try to update this journal post. Here are ones that I know of:
May 7: bioblitz 3-6 and then blacklighting 8 to 11 PM
Ladd Nature Preserve in Duncanville
https://greensourcedfw.org/articles/duncanville-creates-citys-first-nature-preserve
May 17-19:
Little L Ranch in Glen Rose with the Texas Master Naturalists
https://txmn.org/rbc/venue/little-l-ranch/
May 25: Pollinator Palooza! 11 AM - 1 PM
Trinity River Audubon Center in Dallas
https://trinityriver.audubon.org/events/pollinator-palooza
June 7-9:
Caddo Lake State Park and WMA
https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/caddo-lake-bioblitz/journal/91468-caddo-lake-bioblitz
June 13: Blacklighting 8 to late
Trinity River Audubon Center in Dallas
https://trinityriver.audubon.org/events/moth-night-trac
June 14-15: BioBlitz
Purtis Creek State Park in Eustace (sambiology not able to come)
https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=824056459763383&set=a.303166985185669
June 15: Blacklighting 8 to late
Oak Point Preserve in Plano
https://www.plano.gov/1476/Oak-Point-Park-Nature-Preserve
June 21: blacklighting (potluck with Red River Master Naturalists) from 6 to late
Birch Creek Preserve in Lamar County (next to Pat Mayse WMA)
227 Private Road 45220, Powderly, TX
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100068180538857&sk=about
July 6: Blacklighting 8 to late
O.S. Gray Natural Area in Arlington
https://naturerocksnorthtexas.org/greenspace/os-gray-natural-area
July 20: Blacklighting 8 to late
Spring Creek Forest Preserve in Garland
https://springcreekforest.org/
July 24: Blacklighting 8 to late
Sheri Capehart Nature Preserve in Arlington
https://www.arlingtontx.gov/city_hall/departments/parks_recreation/parks_trails/park_finder/southwest_nature_preserve
July 26: Blacklighting 8 to late
John Bunker Sands in Seagoville
https://wetlandcenter.com/events/
July 27: Blacklighting 8 to late
Acton Nature Preserve in Acton
https://actonnaturecenter.org/
Σχόλια
Are the Texas Master Naturalist events only for Master Naturalists?
Hey Annika!
So, the little L Ranch event is just Master Naturalists,I believe -- but all the others are open!!! :)It's open to all!
@sambiology Will Texas Parks have intern(s) again this summer who will help with some of the surveys / blacklighting events?
Thanks Sam!
@scarletskylight -- yeah!!! We will indeed! @carsyn_bennett will be rocking it this summer! :)
That's wonderful! Congrats, @carsyn_bennett on the internship - you'll have a blast this summer!
We're looking forward to Blacklighting at SCNP!
I'll put them all on the calendar!
you had to do spring creek and Ray Robers when I'm out of town! That place is neat.
I'll almost certainly make Purtis Creek and Oak Point. July I'll be in Las Cruces at some point so I don't know. Caddo...I don't know. I'll need to talk to my wife.
Thank you for keeping us updated,Sam!! I hope to make a few of these.
We have a bioblitz May 25th at TRAC! We're especially trying to get observations of pollinators in the act, but all observations are encouraged! https://trinityriver.audubon.org/events/pollinator-palooza
I can't wait for our black lighting on June 13th!
@brandonbest, here's a more inclusive local list!
This is great! I went to the first one and I think I can go to some more of these. Thanks!
Thanks for sharing Sam. I am planning on attending Purtis Creek, Oak Point, Ray Roberts, Spring Creek and maybe Caddo.
Edit: the Little L Ranch event is open to all! :) I thought it was just a master naturalist event, but it's not!
@sambiology Is there a guidebook or advice for how to set up a blacklighting event? I'm interested in seeing if we might be able to get something at Harry S. Moss Park. I think the "in-the-city" location might help draw more folks in and the space is large enough that we can get away from street lights, if we have permission to be in the park after sunset. I don't have equipment or gear though. Just interested and wouldn't mind helping with scheduling / contacting people if it's a possibility.
@scarletskylight , yeah -- to set up an event, basically it's just getting some permission from the land manager (in that case, it would be parks and rec folks), and then putting the date on the calendar to get folks to come!!!
As for the equipment -- it can be fairly inexpensive.
https://www.inaturalist.org/journal/sambiology/82114-my-black-light-set-up
The lights can be as cheap as 10 bucks, a 10 buck white sheet, and then a portable battery pack thing (like you'd use to charge a cell phone) that could be like 20 bucks. :)
If you get something on the calendar, some of the other folks with equipment could come as well!
@annikaml @ashleyrsteel @jnemoebright See above - wondered if you all might be interested in something like this, if we can coordinate a yes from Harry S. Moss Park. Partly asking because I think a few of you have blacklight setups (I've been ogling your cool obsevations!)... but also because this location may be a bit more centrally located for us. Would like to keep it small if we can get a yes from the city, due to potential parking concerns. (Initially I was thinking it would draw in more people, but after thinking more, I think that might draw in more city concern and be a likelier 'no.') If you think there's value in putting together a small group event, send me a DM!
@scarletskylight we have free reign of Oakland Cemetery (50 acres) in South Dallas (about three blocks south of Fair Park) any night of the week. I have two black light setups and others can bring their own if they wish, bring lawn chairs and a cooler, we could make it a "black lighting block party"!
@jnemoebright That sounds interesting!
@annikaml The observations coming out of this cemetery are really interesting in general! It's close to the city but has some unique and rare habitat populations. Probably some interesting moths too!
@annikaml @scarletskylight This cemetery is a pretty special place really, it's a true Blackland Prairie remnant with old growth timber. One of the post oaks was struck by lightning two weeks ago, we've estimated the tree to be 180 years old but need to count the rings. We also have a yellow crested night heron rookery within the cemetery. I go out there whenever I can to black light. The landscape is varied with Trinity River bottom wetland, prairie remnant, oak savannah, and open areas that are regularly mowed. I'll be out there Sunday night if anyone wishes to join, I have a particular beetle (Genus Clivina) I'm looking to collect. But certainly let's set up a night to black light out there, maybe even make it a monthly social thing.
@jnemoebright That sounds like an interesting place, so doing something monthly seems like a great idea, especially if it's okay for us to go there whenever. I may be joining you on Sunday, will bring my setups.
I've contacted Dallas Parks & Rec about a potential moth night at Harry S. Moss park - will post here if we can get one on the books! Sounds like Oakland Cemetery is also going to be a great venue too - not sure I can do this weekend but would be interested for another time if I can't make it on Sunday. Will try to go to your daytime Saturday tour though!
I would love to explore the cemetery! Mon - Thurs is better for me, but if I know a good while ahead, I can possibly trade work nights.
I work nights M-Thu until July 1st (switching to days July 1st, it'll be rough).
im certainly game to try to the cemetery any weekend I'm in town, but I'm out this weekend and the Caddo Lake bioblitz weekend. I finally ordered a batter powered portable blacklight (should be here next week)
@jnemoebright , will you be picking a future night to moth the cemetery, or was the night you just mentioned going there it?
If you get a date (or a few), let me know, and I'll toss it above! :)
Anyone reading this who will be joining us on Sunday night please send me a pm and I'll send you some basic information (location, map, and gate instructions)
@lulubelle this Sunday night will be a trial run of sorts, I fully plan to establish a mothing at the cemetery night at least monthly if not twice monthly. Oakland is a big place with roadways throughout so it's feasible for multiple people to bring their black lights, set up in different areas, and we can get our steps in by walking from location to location. But rather than plan too much I'll just set dates and let it evolve naturally.
@sambiology I'll look at the calendar and get some dates on the list.
any updates on the Johnson Branch event? The whole park is currently closed due to flood damage
Thanks for asking about that @williampaulwhite17 -- I just checked and all events are postponed until mid July. They'll get another date for that bioblitz/gathering, but I'll remove it for the time being.
@sambiology @annikaml @lulubelle
Sam, as of this afternoon we have board approval to host a public black lighting event at Oakland Cemetery (https://oaklandcemeterydallas.com/) in South Dallas for Moth Week. So as to not compete with your Spring Creek event we have chosen Saturday July 27th 8-late.
With 50 acres (roughly 12 acres of which is in progress prairie restoration) and roads throughout we can accommodate anyone who wants to bring their black lighting setups, coolers, and chairs. If anyone would like further information feel free to DM me here or email jnemoebright@me.com.
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