On our second trip to the land owned by the college of Charleston, Dixie plantation, the class ventured into the swampland. The day was warm (probably around 75 degrees Fahrenheit) with very little wind to blow away the gnats that ate us alive. The swamp water was cool and came to about mid thigh. In the traps that were set we found many of the same crawfish we had discovered before, yet this time we found a few tadpoles- about the size of a quarter. In other traps set at another location we found small bait fish known as mummichogs and what I thought was the genus Esox. At this point the sun was directly overhead (so about 4:00PM) and the heat was beaming down. There was a plant that we stopped to look at that I cannot remember the name of, but its leaves tasted sweet and dried the tongue. Besides this I found Canes as well as a small violet flower next to some brambles. One item that I could not identify is the attached fungus. Overall, the trip was largely successful and was very enjoyable and different from the previous study.

And then there's the burrowing owl (Athene cunicularia). These little weirdos (I mean that in the best way) defy the usual owliness of owls with their long legs and strange habits – and may be one of the most wondrous owls of all! Consider the following.

https://www.treehugger.com/animals/8-wonderfully-weird-facts-about-burrowing-owls.html

Park biologists have confirmed the location of a California condor nest in Zion National Park, where a pair of condors are caring for the first egg they’ve produced together so far.

https://www.stgeorgeutah.com/news/archive/2019/04/02/mks-biologists-confirm-california-condor-nest-in-zion-national-park/#.XKP9WZ9lDqA

Southern resident killer whales wowed California on Sunday, with more than 30 members of L pod seen in Monterey Bay, including the oldest member of all the southern residents and the newest baby.

https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/environment/puget-sounds-southern-resident-orcas-wow-california-in-rare-sighting/

Stay tuned for even more events and more sites!

Join a Park Ranger as we learn about macroinvertebrates! On this hike, we will sample water to find and identify these tiny animals that live right under our noses!
Date: Saturday, April 27, 2019
Time: 2 p.m.
Activity # 11951
15 participant max
Location: Austin Bluffs Open Space – Meeting location TBD
Required: Appropriate footwear, dress in layers, water, 1 or 2 mile hikes (easy difficulty)
Registration and more information can be found at: https://coloradosprings.gov/cnc19-cos

Join a Park Ranger to learn about our scaly neighbors found throughout the city. We will try to find and identify local reptiles, and discuss their unique adaptations.
Date: Saturday, April 27, 2019
For: All Ages
Time: 10 a.m.
Location: Austin Bluffs Open Space – Meeting location TBD
Activity # 11950
15 participant max
Required: Appropriate footwear, dress in layers, water, 1 or 2 mile hikes (easy difficulty)
Registration and more information can be found at: https://coloradosprings.gov/cnc19-cos

Join a Park Ranger as we learn about how trees shape local ecosystems, and provide for other living things in our parks and open space.
Date: Saturday, April 27, 2019
For: All Ages
Time: 8 a.m.; 12 p.m. (Noon)
Location: Austin Bluffs Open Space – Meeting location TBD
Activity # 11949 (8 a.m.)
Activity # 11952 (12 p.m.)
15 participant max per activity
Required: Appropriate footwear, dress in layers, water, 1 or 2 mile hikes (easy difficulty)
Registration and more information can be found at: https://coloradosprings.gov/cnc19-cos

Plant the seed of knowledge on this botany-based hike around Stratton Open Space.
Date: Saturday, April 27, 2019
For: All Ages
Time: 2-4 p.m.
Activity # 11948
30 participant max
Location: Stratton Open Space - La Veta Entrance - Due to limited parking at the trailhead, please park in the lower lot at Cheyenne Mountain High School.
Required: Appropriate footwear and headwear, dress in layers, water and snacks, ~2-mile hikes (moderate difficulty)
Registration and more information can be found at: https://coloradosprings.gov/cnc19-cos

Join park rangers for a moderate hike around Stratton Open Space to discover its flora, fauna, and history. Please bring your own binoculars; limited quantities available
Date: Saturday, April 27, 2019
For: All Ages
Time: 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Location: Stratton Open Space
Activity # 11947
30 participant max
Registration and more information can be found at: https://coloradosprings.gov/cnc19-cos

Join park rangers for an eye-opening early morning birding hike! Please bring your own binoculars; limited quantities available
Date: Saturday, April 27, 2019
For: All Ages
Time: 7-9 a.m.
Location: Stratton Open Space
Activity # 11946
30 participant max
Registration and more information can be found at: https://coloradosprings.gov/cnc19-cos

This night hike will focus on the different adaptations nocturnal animals have developed to survive at night.
Date: Friday, April 26, 2019
For: All Ages
Time: 8-9 p.m.
Location: Red Rock Canyon, Main Entrance Picnic Parking Lot
Required: flashlights, warm clothing, closed toed shoes, water
Activity # 11956
15 participant max
Registration and more information can be found at: https://coloradosprings.gov/cnc19-cos

This program will focus on animal dwellings at Bluestem Prairie, from animals like the Pronghorn who sleep where they plop down, to the different kinds of bird nests and homes, to the interwoven towns of the prairie dogs. This program should relate to all visitors the need for wildlife to have shelter and homes of their own.
Date: Friday, April 26, 2019
For: All Ages
Time: 10-11 a.m., 1-2 p.m.
Location: Bluestem Prairie Open Space, trailhead parking lot
Required: long pants, closed toed shoes, water
Activity # 11944 (10 a.m.)
Activity # 11945 (1 p.m.)
15 participant max per activity
Registration and more information can be found at: https://coloradosprings.gov/cnc19-cos

We've got some great City Nature Challenge events this year!! Check out all the ways you can participate with fellow naturalists and experience our wonderful park system throughout Colorado Springs and the Pikes Peak Region!

It's that time of year... North-central Puget Sound is opaque larval soup.
Yesterday, 1 April, I noticed a couple of small near-shore schools of juvenile forage fish (Pacific sand lance) - first I've seen of the year.
Last week, I started to see some (non-schooling) larval fish w/ bioluminescent-looking yellow-green eyes dispersed among the plankton. Yesterday, these were much more abundant.

Sea lions are around, but I have not had any encounters in the water yet this year, which is surprising (granted I was pretty ill from mid-January to mid-February, which was by far the longest stretch of time I've spent out of the water in at least a year and a half). Trying to understand more about the factors that draw these animals into the Puget Sound to begin with and whether there is a way to predict/account for annual variations in their numbers.
There appears to be a major spike in the number of transient Orcas turning up inland, so I'm wondering whether that could have an effect on the visibility of sea lions here. On a side note, L-pod Southern Residents were spotted in Monterey Bay (with calf L124) a couple of days ago (apparently in search of salmon), which is unusual....

Unusual developments w/ gray whales in the Sound too; two individuals overwintered here for the first time. These are CRC185 & CRC2246, and they are still here, now hanging around with the NPS regulars. I had the bizarre honor of seeing these two while in the water on 15 December, although I wasn't initially able to confirm they were grays (fortunately someone else spotted them within minutes of my encounter, and this person did identify them).

Haven't seen any sunflower sea stars yet this year, which is worrying...

Voici un vidéo de ma conférence sur les Hétéroptères du Québec qui s'est tenu le 29 mars 2019 au Centre Communautaire Noël-Brûlart à Québec. Cette conférence a été organisée par l'Association des Entomologistes Amateurs du Québec de la région de Québec.

The chemical element Nitrogen (N symbol in the periodic table) was discovered in 1772, by Daniel Rutherford, a Scottish physician. The origin of the name "nitrogène" was from a suggestion from a French chemist named Jean Antoine Claude Chaptal in 1790, this was due to the fact that it was present both in nitric acid and nitrates. Another chemist named Antoine Lavoisier suggested "azote" from Greek ἀζωτικός meaning "no life" because it is an asphyxiant gas. It can also be called "pnictogens" in the periodic table of elements and comes from the Greek πνίγειν meaning "to choke."

Nitrogen's atomic number is 7 and is in group 15 in the periodic table. It is also the lightest member of that group. When at standard temperature and pressure, two atoms bind to form "dinitrogen" (formula N2) which is an odorless and colorless diatomic gas that forms 78% of earth's atmosphere and is said to be the most abundant uncombined element. It also has one of the highest electronegativities among the elements (Pauling scale of 3.04).

Nitrogen can be found in all organisms (3% of nitrogen is contained in the human body) and can be found also in nucleic acids (DNA and RNA), amino acids, and energy transfer molecule adenosine triphosphate. Plants nor animals can absorb nitrogen directly, it must go through a process to become converted into compounds, this is called the Nitrogen Cycle.

There are about 4 steps in this cycle:
Step 1 is called Nitrogen Fixation. This is when special bacteria convert into nitrogen gas ( N2 ) and into (NH3) ammonia. Nitrogen Fixation discovered by Beijerinck in 1901.
Step 2 is Nitrification and is a process which converts ammonia into nitrite ions (plants also can use this to take as nutrients).
Step 3 is Ammonification, this happens once organisms have used all the nitrogen and then decomposing bacteria converts the nitrogen waste compounds into simpler compounds.
And lastly, step 4 is Denitrification, this is when other bacteria convert simple nitrogen compounds back as nitrogen gas ( N2 ) , and then the process begins once again.

Plants need nitrogen for plant growth and also produced and is a critical component of many aquatic, as well as the terrestrial ecosystem. An article in Nature Education Knowledge had shown their results of growing plants with and without Bradyrhizobia (Gram-negative soil bacteria) showing that plants without the bacteria were lighter in color. The study was done to see the effects of nitrogen 's role (in fertilizers).

The atoms of nitrogen have seven electrons. Their configuration in the ground state is 1s2
2s2
2p1
x2p1
y2p1
z. Meaning it has 5 valences electrons within the 2s and 2p orbitals (3 of them are pre-electrons and are unpaired). It also has two stable isotopes (14N and 15N.) 14N is more common, which makes up 99.634% of natural nitrogen, with only 15N having 0.366% and which is also slightly heavier than 14N. Both conclude to an atomic weight of 14.007 u.
Nitrides can be used in different oxidations from +1 to +5 to for oxide compounds. Oxides are acidic and can become attached to protons and most forms are of gasses and can exist at 25°C. Although they play a major part in living organisms, it can also be dangerous.
Hydrides of nitrogen include that of ammonia (NH3) and hyrdrazine (N2H4). H yrdrazine is used mostly as rocket fuel, and ammonium ions have special amphiprotic properties.
Ammonia was developed between 1909 to 1913 by Fritz Haber. His mixture was of N2 and H2 gas at 200 to 300 atm and 400 to 600oC is passed over a catalyst of finely divided iron.

Fe N2(g)+3 H2(g)---->2 NH3(g)

Another development was that of the use of hypochlorite (OCl-) ion to oxidize ammonia to produce hydrazine, N2H4.
NH3(aq) +OCl-(aq)---->N2H4(aq)+Cl-(aq)+H2O(l)
Nothing of OCI- ion is of two electron oxidizing agent. Loss of electrons and a pair of H+ ions next to NH3 molecules would build a pair of reactive N2 molecules.

mechanism
Above is the hydrazine molecule. It is a colorless liquid with a hint of ammonia odor.

- Medical
Nitrogen in most cases of use is for the preservation of tissue samples, blood (and blood components), body fluids, and other cells. Liquid nitrogen can also be used for tissue, warts, and also small cancer removal.
Depending on the use, Nitrogen can be in the form of dry ice or liquid. Dry ice is a chemical formula is the same as carbon dioxide (CO2 ). When the gas is frozen it is then called dry ice.
Liquid nitrogen needs to be cooled extensively, around -346°F. Below this temperature, it can form into a solid. Above -320.44°F, it becomes gas again. Liquid nitrogen is colder than dry ice and can be dangerous.

dfsdf

Welcome to our project homepage! Check here often for news on our upcoming event and to see the many observations collected during this worldwide event!

The observations at the link below were made in the Arena, where about a dozen medium sized plants to c. 50cm H were first observed in June 2018.

https://inaturalist.nz/observations?place_id=any&project_id=gahnia-grove-the-arena&subview=grid&taxon_id=56020&verifiable=any

They were controlled by pulling or cutting off some of the leaves as convenient, piling the leaves on the stems (insufficient mass to cover the tubers completely) and thereafter pulling on exposed tubers in passing , loosening or uprooting them when possible with minimal effort.
Surprisingly, many tubers were uprooted without effort by August 2018. Tubers continued to be piled over remaining tubers, both to assist rottjng and to ensure monitoring.

All except those rooted against tree trunks were removed in this way by January 2019.

Seedlings emerged abundant around the tubers in Spring, snd were controlled solely by squashjng or pulling off their tiny leaves, since they were too small to grasp and uproot from the dry clay soil.

Any remaining Agapanthus have been, or will be, observed and will, thanks to the iNaturalist Explore search, automatically be added to those currently appearing at the link above.

This field observation took place at the Ethan Allen Homestead along the Winooski River which runs through it. This river was the temporary home of hundreds of Canada Geese all wading around through the river and milling around on the ice. They did not appear to be eating fish while in the water and their behavior did not show signs of courtship. As I approached, the flock became very wary of me and began to honk loudly and abundantly and many crossed the river to the other side of the ice. As I stayed there for a while, the communication between the geese seemed to lessen as I was forgotten or identified as not a threat. As I stood there, I realized I had never seen so many of the same species, besides humans, in the same place.
After I was done marveling at the Canada geese, I moved back along the river towards a more wooded area where I encountered a cooperative Downy Woodpecker. This particular individual did not seem to respond at all to my pishing efforts; however, they were also not discouraged by them and continued its normal routine. As it was not actually pecking the wood, I am not entirely sure what it was doing however it stayed in the same place long enough that I was able to study it. The Downy Woodpecker has a beautiful plumage of white and black that contains both repeating patterns as well as some countershading. The top of their head is red which can be found in many woodpeckers. The countershading and repeating patterns seem to be evolutionarily beneficial as they help camouflage and confuse predators however I was having a hard time thinking of why the red head. The only reason I could think of is that it was sexually selected for as it may be a proxy for good genes. The Canada Goose plumage is also somewhat an example of countershading which makes sense as they are flying long distances.

Hi Everyone!

Thanks for joining WXXI and our partners as we explore our region and look for nature during the month of April! We're loving all the observations that we're seeing so far. Please tell your friends too! Participation is easy, free, and open to anyone in the Greater Rochester and Finger Lakes region. Help us see all the different living things in our community and get excited about being citizen scientists!

Learn more about WXXI's Citizen Science work: https://www.wxxi.org/citizenscience

We'll be popping in with some news and updates throughout the month of April to give you some tips and challenges for what what living items to look for. So stick with us!

Common Lomatium (Lomatium utriculatum) Apiaceae
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/21210447 by @langooney

They might be considered lost plants: species that were documented as occurring in San Diego County by a voucher specimen many years ago and then not seen since. There are over 50 lost plants in San Diego County. A recent perfect storm resurrected one of them.

On March 13, 2019, Brennan Mulrooney and Antonette Gutierrez were working in Mission Trails Regional Park and found an unfamiliar plant with yellow flowers in an umbel-shaped inflorescence. Brennan took photos and posted them on iNaturalist. The next day, Jon Rebman saw the observation and identified the plant as Common Lomatium, also known as Foothill Desert-Parsley (Lomatium utriculatum), a species that was last documented in San Diego over 50 years ago and for which there were only 3 specimens in the SDNHM herbarium! Jon knew a volunteer in the Plant Atlas Project who lives near Mission Trails and immediately sent her an email asking if she could visit the site and collect a sample for the herbarium, if the population of the plant was adequate. The parabotanist, who wishes to remain anonymous, but you probably can guess who, went to the area the same day and found a significant population of a plant with yellow flowers in an umbel-shaped inflorescence and so she collected a sample. Before leaving the area, she ran into Margie Mulligan, a botany department associate at the Nat, who had received word from Brennan about the rare plant. Since she was in the area, Margie decided to stop by, and upon looking at the specimen collected by the parabotanist, kindly informed her that it was Sanicula arguta, not Lomatium utriculatum. So off they went to look some more. Margie soon spotted the desired plant just uphill a short distance. The slightly chagrined parabotanist was able to appreciate that Lomatium utriculatum had brighter yellow flowers in a more flattened umbel, finely dissected leaflets, and prominent sheathing on the stems.

This all came together very nicely--Brennan and Antonette found the plant and posted the photos; Jon identified it; the parabotanist collected it with help from Margie; and the plant is now documented as continuing in San Diego County in a location where it was not previously known to occur.

Imagine if we could clone Jon Rebman how much more would be discovered about the diversity of plants in our region. He can't be out in the field every day, as much as he might like that, and even if he were, he can't be everywhere at once. But you and I can serve as additional eyes and legs by getting out, taking photos of plants (especially those that are unusual), and posting them on iNaturalist. Maximizing the reach of scientists like Jon Rebman through citizen science initiatives like the San Diego County Plant Atlas Project on iNaturalist will further the museum's efforts to be the premier collections-based environmental education and natural history research resource in the San Diego region.

Hi everyone! After learning about the 'Gasteracantha mess', I've now created an observation field for Gasteracantha cancriformis synonyms/variations to help keep track and organize some current G. cancriformis observations so that updating them will be easier when revisions to the genus are made in the future.

The field name can be changed and values can be added at any time, so please feel free to suggest changes/additions. Currently I have only added a few of the synonyms as values, so I imagine more will be needed to be added later. If needed, we can create a temporary name for a type to use a a value rather than a synonym. Feel free to use 'other' if it's one you don't want to lose track of, but I haven't added an appropriate value name for it yet. Use 'review needed' for ones you're uncertain about but would like to come back to (or would like others to get a look at it).

https://www.inaturalist.org/observation_fields/10248

The project dealt with some species that camouflage themselves in the environ or mimic others as their way to survive, fooling us also.
A simple, basic, statistics, ilustrates how dificult is to observe them.
For birds, Nightjars and Nighthawks, there were only 6 observations including 4 different species. In the same period, there were 10,811 observations of birds of 1,195 different species.
Related to Arachnids, looking for the Cyclosa conica and the Misumena, there were only 5 observations of 2 different species, while, in the same period there were 1,525 observations of arachnids of 295 different species.
Finally, looking for Katydids and Stick insects, one got 101 observations of 28 different species, while, in the same period there were 11,403 observations of 2,846 species of insects.
The species choosed for this project are globaly spread, and the observations came from all the continents (except Antarctic).
They are as fascinate species as difficult to observe them.

https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/april-fool-s-day-2019-bioblitz

Notice: the quantities of observations and species were consulted on April 2nd, 15:55GMT, it is possible to increase as more observations are uploaded, but the dramatic difference must remain.

Kawartha Land Trust is the lead in a partnership with Trent-Severn Waterway, Parks Canada, the Municipality of Trent Lakes, and the Buckhorn Trails Association to protect and restore this property while allowing public access on the trails.

The John Earle Chase Memorial Park is the 400 acre site that was farmed by successive members of the Chase family until they donated the land to the Trent-Severn Waterway (TSW), Parks Canada, in 1995.

With beautiful views overlooking Pigeon Lake, mature maple forests and wetlands bursting with life, this property is too beautiful not to share and open to the public for you to enjoy!

The John Earle Chase Memorial park is identified within the Kawartha’s Naturally Connected (KNC) Preferred Scenario as a high priority natural area for protection and restoration in our region.

Happy Spring and happy photo hunting!

You've got 35 mins to record what you can!

A variety of events will be held around the city. Join us at ones near you.

If you would like to meet like-minded people, or would like to find out more about our species from local experts, or just discover the wildlife in your area, join us at one of our events. Typically events last for an hour or two, and will give you an opportunity to get some observations posted.

Please visit this page regularly as updates will be posted as they become available. Events will also be posted on our Facebook page. Click on the event to find out the details.

Friday - 27 April
Constantia Valley Green Belt Bioblitz: Grootboschkloof, Constantia

Saturday - 28 April
Sun Valley Shoot-About: Sun Valley, Noordhoek

Sunday - 29 April

Monday - 30 April

Thanks to all the groups who have staged these events. None of this would have been possible without you.

“Gray whales generally stay around the continental shelf and are truly a coastal species…[and] migrate relatively close to shore,” the Marine Mammal Center writes on their website. “Concern has grown about the impact of boat traffic around whales, and the number of boats allowed in the breeding lagoons is restricted. Along the migration route, boats’ proximity to whales is also limited.”

https://smmirror.com/2019/04/gray-whale-woes-in-socal/