Journal archives for February 2021

February 3, 2021

Saturday 1/30/2021, 9 am

I walked with @karangattu, and we checked flags and the rest of the newts.
We documented 63 newts with flags. I didn't add any new flags. All newts were removed from the road after documentation. Newts that were documented after Tuesday morning (=after the previous regular survey) were added to the 2021 project as well.
Weather and traffic from Karan (most traffic was in the first mile, but some cars and a few bikes were further down the road on the way to the stop sign:
9:30 am - 2:50 pm. Weather was 44F, cloudy when we started the survey.
Traffic was crazy - Trucks: 2 (Since the Quarry was closed these trucks were for some other business)
Cars: 282
Motorcycles: 4
Bikes: 110
Pedestrians: 110
Parked Cars: 98

Posted on February 3, 2021 01:58 AM by merav merav | 0 comments | Leave a comment

Tuesday 2/2/2021, 9 am

I walked with Ross, from 9:05-11:00 am
We documented all newts on the road with pre-numbered flags. These newts died after Saturday morning, when we last checked the area. We set one flag per newt, even when there were a few newt next to each other. We added notes on the flags - edge/ center/ divide to help us find which one is which.
We documented 127 new newts. We have decided not to mark any more newts. We will only check existing flags.
We saw newts mating in the little pool near limekiln trailhead! I saw water there for the first time this year last week. On Saturday there were tree frogs calling there, I didn't see any newts.
The weather was ok, not too cold, with some rain from time to time. Most newt still had their colors, even though quite a few of them were already disintegrating. We marked everything that could be identified as a newt at this point.
Very quiet - Traffic: 11 trucks, 19 cars, 2 bikes, about 10 parked cars on the road.

Posted on February 3, 2021 02:09 AM by merav merav | 6 comments | Leave a comment

Tuesday 2/2/2021, 4 pm

I walked with Cynthia R and her son, from 4:05-5:15 pm (I was so concerned we'll run late, that we ran through the whole thing and finished early)
We documented 123 of the newts that were marked with flags in the morning. 4 newts were missing - 6-8 and 101. Flag #119 wasn't photographed, but was found the next day. We documented 9 additional newts, that died since the morning. I didn't mark them with additional flags, in order to reduce the number of flags on the road. I only took photos of them with my boot, and included them in this project.
It was easier to figure out which newt is which, using the markings on the flags. We didn't add any more flags, but I did take a few photos of newts that didn't have flags, with my boot. We saw a live newt in the little pool near limekiln trailhead.
The weather was nice, no rain. Some of the newts already turned gray, a few disappeared.
Traffic: 4 trucks, 75 cars, 12 bikes, 6 pedestrians, and about 15 parked cars on the road. Some people were speeding as usual. Some kids with noisy muscle cars.

Posted on February 3, 2021 02:53 AM by merav merav | 0 comments | Leave a comment

Wednesday 2/3/2021, 9 am

I walked with Stacie who was doing the regular survey from 9:00-10:30 am.
I documented all the newts that were marked with flags on 2/2 morning. Stacie documented and removed the rest - every newt that didn't have a flag next to it. There were many new dead newts, most of them pretty fresh. It was pretty easy to find the marked newts. Only a couple were missing.
The weather was sunny, a bit cold.
Traffic: 7 trucks, 32 cars, 7 bikes, 8 pedestrians, about 20 parked cars on the road.

Posted on February 3, 2021 09:49 PM by merav merav | 0 comments | Leave a comment

February 6, 2021

Saturday 2/6/2021, 9 am

I walked with Cynthia R from 9:00-10:30 am.
We documented all the newts that were marked with flags on 2/2 morning, and removed the newts and the flags. We found 64 of the newts. In some cases, it was difficult to tell if it was the right newt or a freshly killed one. But it was mostly ok. I thought there would be even more new newts on the road.
I left all the other newts on the road, but one near limekiln, that just got hit. I took photos and removed it.
A few people asked us what we were doing.
The weather was sunny, nice. The last rain was on Tuesday morning.
Traffic: 1 truck, 156 cars, 1 motorcycle, 49 bikes, 33 pedestrians, about 70 parked cars on the road and in the parking lot.

Posted on February 6, 2021 10:06 PM by merav merav | 0 comments | Leave a comment

February 12, 2021

Wednesday 2/10/2021, 4 pm

I walked with Barrett from 4:00-5:15 pm.
We documented all the newts that were marked with flags on 2/10 morning. Stacie marked 83 newts at 9 am, from the parking lot until a bit after Array #2 (flags 1-84, #80 doesn't exist).
We found all 83 newts. In a few cases, it wasn't clear who's who, but I compared all 83 newts (+13 unmarked newt) with Stacie's photos from the morning, and I corrected everything in the comments. If the text disagrees with the photos, showing a different number, the number in the comment is the correct one.
All numbered newts were entered into this project. The rest of the newts weren't entered to any project, other than one, that was found in front of HTH, and was entered into the population study project.
The weather was sunny, nice. The last rain was last week.
Traffic: 3 truck, 105 cars, 15 bikes, 3 pedestrians, about 14 parked cars on the road and in the parking lot.

Posted on February 12, 2021 05:56 AM by merav merav | 6 comments | Leave a comment

February 13, 2021

Thursday 2/11/2021, 9 am

I walked with Ross from 9:00-9:15 am.
We documented all the newts that were marked with flags on 2/10 morning. Stacie marked 83 newts at 9 am, from the parking lot until a bit after Array #2 (flags 1-84, #80 doesn't exist).
Newt #12 and #14 moved around, and were no longer next to their flags, so they were marked as missing. The rest of the newts were still there.
All numbered newts were entered into this project.
26 additional newts, without flags, will be added into this project?
The weather was sunny, nice. The last rain was last week.
Traffic: 10 truck, 18 cars??, 7 bikes, 13 pedestrians, about 25 parked cars on the road and in the parking lot.

Posted on February 13, 2021 02:00 AM by merav merav | 0 comments | Leave a comment

February 21, 2021

Saturday 2/20/2021 - 9 am and 4 pm

Day 1
Saturday 9:00-11:40 am:
I walked with Alex.
Weather - cloudy, a bit cold, light rain.
We flagged 52 dead newts. Most newts were fresh. There were 1-2 tiny ones, that need to be added to the juvenile project. We did the north section survey and started experiment #4. We marked all newts from the parking lot to the boat club (52). The flagged individuals weren't removed. The rest of the newts (from the boat club to the stop sign) weren't added to this project.
Again the weather saved us from some of the cars - Traffic: 110 cars (including SJJJ), 2 motorcycles, 48 bikes, 58 pedestrians, and 85 cars parked by the road and in the parking lots (6 in the farther lot).
We met the HTH team a few times. I documented 4 newts in front of HTH sites, before they checked them.
Saturday 4 pm
I walked with Barrett.
The weather was beautiful.
55 newts documented, 50 flagged ones (2 newts were missing), 5 newts didn't have a flag. All newts were added to this project.
Traffic: 1 truck, 44 cars, 2 motorcycles, 6 bikes, 2 pedestrians, and 43 cars parked by the road and in the parking lots

Posted on February 21, 2021 07:29 AM by merav merav | 0 comments | Leave a comment

Sunday 2/21/2021 - 9 am

Day 2
Sunday 9:00-10:20 am:
Weather - sunny, a bit cold.
I checked on the flags, only one more missing (total - 3 missing after 24 hours). I documented 2 newts without flags.
Traffic: 97 cars (including County Parks), 2 motorcycles, 31 bikes, 62 pedestrians, and 90 cars parked by the road and in the parking lots.
I saw the HTH team a few times.

Posted on February 21, 2021 08:11 PM by merav merav | 0 comments | Leave a comment

February 25, 2021

Wednesday 2/24/2021 - 9 am

Day 5
9:00-11:00 am:
I walked with Ross.
Weather - sunny
I checked on the flags and removed all newts and flags. A total of 15 flags were missing, out of 52 originally marked. A lower ratio than before.
I documented 14 newts without flags - they were added to the 2021 project.
Traffic: 42 cars (including County Parks), 3 bikes, 16 pedestrians, and 16 cars parked by the road and in the parking lots

Posted on February 25, 2021 03:15 AM by merav merav | 0 comments | Leave a comment

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