Saturday, August 12, 2017

Globe at Night and Eclipse 2017

If you are on or near the centerline of the path of totality during the solar eclipse on August 21, 2017, you are able to participate in an activity to observe and record the faintest stars visible as a means of measuring how dark the daytime sky gets. By noticing which major stars and planets are visible during the solar eclipse, comparing them to stars on stellar or  “magnitude” charts, and submitting that measurement to the online database, your “measurement” will document darkness levels of a daytime sky during a total solar eclipse, a simple question scientists are still pondering. To participate, visit www.globeatnight.org/eclipse-2017/. Link to the report page (“webapp”) to take measurements or to a downloadable activity guide which include instructions, a paper version of the report page and magnitude charts

To help research more, you can also take regular “Globe at Night” measurements of the night sky brightness on August 20 and/or August 21 for comparison with the eclipse measurements. For the last 11 years, reaching 180 countries, Globe at Night has been a monthly citizen-science campaign that asks people to easily rate the brightness of their night sky. To take the nighttime Globe at Night measurements, go to www.globeatnight.org/webapp/. The steps are similar to the ones described here under “Easy Steps to Do This Activity”.   

For more information on the total solar eclipse (e.g., locations for the eclipse path and the local times for totality), visit www.greatamericaneclipse.com.

Tuesday, December 15, 2015

Cornell eBirder update

From the Cornell eBirder site"
"With the launch of the new rich media upload tool last month, we have entered a new era of natural history documentation at eBird. More than 125,000 rich media files have been submitted over the past several weeks thanks to the contributions of eBirders worldwide. This collection provides an amazing repository of natural history information, where each piece of media is linked to an eBird checklist; complete with location information, date and time, and often the other birds using that location at the same time. On the eBird side, these photos and recordings provide documentation for the eBird observation—creating an objectively verifiable record that can serve as a “digital specimen” for each of these sightings."
For more info, visit e-Birder.

Tuesday, June 2, 2015

Greetings Jay Watchers!

From:
Marianne Korosy, Ph.D.
 Jay Watch and IBA Coordinator
Audubon Florida
 
Survey opportunities across the state are listed below and include the name and email address of the person you are to contact to sign up for any of these dates and locations (or to contact for more information). We hope you will volunteer to spend time with Florida’s beautiful, charismatic, endemic Scrub-Jay and meet other volunteers and site managers. I challenge each of you to survey not only in your local region but to select one site out of your “usual” survey region – and join the fun!
 
Brevard County
Contact Maria Zondervan mzondervan@sjrwmd.com
-          Buck Lake Conservation Area – June 26-28 (Fri – Sun)
Contact Kristen Kneifl kristen_kneifl@nps.gov
-          Canaveral National Seashore – June 24-26 (Weds – Fri)
 
Charlotte County
Contact Jim Knoy JimKnoy@gmail.com
-          Prairie Shell Creek Preserve – July 8-10 (Weds – Fri)
 
Highlands County
Contact Matthew Hodge Matthew.Hodge@dep.state.fl.us
-          Lake June-in-Winter State Park – dates TBA
-          Highlands Hammock State Park – dates TBA
Contact Marianne Korosy mkorosy@audubon.org
-          Lake  Wales National Wildlife Refuge (Flamingo Villas unit) – June 30, July 1-2 (Tues-Thurs)
Contact Nicole Ranalli Nicole.Ranalli@myfwc.com
-          Clements/Royce unit, Lake Wales Wildlife & Environmental Area – dates TBA
-          Lake Placid Scrub unit, Lake Wales Wildlife & Environmental Area – dates TBA
-          Also inquire about additional FWC properties surveyed in region annually or interannually
 
Lee County
Contact Marianne Korosy mkorosy@audubon.org
-          Alva Scrub Preserve- June 22, two other dates TBA
-          Hickey’s Creek Mitigation Park - June 23-25 (Tues-Thurs)
 
Martin County
Contact Rob Rossmanith Robin.Rossmanith@dep.state.fl.us
-          Jonathan Dickinson State Park – multiple dates TBA on weekdays and weekends between June 15-July 15
 
Manatee County
Contact Chad Allison Chad.Allison@myfwc.com
-          Moody Branch Mitigation Park – July 7-9 (Tues – Thurs)
Contact Marianne Korosy mkorosy@audubon.org
-          Gilley Creek preserve  – June 16-18 (Tues-Thurs)
-          Little Manatee River Southfork preserve - June 26-28 (Fri – Sun)
-          Duette Preserve – July 10-12 (Fri – Sun)
 
Marion County
Contact Jess Rodriguez Jess.Rodriguez@myfwc.com
-          Halpata-Tastanaki Preserve – June 15-17 (Mon-Weds)
-          Central Florida Greenways “Triangle” Preserve – June 22-26 (Mon-Fri)
-          Half Moon Wildlife Management Area – July 14-16 (Tues-Thurs)
 
Polk County
Contact Nicole Gough ngough@sfwmd.gov
-          Lake Marion Creek WMA - June 30, July 1-2 (Tues-Thurs)
Contact Erik Egensteiner Erik.Egensteiner@dep.state.fl.us
-          Lake Kissimmee State Park – July 6-8 (Mon-Weds)
-          Allen David Broussard Catfish Creek State Park – June 17-20 (Weds – Sat); OTHER DATES TBA – contact Erik for more info
 
Sarasota County
Contact Nancy Edmondsen nedmonds@scgov.net
-          Deer Prairie Creek preserve (Sarasota Co.) - June 23, 24, 26 (Tues, Weds, Fri)
-          South  Venice/Lemon Bay Preserve - June 16, 17, 18 (Tues-Thurs);  Alternate day, June 19
Contact Brooke Elias belias@scgov.net
-          Shamrock Park - June 29, 30, July 1 (Mon-Weds); Alternate day, July 2
Contact Kathi Rader-Gibson krgibson@scgov.net
-          Casperson Park and Service Club parks - June 22, 23, 24 (Mon-Weds); Alternate day, June 25
 
St. Lucie County
Contact Doug Rogers Doug.T.Rogers@dep.state.fl.us
-          Savannas Preserve State Park – dates TBA
Contact Dale Armstrong  armstrongd@stlucieco.org
-          Indrio Savannahs Preserve – dates TBA
-          Sheraton Scrub Preserve – dates TBA
 
Volusia County
Contact Rich Harris rwharris@volusia.org
-          Lyonia Preserve, Deltona – June 15-26 (all dates inclusive of weekend dates)
Contact Jason DePue Jason.DePue@dep.state.fl.us
-          North Peninsula State Park (Volusia Co.) - June 16-18 (Tues-Thurs)
-          Blue Spring State Park (Volusia Co.) - June 22-27 (Mon-Sat) and June 29- July 2 (Mon – Thurs)
Contact Maria Zondervan mzondervan@sjrwmd.com
-          Lake Monroe Conservation Area (Volusia Co.) – June 26-28 (Fri – Sun)
 
---
Marianne Korosy, Ph.D.
 Jay Watch and IBA Coordinator
Audubon Florida
phone: 727-742-1683
Website: fl.audubon.org

Tuesday, January 13, 2015

Volunteers needed for turtle study in Alafia River

This request from George Heinrich, who has spent decades studying turtles in Florida:

Volunteers needed to assist with a distributional survey of Suwannee cooters in the Alafia River (Hillsborough County)

This project has four objectives: 1) to determine the distribution and status of the Suwannee cooter in the Alafia River, 2) to assess habitat conditions related to the species’ ecology (e.g., basking, feeding, and nesting), 3) to identify conservation actions needed to address any existing threats (including habitat restoration needs), and 4) to offer hands-on field experience and training in wildlife research methods to local college/university students, as well as volunteers active with local parks/preserves. Volunteer opportunities include:

Saturday, 21 February 2015 (9:00 am-5:00 pm) and Sunday, 1 March 2015 (9:00 am-5:00 pm):

Distribution of “sightings wanted” fliers in neighborhoods along the Alafia River. We will need a large number of volunteers to complete this task. Volunteers will work in teams to deliver fliers to homes and local businesses. Volunteers can work partial or full days and are strongly encouraged to carpool. Transportation required.

January-December 2015 (dates to be announced):

Binocular and spotting scope survey from identified sites along the river. One person per month will be needed to accompany George L. Heinrich on this day-long task. It will include hiking up to two miles at one location. Transportation provided.

March, April, May, September, October, and November 2015 (dates to be announced):

Shoreline survey to search for Suwannee cooter carcasses, skeletal material, and signs of nesting. Volunteers will work in groups during partial or full days and are strongly encouraged to carpool. Transportation required.

Sound interesting? Contact George L. Heinrich by e-mail george@heinrichecologicalservices.com or phone (727) 865-6255 .