Bio Blitz So Far

We are about half way through our Bio Blitz activity and have made several important discoveries. Well, OK, it was not a real discovery but an acknowledgment of what we knew already. We still have lots to learn about life all around us. We are fairly good at identifying plants and not too bad at birds, but then we start to be less and less knowledgeable. The frogs are not too numerous and I can identify them mostly by sound as we rarely see them. There are not many snakes on our property and mammals are in fairly short supply too. It is in the insect and spider area that we are overwhelmed. Even with the guidebooks that we have picked up in the last year, we still come away with more puzzles than answers. Perhaps this blitz will spark more study. ID's are very shaky there and just because they are listed below does not mean that we know for sure yet.

Oh yes, one more thing! I want to continue for the year. It will not be as intensive as this week but I have been wanting to find out more about what is on the property for a while and this is a wonderful opportunity to start and continue that activity so the listing will continue after this week for the rest of the year. Also, our activity has sparked our 2 year old neighbour even more along the way to becoming a naturalist. With the help of her parents she already knows more birds than I knew at 4 times her age and her interest in bugs is increasing too. We shall all learn together.

Meanwhile, here is our list so far. There are over 190 entries, including the category titles. I just added the dates recorded as Églantine thought that would be of interest too. It is of interest already and we realized on day two that we forgot to include our dog, cat, and ourselves in the list at first. Our self imposed limits are that we must be able to make at least some kind of ID from what we see or hear so we are not putting down plants that are not up yet even though we know they will come up again as they have in the past.
OK, enough chatter. I wonder how many readers made it this far and can actually make it through the list. It's up to you as to how much you want to read and/or comment. Onward:


Bio Blitz 2007
Wild Flowers – Vines
Aster, Arrow-leaved..0422
Avens, White..0422
Bitter-cress, Hairy..0422
Celendine..0422
Chickweed, Mouse-eared (B)..0422
Cinquefoil, Common..0422
Cinquefoil, Rough..0422
Cleavers..0422
Clover, White..0422
Coltsfoot (F)..0422
Current, Garden..0422
Dame’s Rocket..0422
Dandelion, Common..0422
Dandelion, Red Seeded..0422
Fleabane, Daisy..0422
Gill over the Ground..0422
Goldenrod, Early?..0422
Grapevine, Riverbank?..0422
Herb Robert..0422
Horsetail *..0423
Jack-in-the-Pulpit..0423
Live Forever..0422
May Apple 0423
Meadow-rue, Early..0422
Moss ?..0422
Motherwort..0422
Mullein, Common..0422
Mustard, Garlic..0422
Nettle, Tall 0423
Parsnip, Cow..0422
Soapwort..0422
Solomon Seal, False 0423
Solomon Seal, Star-Flowered False .0423
Spring Beauty..0422
Strawberry, Field..0422
Strawberry, Wood..0422
Teasel..0422
Thimbleweed..0422
Thistle, Bull..0422
Trout Lily..0422
Violet, Blue..0422
Yarrow..0422
Plants in Garden
Aconite, Winter..0422
Barberry ..0422
Bee Balm..0422
Black-eyed Susans ..0422
Bleeding Heart ..0422
Bugleweed ..0422
Chives..0422
Comfrey..0422
Daffodil, Rip Van Winkle..0422
Daffodils..0422
Daisy..0422
Everlasting ..0422
Feverfew..0422
Foxglove 0424
Hyacinth..0422
Iris..0422
Jacob’s Ladder..0422
Ladies Mantle..0422
Lamb’s Ears..0422
Lavender 0424
Lily, Day..0422
Lungwort..0422
Ninebark, Diablo..0422
Ninebark, Golden..0422
Onion..0422
Pansy 0424
Peony..0422
Periwinkle..0422
Purple flower?)..0422
Rhubarb..0422
Rosebush..0422
Rue..0422
Sedum..0422
Snowdrops..0422
Spiderwort..0422
Wild Ginger 0424
Yucca..0422
Birds
Blackbird, Red-winged 0422
Cardinal 0422
Chickadee 0422
Cowbird 0422
Crow 0422
Dove, Mourning 0422
Finch, House 0423
Flicker, Yellow-shafted 0422
Goldfinch, American 0422
Goose, Canada 0422
Gull, Ring-billed? 0422
Hawk, Red-tailed 0422
Heron, Great Blue 0423
Jay, Blue 0422
Kinglet, Golden-crowned 0422
Meadowlark, Eastern 0423
Nuthatch, Red-breasted 0422
Nuthatch, White-breasted 0422
Robin 0422
Sparrow, Field 0422
Sparrow, Song 0422
Towhee 0425
Turkey, Wild 0422
Woodcock, American 0422
Woodpecker, Downy 0422
Woodpecker, Red-bellied 0422
Trees & Shrubs – Wild & Planted
Apple 0422
Ash, White 0422
Aspen, Trembling 0422
Box Elder (Maple, Ash-leaf) 0422
Cedar, Northern Juniper? 0422
Cedar, Northern White 0422
Cherry, Black 0422
Cherry, Choke 0422
Cottonwood 0422
Current ? 0422
Dogwood, Alternate-Leaved 0422
Dogwood, Gray 0422
Dogwood, Red-osier 0422
Dogwood, Silky 0422
Elm 0422
Forsythia (B) 0422
Hawthorn sp? 0422
Honeysuckle, Tartarian 0422
Larch, European? 0422
Lilac 0422
Locust, Black 0423
Maple, Norway 0422
Maple, Silver 0422
Maple, Sugar 0422
Olive, Autumn 0422
Pear 0422
Pine, Red 0422
Pine, White 0422
Quince 0422
Raspberry 0422
Rose, Multiflora 0422
Serviceberry 0424
Spindle Tree 0422
Spruce, White ? 0422
Sumac, Staghorn 0422
Tree, Tulip 0422
Virbunum, Sweet 0423
Walnut, Black 0422
Walnut, White 0422
Willow ? 0422
Willow, Flame 0423
Amphibians & Reptiles
Frog, Chorus 0422
Frog, Wood 0422
Peeper, Spring 0422
Snake, Garter 0423
Toad, American 0422
Mammals
Bat, Little Brown? 0422
Cat 0423
Cottontail, Eastern 0422
Coyote 0422
Deer, White-tailed 0422
Dog 0423
Fox, Red 0422
Humans 0423
Raccoon 0422
Squirrel, Gray 0422
Ferns
Fern, Intermediate Wood
Lichens
To be identified . . .
Insects & Spiders
Ant (sp?) 0423
Bugs, Box Elder? 0422
Caddisfly larvae 0424
Caterpillar, Virginia Ctenucha 0422
Centipede 0422
Fly (sp?) 0422
House Fly 0424
insects, Goldenrod Gall 0422
Lady Bug (sp?) 0422
Midge, C 0422
Mosquito 0422
moths, micro? (sp?) 0422
Sow Bug 0422
Spider (sp?) 0422
Thrip ? 0422
Velvet Mite 0424
wasp (sp?) 0422
Web Worm 0424