Upper Delaware BioBlitz results

SCOTT RANDO

Posted 7/18/18

This year’s Upper Delaware BioBlitz was held on June 29 and 30 at the Gales Property, owned by the Norcross Wildlife Foundation in Starlight, Wayne County, PA. The 63.5-acre property is located …

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Upper Delaware BioBlitz results

TRR photos by Scott Rando

Painted turtles have a fitting name due to the colorful head and forelegs. This was a larger specimen, a carapace over six inches long, which I found in a cut-off pond next to the river. This is the species of turtles commonly seen in the region sunning themselves on logs and rocks on lakes and ponds.

The common whitetail, in the skimmer family, is a common dragonfly seen in the region. They can be spotted around small ponds and can frequently be seen perched, as this male is. Females have a dark abdomen (male and female dragonflies of the same species are often mistaken for two different species).

This red-spotted newt or “red eft,” as they are called in the few years they spend as bright red land dwellers, was found on a shady, mixed-forest hillside. These can be found in shaded areas walking about in the morning; they will hide under logs or debris to escape the heat of the day. When this newt becomes mature, it will develop a keeled tail, turn a shade of green and return to the water.

Posted Wednesday, July 18, 2018 9:45 am

SCOTT RANDO

This year’s Upper Delaware BioBlitz was held on June 29 and 30 at the Gales Property, owned by the Norcross Wildlife Foundation in Starlight, Wayne County, PA. The 63.5-acre property is located on the PA side, just downstream from Hancock, NY. This was the second time the Upper Delaware BioBlitz was held on the Gales Property; the first time was during 2013.

Those who attended the BioBlitz in 2013 may remember the torrential rains that took place here just before the start on Friday. The rains washed out some roads and made the river high; many teams present had less than ideal conditions for collecting samples. This year’s BioBlitz, on the other hand, was dry and warm, especially Saturday, when the public got to see the various teams’ collections and the other exhibits and entertainment graciously provided by individuals and groups.

For this year, the results of the nine individual teams were as follows:

Aquatic macroinvertebrates (aquatic insects, mussels) 67

Birds 59

Botany (plants) 206

Bryology (mosses and lichens and worts) 103

Fish 26

Fungi (mushrooms and molds) 48

Herps (reptiles/amphibians) 15

Invertebrates (terrestrial insects, worms, snails) 223

Mammals 18

These results come from Steven Schwartz, lead organizer for this and previous years’ bioblitz events. They are preliminary counts and may change as the teams identify specimens they could not initially identify in the field. The total species count for 2013 was 1,024 (final count). The largest difference seems to be terrestrial invertebrates, but again, this year’s count is preliminary.

Despite the very warm temperatures, the team members, as well as the people who came out on Saturday during the public portion, had an enjoyable experience. To keep abreast on the count and any future happenings, visit upperdela warebioblitz.com