Given this virtual age we have entered with a lack of in-person outreach events, I have decided to start a podcast where I talk with our BioBlitz! experts. Honestly, I have never done anything like this before, but I thought, “What the heck? I will just dive right in and get this thing rolling!” I … More I started a Podcast!
1261 Species Recorded by 393 BioBlitzers! Watch our super nerdy Inventory Highlight video! You can check out all of the iNaturalist observations in the Check out the BioBlitz! OK 2020 project. Although we weren’t all together this year, we still had amazing participation from people across the state! We had BioBitz activities at several parks … More BioBlitz! OK 2020 is in the Books!
Two new plant records during this Spring BioBlitz! These species that are new records for Oklahoma were verified by our BioBlitz! expert botanist, Amy Buthod. One snuck over from Arkansas and was recorded by virtual and in-person BioBlitzer Lynn Michael – Smooth Yellow False Foxglove (Aureolaria flava) The other species, Common Cornsalad (Valerianella locusta), was … More Virtual Spring BioBlitz! 2020
We had a record setting BioBlitz! weekend this year at Sequoyah State Park on the shores of Fort Gibson Lake in eastern Oklahoma. This was our biggest group of biologists – both professional and amateur – that has ever attended our BioBlitz! event. We had over 450 citizen scientists and expert biologists participate in our … More BioBlitz! OK 2019
BioBlitz! weekend is my most favorite, stressful, and fun work days of the year. My favorite thing is showing people the amazing organisms that live right hear in Oklahoma. Our featured organism this year, and star of this year’s event shirt, was the American Burying Beetle – a federally protected endangered species. I was immensely … More BioBlitz! Oklahoma 2018
Organizing BioBlitz! Oklahoma is one of my favorite jobs! I love bringing together biologists and citizen scientists to explore the biodiversity of Oklahoma. I would love to host a spring BioBlitz!, but the volatile weather and crazy school schedules make this a logistical nightmare. So my solution is to host a virtual BioBlitz! using iNaturalist. … More Virtual Spring BioBlitz!
I have seen several initiatives for monarch conservation this year. In the US and Canada, the focus is providing caterpillar food sources in the form of milkweed. A variety of programs are giving out free seeds and information about the monarch life cycle. I recommend visiting the Monarch Watch webpage for lots of good information. One … More Monarchs & Milkweeds
Spring is a biologically wonderful time of year – buds are bursting, summer birds are returning, larvae are hatching, and biologists are antsy to get outside again. As coordinator for BioBlitz! Oklahoma, I have been asked why don’t we have the event in spring or early summer when all this fun stuff is going on. … More Spring Virtual BioBlitz!
Project FeederWatch is my favorite citizen science activity. With basic knowledge of your backyard birds, a few feeders, a source of water, and a little time, you can contribute valuable information about bird populations in your area. Started in Canada in the 1970s, over 20,000 people across North America now participate in the program! FeederWatch … More Be Part of Something Big
Priscilla H. C. Crawford 