Journal archives for September 2018

04 September, 2018

Fall out look for this year and my year as a whole so far.

Well I am very happy that I am nearing the 4,000 observation mark on iNaturalist. I did a even at Parr Park in Grapevine with @kimberlietx and @brentano and @betsymarsh. We had a Butterfly walk which was very good although all we saw were a bunch of Gulf Fritilarys and things. I find it funny that Kimberlie calls them flying Doritos which I find very funny. I like Doritos so that is why I find that so stinking funny; hey they do look a little like the Nacho Cheese kind that I like. Anyway I will dispense with the silliness and cut to the chase. I was able to nab about 68 observations which leaves me at a total of 3927. My species count is 1103. Not bad at all considering I have had a slow summer due to it being so dang hot in the month of July. I have to say that is not a bad total at all. I have a few more things lined up this year. I am going to do next month's thing at Parr Park I hope and then I will be doing the Elmer W. Oliver Mini BioBlitz that I do every year. I am also going to do the Christmas Bird Count this year. So a lot of great stuff to try and get more observations and to get a bigger number. Still getting 2,000+ observations is not a bad way to start the year. I may have had less days of observations but in some of the days I was out I had really high numbers of observations which is great. Last year I had a few days of high numbers but this years CNC count really blew the old record away. This year was really good even though I have had a major loss in my life in terms of my mother passing away after a long battle with Stage Three Vaginal Cancer. I am still trying to get my life back on track after losing her. I have had a great year but I did have a few hick-ups that couldn't be helped. I am doing alright though and doing my best to carry on as my mother wanted me to do. This year I have has been my best observation year by far. I have made tons of new lifers on my list this year and add a few more firsts to iNaturalist counts like that one I got back in the spring time at school. I am very interested into knowing what my list will contain at the end of the year. I have my eyes set on going to Cedar Hill State Park this year in October to see if I can get a Migrating Texas Brown Tarantula. I am also go to Cedar Hill again in October to go on a moth night that Kimberlie told me about on Facebook. I went to Cedar Ridge Preserve this weekend after my excursion at Parr Park and found a lot of cool things including a Sad Underwing Moth which was really cool. I have seen tons of cool moths this year and hope to find some more during that moth night at Dogwood Canyon Audubon Center. That place has become one of my normal haunts and one of my favorites to go even though I have stayed pretty close to the parking lot since it has been so hot but there is still a lot to be found. I am also very interested to see just how many observations I will turn up with. I was hoping to get about three thousand or so but I will have to see about that since the insect season is winding down. I can still find some under wood and rocks and things maybe as suggested by a few of my iNat friends. I am looking forward to doing the Christmas bird count this year and might go do a little bird watching at the Fort Worth Nature Center and Refuge while I am doing the Christmas Bird Count. Like I said I have a lot of cool stuff lined up and I am hoping to get a bunch of new stuff before the year is over. So far my year on iNaturalist has been a very good one and I hope to finish strong when the year comes to a close. Then before I know it; it will be time to prepare for the 2019 City Nature Challenge which I am very excited for. I am going to try and exceed my number I got this year and try and double it even though there will be a lot to upload but that shouldn't be a problem. I may do a lot of my stuff at Cedar Hill, Tandy Hill, River Legacy, Village Creek Historical Area, and a few more of the big places. I am starting to get a list ready but of course there is always an event to go to during the CNC that I always want to attend. I wonder what the list of events will be for the 2019 CNC. This year has been an interesting one more ways that one. I hope that next year is easier on the mind and spirit than this year. I can't say it has been a very good year for my family but it has been okay just not the best year we have ever had. I hope that we have a great rest of our year and that nothing else major pops up that will put a hitch in our get along. Until next time this is Zachary Chapman signing off.

Posted on 04 September, 2018 05:55 by galactic_bug_man galactic_bug_man | 1 comment | Leave a comment

26 September, 2018

My rainy but adventurous September

Well with September quickly coming to a close this year I must say it has been both a wet and wild one. I did a lot this month and have seen so much. It has been a good month and the days just keep getting easier since the passing of my mom. Spending time out in nature has really helped me not get over her death but have helped me come to grips with it. I have seen a lot this month and have made it to 4,300+ observations and I am on the road to 5,000+. I went on a Butterfly walk at the first of the month with @kimberlietx and @brentano, I went to Stovall Park a couple of times and got some cool beetles, I have had a field month. I found a Tersa Sphinx moth, a Common Eastern Firefly, a Mayfly, a Beloved Emarginea Moth just to name a few of the life lists firsts. Nearly every day I saw something new to behold and take photos of. I defiantly got a boost of species for the school this month. The spiders, beetles, and moths have been out like crazy. It has been so rainy, steamy, and muggy that they just hang out on the walls and stuff. The Engineering building has been a hip happening hang out for a lot of insects this month. Something new comes around there all the time. I have been very lucky to get a lot of observations this September and now my challenge is to get to 5,000 in October. There are a few Bio Blitzes I wish to participate in that @sambiology has posted here on this site and I am going to make some preparations so I can go on a few of them. I am already going to Kimberlie's this weekend but I don't know which ones I want to attend after they are all so cool sounding. I am already signed up to do the 2018 Pollinator BioBlitz and all so the options and possibilities are endless. I am very excited to see what my count will be this year. At the rate I am going I might wind up with 7000 if I can knock out 5000 plus in October and then go into November full steam ahead with the bird alarm on high alert. I am on overload here this has been my best iNatting year. Who knows what next year is going to look like for me. I still have a lot to do before the year is up. I just have to keep my ears clear and eyes peeled for new opportunities.

Posted on 26 September, 2018 23:37 by galactic_bug_man galactic_bug_man | 0 comments | Leave a comment