The 58-250 project!

When I first became a contributor to inaturalist, I saw it simply as good repository for my wildlife pictures and a decent way to keep a list of all of the plants and animals I’ve photographed. What I wasn’t expecting was the wonderful and helpful community of naturalists I’ve had the pleasure to encounter on this site, if not in person. Since joining I’ve been able to help others with their identifications and have been helped many times in return. I’ve also become inspired to learn more about groups that I gave scant attention to before, such as plants, algae, moths, lichens, and many more. This was in no small part due to the enthusiasm of others on this site. So, inspired by the small but dedicated legion of hardcore county birders, I have begun a challenge I’m calling the 58-250 project. California is a huge state whose length and complex geomorphology have led to an incredible diversity of habitats, including three different desert regions, one of the tallest mountain ranges in North America, chaparral covered hills, hundreds of miles of coastline and offshore waters, Redwood forests on the north coast, oak woodlands surrounding the massive Central Valley, and some of the largest urban centers in the country. It also has a complex political history which has led to it being divided into 58 counties which vary tremendously in size, population, ecology, and, for lack of a better word, “personality”.

What I am attempting to do, with absolutely no time commitment other than my own desires and resources, is to photographically document, identify, and submit 250 species from each county in California for a minimum total of 14,500 observations! As I make new sightings, I will add them to existing county lists or, if need be, start a new one. These can be plants, animals, fungi, or whatever else I am capable of finding and identifying, but by doing so, I hope to give each list, a “feel” for the biology of that county. I will include both established, introduced species as well as native ones and try for a broad diversity of organisms. I have already begun going through my current sightings and dividing them up by county and by the time I’m done going through my existing photos, I will have records from at least twenty California countes.

Calaveras, Tuolumne, and Alpine Counties:

This last weekend I went for a family excursion to the Sierra Nevada and camped for three nights at Calaveras Big Tree State Park. This park spreads across two counties (Calaveras and Tuolumne) and holds two of the three northern-most native Sequoia groves in California. Mixed in among these giants are large stands of Sugar Pine, Incense Cedar, Ponderosa Pine, and White Fir with an understory of ferns and Mountain Dogwoods, serenaded by the constant daytime calling of Douglas Squirrels . On Saturday we joined another couple for a day trip into Alpine County to see the eastern Sierras and go for a soak at Grover Hot Springs. Although large tracks were fire damaged, the beauty of Alpine County was still very apparent, as huge monoliths of granite stuck hundreds of feet into the sky. Surprisingly, I found several Terrestrial Garter Snakes lounging in a mountain river at 6,000 ft in elevation! Over the next week I will be submitting the records for this trip as I process the photos and seek help with some of the identifications.

Publicado el octubre 12, 2015 09:18 TARDE por rjadams55 rjadams55

Observaciones

Fotos / Sonidos

Qué

Catarina Convergente (Hippodamia convergens)

Observ.

rjadams55

Fecha

Octubre 8, 2015

Descripción

Near the Calaveras Big Trees State Park North Grove Campground a large mid-afternoon swarm of Convergent Ladybird Beetles was found. They were congregating in the cracks of some fallen logs.

Fotos / Sonidos

Qué

Ardilla de Douglas (Tamiasciurus douglasii)

Observ.

rjadams55

Fecha

Octubre 8, 2015

Descripción

Douglas Squirrels were extremely common in and around the the North Grove Campground. Additionally, there were smaller numbers of Western Grey Squirrels (Sciurus griseus), California Ground Squirrels (Otospermophilus beecheyi), and at least one species of Chipmunk (Neotamias sp.)

Fotos / Sonidos

Qué

Ardillón de California (Otospermophilus beecheyi)

Observ.

rjadams55

Fecha

Octubre 8, 2015

Descripción

Several California Ground Squirrels were seen around the the North Grove Campground. Additionally, there were large numbers of Douglas Squirrels (Tamiasciurus douglasii), small numbers of Western Grey Squirrels (Sciurus griseus), and at least one species of Chipmunk (Neotamias sp.).

Fotos / Sonidos

Qué

Chara Copetona (Cyanocitta stelleri)

Observ.

rjadams55

Fecha

Octubre 9, 2015

Descripción

Steller's Jays were common throughout the area, but their habit of staying in the deep shadows made catching a sharp image difficult.

Fotos / Sonidos

Qué

Pájaro Carpintero de Cabeza Blanca (Dryobates albolarvatus)

Observ.

rjadams55

Fecha

Octubre 9, 2015

Descripción

Several individuals and at least one family group of White-headed Woodpeckers were seen around the North Grove at Caleveras Big Trees State Park.

Fotos / Sonidos

Observ.

rjadams55

Fecha

Octubre 9, 2015

Descripción

In many areas around the Calaveras Big Trees State Park, Mountain Dogwood was the predominate large understory plant

Fotos / Sonidos

Qué

Ardilla Gris (Sciurus griseus)

Observ.

rjadams55

Fecha

Octubre 9, 2015

Descripción

A pair were seen near the trailhead for the South Grove Trail, Caleveras Big Trees State Park.

Fotos / Sonidos

Qué

Carbonero Cejas Blancas (Poecile gambeli)

Observ.

rjadams55

Fecha

Octubre 9, 2015

Descripción

Several Mountain Chickadees were seen or heard calling from the tall conifers near the South Grove Trailhead. Unfortunately, they were constantly moving, so while this shot is slightly out of focus, it is still recognizable.

Fotos / Sonidos

Observ.

rjadams55

Fecha

Octubre 9, 2015

Descripción

Greenleaf Manzanita were common in Calaveras Big Tree State Park. This individual was found along the bank of Beaver Creek and was identified by its large, flat burl, shiny, green leaves (not glaucous), tiny golden hairs on the panicles, and location, growing at just about 4,300 ft.

Fotos / Sonidos

Qué

Cedro Colorado (Calocedrus decurrens)

Observ.

rjadams55

Fecha

Octubre 9, 2015

Descripción

Incense Cedars were among the most common of trees at Calaveras Big Trees State Park. These individuals were along Beaver Creek in Tuolomne County.

Fotos / Sonidos

Observ.

rjadams55

Fecha

Octubre 9, 2015

Descripción

A colony of several dozen California Turret Spiders was found along the South Grove Trail. Based on Starrett and Hedin's 2007 paper on cryptic speciation among the California Turret Spiders, these are members of the "Sierran" clade. According to their publication, there are five deeply divided clades of turret spider in California representing five cryptic, currently undescribed species.

Fotos / Sonidos

Observ.

rjadams55

Fecha

Octubre 9, 2015

Descripción

After Douglas Squirrels, Long-eared Chipmunks were the second most common squirrel in Big Trees Calaveras State Park. They were identified by their location with the Sierras and the large white patches behind their long ears.

Fotos / Sonidos

Qué

Secuoya Gigante (Sequoiadendron giganteum)

Observ.

rjadams55

Fecha

Octubre 9, 2015

Descripción

There are two groves of Giant Sequoias in Caleveras Big Trees State Park. This is member of the South Grove sequoias.

Fotos / Sonidos

Observ.

rjadams55

Fecha

Octubre 2015

Descripción

I found this snail in Tuolomne County on the trail to the South Grove sequoias at 4650 ft elevation. The habitat was mature pine forest with a scattering of large Big Leaf Maples.

Fotos / Sonidos

Qué

Caballito Crucifijo Mayor (Archilestes grandis)

Observ.

rjadams55

Fecha

Octubre 9, 2015

Descripción

Found near Beaver Creek.

Fotos / Sonidos

Qué

Gorrión Rascador (Passerella iliaca)

Observ.

rjadams55

Fecha

Octubre 9, 2015

Descripción

Based on its grayish head and back, yellowish bill, and dark brown chest spotting, wings, and tail, this is almost certainly a member of the "Slate-colored Fox Sparrow" complex.

This group breeds widely in the Rockies and in the mountains of the Great Basin and winters in the southwestern US and northwestern Mexico.

Fotos / Sonidos

Qué

Saltapared Cholino del Oeste (Troglodytes pacificus)

Observ.

rjadams55

Fecha

Octubre 9, 2015

Descripción

Several Pacific Wrens were seen in the shadiest parts of the trail through the North Grove sequoias.

Fotos / Sonidos

Qué

Bajapalos Pecho Canela (Sitta canadensis)

Observ.

rjadams55

Fecha

Octubre 9, 2015

Descripción

I realize these aren't the most photogenic of pictures, but this Red-breasted Nuthatch was doing a very unusual behavior. It was exploring the trunk at almost ground level and then repeatedly it would drop and disappear. After it flew off, I found a large rodent or small rabbit burrow at the base of the tree behind the brush. I believe it was popping into the burrow to feed on insects and spiders along its walls.

Fotos / Sonidos

Qué

Pino de Azúcar (Pinus lambertiana)

Observ.

rjadams55

Fecha

Octubre 9, 2015

Descripción

Sugar Pines were the most numerous tree in Caleveras Big Trees State Park. Some of these were quite massive and they were easily identified by their exceptionally long cones.

Fotos / Sonidos

Qué

Helecho Águila (Pteridium aquilinum)

Observ.

rjadams55

Fecha

Octubre 9, 2015

Descripción

Western Brackenferns were quite common in the undergrowth among the North Grove sequoias.

Fotos / Sonidos

Qué

Mirlo Primavera (Turdus migratorius)

Observ.

rjadams55

Fecha

Octubre 9, 2015

Descripción

This female robin was in the North Grove Campground

Fotos / Sonidos

Observ.

rjadams55

Fecha

Octubre 10, 2015

Descripción

California Black Oaks were fairly common around Calaveras Big Trees State Park. They were identified by their deeply lobed leaves with soft spines at the tip of the lobes.

Fotos / Sonidos

Qué

Arce de Hoja Grande (Acer macrophyllum)

Observ.

rjadams55

Fecha

Octubre 10, 2015

Fotos / Sonidos

Observ.

rjadams55

Fecha

Octubre 10, 2015

Descripción

About half a dozen of these grasshoppers were found at a gravelly pullout off Highway 4 at nearly 6,800 ft elevation.

They were identified by their general coloration, large heads, blue hind tibiae with a pale proximal band, and (not visible in these pictures but seen in while stopping here), their yellow hind wings with black bands around their outer rims. They made a "cracking" sound when they flew.

Fotos / Sonidos

Qué

Lagartija Espinosa de Pastizal (Sceloporus graciosus)

Observ.

rjadams55

Fecha

Octubre 10, 2015

Descripción

This hatchling Sagebrush Lizard was found under some brush at gravelly roadside pullout off Highway 4 at an elevation of nearly 6,800 ft.

Fotos / Sonidos

Observ.

rjadams55

Fecha

Octubre 10, 2015

Descripción

Identified by its leaf structure, location, and reddish-brown bark.

Fotos / Sonidos

Qué

Álamo Temblón (Populus tremuloides)

Observ.

rjadams55

Fecha

Octubre 10, 2015

Descripción

There were quite a few groves of Quaking Aspen along Highway 89 towards Monitor Pass

Fotos / Sonidos

Qué

Chapulín de Alas Pálidas (Trimerotropis pallidipennis)

Observ.

rjadams55

Fecha

Octubre 10, 2015

Fotos / Sonidos

Observ.

rjadams55

Fecha

Octubre 10, 2015

Descripción

At least three of these Garter Snakes were swimming among the rocks in the shallows of the West Fork Carson River.

Fotos / Sonidos

Qué

Carbonero Cejas Blancas (Poecile gambeli)

Observ.

rjadams55

Fecha

Octubre 10, 2015

Descripción

Several Mountain Chickadees were feeding in the Lodgepole Pines along the Carson River.

Fotos / Sonidos

Qué

Pino de San Pedro Mártir (Pinus contorta)

Observ.

rjadams55

Fecha

Octubre 10, 2015

Descripción

Lodgepole Pines were common along this stretch of the Carson River. They were identified by their two-needle bundles and cone size.

Comentarios

Awesome!!! I look forward to seeing all of these observations -- maybe one of these days, I'll jump over to CA and journey to a couple counties with you. :)

Publicado por sambiology hace más de 8 años

Cool idea! Looking forward to seeing what you see. :)

Publicado por sea-kangaroo hace más de 8 años

Thank you gentlemen! And if you make it over to CA Sam, we will definitely do some naturalizing!

Publicado por rjadams55 hace más de 8 años

Wow, that's awesome! I love the ambitiousness of this. Do keep us posted!

Publicado por carrieseltzer hace más de 8 años

I'm looking forward to helping you add some marine algae to those lists!

Publicado por gbentall hace más de 8 años

I don't know if this makes any sense, but for the 250 species selection, the observations could be guided by the following considerations - i.e. those that reflect the diversity of the area. Just learned about this (phylogenetic diversity), hence still a novice. Anyway, good luck with your huge data acquisition undertaking. I am sure many new understandings and insights will result.
http://news.berkeley.edu/2014/07/18/big-data-guides-conservation-efforts/

Publicado por lynnwatson hace más de 8 años

Help with algae?! Why yes I would love that - Thank you!

I absolutely will be trying to capture a feel for the diversity of each region by focusing on the widespread, evocative species (Redwoods and Steller's Jays in Humboldt, Joshua Trees and Cactus Wrens in Riverside...), the endemic species with small distributions, and those species, that while broadly distributed, demonstrate a degree of variability across their range that when looked at as a group, might reveal previously unrecognized patterns. I'm also fascinated by the spread and ecology of introduced species, so there will likely be a noticeable number of weeds, introduced spiders, and non-native insects.

Publicado por rjadams55 hace más de 8 años

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