Over this past weekend, I participated in the City Nature Challenge bioblitz on iNaturalist. I explored the Intervale Center during their Spectacular Nature Celebration and found Painted Turtles, Bullfrog tadpoles, millipedes, Willow trees, and other fascinating species.
I opted to walk to and from classes, the gym, and dining halls instead of taking the bus so I could observe the wild species of UVM’s campus and surrounding neighborhoods. I made 40 observations and identified 22 species, such as Eastern Gray Squirrels, American Robins, Daffodils, Hyacinths, Magnolias, and Red Maples. I had not used iNaturalist in a while, so it was a bit confusing getting started again, but in the end I found it really fun to be able to learn more about the nature I see and admire every day.
Seeing the leaderboard of cities who contributed the most was also interesting. I’m not sure what exactly I was expecting to see, but I was surprised to see La Paz, Cape Town, and Dallas take the top three spots. What made me particularly sentimental was seeing that Fairfield County and Burlington were right next to each other on the list, since I am from Fairfield County and currently live in Burlington.
Overall, I had a really good experience with the City Nature Challenge. I got to explore beautiful nature during my new favorite season, learn more about local species, and contribute to an important database, which was all really exciting and rewarding. I am looking forward to using iNaturalist more in the future and continuing to immerse myself in nature as New England goes through major phenological changes through spring and summer!