Wrap-up Statistics for the Great Southern Bioblitz Canberra - 2020
The 'Great Southern BioBlitz', is an international period of intense biological surveying in an attempt to record all the living species within several designated areas across the Southern Hemisphere in Spring.
The event encourages people in each participating location to attempt to find and make observations of as many species as possible within the event time frame. Another goal of the event is to engage people with nature and to help them learn about the animals and plant in their area.
The first Great Southern Bioblitz held in Canberra in 2020 was a great success, as evidenced by the sharp uptick in the number of observations made durring the event weekend.
A total of 697 observations of 300 species were made over the period 25 - 28 September 2020, the joint efforts of 37 observers. A huge thanks as well to the 150 identifiers who turn the observations into meaningful data.
The top three species observed were the Crimson Rosella, Yellow-faced Honeyeater and the Magpie. In fact, 9 out of the top 10 observed species were birds! - the tenth being, of course, the Eastern Grey Kangaroo.
The other top "non-avian" species observed were the Australia Water Dragon, European honeybee and, in full bloom, the beautiful Early Nancy.
Twelve species new to the ACT region on iNaturalist were observed during the 2020 Great Southern Bioblitz period, including this Common Hover Fly Parasitoid Wasp by @tedpettigrove, this Scrub Nettle by @happy_wanderer and this Spoon Leaved Cudweed by @robynkeke.
