May 10, 2018
1:30 to 3:00 p.m.
Instead of a final exam, I assessed my Field Biology students’ naturalist knowledge by hosting a BioBlitz on the Sonoma State campus. For 90 minutes, we all tried to observe and identify as many species as possible on campus. I worked solo, while they worked in teams, and we were all competing against one another. I think there was one team who found more species than I did. (Of course, this still means I win, since I can take credit for having taught them about local natural history hahahaha).
Species List
Garden Snail (Cornu aspersum), Striped Skunk (Mephitis mephitis), Johnson’s Jumping Spider (Phidippus johnsoni), Red-eared Slider (Trachemys scripta elegans), Goldfinch (Spinus sp.), Northern Raven (Corvus corax), Striped Meadowhawk (Sympetrum pallipes), Oregon Junco (Junco hiemalis oreganus), California Quail (Callipepla californica), Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia), Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos), Oak Titmouse (Baeolophus inornatus), American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos), Chestnut-backed Chickadee (Poecile rufescens), Blue Butterfly sp (Lycaenidae), American Robin (Turdus migratorius), Western Yellow Swallowtail (Papilio rutulus), Western Honey Bee (Apis mellifera), Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura), Canada Goose (Branta canadensis), Pacific-slope Flycatcher (Empidonax difficilis), California Scrub Jay (Aphelcoma californica), Yellow-faced Bumble Bee (Bombus vosnesenskii), Boxelder Bug (Boisea trivittata), Black dragonfly, Mica Cap (Coprinellus micaceus), Pipevine Swallowtail (Battus philenor), California Towhee (Melozone crissalis), Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura), European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris), American Bushtit (Psaltriparus minimus), House Finch (Haemorhous mexicanus frontalis), Great Horned Owl (Bubo virginianus), Black Phoebe (Sayornis nigricans), Anna’s Hummingbird (Calypte anna), Cliff Swallow (Petrochelidon pyrrhonota), Big Leaf Maple (Acer macrophyllum), Boxelder (Acer negundo), California Buckeye (Aesculus californica), Pacific Madrone (Arbutus menziesii), Common Manzanita (Arctostaphylos manzanita), California Mugwort (Artemisia douglasiana), Italian Arum (Arum italicum) Coyote Brush (Baccharis pilularis), Oregon Grape (Berberis aquifolium), Milkmaids (Cardamine californica), Basket Sedge (Carex barbarae), Miner’s Lettuce (Claytonia perfoliata), Poison Hemlock (Conium maculatum), California Hazelnut (Corylus cornuta), Pacific Bleeding Heart (Dicentra formosa), Great Equisetum (Equisetum telmateia), California Poppy (Eschscholzia californica), Blue Gum Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus globulus), Common? Greenshield Lichen (Flavoparmelia caperata), Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare), Woodland Strawberry (Fragaria vesca), Herb Robert (Geranium robertianum), English Ivy (Hedera helix), Bristly Oxtongue (Helminthotheca echioides), Toyon (Heteromeles arbutifolia), Northern California Black Walnut (Juglans hindsii), Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis), Redwood Sorrel (Oxalis oregana), Bunchleaf Penstemon (Penstemon heterophyllus), Lacy Phacelia (Phacelia tanacetifolia), White Pine? (Pinus monticola), Ponderosa? Pine (Pinus ponderosa), Western Sword Fern (Polystichum munitum), Fremont’s Cottonwood (Populus fremontii), Coast Live Oak (Quercus agrifolia), California Black Oak (Quercus kelloggii), Valley Oak (Quercus lobata), Wild Radish (Raphanus sativus), Red-flowing Currant (Ribes sanguineum), Black Locust (Robinia pseudoacacia), California Wild Rose (Rosa californica), Himalayan Blackberry (Rubus armeniacus), California Blackberry (Rubus ursinus), Coast Redwood (Sequoia sempervirens), Milk Thistle (Silybum marianum), Common Snowberry (Symphoricarpos albus), Fringe Cups (Tellima grandiflora), Pacific Poison Oak (Toxicodendron diversilobum), California Bay (Umbellularia californica), Great Stinging Nettle (Urtica dioica), Greater Periwinkle (Vinca major), Giant Chain Fern (Woodwardia fimbriata)
Let me know what you think!