2013 BioBlitz - Piedmont Wildlife Center

BioBlitz

On August 23-24, 2013 staff and volunteers
conducted a 24-hour inventory of the flora and fauna at the

Piedmont Wildlife Center

Friday's activities focused largely on the biological inventory. Teams were organized by category, such as the Herps or herpetologists, who looked for reptiles like snakes (on purpose).

Team leaders noted each speciman on clip boards
with as much detail, as possible.

After dark, special lighting & draped cloths provided
a unique opporutnity to study moths

Some limited educational opportunities like the Owl Prowl
and owl encounter were offered, as well.

Saturday's events continued the inventory, but
also included many more free educational opportunities
for guests.

Inventory categories included, but were not limited to: birds, butterfiles, herps, dragonflies, fish, amphibianlms, plants, trees, arthropods, aquatic inverts and mammals.

Guests enjoyed learning how to use
telemetry to track our box turtles, getting up close and personal with insects, a raptor encounter, guided and unguided nature walks, and much more.

Support the efforts of the

Piedmont Wildlife Center

Make your donation today to:
364 Leigh Farm Road
Durham, NC 27707

Friday Evening's Activities Focused on the Biological Inventory


Selling T-shirts provided a fund-raising opportunity. Some of the Center's resident creatures were present.

Volunteers met at Base Camp and other locations prior to the inventory sessions.
Will Cook led the "Birds & Butterfiles" Team	Part of the "Herp's" Team


Please send us your photographs from BioBlitz



The Herps Team

	Everything wants to get in on the action.



	The Herps Team scoured the dam area for reptiles, amphibians and more.




Hard-working staff and volunteers insured that the operations went smoothly, and even fed us.
"Miracle", the frizzled dove, is always a crowd pleaser.

Guests who participated in the Owl Prowl enjoyed a demonstration of the calls of the screech owl, the barred owl, and even monkey calling. The Owl Prowl concluded with a visit by "Otus", the screech owl, and "Athena", the barred owl.

Volunteers worked late into the night using only a headlamp for illumination. Base Camp remained dark to promote a special opportunity to view moths.

Black lights and other light sources were used to draw moths.	A little fun with night time photography.

Saturday's events included more inventories, but also included free educational opportunities for guests.

A session on telemetry taught participants how the Center tracks turtles, and even allowed youngsters to practice with the equipment.
A cage protects the eggs of a box turtle from predators.	Technology, including GPS, helps define the territory and habits of the turtles.

Participants learned to identify a turtle from harmless carvings on its shell.	The transmitters do not injure the turtles
	Guests enjoyed an educational session with members of our Raptor Team.



"Ivan", the Red-Tailed Hawk



Guests learned a lot about insects from Adam, one of our interns, who just loves bugs.



This Praying Mantis was determined to get up close and personal.

Guests joined our volunteers in a butterfly netting experience at one our ponds.

Packing up until next time.