Seasonal Sightings along the Middle Rio Grande Calendar Project

1. Seasonal Sightings Along the Middle Rio Grande Deciduous Trees and Shrubs Contact info: Name: __________________________ Phone #: _____________________ Email address: _________________________ Date: _____________ Home address: _______________________________ City: ____________________ State: __________ Zip code:________________ This form is meant to be used as a guide and is not required in order to make observations for the project. What plant is it? Common Plant Name: _________________________________________________________________ Scientific Name: ______________________________________________________________________ Where is the plant? Location Description or GPS points: ______________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ Leaves unfolding: □Early: Only a few leaves have unfolded from the buds (less than 10%) □Middle: Many leaves have unfolded from the buds □Late: Most or all leaves are fully unfolded (over 90%) Leaves changing color: □Early: Only a few leaves have turned color (less than 10%) □Middle: Many leaves have turned color □Late: Most or all leaves have turned color (over 90%) What is the plant doing right now? Leaves dropping: □Early: Only a few leaves have dropped (less than 10%) □Middle: Many leaves have dropped □Late: Most or all leaves have dropped (over 90%) Flowers: □Early: Only a few flowers have emerged (less than 10%) or pollen is just starting to disperse □Middle: Many flowers have emerged or a lot of pollen is falling □Late: Most or all flowers have wilted or fallen off (over 90%) or there is no pollen anymore Fruit □Middle: Many fruits are ripe □Early: Only a few ripe fruits are visible (less than 10% are ripe) □Late: Most or all fruits or seeds have been dispersed from plant (over 90%) www.iNaturalist.org – create a profile and enter them into our project “Seasonal Sightings along the Middle Rio Grande” Please input data sheets online at: This form is meant to be used as a guide and is not required in order to make observations for the project. Or … you can mail your data sheets to: Colleen McRoberts: 111 Union Square St. SE Suite 200 / Albuquerque, NM 87102 Questions?? – Call or email Colleen at (505) 314-0398 / calangan@bernco.gov

2. Seasonal Sightings along the Middle Rio Grande Seasonal Sightings aims to engage citizen scientists to help gather data on plants and animals along the Middle Rio Grande Bosque Ecosystem. Specifically, the project is focused on seasonal changes such as animal migrations and plants blossoming, known collectively as phenology. These natural events help mark the seasons, excite amateur naturalists, and provide valuable information to the scientific community. The data will be made available to the wider public through the development of a Seasonal Sightings calendar for the Middle Rio Grande Valley. This project is ideal for budding naturalists, students, and people who just want to observe nature. To participate, post your observations on www.iNaturalist.org, join the Seasonal Sightings Along the Middle Rio Grande project, or visit www.bernco.gov/openspace to down-load forms. For additional information, call 505-314-0398 or email calangan@bernco.gov . January - Variegated Meadowhawk (dragonfly out in January), Woodpecker (Downy, Hairy, or Northern Flicker) February- Porcupines, FOS* Mourning Cloak Butterfly, LOS** Bald Eagle March - Great Horned Owlets, FOS Turkey Vulture, FOS bats, Three-leaf Sumac blooming, FOS Cliff Swallows under bridges April - FOS Black Chinned Hummingbird, Swallowtail Butterfly, FOS Spiny Soft Shell Turtle May - Wood duck ducklings, FOS New Mexico Whiptail Lizard, Canada Goose goslings June - Woodhouse Toadlets (transitioning onto land from tadpole-hood), Cottonwood cotton/seeds July  - Cicadas, FOS Rufous Hummingbirds, Tiger Salamanders August– Beaver, Dragonflies (Desert Whitetail, Roseate Skimmer), Coachwhip Snake September- Sunflowers blooming, Purple Asters blooming, LOS Blue Grosbeaks, LOS Yellow Warblers October - Chamisa blooming, NM Olive fruiting, Cedar Waxwings November- Sandhill Cranes arriving (FOS on the ground; FOS flyovers happen in late Sept/early Oct), LOS Snowy Egrets December - White-crowned sparrows, coyotes * FOS – First of season **LOS – Last of season The project aims to collect data on all species of plants and animals within the Middle Rio Grande, however, there are several species of interest that will be featured in the calendars. The species of interest include the following. Photo contest!! We are accepting photos of any of the above listed species to be entered into our calendar. If your photo is selected you will receive a free calendar. Please send your photos by September 1st to Colleen at calangan@bernco.gov.