HOURS OF OPERATION
Thursday, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Friday, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Saturday, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Sunday, 12:00 noon to 5:00 p.m.
(Gates close promptly at 5:00 p.m.)
BIOBLITZ!
BioBlitz is a 24-hour event in which scientists, volunteers, and community members team up to find, identify, and learn about as many local plant and animal species as possible in the water and on the land around Otter Point Creek and the Bush River at the Anita C. Leight Estuary Center. BioBlitz is a free event held annually and is open to the public. This year it took place on September 12 and 13, 2009.
BioBlitz consists of sessions throughout the 24-hour period in which scientists focus on one type of habitat or organism. There are sessions on plants, trees, birds, insects, mammals, bay grasses, and fish. Those who arrived early on Sunday morning for the marsh bird session took a kayak trip during a beautiful sunrise over the marsh and saw mallards, wood ducks, eagles, a blue-winged teal, and northern pintails, among many other birds.
Volunteers and visitors can learn about how scientists find organisms to inventory. To attract a huge array of nocturnal bugs, the entomologists set up light traps by shining a light against a white sheet. Visitors can take a boat ride during the bay grass session to measure bay grasses and learn about their importance.
Biologists, ecologists, families, students, school groups, youth groups, teachers, community leaders, and all interested people are invited to take advantage of this excellent opportunity to help locate and identify the various species in the park and learn interesting facts about them. The data collected during BioBlitz is an inventory of species and a description of habitats surveyed. Using the information gathered at BioBlitz, scientists and park managers can identify uncommon species or habitats that may need special care for protection or management.
By participating in BioBlitz, people can experience the biological diversity of the area first-hand. Volunteers and participants are truly needed to help collect data to make BioBlitz run smoothly. By participating in the sessions, people can recognize that they are helping to monitor the plants and animals of the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Citizen involvement, such as this, is a great way for people to make a difference in working to protect the bay and the lands that surround it.
See a sample schedule below for details from the 2009 BioBlitz.
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS - BioBlitz 2009
Saturday
1-3 pm Estuary Aquatics
Seine for tidal fish, crabs, and other water-dwelling creatures
1-3 pm Terrestrial Snails
Hunt and classify land snails
2-4 pm Butterflies
Trap and identify beautiful butterflies
3-6pm Wetland Plants
Hike through the marsh to find and identify wetland flora
4-7 pm Upland Herbs
Trek through forest and meadow to identify plants
5-7 pm Bugs & Beetles
Capture and identify insects
6:30-8 pm Mammal Traps
Set and bait live animal traps
8-11 pm Nighttime Bugs
Trap and study nocturnal insects
Sunday
6:30-10:30 am Marsh Birds
Kayak through open water and marsh habitat to find and count wetland birds
7-10 am Forest Birds
Hike the forest trails in search of woodland birds
7-9 am Mammal Search
Check live traps, classify and study animals
8-11 am Bay Grass Expedition
Take a boat trip to find and measure Bay Grass beds
8-12 noon Marsh Plants
Canoe to find and identify vegetation
9-12 noon Forest Trees
Identify tree species and calculate wildlife habitat
9-12 noon Herp Search
Explore the marsh and backwater for turtles, frogs, and snakes
Upcoming EventsView all
- White Tailed Deer Survey03/13/2010 @ 9:00 am-12:00 pmHarford County seems to be experiencing explosive population growth - and not just with humans. So, we need your help to determine if the deer population of Leight Park is a healthy size. Join us and get the scoop on poop as we conduct pellet (deer scat) counts out on the trails to determine how many deer call us home.
- Turtle Telemetry Training03/13/2010 @ 10:00 am-12:00 pmTake part in real science as we search for and monitor local box turtles. Learn to use radio telemetry gear and consider being a regular turtle monitoring volunteer. Come out of your shell and have some fun!
- Intro to Geographic Information Systems (GIS)03/13/2010 @ 12:30 pm-4:00 pmLearn how to use "Map Window", a free GIS program, to view and analyze Otter Point Creek data. Essential GIS introductory material wil be covered, but the focus will be on using GIS data available from a number of web sources. Take a short hike to "ground truth" some of our results. This program is for teens and adults involved in volunteer research and monitoring.
- Eagles of the Chesapeake Bay03/13/2010 @ 3:00 pm-4:30 pmFrom the perspective of an eagle researcher, learn all about these birds we call our national symbol.
- Trail Trek03/14/2010 @ 9:00 am-12:00 pmEnjoy a splendid day hike along the banks of the Gunpowder. Bring snack and water. Registrants will be meeting at the Gunpowder Stare Park lot on Rt. 1.
What's Happening
