City Nature Challenge 2023: Eastern Shore of Virginia's Journal

Thank you again for all your help making observations and identifying species for the (City) Nature Challenge! If you haven't already, please take 2-minutes to answer these questions so we can gather your feedback and improve next year's challenge: https://forms.office.com/r/xXPXQg6EPW.

Interested in doing even more? If you want to get updates on local volunteer opportunities and events with The Nature Conservancy on the Eastern Shore, reach out to Jen Dalke, volunteer program manager at jdalke@tnc.org.

We are looking for help with:
Oyster and Marsh Restoration | www.nature.org/VAoyster
Whimbrel Watch | tune in live today at 5 p.m.!
https://www.facebook.com/events/130261376709995/?cft[0]=AZWXU9Tn1bo8nqB5Aw5md2hXQOc4xEBpV_LxnC8XZEhcxgvwsvBby5bMshtulMIyB6CfAPaV5naiI5bEQvyH7LUAR9pK48YxlUYmnRtKghlz8F7XDm5L2oYfhWccbizhLEi83dM84cZrg0cnbRcKxAt-YyA259FvNcSmB-wtOK5tX6LfJEcF7T3102Kw1hTzv-8&tn=-UK-R

@marvelliott @suerice @susanelliott @brendapoist @lzjones @ben_nett1993 @owllls2 @robirda @aap2nd @mertensia @boettcher @pfcanderson @cokerm @cheryl659 @justacasual @airgus @shoremarg @jbm515 @shayen @colleencranneyeeee @asherlock @wilson252 @wcwhiteh @cusheeba @n6gis @mlemaste @annmd @spglvskatzin @corvideris @heymeadow @koolmickie @jennym @mariobird

Thank you for being part of the 2023 City Nature Challenge. This was the Virginia's Eastern Shore second year participating and we surpassed all of our first year results!

We'd love to hear from you about your experience. Please fill out the brief survey (less than 5 minutes to complete) so we can gather your feedback and make next year's event better: https://forms.office.com/r/xXPXQg6EPW</a

Eastern Shore Results
*589 observations made (a 34% increase from 2022)
*313 species identified (a 9% increase from 2022)
*31 observers (a 72% increase from 2022)

Highlights
*Finished 10th out of 36 similar population-size places for number of research-grade observations
*Finished 7th out of 36 similar population-size places for number of species
*Finished 7th out of 36 similar population-size places for number of observers
*On average, each person made 19 observations
*46% of observations were research grade. This means 1,423 observations will contribute to scientific databased and help with scientific research.

Help us win City Nature Challenge.

It's raining (a lot!), but we hope you'll get outside between the drops and make wildlife observations so we can top last year's Challenge numbers on the Eastern Shore.

Snap a photo in iNat of that worm on the sidewalk (it counts!) or that dandelion in your yard (it counts!) or the fly in your vehicle (it counts!).

Observations are slowly rolling in already and we hope to top last year's challenge numbers. Will you spread the word and help us?
• top 438 wildlife observations
• top 286 species
• top 18 people making observations

All iNaturalist observations from the Eastern Shore will automatically be counted in the Challenge. Results will be finalized on Monday, May 8 so be sure to upload all your observations by then.

Thanks,
Jen Dalke
Volunteer Program Manager, The Nature Conservancy
jdalke@tnc.org

@blastcat @waynesweeds @ashley_bradford @dreadhorn @bobsuppa @laurabankey @ronwertz @krechmer @bev435 @fieldwork427 @jimbrighton @sbs2000 @tca12345 @muir @brendapoist @lauralovesbirds @jwfehrer @nycticorax @fm5050 @james5 @tysmith @judygva @botanygirl @robirda @kbeza31979 @umamimomma @seigmond @epic2112 @jane41 @navin_sasikumar @shoremarg @mariobird @smithsonian_marinegeo @susanelliott @sallymd @wildlandblogger @drshawntdash @nrpeters @g_heaton @bwood708 @vicklein @drjatmbc
@zhelicarol @marvelliott @accipitergentilis @celithemis @nedbrinkley @dpom @keyojimbo @tomfeild

Hi everyone,
The Nature Challenge is happening again this year on April 28 – May 1, 2023. The Nature Challenge is an international effort for people to find and document what lives in towns and cities across the globe. There are around 485 other towns and cities participating this year so it will be great to see what everyone finds!

I’ve tagged you in this post because you are a top observer on the Eastern Shore of Virginia. We’re hoping you’ll participate in this year’s Nature Challenge. It is top iNat observers like you that will really help push us ahead in number of observations made and species recorded on Virginia's Eastern Shore. The easiest way to participate is to make as many iNaturalist observations of as many species as possible in Accomack and Northampton counties during April 28 – May 1. Helping with identifications will increase our final species numbers so that’s a great way to participate as well. You can find our City Nature Challenge: Eastern Shore project here: https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/city-nature-challenge-2023-eastern-shore-of-virginia

The 2023 City Nature Challenge runs from 12:01am on Friday, 4/28 to 11:59pm on Monday, 5/1. All iNaturalist observations from Virginia's eastern shore (Accomack and Northampton counties) will automatically be counted. Results will be announced on Monday, May 8 so be sure to upload all your observations by then. For more information and for a list of events happening across Virginia area during this challenge, please visit our website at https://www.nature.org/en-us/get-involved/how-to-help/events/virginia-city-nature-challenge/

@blastcat @waynesweeds @ashley_bradford @dreadhorn @bobsuppa @laurabankey @ronwertz @krechmer @bev435 @fieldwork427 @jimbrighton @sbs2000 @tca12345 @muir @brendapoist @lauralovesbirds @jwfehrer @nycticorax @fm5050 @james5 @tysmith @judygva @botanygirl @robirda @kbeza31979 @umamimomma @seigmond @epic2112 @jane41 @navin_sasikumar @shoremarg @mariobird @smithsonian_marinegeo @susanelliott @sallymd @wildlandblogger @drshawntdash @nrpeters @g_heaton @bwood708 @vicklein @drjatmbc

@zhelicarol @marvelliott @accipitergentilis @celithemis @nedbrinkley @dpom @keyojimbo @tomfeild