Hello Naturalists,

Thanks again for contributing to the 2016 Biodiversity Big Year for San Benito County – all 117 of you that participated! And thanks to everyone who made a final push these past several weeks to add more 2016 observations and help review additional records to gain more species level identifications. As of March 1, the project has collectively documented 5,809 observations representing 1,333 different species. Collectively, the total number of species exceeded the total (1,310) of all the targets I dreamed up at the beginning of project for the various taxonomic groups. While a couple of the targets were perhaps a bit optimistic, a few others were greatly exceeded – Lepidoptera, Other Insects, and Spiders in particular. Here’s how our totals shook out for different taxonomic groups.

598 Plants (target of 750 – thanks to Brent Johnson, I didn’t overreach further and aim for 1,000)
154 Birds (just over the target of 150 – well done)
52 Fungi (including lichens – target was 100, but I never got around to organizing a lichen blitz)
250 Lepidoptera – 64 Butterflies and 186 Moths (way past the target of 100 - amazing!)
29 Odonata (just shy of the target of 30)
134 Other Insects (target was 100 – great to see this group explored)
30 Spiders (target was 20 – surpassed by 50%)
30 Mammals (right on the nose – target was 30)
22 Reptiles (zipped past the target of 20)
10 Amphibians (again, right on the target of 10)

What a year!

Special appreciation goes to the out-of-towners who traveled to the county and really rocked the BBY: @gbentall, @rjadams55, @jmaughn, @dpom, and @abr each documented over 100 species. What an amazing assembly of records! And thanks to @euproserpinus for work on generating the totals above and helping move this update forward.

If you haven’t already, please join the 2017 Biodiversity Big Year project for San Benito (http://www.inaturalist.org/projects/biodiversity-big-year-2017-san-benito-county) and extend the invitation to other iNaturalist users that you know frequent San Benito County or are planning a trip here this year. In 2017, I would love to hone in on species that have been documented in the county in other databases or on species lists for the area but do not yet have any iNaturalist records. There are currently 2,110 species documented in the county in iNaturalist and while I haven’t reviewed many county lists yet to look at likely gaps that we might fill, I bet we can increase that total by 10% or more. Perhaps we could even bring that up to 2,500 by the end of 2017. In case there are any lichen fans out there up for a treasure hunt, I have included a list at the bottom of this post with 252 species of lichen known to occur at Pinnacles National Park and for which there is not an iNaturalist record yet. Many might be cryptic, but if we get a bit more rain it could be a great time to photograph some of the larger ones. I’ll aim to post more target groups in the coming weeks. Spring wildflower bloom is right around the corner!

Thanks go out to everyone that participated: @euproserpinus, @danielgeorge, @gbentall, @rjadams55, @jmaughn, @dpom, @abr, @brentjohnson, @leslie_flint, @mikeshelley, @avocat, @dryan, @ewrubel, @scstroller, @tiwane, @matty, @anudibranchmom, @stephanomeria, @deviirao, @icosahedron, @aly_cat, @asemerdj, @jnegreann, @joelle, @biofam, @sarahsnail, @atwelch, @jkatjs, @psweet, @kaela04, @karinakilldeer, @gyrrlfalcon, @ldjaffe, @animebirder, @ligocsicnarf, @misserika, @jay, @marinmaverick, @gonhiking, @smithlinnea, @chiemvirida, @mcduck, @nawaters, @loloscheiner, @eib9, @gatoboy, @asjones, @bbell, @parobbert, @serpophaga, @sullivanribbit, @birdgal5, @borisdelahaie, @bronte2, @dclump, @edefranco, @haynack, @l2wahl, @m_aniket, @maxdavenpm, @megangnekow, @nancygoehring, @airshark, @ajbell, @alacia, @apatten, @apunzalan, @avecita, @bettencourtabby, @biohemian, @bwitzke, @chalsch, @cordulegaster58obliqua, @elisefleishman, @esschan, @flygrl67, @imdezus2, @jenniferwestphal, @johngrett, @kairality, @kaylinchang, @kphillips, @kristinrh, @krosehughes, @kvanesky, @lesleychapman, @lorri-gong, @marian7, @mermaid-mermaid, @nelsonb, @paultravis, @rangerronni, @sarasalamander, @sckate, @scott_scherbinski, @srrgr16, @stephen_sikes, @yanikpohl, @zdshelby, @andrewmiddletontrc, @brian4, @brian62, @brieana, @ericanderson, @jacob24, @jeankoch, @joaaelst, @katie1994, @omargisme, @philipcaltabiano, @sharksfanatic, @shewalkssoftly, @stubek, @thebuilders, @thomas58, @tiannaj66, @yongling

Cheers,

Daniel

Lichens Not Yet in iNaturalist for San Benito County
Acarospora glaucocarpa
Acarospora obpallens
Acarospora schleicheri
Acarospora thelococcoides
Amandinea punctata
Aspicilia caesiocinerea
Aspicilia calcarea
Aspicilia californica
Aspicilia cinerea
Aspicilia contorta
Aspicilia gibbosa
Aspicilia reptans
Buellia disciformis
Buellia lepidastroidea
Buellia penichra
Buellia sequax
Buellia stillingiana
Buellia turgescens
Caloplaca bolacina
Caloplaca chrysophthalma
Caloplaca chrysopthalma
Caloplaca demissa
Caloplaca ferruginea
Caloplaca flavorubescens
Caloplaca holocarpa
Caloplaca ignea
Caloplaca impolita
Caloplaca luteominia
Caloplaca oregona
Caloplaca saxicola
Caloplaca trachyphylla
Caloplaca variabilis
Candelaria concolor
Candelaria pacifica
Candelariella aurella
Candelariella rosulans
Candelariella spraguei
Candelariella terrigena
Candelariella vitellina
Catapyrenium plumbeum
Catapyrenium squamulosum
Chrysothrix chlorina
Cladonia asahinae
Cladonia chlorophaea
Cladonia conista
Cladonia fimbriata
Cladonia humilis
Cladonia ochrochlora
Cladonia pyxidata
Cladonia rei
Cladonia subulata
Cladonia verruculosa
Collema furfuraceum
Collema nigrescens
Collema subflaccidum
Cornicularia californica
Cyphelium inquinans
Cyphelium tigillare
Dermatocarpon miniatum
Dermatocarpon reticulatum
Dimelaena oreina
Dimelaena radiata
Dimelaena thysanota
Dimelaena weberi
Diploschistes diacapsis
Diploschistes gypsaceus
Diploschistes muscorum
Diploschistes scruposus var. scruposus
Diplotomma alboatra
Diplotomma alboatrum
Endocarpon pusillum
Flavoparmelia caperata
Flavopunctelia soredica
Fuscopannaria annita
Fuscopannaria californica
Fuscopannaria coralloidea
Fuscopannaria cyanolepra
Fuscopannaria pacifica
Fuscopannaria praetermissa
Heterodermia leucomela
Heterodermia namaquana
Hypocenomyce scalaris
Hypogymnia imshaugii
Imshaugia aleurites
Kaernefeltia merrillii
Lecania fuscella
Lecania hassei
Lecanora crenulata
Lecanora demissa
Lecanora gangaleoides
Lecanora hybocarpa
Lecanora melaena
Lecanora meridionalis
Lecanora muralis
Lecanora pinniperda
Lecanora pseudomellea
Lecanora pulicaris
Lecanora rupicola
Lecanora saligna
Lecanora sierrae
Lecanora strobilina
Lecanora symmicta
Lecanora varia
Lecidea atrobrunnea
Lecidea auriculata
Lecidea fuscatoatra
Lecidea fuscoatra
Lecidea fuscoatra var. grisella
Lecidea lapicida var. lapicida
Lecidea lapicida var. pantherina
Lecidea mannii
Lecidea protabacina
Lecidea tenayucae
Lecidea tessellata
Lecidella carpathica
Lecidella elaeochroma
Lecidella euphorea
Lempholemma cladodes
Leproloma membranaceum
Leptochidium albociliatum
Leptogium californicum
Leptogium corniculatum
Leptogium gelatinosum
Leptogium lichenoides
Leptogium pseudofurfuraceum
Lichinella nigritella
Lichinella stipatula
Megaspora verrucosa
Melanelia elegantula
Melanelia exasperatula
Melanelia fuliginosa
Melanelia glabra
Melanelia glabroides
Melanelia multispora
Melanelia subargentifera
Melanelia subelegantula
Melanelia subolivacea
Melanelia tominii
Mycobilimbia beringeriana
Mycocalicium subtile
Neofuscelia loxodes
Neofuscelia subhosseana
Neofuscelia verruculifera
Nephroma helveticum
Ochrolechia subpallescens
Ochrolechia upsaliensis
Parmelia hygrophila
Parmelia sulcata
Parmeliella cyanolepra
Parmelina quercina
Peltigera canina
Peltigera ponojensis
Peltigera praetextata
Peltigera rufescens
Peltula euploca
Peltula obscurans var. hassei
Pertusaria chiodectonoides
Phaeophyscia constipata
Phaeophyscia decolor
Phaeophyscia hirsuta
Phaeophyscia orbicularis
Phaeophysicia hispidula
Phyconia enteroxantha
Physcia aipolia
Physcia caesia
Physcia callosa
Physcia dimidiata
Physcia dubia
Physcia phaea
Physcia stellaris
Physcia tenella
Physcia tribacia
Physciella chloantha
Physconia americana
Physconia californica
Physconia detersa
Physconia enteroxantha
Physconia isidiigera
Physconia muscigena
Physconia perisidiosa
Placidium squamulosum
Placopyrenium zahlbruckneri
Placynthiella icmalea
Placynthiella uliginosa
Pleopsidium chlorophanum
Pleopsidium flavum
Polychidium muscicola
Polysporina simplex
Porpidia macrocarpa
Protoparmelia badia
Psora globifera
Psora nipponica
Psora pacifica
Psora russellii
Psora tuckermanii
Psorula rufonigra
Punctelia perreticulata
Punctelia subrudecta
Ramalina farinacea
Ramalina subleptocarpha
Rhizocarpon bolanderi
Rhizocarpon distinctum
Rhizocarpon geographicum
Rhizoplaca chrysoleuca
Rhizoplaca melanophthalma
Rinodina bolanderi
Rinodina californiensis
Rinodina capensis
Rinodina confragosa
Rinodina conradii
Rinodina endospora
Rinodina exigua
Rinodina glauca
Rinodina tephrapsis
Sarcogyne clavus
Sticta fuliginosa
Tephromela atra
Texosporium sancti-jacobi
Thelomma mammosum
Thelomma occidentale
Toninia massata
Toninia ruginosa
Toninia sedifolia
Trapelia involuta
Trapeliopsis californica
Trapeliopsis flexuosa
Trapeliopsis glaucopholis
Trapeliopsis granulosa
Trapeliopsis wallrothii
Umbilicaria polyphylla
Umbilicaria polyrhiza
Usnea hirta
Usnea subfloridana
Usnea substerilis
Verrucaria aethiobola
Verrucaria nigrescens
Vouauxiella lichenicola
Vulpicida canadensis
Xanthomendoza oregana
Xanthoparmelia angustiphylla
Xanthoparmelia coloradoensis
Xanthoparmelia cumberlandia
Xanthoparmelia lineola
Xanthoparmelia mexicana
Xanthoparmelia plittii
Xanthoria candelaria
Xanthoria elegans
Xanthoria fallax
Xanthoria hasseana
Xanthoria oregana
Xanthoria oregona
Xanthoria polycarpa

Hi Everyone,

Last year we generated 5,785 iNaturalist records for San Benito County - well over half of all the records in iNaturalist to date (10,138). As of today, those records have been identified down to 1,322 species, which is 63% of all species yet recorded in iNat for San Benito County (2,088 total). But with records review and uploading any outstanding photos you still have on your phone or camera for 2016, those numbers might go up more. I would like to take a look at totals for taxonomic groups, but will wait a couple more weeks for folks to do any more records clean-up you might have pending. So please take a look at your accounts and see if there are records to add or that you can refine further and I will take a look again at the end of January to summarize how we did on dragonflies, fungi, plants, mammals, etc.

And if you can't wait to get out there and gather more into for San Benito, we have launched a Biodiversity Big Year for 2017!

http://www.inaturalist.org/projects/biodiversity-big-year-2017-san-benito-county

This year we would like especially to seek out species that occur in San Benito but have not yet been documented within iNaturalist. In the coming weeks, we will post some lists of target species that are known from museum records or other sources to occur in San Benito but don't have an iNaturalist record yet. This is your chance to be the first!

Cheers,

Daniel

Hello Fellow Avian Enthusiasts - or Enthusiasts of Avian Species,

The San Benito Biodiversity Big Year stands at 133 bird species. Seventeen more would bring us to the substantial threshold of 150. There are a handful of logical targets to help us get there. Once autumn rolls around, there are several duck species that could be added. But for now, I've winnowed down the realm of possibilities to species to keep an eye out for soon - either before they migrate out for the season or as they start to migrate through. Shorebirds in particular are great to keep an eye out for in the coming month. If anyone is heading out to BLM lands, keep an eye peeled for Chukar. And if you're just in town, try and grab a photo of House Sparrow - no one has documented one in the County yet this year! Other species we might have a shot at in the coming few weeks are listed below. A great resource for checking on seasonality and distribution is on the eBird portal: http://ebird.org/ebird/explore

Sharp-shinned Hawk
Ring-necked Pheasant
Virginia Rail
Sora
American Avocet
Greater Yellowlegs
Willet
Lesser Yellowlegs
Marbled Godwit
Dunlin
Least Sandpiper
Western Sandpiper
Short-billed Dowitcher
Long-billed Dowitcher
Wilson's Phalarope
Band-tailed Pigeon (autumn at Pinnacles should be good)
Western Screech-Owl (sound recording might be the best bet)
Short-eared Owl
Common Poorwill (sound recording might be the best bet)
Vaux's Swift (perhaps a few will push through on migration - might be a tough photo!)
Black-chinned Hummingbird
Rufous Hummingbird (might be late for a southbound migrant?)
Belted Kingfisher
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Olive-sided Flycatcher (maybe a straggler or two is out there yet as they push south)
Western Wood-Pewee (window is closing as they head south - haven't been vocal for a while)
Cassin's Vireo (getting late...)
Tree Swallow (maybe in the northwestern part of the county?)
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Brown Creeper (anyone heading to Fremont Peak State Park?)
Marsh Wren
Swainson's Thrush (most have headed south, but we could get lucky with some from the north heading through)
Varied Thrush (keep in mind for the autumn / winter)
Common Yellowthroat
Black-throated Gray Warbler (late September and into October may prove to be a good bet)
Townsend's Warbler (October is a good bet)
Grasshopper Sparrow (lucky if we could find a straggler)
Chipping Sparrow (reasonable chance some still in area or moving through)
Purple Finch
Lesser Goldfinch
American Goldfinch

Happy photo hunting.

Cheers,

Daniel

Hello Again,

Looks like we have reached 20 species of Odonata. What an amazing group of organisms - metamorphosis! For those of you interested in searching for species that we have not yet documented, I compared our list in the Biodiversity Big Year iNaturalist project to the list for San Benito County on the Odonata Central website and queried out (by scientific name) the species expected for the area that we have not yet documented:

Walker's Darner (Aeshna walkeri)
Giant Darner (Anax walsinghami)
California Spreadwing (Archilestes californicus)
Emma's Dancer (Argia emma)
Lavender Dancer (Argia hinei)
Sooty Dancer (Argia lugens)
Aztec Dancer (Argia nahuana)
Pale-faced Clubskimmer (Brechmorhoga mendax)
Pacific Spiketail (Cordulegaster dorsalis)
Boreal Bluet (Enallagma boreale)
Arroyo Bluet (Enallagma praevarum)
White-belted Ringtail (Erpetogomphus compositus)
Western Pondhawk (Erythemis collocata)
Pacific Clubtail (Gomphus kurilis)
Spotted Spreadwing (Lestes congener)
Black Spreadwing (Lestes stultus)
Widow Skimmer (Libellula luctuosa)
Grappletail (Octogomphus specularis)
Bison Snaketail (Ophiogomphus bison)
Red Rock Skimmer (Paltothemis lineatipes)
Gray Sanddragon (Progomphus borealis)
Red-veined Meadowhawk (Sympetrum madidum)
Striped Meadowhawk (Sympetrum pallipes)
Black Saddlebags (Tramea lacerata)
Red Saddlebags (Tramea onusta)
Exclamation Damsel (Zoniagrion exclamationis)

And here are the ones we already have docuemnted:
Common Green Darner (Anax junius)
California Dancer (Argia agrioides)
Vivid Dancer (Argia vivida)
Northern Bluet (Enallagma annexum)
Tule Bluet (Enallagma carunculatum)
Familiar Bluet (Enallagma civile)
American Rubyspot (Hetaerina americana)
Pacific Forktail (Ischnura cervula)
Black-fronted Forktail (Ischnura denticollis)
Western Forktail (Ischnura perparva)
Flame Skimmer (Libellula saturata)
Blue Dasher (Pachydiplax longipennis)
Wandering Glider (Pantala flavescens)
Spot-winged Glider (Pantala hymenaea)
Common Whitetail (Plathemis lydia)
California Darner (Rhionaeschna californica)
Blue-eyed Darner (Rhionaeschna multicolor)
Variegated Meadowhawk (Sympetrum corruptum)
Cardinal Meadowhawk (Sympetrum illotum)
Desert Firetail (Telebasis salva)

There could be a name or few on the targets list that should be on the list of those already documented if there is a variation in scientific name used by the two systems. I was going off nomenclature used by Odonata Central.

Happy exploring!

• Daniel

Nice work, everyone. I just saw that we're at 1,002 species in San Benito for the year! iNaturalist has 1,871 for San Benito over all years, so this year we've documented well over half of the total ever entered.

Hello Again,

Thanks for feedback on the last update and confirmation that some folks will find the target lists helpful. So here's the first target list, generated by querying the Pinnacles National Park plant list (in iNat) against what we have already documented in the BBY. There may be a handful on here that are not matches because we had the subspecies in the BBY and the species is on the park list, or visa versa. If you are interested in finding a particular one listed that is listed here as a subspecies, you might check and see if it has already been documented at a species level. Those that don't didn't have a common name listed in the copy of the park checklist that I was working off of appear in the list with only the parenthetical notation of the scientific name. Common names here are from within iNaturalist as opposed to the pdf on the NPS website. There could also be some recent name change issues that resulted in names on here that actually have been documented under a different name. So, my apologies for some potential conflicts in the list, but in the interest of getting it out there, here it is. (I'll try in the next iteration to do a most precise method of querying these out - perhaps truncating everything to species nomenclature.)

Happy hunting!

giant horsetail (Equisetum telmateia braunii)
Nested Polypody (Polypodium calirhiza)
Tumbleweed (Amaranthus albus)
Pacific Sanicle (Sanicula crassicaulis)
laceleaf sanicle (Sanicula laciniata)
turkey pea (Sanicula tuberosa)
California Hedge Parsley (Yabea microcarpa)
bigflower agoseris (Agoseris grandiflora)
mountain dandelion (Agoseris heterophylla)
spearleaf agoseris (Agoseris retrorsa)
Annual Bur-Sage (Ambrosia acanthicarpa)
woolly fishhooks (Ancistrocarphus filagineus)
marsh baccharis (Baccharis glutinosa)
(Chaenactis glabriuscula glabriuscula)
Bull Thistle (Cirsium vulgare)
Coulter's horseweed (Laennecia coulteri)
(Pseudognaphalium beneolens)
western marsh cudweed (Gnaphalium palustre)
wooly cudweed (Pseudognaphalium stramineum)
Great Valley gumweed (Grindelia camporum)
California matchweed (Gutierrezia californica)
Rosilla (Helenium puberulum)
smooth cat's ear (Hypochaeris glabra)
False Dandelion (Hypochaeris radicata)
Prickly Lettuce (Lactuca serriola)
branched hareleaf (Lagophylla ramosissima ramosissima)
small-ray goldfields (Lasthenia microglossa)
Whitedaisy Tidytips (Layia glandulosa)
Common Madia (Madia elegans elegans)
(Madia elegans vernalis)
grassy tarweed (Madia gracilis)
California desertdandelion (Malacothrix californica)
(Rigiopappus leptocladus)
California goldenrod (Solidago velutina californica)
common sowthistle (Sonchus oleraceus)
grassland silverpuffs (Stebbinsoseris heterocarpa)
Rough Cocklebur (Xanthium strumarium)
Menzies' fiddleneck (Amsinckia menziesii menziesii)
Tejon cryptantha (Cryptantha microstachys)
Prickly Popcornflower (Cryptantha muricata)
little pectocarya (Pectocarya pusilla)
valley popcornflower (Plagiobothrys canescens)
milkmaids (Cardamine californica cuneata)
Sand Fringepod (Thysanocarpus curvipes)
Dobie Pod (Tropidocarpum gracile)
Winged Water-starwort (Callitriche marginata)
Pink Honeysuckle (Lonicera hispidula)
snowberry (Symphoricarpos albus laevigatus)
sticky mouse-ear chickweed (Cerastium glomeratum)
Douglas' stitchwort (Minuartia douglasii)
Common Chickweed (Stellaria media)
shining chickweed (Stellaria nitens)
peak rushrose (Helianthemum scoparium)
brown dogwood (Cornus glabrata)
Pigmyweed (Crassula aquatica)
(Chamaesyce ocellata ocellata)
Gambel's milkvetch (Astragalus gambelianus)
common pacific pea (Lathyrus vestitus vestitus)
Chile trefoil (Acmispon wrangelianus)
(Lupinus microcarpus microcarpus)
Bur Clover (Medicago polymorpha)
white-tipped clover (Trifolium variegatum)
spring vetch (Vicia sativa sativa)
vetch woolypod (Vicia villosa varia)
Long-beaked Stork's Bill (Erodium botrys)
Shortfruit Stork's Bill (Erodium brachycarpum)
Musky Storksbill (Erodium moschatum)
Baby Blue Eyes (Nemophila menziesii menziesii)
Meadow Baby-blue-eyes (Nemophila pedunculata)
(Phacelia imbricata imbricata)
Corn Mint (Mentha arvensis)
blue skullcap (Scutellaria tuberosa)
whitestem hedgenettle (Stachys albens)
short-spiked hedge nettle (Stachys pycnantha)
smallflower dwarf flax (Hesperolinon micranthum)
shredding evening-primrose (Eremothera boothii decorticans)
Mojave suncup (Camissonia campestris campestris)
plains evening primrose (Camissonia contorta)
Santa Cruz Island suncup (Camissoniopsis hirtella)
panicled willowherb (Epilobium brachycarpum)
(Epilobium canum canum)
little willowherb (Epilobium minutum)
Hillside broomrape (Orobanche vallicola)
San Benito poppy (Eschscholzia hypecoides)
English Plantain (Plantago lanceolata)
(Gilia achilleifolia achilleifolia)
(Gilia achilleifolia multicaulis)
chaparral gilia (Gilia angelensis)
bluehead gilia (Gilia capitata staminea)
slender-flowered gilia (Gilia tenuiflora tenuiflora)
red triangles (Centrostegia thurberi)
Coville's buckwheat (Eriogonum covilleanum)
ear-shaped wild buckwheat (Eriogonum nudum auriculatum)
Sheep's Sorrel (Rumex acetosella)
Common Pussypaws (Calyptridium monandrum)
Serpentine Springbeauty (Claytonia exigua exigua)
red larkspur (Delphinium nudicaule)
zigzag larkspur (Delphinium patens patens)
meadow-rue (Thalictrum fendleri polycarpum)
California bedstraw (Galium californicum)
(Galium porrigens porrigens)
mission woodland star (Lithophragma cymbalaria)
coast Indian paintbrush (Castilleja affinis affinis)
valley tassels (Castilleja attenuata)
Seep Monkeyflower (Mimulus guttatus)
hoary nettle (Urtica dioica holosericea)
longspur seablush (Plectritis ciliosa ciliosa)
longspur seablush (Plectritis ciliosa insignis)
western vervain (Verbena lasiostachys lasiostachys)
Parish's spikerush (Eleocharis parishii)
California bulrush (Schoenoplectus californicus)
Yellow Flag (Iris pseudacorus)
Baltic rush (Juncus balticus)
pacific rush (Juncus effusus pacificus)
irisleaf rush (Juncus xiphioides)
Common Duckweed (Lemna minor)
white brodiaea (Triteleia hyacinthina)
Elegant rein orchid (Piperia elegans)
denseflower rein orchid (Piperia elongata)
desert needlegras (Achnatherum speciosum)
ripgut brome (Bromus diandrus)
Chinook brome (Bromus laevipes)
foxtail chess (Bromus madritensis madritensis)
Chilean chess (Bromus berteroanus)
bristly dogtail grass (Cynosurus echinatus)
annual hairgrass (Deschampsia danthonioides)
Seashore Saltgrass (Distichlis spicata)
big squirreltail (Elymus multisetus)
California fescue (Festuca californica)
dwarf barley (Hordeum depressum)
hare barley (Hordeum murinum leporinum)
June grass (Koeleria macrantha)
Creeping wild rye (Leymus triticoides)
Torrey's melicgrass (Melica torreyana)
nodding needle grass (Nassella cernua)
foothill needle grass (Nassella lepida)
Annual meadow grass (Poa annua)
brome fescue (Vulpia bromoides)
Southern Cattail (Typha domingensis)
woolly milkweed (Asclepias vestita)
Water Fern (Azolla filiculoides)
brittle bladderfern (Cystopteris fragilis)
(Polystichum imbricans curtum)
California lacefern (Aspidotis californica)
Coville's lip fern (Cheilanthes covillei)
Coastal Lip Fern (Cheilanthes intertexta)
(Pellaea mucronata mucronata)
Pale Silverback Fern (Pentagramma pallida)
Goldback fern (Pentagramma triangularis triangularis)
procumbent pigweed (Amaranthus blitoides)
California Pigweed (Amaranthus californicus)
redroot pigweed (Amaranthus retroflexus)
thymeleaf sandmat (Euphorbia serpyllifolia serpyllifolia)
sleepy catchfly (Silene antirrhina)
(Campanula griffinii)
Wild Celery (Apium graveolens)
cutleaf water parsnip (Berula erecta)
Manyflower marshpennywort (Hydrocotyle umbellata)
California sweet cicely (Osmorhiza brachypoda)
Shepherd's-needle (Scandix pecten-veneris)
Indian hemp (Apocynum cannabinum)
seaside agoseris (Agoseris apargioides apargioides)
stinking chamomile (Anthemis cotula)
biennial wormwood (Artemisia biennis)
(Blepharizonia laxa)
California brickellbush (Brickellia californica)
Fitch's tarweed (Centromadia fitchii)
sand buttons (Chaenactis glabriuscula lanosa)
Horseweed (Erigeron canadensis)
Brass Buttons (Cotula coronopifolia)
(Deinandra lobbii)
(Deinandra pentactis)
Stinkwort (Dittrichia graveolens)
(Erigeron petrophilus petrophilus)
Western Goldenrod (Euthamia occidentalis)
Jersey cudweed (Pseudognaphalium luteoalbum)
stemless evax (Hesperevax acaulis acaulis)
Telegraphweed (Heterotheca grandiflora)
(Iva axillaris robustior)
(Layia pentachaeta pentachaeta)
Nominate Valley Lessingia (Lessingia glandulifera glandulifera)
Annual Desert-Dandelion (Malacothrix clevelandii)
Woolly Desertdandelion (Malacothrix floccifera)
(Microseris douglasii douglasii)
(Pentachaeta alsinoides)
san benito pentachaeta (Pentachaeta exilis aeolica)
bristly oxtongue (Picris echioides)
(Pentachaeta exilis exilis)
San Gabriel ragwort (Senecio astephanus)
California ragwort (Senecio californicus)
Spiny Cocklebur (Xanthium spinosum)
(Stylocline gnaphalioides)
(Berberis pinnata pinnata)
gravel cryptantha (Cryptantha decipiens)
northern pectocarya (Pectocarya penicillata)
rough-stemmed popcornflower (Plagiobothrys collinus fulvescens)
Brewer's rockcress (Boechera breweri breweri)
field mustard (Brassica rapa)
(Descurainia pinnata menziesii)
(Lepidium strictum)
Wild Radish (Raphanus sativus)
curvepod yellowcress (Rorippa curvisiliqua)
western pearlflower (Heterocodon rariflorum)
slender nemacladus (Nemacladus gracilis)
American elder (Sambucus nigra canadensis)
(Loeflingia squarrosa squarrosa)
(Polycarpon depressum)
Fourleaf manyseed (Polycarpon tetraphyllum)
red sand spurrey (Spergularia rubra)
Lesser Chickweed (Stellaria media pallida)
White Goosefoot (Chenopodium album)
Corn Spurrey (Spergula arvensis)
Mexican tea (Dysphania ambrosioides)
Russian Thistle (Salsola tragus)
pitseed goosefoot (Chenopodium berlandieri)
Narrowleaf Goosefoot (Chenopodium desiccatum)
south coast range morning-glory (Calystegia collina venusta)
Pacific false bindweed (Calystegia purpurata purpurata)
Mt. Hamilton mock stonecrop (Sedella pentandra)
chaparral dodder (Cuscuta californica breviflora)
chaparral dodder (Cuscuta californica californica)
Canyon Dodder (Cuscuta subinclusa)
(Elatine californica)
Spotted Spurge (Euphorbia maculata)
(Astragalus didymocarpus didymocarpus)
(Acmispon procumbens procumbens)
Coastal bird's-foot trefoil (Acmispon maritimus maritimus)
collared annual lupine (Lupinus truncatus)
White sweetclover (Melilotus albus)
(Pickeringia montana montana)
common indian clover (Trifolium albopurpureum)
pinpoint clover (Trifolium gracilentum gracilentum)
small-headed clover (Trifolium microcephalum)
clammy clover (Trifolium obtusiflorum)
(Quercus wislizeni frutescens)
(Quercus wislizeni wislizeni)
tall centaury (Zeltnera exaltata)
Carolina Cranesbill (Geranium carolinianum)
Small-flower Nemophila (Nemophila parviflora parviflora)
Shortlobe Phacelia (Phacelia brachyloba)
Branching Scorpionweed (Phacelia ramosissima ramosissima)
Rattan's Phacelia (Phacelia rattanii)
fiesta flower nominate
Spear Mint (Mentha spicata spicata)
(Monardella douglasii douglasii)
Coast Range dwarf flax (Hesperolinon disjunctum)
San Luis blazingstar (Mentzelia micrantha)
Hyssop loosestrife (Lythrum hyssopifolia)
(Camissonia confusa)
(Camissonia ignota)
Miniature Suncup (Camissoniopsis micrantha)
(Clarkia modesta)
(Clarkia similis)
Torrey's willowherb (Epilobium torreyi)
fire poppy (Papaver californicum)
Common plantain (Plantago major)
buckhorn plantain (Plantago coronopus)
(Allophyllum gilioides violaceum)
(Leptosiphon pygmaeus continentalis)
(Navarretia hamata leptantha)
downy pincushionplant (Navarretia pubescens)
elegant wild buckwheat (Eriogonum elegans)
Leafy California Buckwheat (Eriogonum fasciculatum foliolosum)
Eastern Mojave Buckwheat (Eriogonum fasciculatum polifolium)
slender woolly wild buckwheat (Eriogonum gracile gracile)
common knotweed (Polygonum arenastrum)
short-stemmed bastard-sage (Eriogonum wrightii subscaposum)
dotted knotweed (Persicaria punctata)
Willow Dock (Rumex californicus)
(Rumex salicifolius salicifolius)
blinks (Montia fontana)
Common purslane (Portulaca oleracea)
Chaffweed (Anagallis minima)
western virgin's bower (Clematis ligusticifolia)
threadleaf buttercup (Ranunculus aquatilis diffusus)
birchleaf mountain mahogany (Cercocarpus betuloides betuloides)
sweet-scented bedstraw (Galium triflorum)
tiny bedstraw (Galium murale)
Wall Bedstraw (Galium parisiense)
Narrowleaf Willow (Salix exigua)
Twining Snapdragon (Antirrhinum kelloggii)
wiry snapdragon (Antirrhinum vexillocalyculatum)
purple owl's-clover (Castilleja exserta exserta)
maiden blue eyed Mary (Collinsia parviflora)
stiffly-branched bird's beak (Cordylanthus rigidus rigidus)
water mudwort (Limosella aquatica)
Texas toadflax (Nuttallanthus texanus)
rockjasmine monkeyflower (Mimulus androsaceus)
Scarlet Monkeyflower (Mimulus cardinalis)
Rattan's Monkeyflower (Mimulus rattanii)
moth mullein (Verbascum blattaria)
great mullein (Verbascum thapsus)
wall speedwell (Veronica arvensis)
purslane speedwell (Veronica peregrina)
(Petunia parviflora)
coyote tobacco (Nicotiana attenuata)
American nightshade (Solanum americanum)
Western nettle (Hesperocnide tenella)
California Pellitory (Parietaria hespera californica)
Rough Western Vervain (Verbena lasiostachys scabrida)
Gray Pine Dwarf Mistletoe (Arceuthobium occidentale)
Sycamore Mistletoe (Phoradendron macrophyllum)
short-stemmed sedge (Carex zikae)
saw-toothed sedge (Carex serratodens)
Tall Flatsedge (Cyperus eragrostis)
redroot flatsedge (Cyperus erythrorhizos)
(Pycreus niger)
bearded flatsedge (Cyperus squarrosus)
False Nutsedge (Cyperus strigosus)
pale spikerush (Eleocharis macrostachya)
beaked spikerush (Eleocharis rostellata)
American three-square bulrush (Schoenoplectus americanus)
common tule (Schoenoplectus acutus occidentalis)
clustered toad rush (Juncus ranarius)
western toad rush (Juncus amuricus)
panicled rush (Juncus phaeocephalus paniculatus)
Common Three-Square (Schoenoplectus pungens)
Least Duckweed (Lemna minuta)
Valdivia Duckweed (Lemna valdiviana)
dwarf brodiaea (Brodiaea terrestris terrestris)
checker lily (Fritillaria affinis affinis)
Meadow Deathcamas (Toxicoscordion venenosum)
Pacific bentgrass (Agrostis exarata)
California brome (Bromus carinatus)
Bermuda Grass (Cynodon dactylon)
swamp pricklegrass (Crypsis schoenoides)
western fescue (Festuca occidentalis)
Barley (Hordeum vulgare)
california barley (Hordeum brachyantherum californicum)
Italian Ryegrass (Lolium perenne multiflorum)
perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne)
darnel (Festuca temulenta)
smilo grass (Stipa miliacea miliacea)
(Vulpia microstachys ciliata)
ditch beard grass (Polypogon interruptus)
Confusing Fescue (Vulpia microstachys confusa)
(Vulpia myuros hirsuta)
Slender 8-flowered Fescue (Vulpia octoflora hirtella)
pullout grass (Vulpia octoflora)
longleaf pondweed (Potamogeton nodosus)
leafy pondweed (Potamogeton foliosus)
(Monardella douglasii)
Valley Lessingia (Lessingia glandulifera)
common madia (Madia elegans)
Interior Live Oak (Quercus wislizeni)

Hello Again,

Thanks again to Paul Johnson for hosting a moth event at Pinnacles National Park yesterday. It was a fascinating couple of hours witnessing so many nocturnal creatures and get a sense of life forms that we rarely get to see - since we're sleeping when they're out! Apologies for late notice, but the idea wasn't dreamed up until just a few days beforehand. Perhaps next year we can do something similar again.

I thought I'd take a little time today to take a look at the project totals so far for the year. As of this afternoon, we have collectively documented:

Plants = 470
Birds = 131
Fungi & Lichens = 27
Lepidoptera = 150 (to species)
Other Insects = 47 (to species)
Mammals =23
Dragonflies / Damselflies = 15 (including one only to genus, one only to family)
Reptiles = 17
Arachnids = 30
Amphibians = 7

Lepidoptera and arachnids (expanding upon original spiders target) are the groups most well documented relative to the original project targets I created. Thanks for the great efforts to all that have helped create records for these - let's see how much harder I should have made those targets! One group for which perhaps I made the target too high is plants, still working to reach 500, a great number, but perhaps not on track for 750 in one year. In my next post, I plan to list target species that I know are in the county but have not yet been documented in iNaturalist. For the time being, here are a few plants we don't yet have:
Giant Horsetail (Equisetum telmateia braunii)
Bull Thistle (Cirsium vulgare)
Goldback Fern (Pentagramma triangularis triangularis)

For birds, we're probably on track to break 150, but below is a list of some that I know are around this time of year but there is not yet a record of in the project. Also keep an eye out for any shorebirds during migration (just picking up) and waterfowl as they begin to return to the area. There are several species in each group that here each year and have not yet been documented. For now, keep an eye out for:
Common Poorwill
Belted Kingfisher
Downy Woodpecker

Hairy Woodpecker

Western Wood-Pewee

Cassin's Vireo
Brown Creeper
Swainson's Thrush
Wilson's Warbler
Chipping Sparrow
Purple Finch

Lesser Goldfinch

American Goldfinch

House Sparrow

For those who haven't seen the news, the American Ornithologists Union split the Western Scrub-Jay this month into two species. The bird in our area is now known as the California Scrub-Jay. The interior form will be known as Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay.
http://www.audubon.org/news/here-are-biggest-changes-aou-checklist-north-american-birds

I'll aim to put out some additional future posts with information on "target species." Until then, happy exploring! It's a pretty amazing planet.

Cheers,

Daniel

Hey Everyone, it's National Moth Week and at Pinnacles National Park is holding a moth event on Saturday, July 30 from 8:30-10:00 p.m. Meet at the Pinnacles Campground Amphitheater. Lights will be set up in the area and we will walk from light to light to document moths and other insects attracted by the lights. Paul Johnson, Pinnacles Wildlife Biologist, will be on hand to identify moths and discuss their ecology.
Bring a headlamp/flashlight and appropriate footwear for walking off trail.
If you would like to help us document species, bring a camera/flash capable of macro photography, or an iNaturalist-equipped phone or tablet.
For information on National Moth Week: https://www.facebook.com/NationalMothWeek/
For a moth checklist for Pinnacles National Park: https://www.nps.gov/pinn/learn/nature/upload/MothWeb200708.pdf

Hello everyone. Thanks to everyone for participating in the Biodiversity Big Year project. It’s been great to see all the discoveries being made and learn more about the diversity in San Benito County. Since it’s already May 17, just a few days before the Pinnacles National Park BioBlitz on Saturday May 21, I thought I’d take a minute to look at the taxonomic totals for the Biodiversity Big Year project. Most taxonomic groups with target # of species for the project are well over half the way to the goal. We had originally sketched out the target of 20 spiders, but broadening the group to arachnids the project already stands at 22 species. Lepidoptera are rocking it with 89 species (target of 100), and amphibians are 70% of the way there with 7 species out of a target of ten. Reptiles are now at 19 species (target 30), mammals at 19 (target 30), and bird records represent 117 species (target 150). Dragonflies and damselflies could use a boost – currently at 8 species and a target of 30. Other insects are at 44 (this target a bit drawn out of thin air, 100). There are undoubtedly many lichen species not yet documented that could boost the fungi & lichen group from the current 24 species to reach the target of 100. Finally, plants are creeping up on 50% of the 750 target – currently the project has 335 species documented. I hope you can make it down for the Pinnacles BioBlitz. If you need details, feel free to message me @danielgeorge . Hope your next adventure is fulfilling.