By AGNES PASCO CONATY
Credit: Agnes Pasco Conaty
April is Citizen Science Month, and what better time than spring to explore the natural world around us? There are many ways you can take part in something fun and engaging — and support the broader scientific community as well.
Last year I wrote about the GLOBE Observer Program, which celebrates its 30th anniversary this April, too. In last year’s column, I introduced readers to the GLOBE Observer app, which allows you to document your observations — clouds, mosquito habitats, land covers, tree heights — and upload data directly to the program’s site (observer.globe.gov/). This year, I’d like to expand on that theme, bringing you more resources that may feed your interest in nature and natural resources around us.
On a recent hike, my family and I experimented with the Merlin Bird ID app (merlin.allaboutbirds.org), an identification and data collecting app created by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. On our hike, my husband, Austin, used the app to identify two types of woodpeckers, a crow and Canada geese — all by the sounds they were making.
But you don’t have to hike far to hear birds; if you have a yard, you almost certainly will see and hear a variety of them — I have robins, cardinals, chickadees and hummingbirds in my own backyard. If you don’t have a yard, you can surround yourself in birdsong in one of Laurel’s parks or in a wooded landscape, like Patuxent Research Refuge. Pairing the Merlin Bird ID app with a reference such as the Audubon Society’s Guide to North American Birds (audubon.org/bird-guide ) can help you confirm the type of bird through its song.
As we hiked, Austin taught our son Joseph how to estimate the age of a fallen tree by counting the rings visible in a cross section. This is a hands-on way to learn about dendrochronology, the science of examining tree rings to date events in the tree’s life and environmental changes by examining the growth pattern of these rings. Dendrochronology — a mouthful to say!
And just as we have apps to identify birds, there are apps to ID trees. I particularly like iNaturalist (inaturalist.org/) and PlantSnap (plantsnap.com/). Both of these free apps allow you to identify a tree (indeed, ID virtually any plant) by simply taking a photo of it. You can also share your observations with other people who are using the app. Seek (tinyurl.com/ere3w6xh ) is a scaled-down version of the iNaturalist app that many (and in particular, children) may find easier to use, though it doesn’t allow you to share your findings with a community of citizen scientists.
Spot some interesting geology on the trail? The Rockd app (rockd.org) will help you identify rocks and minerals and record your geologic observations. The Patuxent Branch Trail, the Anacostia Riverfront Trail and the Savage Mill Trail, which runs along the Little Patuxent, are all good local places to hound for rocks. And all of these trails offer scenic views — lots of birds and trees, too!
Maybe you’re curious about animal tracks you see along the trail? Yes, there’s an app to ID those, too. Nature Tracking (naturetracking.com) helps identify animals by the tracks (or scat) they leave behind. I regularly spot foxes, deer, squirrels and groundhogs in our backyard, but if I didn’t actually see them, I could use the app to figure out who was walking through.
And not everything depends on an app. A simple walk can offer many moments for us to observe animal behavior. Or just look out the window! Deer often graze in our backyard, typically in small groups, and we often see a family of deer eating together — with one deer on the lookout for danger.
Speaking of windows, my family eagerly awaits the pair of mourning doves that nest on one of our window sills every spring. They pick up most anything suitable for nesting — twigs, pine needles, leaves, feathers — then work together to build their nest. Both parents take turns incubating the eggs for about two weeks, seldom leaving them unattended. And then we hear little tweets from two baby doves! Right there on our window sill, we get to see the cycle of life come full circle.
Spring is a time of renewal and rebirth for the things around us, and spring’s riches offer us a classroom without walls and unlimited chances for us to learn about the wonders of the natural world. So grab your phone, step outside and start your citizen science journey exploring Laurel’s natural beauty!
