Public Invited to Celebrate Biodiversity at BioBlitz 2011 and Kids' Fishing Day at Deer Flat National Wildlife Refuge
This year Deer Flat National Wildlife Refuge is combining two great events into one: BioBlitz 2011and Kids' Fishing Day!
The public is invited to participate in the Refuge's 6th annual BioBlitz Festival on Saturday June 11th from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM at the Refuge Visitor Center. This free family event includes guided boat trips to net fish on Lake Lowell; guided bird and plant walks; and insect-collecting expeditions. Visitors can also view live birds of prey, fish, and reptiles; learn to identify insects at the Bug Tent; learn how to draw wildlife; visit interactive exhibits from wildlife-related organizations in Idaho; participate in kids' crafts and activities; and explore the Refuge through a photo scavenger hunt.
BioBlitz is a 24-hour rapid survey of biological diversity. On June 10th and 11th, local scientists, naturalists, and volunteers will comb Deer Flat National Wildlife Refuge to find and identify as many different species of plants and animals as possible. This year, visitors can participate in some of the surveys through deer spotlight survey, bat detector, and small mammal trapping demonstrations on Friday, June 11th. Although BioBlitzes have been held across the country, this is Idaho's only one!
This year's BioBlitz Festival is being held on Free Fishing Day, so bring your pole and also visit Gotts Point for kids fishing activities. From 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM, kids can learn about fish biology, fishing ethics, and water safety. Visitors will have a chance to practice casting and rigging before testing their newly-learned skills by fishing in Lake Lowell! Fishing poles will be available to borrow if needed.
The event schedule is as follows. All the guided activities listed below require pre-registration Friday, June 10th
6:00 AM Birding survey (intermediate and experienced birders only)
10:00 AM Aquatic invertebrate sampling (volunteers needed)
9:00 PM Bat presentation and bat detector demonstration
10:00 PM Deer spotlighting survey
Saturday June 11th
7:00 AM Small mammal trapping demonstration
10:00 AM Boat trip to net fish
10:30 AM Introduction to birding walk
11:00 AM Boat trip to net fish
11:30 AM Plant walk
12:00 PM Boat trip to net fish
12:30 PM Introduction to birding walk
1:00 PM Pollinator survey
1:30 PM Plant walk
BioBlitz 2011 will be at the Refuge Visitor Center; the entrance road is located at the corner of Indiana and Roosevelt in Nampa. Kid's Fishing Day will be at Gotts Point at the west end of Greenhurst. A map, directions, and a schedule of festival events (see below) are available at http://www.fws.gov/deerflat. To register for one of the guided activities or for more information, call the Refuge Visitor Center at (208) 467-9278 or email deerflat@fws.gov
Photos of wildlife, the festival, and biologists from previous BioBlitzes are available upon request.
The public is invited to participate in the Refuge's 6th annual BioBlitz Festival on Saturday June 11th from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM at the Refuge Visitor Center. This free family event includes guided boat trips to net fish on Lake Lowell; guided bird and plant walks; and insect-collecting expeditions. Visitors can also view live birds of prey, fish, and reptiles; learn to identify insects at the Bug Tent; learn how to draw wildlife; visit interactive exhibits from wildlife-related organizations in Idaho; participate in kids' crafts and activities; and explore the Refuge through a photo scavenger hunt.
BioBlitz is a 24-hour rapid survey of biological diversity. On June 10th and 11th, local scientists, naturalists, and volunteers will comb Deer Flat National Wildlife Refuge to find and identify as many different species of plants and animals as possible. This year, visitors can participate in some of the surveys through deer spotlight survey, bat detector, and small mammal trapping demonstrations on Friday, June 11th. Although BioBlitzes have been held across the country, this is Idaho's only one!
This year's BioBlitz Festival is being held on Free Fishing Day, so bring your pole and also visit Gotts Point for kids fishing activities. From 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM, kids can learn about fish biology, fishing ethics, and water safety. Visitors will have a chance to practice casting and rigging before testing their newly-learned skills by fishing in Lake Lowell! Fishing poles will be available to borrow if needed.
The event schedule is as follows. All the guided activities listed below require pre-registration Friday, June 10th
6:00 AM Birding survey (intermediate and experienced birders only)
10:00 AM Aquatic invertebrate sampling (volunteers needed)
9:00 PM Bat presentation and bat detector demonstration
10:00 PM Deer spotlighting survey
Saturday June 11th
7:00 AM Small mammal trapping demonstration
10:00 AM Boat trip to net fish
10:30 AM Introduction to birding walk
11:00 AM Boat trip to net fish
11:30 AM Plant walk
12:00 PM Boat trip to net fish
12:30 PM Introduction to birding walk
1:00 PM Pollinator survey
1:30 PM Plant walk
BioBlitz 2011 will be at the Refuge Visitor Center; the entrance road is located at the corner of Indiana and Roosevelt in Nampa. Kid's Fishing Day will be at Gotts Point at the west end of Greenhurst. A map, directions, and a schedule of festival events (see below) are available at http://www.fws.gov/deerflat. To register for one of the guided activities or for more information, call the Refuge Visitor Center at (208) 467-9278 or email deerflat@fws.gov
Photos of wildlife, the festival, and biologists from previous BioBlitzes are available upon request.
