- November 24, 2024
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Most people say it’s important to put down your phone to enjoy nature. But at Longboat Key’s Quick Nature Preserve, the opposite may be true.
The new sign at Quick Point Nature Preserve encourages nature enthusiasts to take out their phones and contribute to a virtual biodiversity survey using iNaturalist.
Though the iNaturalist app was launched years ago, a Florida Master Naturalist class project led by David Glosser put the signage in place at Quick Point to now allow visitors to connect with nature in a unique way.
Having a background in environmental studies, I decided to try out the biodiversity survey.
After parking my car in the Overlook Park parking lot, I followed the signs to Quick Point Trail and found the iNaturalist sign.
I had already downloaded the app and created an account before getting to the park, but you can also just take pictures of what you find and upload everything later on a laptop or smartphone.
In the app, the “Explore” tab all the way to the left shows a map with colored pins. Each of the pins marks an observation made by other users.
I took a minute to look at the map and was impressed by how many observations were recorded in this area alone.
There are different ways to “observe” something and record it. You could describe the flora or fauna by text, take a picture or record a sound.
Along the shoreline, I saw plenty of birds in the distance, but most were too far away for me to take a picture of them on my phone.
I spotted one not too far away, and decided this would be my first test of iNaturalist.
I crept along the sandy bank and tried to get as close as I could to the bird without disturbing it.
I snapped a picture, although it was heavily zoomed in.
After taking a picture, you can either upload it or try to identify it yourself. But don’t fret if you lack wildlife knowledge.
The app auto-generates suggestions based on what the organism looks like, and what has already been identified in the area.
For this bird, I knew it could either be a tricolored heron or a little blue heron — I always get the two confused. While still uncertain, I decided to go with the little blue heron.
But another interesting aspect of the app is that other users can look at observations in the area and correct them if need be.
Farther into the park, I reached lagoons teeming with life.
Red mangroves with oyster-covered roots surround the water. I assumed someone already documented the mangroves, but I decided to add another observation for good measure.
After I spotted and documented a tricolored heron in the lagoon — I’m certain this time — a crab scurried across the dock. I wasn't quick enough to get a picture, though.
I’m amazed at how pristine the lagoon was. The water was almost crystal clear, with oysters growing on the mangrove roots. Marine plants covered the lagoon bottom.
I was intrigued by what those plants might be. I took a picture, but no suggestions popped up. Still, I uploaded the picture in hopes that someone else will see it and help identify it.
As I turned around I saw another crab. I got the picture. It's a mangrove tree crab.
On my way out of the nature preserve, I identified some needlefish swimming in the water but then decided to just take in the wildlife around me.
A juvenile ibis, snowy egret and some pelicans were enjoying the water as I left the park.
In just under an hour, I was able to walk a bit of the nature preserve, take in my surroundings and feel like a part of community science as I added to the running documentation of biodiversity the park has to offer.
