Wednesday, May 31, 2017

Dalgety Bay, Fife - end of May roundup

As usual it's actually one day early but what the hell. A 7-spot ladybird larva at lunchtime became the 49th beetle. Would be nice to round it off tonight but I am socially engaged and chances are I won't add anything this evening (unless my visitor can be persuaded to go moth hunting - a possibility).

All-in I this year have added 945 records to iRecord of 739 species. Obviously not all are from the square or my total would be transformed! However, here are the numbers as they stand right now. Possibly to be slightly updated tomorrow.

Going into June I am looking at some reduced time - I'll be grinding through pitfall trap contents for St.Andrews bioblitz (we do process them after the 24 hour period for an overall total) and then I'll be going on holiday. Still, June ought to be productive enough that I can more or less make good. I kind of expect to reach 1000 during August-September so it will include the start of the vismig calendar and include exotica like Tree Pipit and Long-tailed Skua (bird gods willing). On the other hand those months could be so profligate in their affections that 1k comes and goes before the skuas appear (but not the Tripits which pass in July). The big decision - declare or bat on? Only time will tell.

(edit. I'd like my 1000th to be a Hobby. That'd be nice)(2nd Edit. Tree Pipits August. Dunno what I was thinking)

The numbers by "gross" taxonomic grouping

Jan Feb Mar Apr May
Algae 8 13 16 17 17
Lichens 37 41 43 44 46
Fungi 28 31 44 49 53
Vert - Birds 38 50 56 62 64
Vert - Other 2 4 8 9 9
Lepidoptera 1 2 9 14 29
Diptera 4 7 12 41 68
Arachnida 4 13 20 25 32
Coleoptera 6 17 17 21 49
Mollusc 9 24 27 33 33
Collembola 8 10 12 12 12
Invert - Other 22 33 51 62 78
Plants - Vascular 47 63 74 92 107
Plants - Bryo 22 29 30 30 30

236 337 419 511 627

The numbers by, erm, numbers

31-Jan 28-Feb 31-Mar 30-Apr 31-May
days remaining 334 306 275 245 214
species so far 236 337 419 511 627
species/day period 7.61 3.61 2.65 3.07 3.74
spec/day so far 7.61 5.71 4.66 4.26 4.15
species remaining 764 663 581 489 373
spec/day rqd 2.29 2.17 2.11 2.00 1.74
spec/week rqd 16.01 15.17 14.79 13.97 12.20

Count compared with previous reserve year counts

4 comments:

  1. Hi Ali,

    Like the layout with all the data. Perhaps will try to put mine in that format next time.
    Pete

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    1. Thanks. Once I set up the spreadsheet it kind of does itself.

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  2. Looking kinda squeaky tight at the top at the mo buddy. I have tomorrow off, you? ;)

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    1. Luckily I have neither aspirations of "winning" nor illusions about my relative skills! Honestly I'm pretty chuffed to be in the mix though. I'll spend the weekend racking up big numbers hopefully. Unfortunately in another square - St.Andrews bioblitz!

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