About
Scroll down to individual dates/events to see any notices of survey cancellations.
Wildlife Field Research is a week long bioblitz conducted every spring and fall at the Cibolo Nature Center & Farm. During this research event, teams of Citizen Scientists combine their experience, knowledge and enthusiasm to survey the nature center's ecology.
Citizen Science engages citizens in the task of recording observations of the environment and its many inhabitants. These observations are used to make scientific assessments that inform land management and human behaviors that impact our world. New participants are trained by Team Leaders who provide instruction and guidance on how to conduct the surveys and record information.
Master Naturalists, college students, teenagers, parents and young kids and other nature enthusiasts participate in this event, each bringing their own interests to the mix to create a colorful and fun citizen science community. For some, the camaraderie and fun that is had during Wildlife Field Research brings them back year after year.
Visit this STORY MAP to learn more.
Surveys include: Ants, Amphibian, Aquatic, Butterfly, Dragonfly & Damselfly, Breeding Bird Counts, Prairie Vegetation Photopoints, Prairie Vegetation Survey, Riparian Woody Plants, Small Mammal, Reptiles and Watersnakes
Shifts (28)
Shift | Start Time | End Time | Description | Registrants Needed | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
iNaturalist Wildlife Field Research Bioblitz | 9:00am (CT) | 12:00pm (CT) | The Wildlife Field Research iNaturalist Bioblitz is intended to fill in the gaps of species not included in our Wildlife Field Research formalized surveys. Participants are invited to submit observations of any critters or plants of interest at any time during the week. This is an on-your-own survey and can... | 1/25 | Over |
Shift | Start Time | End Time | Description | Registrants Needed | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Butterfly Incidental Survey | 9:00am (CT) | 3:00pm (CT) | During the butterfly survey, citizen scientists walk a steady pace throughout the nature center's four habitats: prairie, marsh, riparian and woodland along with an experienced team leader and document the species observed as well as what plants they are associating with. Willingness to learn. Must be able to walk unaided... | 7/13 | Over |
Prairie Vegetation Photo Points | 10:00am (CT) | 12:00pm (CT) | A team of photographers and nature enthusiasts take photos to document changes in the prairie structure over time. By comparing photos from successive years, CNC land managers and researchers have a visual reference that help to inform management practices and data interpretation. | 3/4 | Over |
Shift | Start Time | End Time | Description | Registrants Needed | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Prairie Vegetation Plant Review | 9:00am (CT) | 12:00pm (CT) | SURVEY CANCELLED. The Prairie Vegetation Review is intended to give a brief overview of the protocol used in the Prairie Vegetation Survey and to introduce the target species that are evaluated in the survey. Participants will learn the characteristics of the plant species expected to be encountered and will learn... | 3/0 | Over |
Small Mammal Survey | 4:00pm (CT) | 6:00pm (CT) | SURVEY CANCELLED. Citizen Scientists set and bait small (Sherman live) traps along transects in the tall grass prairie and woodland at the Nature Center. The following morning, the traps are checked for small mammals. Captured mammals are documented and a small clipping of hair is removed from the animal to... | 3/0 | Over |
Dragonfly & Damselfly Photo Survey | 10:00am (CT) | 12:00pm (CT) | SURVEY CANCELLED. Participants in the Dragonfly and Damselfly (Odonate) Survey, will walk in specified areas looking for odonates to photograph for later identification. Photos are submitted to WFR data manager after the event. The photos should not be enhanced or modified in any way and are considered raw data. Experienced... | 4/0 | Over |
Ant Survey | 1:00pm (CT) | 4:00pm (CT) | SURVEY CANCELLED. To survey ants, Citizen Scientists place bait on small plastic dishes along a transect. This bait is left out for a minimum of 30 minutes up to several hours. The trays are then collected in plastic bags and then refrigerated. The ants are then taken to the lab... | 5/0 | Over |
Reptile Search | 4:00pm (CT) | 6:00pm (CT) | SURVEY CANCELLED. Citizen Scientists search for reptiles under rocks, within tall grass, throughout the woodland and in Cibolo Creek. Anoles, skinks, whiptails, and other lizards, as well as ribbon snakes, blotched and diamond back watersnakes and many other species are recorded during this survey. The water snakes are caught when... | 12/0 | Over |
Shift | Start Time | End Time | Description | Registrants Needed | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Water snake survey (time-constrained search) | 8:00am (CT) | 12:00pm (CT) | Citizen Scientists search for blotched and diamond back watersnakes. The water snakes are caught when possible, then pit-tagged and released on Saturday. This survey helps researchers monitor the diversity, dispersion and health of the watersnake population. Requirements: None. If you have a fear of snakes, this survey will help you... | 1/15 | Over |
Prairie Vegetation Survey | 8:00am (CT) | 12:00pm (CT) | Plant enthusiasts and beginners alike survey several transects in the prairie to determine vegetation type, including forbs and grasses, and to assess ground cover. Using this data, researchers can assess changes in plant composition over time. Requirements: None, however it is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED that participants attend the Prairie Vegetation Review... | 2/15 | Over |
Riparian exotic plant removal | 8:00am (CT) | 12:00pm (CT) | The exotic plant removal team is only scheduled during the Spring WFR events. This team will remove exotic invasive and sometimes opportunistic native plants that are encroaching areas where they don't belong. Bring Lopers if you have them. Other tools may be requested by the team leaders. Must be able... | 6/15 | Over |
Sustenance Managment | 7:30am (CT) | 12:00pm (CT) | The Sustenance management team is responsible for feeding the citizen science teams on Thursday,Friday and Saturday of the WFR event. Breakfast and Lunch on Thursday and Friday, and breakfast only on Saturday. | 1/4 | Over |
Small mammal survey | 8:00am (CT) | 12:00pm (CT) | SURVEY CANCELLED. Citizen Scientists set and bait small (Sherman live) traps along transects in the tall grass prairie and woodland at the Nature Center. The following morning, the traps are checked for small mammals. Captured mammals are documented and a small clipping of hair is removed from the animal to... | 1/0 | Over |
Riparian habitat assessment | 8:00am (CT) | 12:00pm (CT) | SURVEY CANCELLED DUE TO HIGH FLOW. This assessment consists of evaluating the stream characteristics such as Habitat type, Substrate type, bank slope, canopy cover, vegetation cover/type. Must be willing and able to get wet! | 1/0 | Over |
Water snake survey (time-constrained search) | 1:00pm (CT) | 4:00pm (CT) | SURVEY CANCELLED DUE TO HIGH FLOW. Citizen Scientists search for blotched and diamond back watersnakes. The water snakes are caught when possible, then pit-tagged and released on Saturday. This survey helps researchers monitor the diversity, dispersion and health of the watersnake population. Requirements: None. If you have a fear of... | 1/0 | Over |
Ant survey | 1:00pm (CT) | 4:00pm (CT) | SURVEY CANCELLED. To survey ants, Citizen Scientists place bait on small plastic dishes along a transect. This bait is left out for a minimum of 30 minutes up to several hours. The trays are collected in plastic bags and then refrigerated. The ants are then taken to the lab where... | 2/0 | Over |
Riparian habitat assessment | 1:00pm (CT) | 4:00pm (CT) | SURVEY CANCELLED DUE TO HIGH FLOWS. This assessment consists of evaluating the stream characteristics- habitat type, substrate type, bank slope, canopy cover, vegetation cover/type. Must be willing and able to get wet! | 4/0 | Over |
Amphibian Watch | 8:00pm (CT) | 9:30pm (CT) | SURVEY CANCELLED. To conduct this survey, a group of Citizen Scientists head out to the creek after dusk to listen to frog calls, identify the species present and rank the chorus according to the quantity of calls that are heard. This helps researchers monitor amphibian populations, which also provide an... | 4/0 | Over |
Shift | Start Time | End Time | Description | Registrants Needed | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Prairie Vegetation Survey | 8:00am (CT) | 12:00pm (CT) | Plant enthusiasts and beginners alike survey several transects in the prairie to determine vegetation type, including forbs and grasses, and to assess ground cover. Using this data, researchers can assess changes in plant composition over time. Requirements: None, however it is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED that participants attend the Prairie Vegetation Review... | 3/15 | Over |
Riparian exotic plant removal | 8:00am (CT) | 12:00pm (CT) | The exotic plant removal team is only scheduled during the Spring WFR events. This team will remove exotic invasive and sometimes opportunistic native plants that are encroaching areas where they don't belong. Bring Lopers if you have them. Other tools may be requested by the team leaders. Must be able... | 5/15 | Over |
Bryophyte and Lichen Sampling | 1:00pm (CT) | 5:00pm (CT) | DALE A. KRUSE Project Leader and Curator, S. M. Tracy Herbarium (TAES), Texas A & M University, has enlisted the aid of the Texas Master Naturalist Erik Extrell to help survey and collect samples of Bryophytes and Lichen across the state of Texas, to enrich the Bryophyte collection housed within... | 5/5 | Over |
Small mammal survey | 8:00am (CT) | 12:00pm (CT) | SURVEY CANCELLED. Citizen Scientists set and bait small (Sherman live) traps along transects in the tall grass prairie and woodland at the Nature Center. The following morning, the traps are checked for small mammals. Captured mammals are documented and a small clipping of hair is removed from the animal to... | 1/0 | Over |
Ant survey Identification | 8:00am (CT) | 12:00pm (CT) | EVENT CANCELLED. Team will identify and count the ant species retrieved during the Wednesday and Thursday collections. | 3/0 | Over |
Water snake survey | 8:00am (CT) | 12:00pm (CT) | SURVEY CANCELLED. Citizen Scientists search for blotched and diamond back watersnakes. The water snakes are caught when possible, then pit-tagged and released on Saturday. This survey helps researchers monitor the diversity, dispersion and health of the reptile population. None. If you have a fear of snakes, this survey will help... | 3/0 | Over |
Aquatic survey; Fish, flow and macro-invertebrates | 8:00am (CT) | 12:00pm (CT) | SURVEY CANCELLED DUE TO HIGH FLOW IN CIBOLO CREEK. A team of Citizen Scientists assess stream flow and sample macro-invertebrates, fish and other aquatic organisms alongside biologists from the San Antonio River Authority (SARA). The macro-invertebrate samples are taken to the CNC lab where they are identified and counted using... | 4/0 | Over |
Water Snake Survey (time-constrained search) | 1:00pm (CT) | 4:00pm (CT) | SURVEY CANCELLED DUE TO LOW TEMPS. If water level in creek is too high (5/10/19) but weather is acceptable, then this will be a terrestrial reptile survey instead. Citizen Scientists search for blotched and diamond back watersnakes. The water snakes are caught when possible, then pit-tagged and released on Saturday.... | 4/0 | Over |
Shift | Start Time | End Time | Description | Registrants Needed | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Snake photography, tagging, release | 10:00am (CT) | 12:00pm (CT) | Snakes caught during surveys will be staged for photography while discussion about the species occurs. Watersnakes caught will be scanned for prior microchips. Microchips will be placed in watersnakes not previously tagged, with the help of citizen scientists. After the tagging, the snakes will be released unharmed to the same... | 9/20 | Over |
Small mammal survey | 8:00am (CT) | 10:00am (CT) | SURVEY CANCELLED. Citizen Scientists will check traps for small mammals. Captured mammals are documented and released unharmed. As the last date of this survey, the traps will be picked up and returned to storage. This survey enables researchers to monitor the diversity and health of the small mammal population. Must... | 5/0 | Over |
Wall
Donna Taylor wrote on May 9th, 2019
9:24pm Weather is looking pretty good for tomorrow (Thursday) but the creek is still flowing way above average at 167 cubic feet per second. It normally is 10 or less. We will have to see what it is in the morning. We will not be able to safely get in the creek for the water snake survey or the riparian habitat surveys if the flow is still elevated. We are also critically short in sign-ups for several of the surveys so bring friends! I may request folks to switch surveys so we can get the most critical ones done with enough people. See everyone tomorrow.
Donna Taylor wrote on May 8th, 2019
6:30 am Wednesday May 8, 2019. Rain and Thunder w/ Lightning in the clouds occurring in Fair Oaks Ranch. Radar shows it continuing throughout the morning. Prairie Vegetation Review and the Dragon/damselfly Survey are CANCELLED. Check back later today for updates on the Ant, Reptile and Small Mammal Surveys.
Donna Taylor wrote on May 8th, 2019
Be sure to check your email or the GivePulse site for the latest on any survey cancellations due to weather. An email will be sent ONLY if the event is cancelled. If you can't access your email, then you can view the GivePulse Wildlife Field Research page and look to see if your shift (survey) still shows up. If is has been cancelled, it will NOT show up and will be removed from the list.