GSBioblitz Newsletter - September
Have a read - good to see our project is highlighted!
Have a read - good to see our project is highlighted!
Please read this:
https://www.inaturalist.org/posts/46175-faq-on-wild-vs-captive-cultivated-organisms
For more FAQ - see Observations, Identification, etc:
https://www.inaturalist.org/pages/help#captive
Remember to upload your observations to our project - only photographs taken between 22 and 25 October.
PS: when doing bulk uploads (like we hope you will do during GSB!) do them on your computer ... much faster than your phone!
Short and sweet ... please watch:
USE THIS LINK: https://greatsouthernbiobl.wixsite.com/website/post/photographing-minibeasts-with-your-smartphone
"Here are my 6 tips on taking photos of insects and other small creatures with your smartphone, based on my experience taking HUNDREDS of blurry and unidentifiable photos.
As best as you can, when photographing insects, try to get at least one shot of the entire creature, including antennae if they are very long.
Although close-ups of a particular feature can make for interesting photographs, they are often very difficult to identify. I like to try and get at least two angles: a "birds-eye view" shot, and one showing the creature from the side or underneath.
One way I like to do this is when I spot a moth on our glass doors. I get a photo of the underside from inside, then I creep around to the outside to get a shot of the upper-side. Having the underside photo can often aid ID.
One of the most frustrating things when trying to get a photo of a tiny bug is getting it in sharp focus.
For example, if you are trying to photograph an insect sitting on a flower, it can be hard to get your phone to focus on a small object in the foreground. If you can, without disturbing it, carefully move your hand behind the insect to give your phone a larger target to focus on. Some people carry a piece of white or blue card for this purpose (I am never that organised). Sometimes it is possible to use your hand as the focal point, then quickly take it away and snap the photo without your phone focus readjusting.
You will find there is a point when you get so close to your subject that your phone can't focus anymore. This is because you're getting closer to the subject than the phone's focal length allows. No matter how hard you try, the bug is still blurry - in this case, back it up. You can take the photo from further away and crop it down later.
One way to improve the focal length and magnification of your phone is to use a lens. I use a clip-on 15x lens, ordered online. However, before I had that, I found you could take decent photographs with a handheld magnifying lens. This takes some patience but the results are worth it.
Sometimes, you just can't get a good shot because your subject is TOO FAST. Target insects when they are not moving too much e.g. while basking in the sun, feeding, mating etc. Sit and observe behaviour for a moment so you get to know when to take the shot.
Another way to get shots of an insect that is moving too fast is to use the burst shot function. This produces clearer photos than taking a video and pulling a single frame out, as videos are often compressed and lose sharpness.
I always feel irritated when I neglect to record where I took a photo. Location is so important when identifying insects, and getting the most accurate location possible will really help your chances of getting an ID. In most phones you can turn on geotagging for photographs, otherwise, be sure to keep detailed notes on where you were.
I never used to put any effort into editing my photos after I took them. If you are also no Photoshop-wiz, at least consider these three edits:
CROP: So you saw a butterfly, but could only get so close before it flew off. You think someone could still identify it, but it's in the upper right corner of the photo and not very obvious. This is when you should use the crop tool: even if the image loses some detail from being enlarged, it helps the IDers see what it is you want IDed and saves them from having to zoom aaaaall the way in.
ROTATE: I like to rotate my moths so that their head is at the top of the picture. This just helps when comparing your photo to documented specimens, which are almost always photographed with the head at the top. For butterflies, I rotate so that the forewing is at the top, and the hindwing at the bottom. You may also like to do this for other insects such as beetles.
BRIGHTEN: Sometimes you see an interesting insect but it's just too dark, and flash is not helping. You can slightly adjust the brightness later to help highlight patterns that weren't obvious before."
'Conservation begins with understanding the landscape and what it contains. Join us on Saturday, 23rd October at 09h00 at the Centre (Shop, Caltex) in Betty’s Bay for a walk up Rod’s Trail from where we will have fine view of (almost) the whole of the Betty’s Bay landscape and all its vegetation types. Please bring your cell phone with the iNaturalist.org app or your camera to upload observations for the Great Southern Bioblitz.
Wear sturdy hiking footwear and bring a jacket, refreshments plus PPE (mask and sanitizer). The outing will take about three hours. Hope to see you there.’
Should you have any questions please contact Tim on 082 343 2501, or email address: attwells@mweb.co.za
Let's get Bioblitzing in the Overstrand!
If you are keen to join Jenny Parsons on one of her outings, please contact her on jennyparsons.63@gmail.com for details:
Friday 22 Oct
Birding & botanising Rooiels to Palmiet Sewage works (includes Harold Porter & Penguins) from 8am.
Saturday 23 Oct
Birding and botanising Kleinmond to Arabella 07:30- 13:00
Botanising at Buffelstal (old Somchem Nature Reserve area at the dam) 14:00 - 17:00
Sunday 24 Oct
Botanising Brodie Link corridor and in and around Pringle Bay 09:00 - 12:00 targeting specific species
Monday 25 Oct
Arabella Estate & surrounds 09:00 - 12:00
If you would like to join Magriet Brink on her outing/s please contact her via WhatsApp for details: +27 72 921 1757
Friday afternoon 22nd October
Kleinmond mountain below Jean's Hill with Strandlopers eco group (tbc)
Saturday 23rd October
Kleinmond coastal, plots, sidewalks and garden
Sunday 24th October
Vogelgat 9am - 2pm
Monday 25th October
Kleinmond mountains contour path and beyond with Vic and Kleinmond kiekieklub
Have a look at the awesome schedule by CREW!
https://www.facebook.com/CitynaturechallengeCT/photos/a.1394808180868822/1517561145260191/
Fernkloof Nature Reserve
Contact Di Marais maraisdianne@gmail.com 082 462 3624 for more details
Friday 22 October
Elephant Path to Klipspringer meeting behind Country Market at 08:30
Contact Derek 083 448 3338
Klipspringer and up Kanonkop meeting opposite HBS Fernkloof hall 08:30
Contact Veronica 082 776 4848
Droekloof to Jeep track and De Mondsekop, meeting 08:30 gate top of Reservoir Road
Contact Wouter 081 016 7914
Sunday 24 October
Up Voelklip Zig Zig to Jeep track and De Mondsekop, meeting at Voelklip Jenkin home 08:00
Contact Sandy 082 899 9630
Rotary Way to Summit Peak and on to Galpin hut. Meeting 08:30 Hamilton Russell Gates on Rotary way
Contact Di 082 462 3624
Monday 25 October
From Marais home along Jeep track to recently burnt areas in FNR and Vogelgat. Limited places so please phone to book.
Contact Di 082 462 3624 maraisdianne@gmail.com