Conducting an on-site solo Bioblitz rehearsal

As the Bioblitz organizer, we can't overemphasize the importance of conducting an on-site solo rehearsal Bioblitz before hosting the main event to make sure that observations will upload and be counted smoothly during the Bioblitz. This involves:

• Setting the web filters to rehearse counting
• Visiting the place to rehearse observing and uploading
• Checking the count on the web
• Troubleshooting any issues

Set the web filters to rehearse counting

In this section we'll be using the Observations page on the website which you can learn more about in the Exploring Observations on the Web tutorial.

Start by clicking Observations in the top menu.

• Use the location filters to navigate to your Bioblitz site.

• You'll need your site to be available as an iNaturalist place. Check the Places of Interest menu to see if an appropriate place already exists. If not, you'll need to Create an iNaturalist place first so you can find it in this menu.

• Next set the date filter to the day that you'll rehearse visiting the site.

The place and date filters are now set to start counting your rehearsal observations. The count will probably be zero at this point. Remember these filter settings and now it's time to visit the place!

Visit the place to rehearse observing and uploading

Download the iNaturalist app and log in or sign up. Head to the place where you'll be hosting the Bioblitz and make at least ten iNaturalist observations of wild organisms you encounter. Follow this tutorial if you're unfamiliar with how to make observations.

Pay attention to the electricity and internet availability at the place. Is there wifi, cell service, or no service at all? If there is service, try uploading observations on site. If there isn't scout around for a nearby venue to host a post-bioblitz upload party and try uploading from there. Check with the hosts about whether any potential electricity or internet resources are available for use during the Bioblitz.

Check the count on the web

After you've posted your observations, check back on the Observation page with your previously set filters. You should see your observations displayed on the map and represented in the counts.

Troubleshooting any issues

Did it work? If so you're ready to continue organizing your Bioblitz. If not, here are some solutions to some potential pitfalls:

There's no internet at the place

You don't need internet to create observations, but you do need it to upload them to the web so they can be shared and counted. If there's no wifi or cell service on site, see if there's a nearby venue like a coffee shop with internet or cell service where your participants can meet after the Bioblitz for a 'wrap session'. Wrap sessions are great opportunities to help troubleshoot issues participants are having. If there are no nearby venues, you'll need to make sure participants remember to upload their observations when they get home after the Bioblitz.

I posted my observations but they're not displaying on the Observations page

First, double check that you did indeed upload your observations. If you followed the steps above, the Observations page should have filters for the place, the date, and the default 'verifiable' filter for observations that are candidates to become Research Grade (i.e. with photos and not captive/planted). If your observations aren't verifiable, remove this default filter, but we strongly recommend that you record verifiable observations during the Bioblitz to encourage community feedback and create data useful for science. Also check the date and place filters and make sure they encompass where and when you made your rehearsal observations.

Revised on 06 de abril de 2016 by forester93