BioBlitz!
BioBlitz is our annual dawn-to-dusk biological survey of Odiorne Point State Park.
- Date: Saturday, September 21, 2024
- Time: 6:30am–4pm (come for all or part of the day)
- Ages: All ages! Children must be accompanied by adults.
- Cost:
- Non-Members: age 12 and up, $17: ages 3-11, $15
- Senior/Military: $15
- Members, all ages: $5
- Age 0-2: Free
Come be a part of the science!!!
BioBlitz is our annual dawn-to-dusk biological survey of Odiorne Point State Park. Families and nature enthusiasts team up with SSC naturalists and guest experts to explore the Park’s habitats to find and identify as many different species as possible in just one day! BioBlitz is a great way to get kids (and adults!) excited about science, learn about biodiversity, and discover how you can help protect our natural world.
Like an extreme nature scavenger hunt, BioBlitz offers many opportunities for all ages to gain knowledge and hone skills in their favorite areas of nature! Habitat, plant, and animal explorations are scheduled throughout the day, allowing participants to choose among activities that interest them the most. With seven distinct natural habitats to survey, there’s something for everyone!
SSC’s Greg Interactive Learning Studio serves as the BioBlitz home base and is the field lab for the day. Here, you can observe some of the smallest species through microscopes, see amazing images of finds from years past, learn about the species identification process, and connect with scientists and expert naturalists.
The total number of species identified since our first BioBlitz in 2003 tops 2,545 and continues to grow every year. This valuable catalog serves as a snapshot of the biodiversity of our region. Your participation and contributions to our data set will not only help us monitor biodiversity, but will also help us provide countless educational opportunities for school children, families, and groups.
Sample Exploration Schedule
The sample below reflects our 2023 event schedule.
Sunrise: 6:29am | Low Tide: 11:40 am | High Tide: 6:05pm
| 7am | Birding |
| 8 am | Birding |
| 8 am | Beach cleanup with Blue Ocean Society: |
| 9 am | Pond & Insects |
| 10 am | Tide Pooling (with PreK group option) |
| 10 am | Seaweeds |
| 11 am | Seine Netting |
| 12 pm | Tide Pooling |
| 12:30 pm | Lunch Break |
| 1 pm | Special program with Center for Wildlife |
| 2 pm | Salt Marsh |
| 2 pm | Mushrooms |
| 2:30 pm | SCUBA demo |
| 3 pm | Plants |
Contribute to our 20+ year data set by uploading your finds to SSC’s BioBlitz iNaturalist!
Record your observations of plants, birds, invertebrates, algae, fishes, and any other species you see in Odiorne Point State Park to help scientists learn more about our changing ocean and coastal environment.
Download the iNaturalist app, observe, take photos, upload, and share! How to find SSC’s BioBlitz page in the iNaturalist app:
- Once in the iNaturalist app, on the bottom menu bar, click ‘More.’
- Select ‘Projects’ and then click the magnifying glass in the top right corner. In the search bar, type in the name of the project (SSC BioBlitz!) and hit “Search.”
- Go to the project page, and click on ‘Join’ along the top menu underneath the project name. The project will now show up on the Projects list under the ‘More’ tab.
How to record observations in iNaturalist:
- Tap the camera icon (iPhone) or ‘+’ icon (Android) to add an observation (take a photo or choose a photo you’ve already taken); you can add more than one photo of the same organism to an observation.
- Enter your ID where it says, ‘What did you see?’ (iPhone) or ‘Species name’ (Android); can be any taxonomic level.
- Pick the name that matches most closely (only available when your phone has service).
- Tap “Projects” and select “SSC BioBlitz!”
- Tap save (iPhone) or ✓(Android), repeat.
- Tap ‘Upload’ (iPhone) or ‘Sync’ (Android) in the green bar to share your finds if they haven’t automatically uploaded.
Questions?
Please contact Katie at 603-436-8043 or k.brodeur@sscnh.org.
Our Corporate Partners
Special thanks go to our partners at New Hampshire State Parks, Normandeau Associates and to Jersey Mike’s Subs, Portsmouth for their generous donation to fuel our experts and volunteers!
Corporate Partnership Opportunities
Sponsoring BioBlitz is an excellent way for your company to reach families from across the region. To learn more, please contact us at 603-436-8043 or info@sscnh.org.
