Signs of Spring and Journey North

This morning on a short walk (nearby, with just my dogs), I noticed tulips and daffodils starting to bloom.   Their bright colors reminded me of one of my all-time favorite sites for Citizen Science.  Journey North is a wonderful resource that focuses on migratory behaviors of animals large and small (literally gray whales to hummingbirds), and plant life cycles as well.  It has a fabulous collection of maps, reporting prompts, and activities for families, classes, and communities.  You can report when you see tulips emerging and blooming, butterflies migrating through your neighborhood, or birds of prey returning to nesting sites.   It teaches geography, global climate and planting zones, and all kinds of lessons in migration.   There is a section for educators and that is all of us!

https://journeynorth.org/
https://maps.journeynorth.org/map/?map=tulips-spring&year=2020

This picture was taken a few years ago...it's a beautiful day today!!

And then we had an Earthquake!!

Tonight, just before 6:00 PM MST, we felt the house sway and the light fixtures swing in the kitchen.  It was a 6.5 earthquake right here in Idaho, and the epicenter was in the central mountains above Stanley.   Go to the USGS site and look up this particular earthquake, and you can help the scientists by recording what the earthquake felt like to you in your location.   I have attached a FB post from CSI Geology Instructor (and author of Geology Underfoot in Southern Idaho), Shawn Willsey, as he explains the science behind the quake!  March has been nothing short of memorable!



https://www.facebook.com/GeologyUnderfootinSouthernIdaho/?__tn__=%2CdK-R-R&eid=ARDOs-YcFXCX0AYbveNw1l0soyQrsIl0hBgOC7SmdjXfPKmQIsPu7-WKP0YKLBeUmpc84mm7MuoHFPrQ&fref=mentions

https://mountain-press.com/collections/geology-underfoot/products/geology-underfoot-southern-idaho