Today's episode could be broadly described as “how to maximize your time in the field”, whether it be casual hikes, random walks in nature, goal-driven hikes, or BioBlitzes.

And our guests are Chloe and Trevor Van Loon. Chloe has a background in ecology and environmental science, and while Trevor’s educational background is in math and computer science, he’s also become a fanatical amateur naturalist. In fact, both Chloe and Trevor are highly skilled naturalists and prolific iNaturalist contributors. No biome or habitat is off limits for them, and they have an insatiable drive to learn more.

Chloe and Trevor offer tips and techniques to identify the plants, fungi, and insects you find, regardless of whether you are a budding nature lover or a seasoned naturalist. We discuss approaches to making new personal discoveries, using iNaturalist to locate nearby and interesting taxa, and many specific techniques, including using UV lights at night, using a sweep net, and challenging your own assumptions about where to find interesting things. Who knows - maybe you too can observe a nival aeolian fallout! Listen to learn exactly what that is!

There are so many actionable suggestions and ideas that I really just gave up on the idea that this intro would do the episode justice. And be sure to check the show notes at naturesarchive.com for links to the resources mentioned today. And find Chloe and Trevor on iNaturalist, instagram, or on Chloe's blog.

FULL SHOW NOTES

People and Organizations
Damon Tighe's Instagram and iNat
Marin Mushrooms (Alison Pollack) on Instagram

Books and Apps
Jepson Manual - classic for California plants
ROCKD app
Sibley Guide to Birds of the Western North America
Chloe's recent review of The Cougar Conundrum

Other Naturalist Tools Mentioned
Hand lens or loupe
Insect aspirator (aka pooter) - here's an example
Phone macro lenses - Make sure the lens you buy is compatible with your phone and case!
UV Lights: USB UV Kit for backpacking; High powered for general use; the "Gold Standard" LepiLED

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Music: Spellbound by Brian Holtz Music
License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license
Artist site: https://brianholtzmusic.com

Discover the Jumpstart Nature Podcast - entertaining and immersive, it's the nature fix we all need.

Check past Nature's Archive episodes for amazing guests like Doug Tallamy, Elaine Ingham, and Gabe Brown, covering topics from bird migration to fungi to frogs and bats!