How many of you observe common species

[ilenisaatio]

I started wondering, how common is it to make observations of really common species? Like, when I come to an area I haven’t been in before, I go through “Yeah, that’s a birch, and yeah, that’s a crow”-style phase and make observations of them (yes, I do differentiate species, that’s just for an idea). I’ve noticed people often focusing just on something that’s not apparent right away. Sure, these observations I make, are mostly of plants, but I feel it’s just as important.

So, do you do observations of really common things in an area, or do you only go for the ones that require more work, and why?

[lynnharper]

Maybe 80 to 90 percent of what I observe are common species. I think it’s useful and important to leave a record of what is living at a site now, because a century from now - maybe even just 25 years from now - things will be different and scientists will appreciate having the data from now to compare to then. Even ignoring climate change, natural areas are constantly changing. You can call that change “succession” if you like, but I also think random events (say, what seeds a bird poops out where) and history (was the site logged? and when? what about hurricanes? glaciers retreating? beaver dams?) influence the species composition of sites greatly.

Besides, photographing everything I have some hope of getting to sit still makes me pay attention and I enjoy the opportunity to look closely at everything.

[Ajott]

You will probably get some very different replies as some here have already expressed that they do not really understand observing common species.

Well, I am also observing the common ones (and even multiple times) for different reasons (random order)

• I like filling my personal map as a kind of a “I have been here” and will try to observe something even if I am somewhere only for a short period of time.. and often there are some go to species I will observe for that purpose. It even became like a running gag for me and my partner “Hey I need to shoot something or I have not really been here” .. in cities this often will be rock pigeons.. in South America vultures filled this place, especially as I really loved them anyways.. I am surprised that for both only have ~40 observations.. felt much more
• For some species I like to catch a glimpse of the pattern diversity they can show, e.g. marsupial frogs which is my top observed species.. but also the asian ladybeetle as I always felt some morphs seem to be more prominent in certain areas compared to other areas
• Some taxa I just do not know enough about to reliably distinguish species.. so I will take the shot and see what it is later when the experts give their opinion. I got quite some new lifers this way.. especially when it comes to plants, but also some other organisms like fungi, flies, lichen…
• Some species I just reaaaallly like so much, I always love getting a photo like the still bary in my tip ten but probably soon to be replaced by the honey bee Lynx spider Peucetia rubrolineata
• speaking if honey bee.. a very thankful subject to hone photography skills, so some of the observations are due to me practicing and once I have the photo, why not upload it as well.. sometimes they have been a by-catch as a spiders prey or when actually photographing a plant.. or sometimes it was something interesting about it like a drohne, a natural hive or something similar.. there are other species that are similar
• Sometimes I just like and go out an take as many photos as I can, especially when I am in a place that has not a lot of observations yet
• If I am at a place and see even common species have not been observers there yet, I will observe them to fill the map.for them as well
• Phenology data is also something I think about for certain species.. so I like to get the first an possibly last one I see in a year as observation

[guryonatan]

I tend to document “common” species when I see a ‘reason’ to do so , it may be a new location for me. or an interesting site ecologically or in some other aspect. i try not to over document common species , however i do find that i have some favorite groups, in which i just document everything like mushrooms and lichen, with less regard to them being common

[deniszp]

Every common species, I try to observe at least once a year. Observations of common species can also be useful scientific data. If I am 99% sure that it is a common species, which I have already observed this year and in this area, then I usually pass by. But in cases where it is an unusual biome, time of year, unusual behavior, phenotype or something else, then I make an observation.

[orchidrose]

I observe common species for a couple of reasons.

The most significant one is that the common can be uncommon and threatened. We have seen that happen with the orchids here is South Australia.

Sometimes what I think is a common species, turns out to be something different and uncommon, for whatever reason. I recently almost didn’t photograph a moss because I thought I had enough observations of ‘that’ moss for the day. It turned out to be something different and was a globally vulnerable species with no observations at the site.

Another reason is that the common species can be overlooked and not recorded. As an example, the species list for a site we were looking after, did not list the most common orchid.

[account120]

Short answer: yes!

Some of my observations are for my own education. In other words, reference images. Common plants can have many varieties and forms due to their abundance so sometimes you can find outliers too.

Although most of my newer observations have been rarer species, I have been considering taking more photos of common species to build up that library of references. I find that when photographing (or looking closely at) common species you can notice things about them that you never would have before. It gives you a different perspective on the plant. Finding new quirks about a species also makes the creation of dichotomous keys a lot easier!

[Thunderhead]

I observe… whatever shows itself to me that day. Pre-iNat days, I was wandering my nearby parks and photographing what I could because everything is amazing…then I noticed that
I had stopped photographing some very common plants, because how many photos of them do I need?
Then I remembered that those plants with flowers (looking at you daisy, dandelion and sweet William) have all sorts of pollinators! So the photos weren’t so much the repetitive flowers.
That got me back to seeing them as “worthy”.
I am not an iNatter that goes out looking for things, I’m an iNatter that goes out seeing things.

[ilenisaatio]

@lynnharper

Maybe 80 to 90 percent of what I observe are common species. I think it’s useful and important to leave a record of what is living at a site now, because a century from now - maybe even just 25 years from now - things will be different and scientists will appreciate having the data from now to compare to then.

This is kinda my logic too. After I did my thesis (for my BBA, that is) of a subject that didn’t have much baseline data, just some top highlights (don’t select a subject like that for a bachelor’s, leave for a master’s or something ), I came to the conclusion, that just basic samples from a thing can help in cases. It can save a lot of extra work for someone.

@guryonatan

I tend to document “common” species when I see a ‘reason’ to do so

Yeah, this pretty much sums it up along with not overdoing it. It’s some of the majority species to “set the tone” of the area the first time I get there. After that it’s the ones that aren’t all over the place.

[oksanaetal]

What’s common now may not be common in the future - just look at all the records of “buffalo blackening the prairies” used to prove that we need to protect the few wild bison we have left. So yes, I observe common species a lot.

[derbyshirewoodwose]

1. A species might seem common if you see a lot of them in your area, but might be less so in a wider region
2. As oksanaetal said, common now does not mean common always
3. Recording common species means potential links to less common ones - ie a food source for a particular creature

Of course there’s a thrill in observing rare species, but I personally like to use iNat as a means of recording the variety of wildlife in my area, not just “exciting” species.
That said, I do still have to remind myself sometimes to take a picture of a pigeon or a crow if I see one - not immune to the “Yawn, another X” mindset!

[yayemaster]

Observations · iNaturalist
It’s not like you have to scroll down past 140+ species to find my most observed “uncommon” species Eurybia spectabilis. Pretty much everything I observe is common.

[janetwright]

Let’s say I’m going to a new place (Zion Canyon!), and I want to get a preview of what I might see there. it’s great to use iNaturalist to pull up the 30 plants most observed in, say, July, at that place. Instant field guide / bingo card! But the reason I can do that is that stalwart iNatters have recorded those most common species in that place. Another nice service of recording common species.

[sedgequeen]

I observe lots of common species, for diverse reasons. Most of all, I find photographing things and uploading the photos to iNaturalist to be fun. Other reasons (or excuses)?
Building up checklists for each park or other natural area I visit requires posting each common species at least once at each location.
There are many species that I can’t identify so I can’t know if I posted them before, so I post them each time I see them.
Phenology – I photo the first time an animal shows up or a plant flowers but I’d also like to record the last date. I can’t know what’s the last date until I’ve gone a while without seeing it, so I photo it repeatedly trying to catch that last observation.
Exercise is good but also boring. Photographing for iNaturalist gives me an incentive to go out and walk around, with the posts just side effects.
Common species may vary. iNaturalist documents that variation well – if people post the species frequently.
Filling in “blank” areas on my personal observation map is fun and requires photographing common species.
We don’t know what species future researchers will want to study. Often they’ll want a lot of data on a common species. (Sometimes not, of course.)
Post what you fee like posting. If the observations are identifiable and have accurate time and place they’re good, whatever species is shown.

[someplant]

@Ajott

I like filling my personal map as a kind of a “I have been here” and will try to observe something even if I am somewhere only for a short period of time.. and often there are some go to species I will observe for that purpose. It even became like a running gag for me and my partner “Hey I need to shoot something or I have not really been here” .. in cities this often will be rock pigeons.. in South America vultures filled this place, especially as I really loved them anyways.. I am surprised that for both only have ~40 observations.. felt much more

I do this too! But I also prefer not to “repeat” species. So actually I am “running out” of common species, particularly in cities where the same bunch of species tend to turn up frequently. It has forced me to look at more obscure groups, such as insects, powdery mildews, galls, and microscopic aquatic life.

[jhousephotos]

I like to record common species for several reasons:

1. I like to record them in new areas, and in relation to where I’ve been elsewhere.

2. Some common species still end up being overlooked because most folks may not recognise them.

3. Some of these common species are just species that I have an affinity towards, so I record them regardless.

[jeanelz]

Sometimes it is the only thing I can make obs of. Oftentimes I’m in an area where weeds or invasive plants have taken over and then it is almost impossible to find anything that is not common. I like to have a record of the places I’ve been, and luckily so. Last year I was in an area that have been overrun by Echium plantagineum, but I still got obs of those with white flowers. In the same area, after a number of walks, I saw my first disa, so it made it worthwhile to notice the common plants first in order to draw my eye to what is out there that is different.

The same area is now closed off for a new office block and residential development, so even though perhaps 90% of what was there were common weeds, aggressive invaders, common grasses and reeds, I’m happy to still have made a record of what was left of the original flora of that specific area before it got lost forever.

I sometimes also get to places where I actually do not know what is common to that specific area and then I just try to get as much in as possible. I see once I upload obs what is common to the area and then when or if I can go back, I can focus on the things that is not always easy to spot and maybe a new instance of a common plant or a common plant with some new growth or a new insect on it. Sometimes I think you know what I really do not want another observation of protea nitida, even though I am in a new place and there are a few. Until… one with a gall that is not frequently observed, others with witches brooms and others with leaf blights, which I would not have noticed had it not been for trying to find something else. That made me look closer and discover something new about a plant that is practically as common as grass in some areas.

And of course, even common plants go through changes in seasons and weather patterns, so observing the common plants in an area can give indication of plants that flower earlier than normal, that race to seed or sometimes change their behaviour to respond to some change in weather or seasons or some threat perhaps. Having seen a few hybrids amongst the common plants in an area, of course also adds knowledge. This keeps it interesting.

And some common plants I just plain like, so I will almost always photograph them and upload the obs. Maybe someday what is common now will be scarce or heaven forbid, completely gone.

But I still do not like something like E. plantagineum becoming common in an area where it has no business to be in and no natural way to protect the original flora from it. The spread of invasive species such as these are better seen if, when they become common, there are obs made.

[ilenisaatio]

@sedgequeen

Exercise is good but also boring. Photographing for iNaturalist gives me an incentive to go out and walk around, with the posts just side effects.

Heh, yeah. Used to play this AR game, Ingress, way back. It had a similar effect. Could easily end up walking 30 km around town and find new places and landmarks. A lot easier to grab our 9 mo, or even all three kids, along and go for a walk when you have something else to do alongside. Bonus with the 10- and 7-year olds is, that they go off the side of the walking path and find all sorts of interesting things they inform me of. Summertime tends to be more active with all the plants, fungi and arthropods around.

During Winter, we go to find tracks and droppings. We’ve noted a surprisingly large roe deer population around despite the city center being less than 10 km away and apartment complexes dot the area with some forest in-between. There’s an almost continuous forest corridor, cut only by a few roads, going all the way to the countryside some 25-30 km away, so they likely use that as a route. That’s been an interesting realization I wouldn’t have noticed without iNat.

[rykela]

Yes, I’ve had this happen to me before! I took a picture earlier this year of what I thought was a common white butterfly, and when I submitted it to inaturalist it suggested that what I actually saw was a different species that sadly seems to be in decline. But the place I saw it, despite being at the extreme edge of their observed range, was filled with their preferred host plant so it made sense and it gave me a renewed appreciation for how a site’s plant variety can support specific pollinators over others.

Nothing wrong with common species, though. The more observations, the merrier.

[ilenisaatio]

@jeanelz

But I still do not like something like E. plantagineum becoming common in an area where it has no business to be in and no natural way to protect the original flora from it. The spread of invasive species such as these are better seen if, when they become common, there are obs made.

This is a good point. About a decade ago, Viscum album started to be spotted in the wild here, where it has not been native (Finland). It had already spread to several places along the coast. The entry point was tracked genetically and by other means to a certain slightly isolated area of single-family housing, and it is suspected, that someone had had a door decoration during Christmas-time, that was made of the common mistletoe which had berries. Add birds and you got this situation. The next spot was an oak grove over a fjard from the first area, and from there it took off in several directions. It’s now been spotted in a 50 km radius that’s quite filled with suitable forest, so I think the battle’s been lost. Still, I document every place I spot them.