Hi folks,
This Saturday is the fall seasonal Clifton Bend count. We will start the count
at 9:30 sharp, so if you can be there a little earlier, the better. We will
meet at the parking lot of Carroll Cabin Barrens State Natural Area. The
weather forecast has been wavering between rain/partly cloudy, but as of
tonight, there is a 60% chance of afternoon thunderstorms. So....my plan will
be to start counting as soon as possible (9:30) and we will go until 2:00 when
we will stop for lunch at Meo Mio's (you may want to bring an easy-to-carry
snack to tide you over). Hopefully we will not have rain before then and will
be able to continue after lunch. There will be no rain date, so we will do all
we can to get this count done Saturday. Since it is a seasonal count, we will
have to have at least 4 observers and put in at least 6 party-hours. If you
plan on helping out, please let me know you are going to be there. Remember,
there is a $3.00 fee to NABA.
Fall counts are usually very good as we hit peak butterfly numbers for the
year, and this was very true of last year's Clifton Bend fall count. Last year
this count produced 53 species and almost 2200 individuals. This count is very
reliable for high numbers of the sulphur big 3 (Cloudless Sulphur, Little
Yellow, and Sleepy Orange), but last year also produced big numbers of Gulf
Fritillaries and Carolina Satyrs. So if the weather cooperates, it should be a
great count. Hope you can make it.
Bart Jones
Memphis, Shelby Co.
