Blitz the Bear: Finding species at Sleeping Bear Dunes

By Paula McIntyre
Sun contributor

How many different kinds of plants, animals, and other organisms live at Sleeping Bear Dunes? To help answer that question, nearly 250 scientists, naturalists, students, and other nature lovers joined forces Sept. 16-17 for the Blitz the Bear bioblitz.

“A bioblitz is a lot like Pokémon Go, but you’re looking for real species,” explains Jessica Simons, co-executive director of the Cerulean Center, which organized the event. “While we didn’t expect to find all the park’s species in a two-day event, we’re at 200 species and counting. We’re excited that new records are still coming in as scientists continue to analyze their data and specimens.”

Species are recorded in the Sleeping Bear Dunes bioblitz project on iNaturalist.org. Discoveries include fall coral-root orchids growing along a forested roadway near Pyramid Point, interesting sand-loving bees and wasps, some unexpected fish finds in Lake Michigan, and a large number of bald eagles and turkey vultures.

“What a great way to kick things off by partnering with the staff at Sleeping Bear Dunes for the bioblitz,” Simons notes. “Blitz the Bear not only launched the Cerulean Center’s programming; it also was one of nearly 150 bioblitzes around the country that celebrated the National Park Service’s 100th anniversary.”

Park Superintendent Scott Tucker and his family joined in the bioblitz on Saturday. “The kids had a great time seining in Lake Michigan,” he says. Working with aquatic scientists David Jude and Stephen Hensler, they found 10 different species of fish.

“It was great for the kids to see how excited the scientists were about what was in the net,” he notes. “On several occasions, the scientists were surprised about a species they did not think they would find, which got the kids just as excited to find and describe the new fish.”

Hensler confirms they found a few surprises out there. “We found four species that I’d expect in western Lake Erie or inland lakes,” he explains, “but not necessarily in Lake Michigan along the beach at Sleeping Bear Dunes.” They found white perch and gizzard shad near North Bar Lake, as well as largemouth bass and bluegill near Otter Creek. “That habitat is not great for largemouth bass and bluegill in particular,” he says. “They’re usually found in slower water with vegetation, not in a dynamic beach environment like nearshore Lake Michigan.”

Tucker was pleased with the event. “The Cerulean Center pulled together a team of top-notch scientists and volunteers,” he says. “The results that are still being compiled will provide an additional tool for the park in the future.” With more than 70,000 acres to manage, it is impossible for park staff to get into the field at multiple locations at the same time. “With events like this, citizen scientists assist us in collecting the field data. At the same time, these events help foster the next generation of park supporters and possible employees.”

Event organizers made sure to reach out to that next generation. Students from the Greenspire and Pathfinder schools joined scientists and naturalists as North Bar Lake on Friday for field excursions. Eagles flew overhead as everyone gathered on the shore of North Bar Lake for a smudging ceremony led by Hank Bailey, an elder with the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians. Then it was off to look for birds, fish, plants, and insects, before heading to basecamp at the Dune Climb to meet with scientists and examine their findings.

Simons recalls how one student was fascinated by a microscope at basecamp, coming back several times for another look. “When a student is that engaged, and then claims she wants to be a scientist when she grows up, that makes it all worthwhile,” she says. “As our first event, this is just the start of how the Cerulean Center wants to support citizen science and citizen involvement in research in the Great Lakes region.”

McIntyre is co-executive director of the Cerulean Center, a new nonprofit organization committed to advancing understanding of the Great Lakes ecosystem. For more information, visit Ceruleancenter.org/bioblitz.