One thing about pandemics is that they seem to allow us time to dig more deeply. I've been reading and watching videos about citizen science. I hadn't realized the extent to which citizen science has informed research projects on a wide range of topics. Of course I knew about the project called Journey North, which tracks the migration of monarch butterflies and also of other species, such as baltimore orioles, barn swallows, songbirds or others. Observers also report leaf-out and ice-out in their local area.

I have been a volunteer citizen scientist myself this year. I participated in a Road Salt Monitoring project with the Ottawa Riverkeeper. We sampled the water in several creeks, downstream from major arteries after precipitation events. The painting above is of Pinecrest Creek, the day we went to consider which creeks to monitor. I actually monitored Graham Creek but that day at Pinecrest Creek was a good day! This was the first year of salt testing and the results were interesting. They can be found at...