IRFD, 2012, e-mailed report.

UPDATE to Great Expectations - Interplanetary Rock Flipping Day, 2012

Frederick W. Schueler, of the Bishops Mills Natural History Centre, sent in his report via an e-mail attachment. In the e-mail, he says,

*nothing worthwhile under the rocks, unfortunately, but lots on the shore, which was mostly sand. See the attached report. Maybe I should have gone someplace else.

And here's his report.

EOBase Narrative of Rock Turning Day - 9 September 2012.
9 September 2012

Canada: Ontario: Renfrew County: Pembroke, 0.2 km WNW Muskrat R/old Highway 17. (25m waypoint), 31F/14, 45.82756N 77.11467W TIME: 1740. AIR TEMP: 17, sunny, breezy. HABITAT: brushy Ottawa riverside parkinglot in town. OBSERVER: Frederick W. Schueler. 2012/284/a, arrival (event). natural history, drive. WAYPT/001, for Rock turning day outing at mouth of Muskrat River - 19h09 back to van.

moved 0.14 km E.

Pembroke: Pembroke, mouth of Muskrat River. (25m waypoint), 45.82767N 77.11293W TIME: 1746. AIR TEMP: 16, sunny, Beaufort moderate breeze. HABITAT: rockybed river/brushy/marshy shores near mouth in town. 2012/284/b, visit (event). natural history, walk. WAYPT/002, down to river near mouth for Rock Turning Day. - finding garbage but no Unionidae along the shore near railway trestle here - then another attempt to find anything to turn at 45.82999 N 77.1166 W at a rock spit off breakwater in Ottawa River only 2Elliptio complanata (Eastern Elliptio) seen along shore here - I saw Larus delawarensis (Ringbill Gull) & Branta canadensis (Canada Goose) on sandy islands E of the Muskrat River - maybe the Unionids are there?

moved 0.22 km N.

Pembroke, E shore mouth of Muskrat River. (25m waypoint), 45.82959N 77.11329W TIME: 1815. AIR TEMP: 16, sunny, Beaufort moderate breeze. HABITAT: sandy beach of Ottawa River mouth of rocky river near town. 2012/284/c, visit (event). natural history, walk, drift. WAYPT/003, drift & Unionids along shore to #005. I came down from the abandoned Ottawa valley rail line through huge piles of drifted logs and smaller matter in the woods, and began a colection for drift heading NE from here. Ceryle alceon (Belted Kingfisher), Larus delawarensis (Ringbill Gull), Branta canadensis (Canada Goose), and Anas cf rubripes (Black Duck) were the conspicuous Birds.

(same location) TIME: 1816. AIR TEMP: 16, sunny, Beaufort moderate breeze. 2012/284/ca, Petunia (Petunia) (Plant). 1 herb, in bloom, seen. 1 purple-flowered plant on beach.

moved 0.28 km NE.

Ottawa River, E shore mouth of Muskrat River. (350m alg shore), 45.83148N 77.11085W TIME: 1816-1852. AIR TEMP: 16, sunny, Beaufort moderate breeze. HABITAT: sandy beach of Ottawa River mouth of rocky river near town. 2012/284/d-, Mollusca (Mollusca). shell, drift, specimen. WAYPT/004, sample centred here.

(same location) 2012/284/da, Lasmigona costata (Fluted Shell) (Mollusca). 3 shell, drift, specimen. pairs.

(same location) 2012/284/db, Lampsilis (Lamp-Mussel) (Mollusca). many shell, drift, specimen. many.

(same location) 2012/284/dc, Elliptio complanata (Eastern Elliptio) (Mollusca). abundant shell, drift, specimen. many retained, sample highly biased against this species.

(same location) 2012/284/dd, Pyganodon grandis (Common Floater) (Mollusca). 1 shell, drift, specimen. small valve with hardly any beak sculpture.

(same location) 2012/284/de, Anodontoides ferussacianus (Cylindrical Floater) (Mollusca). 4 shell, drift, specimen. small, 3 valves, 1 pair, hardly any beak sculpture.

(same location) 2012/284/df, Campeloma decisum (Brown Mystery Snail) (Mollusca). 1 shell, drift, specimen. big old shell.

(same location) 2012/284/dg, Cipangopaludina chinensis (Oriental Mystery Snail) (Mollusca). 1 shell, drift, specimen. fresh shell.

(same location) 2012/284/dh, Ondatra zibethicus (Muskrat) (Mammal). 1 skel, drift, specimen. fresh skull.

(same location) 2012/284/di, Helisoma trivolvus (Larger Eastern Ramshorn) (Mollusca). few shell, drift, specimen. fairly fresh shells.

(same location) 2012/284/dj, Helisoma campanulatum (Bell-mouth Ramshorn) (Mollusca). few shell, drift, specimen. fairly fresh shells.

(same location) 2012/284/dk, Orconectes (Orconectes) (Crayfish). few shell, shed, drift, specimen. no fresh Crayfish, 1 old Orconectes rusticus rostrum.

moved 0.06 km E.

Ottawa River, E shore mouth of Muskrat River. (25m waypoint), 45.83146N 77.11011W TIME: 1835:33. AIR TEMP: 16, sunny, Beaufort moderate breeze. 2012/284/e,Spartina pectinata (Prairie Cord Grass) (Plant). herb, in fruit, seen/pr. WAYPT/005, a few plants. - end sample here at first concentration of shells on a rocky piling (all these Elliptio complanata (Eastern Elliptio) so not a big contribution to the sample).

*The Unionids he was looking for (first paragraph) are freshwater mussels.