Scores of volunteers will head to Maury Island’s wild places this weekend to find as many species of plants, animals and other wildlife as they can in a 24-hour period.

The event, the fourth annual BioBlitz, is sponsored by the Vashon Nature Center and provides a chance for those who participate to learn more about just what and who lives on the island, from its forests to its beaches.

“If you have a curiosity about island plants or animals, it is a good time for swapping stories and making discoveries and speaking to people who are passionate about their areas of expertise,” said Kathryn True, one of the event organizers. “You will come away knowing your backyard a little bit better.”

Interested islanders are welcome to help with counting creatures, and True noted there is room on the songbird, owl, insect and mammal surveys. Those who would like to ensure a spot on a survey team should contact the nature center in advance.

At base camp at Dockton Park, free activities, including using microscopes, drawing with the help of biological illustrators and checking out a touch tank of marine life, will provide a way for people to get involved on a drop-in basis.

Previous BioBlitz events have all been held on Vashon Island, making this event the first one on Maury Island, which receives less rain than Vashon and has more sun exposure as well as a healthy madrone forest.

“This will be a different ecosystem than we have had before,” True added.

The 24-hour span of the event allows for identifying species often out while most islanders are asleep. As darkness falls, the day’s surveys will give way to setting mammal traps, searching for insects with a black light and owling. As dawn nears, groups will go out again, with some checking the mammal traps and others out birding.

Vashon has plenty of company in holding the BioBlitz, as communities in many parts of the globe are holding nature surveys as well, from Oklahoma to Spain and Costa Rica.

On Vashon, organizers say the event provides a snapshot of island wildlife and creates baseline data. Over time, True added, those involved with the nature center would like to cycle back to the areas where species were counted and see if the numbers have changed. Doing so will allow them to understand more about the island’s ecosystems and their health.

For now, she encourages islanders participate in this year’s event.

“We’re peeking into the stories and lives of these plants and animals that we pass by every day,” she said.