After losing my plane ticket, my computer broke, my drivers lisence expired, and my binoculars broke. I'm glad I don't have a car anymore because if I did it would break down tomorrow. But, as devastating as the binocular breakage is, I'm very lucky indeed to be doing what I'm doing right now.
We've only been banding twice so far, but will be doing so for the next two months up in the kipuka on the saddle road of the Big Island. Liba, the Stanford postdoc, warned us that we probably would only be catching a handful of birds each day (as in, 1 would be exciting). But today we caught 12 plus a recap. Mostly Red-billed Leiothrix, but several I'iwi, a Japanese White-eye and a Hawaii Amakihi. The I'iwi are cool to look at head-on; their bills are so curved and delicately thin. The family of honeycreepers, Drepanidinae, has a distinct birdy smell. We're color-banding, and will spend most afternoons re-sighting, which is one of the main reasons why my binoculars breaking is so unfortunate.
It's also just so wonderful to be working out in the vegetation islands surrounded by lava. I can look through the Ohi'a and Koa trees to see the hyper-white cloud bank moving up the slopes of Mauna Kea, rolling up towards the round astronomy observatories perched on the summit. The sense is similar to the cloud bank moving into Palo or engulfing the golden gate bridge, but with starker scenery.
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Sunday, April 6, 2008
"Stuck" in SF
I was one of the thousands stranded across the country when I attempted to return home from Florida on thursday. I shoulda known better than to fly ATA, but I'm still functioning on an intern's budget. So, I got to LA on Delta before finding out that ATA no longer existed, and my plane ticket was worthless. Hearing all the horror stories, I was actually one of the lucky ones. I got a quick flight up to SF on Virgin America (wow, nice airlines, and totally different socio-economic bracket) and from there to Honolulu the next day. I was able to stay with a family friend and actually went birding in SF on Friday. Picked up Eared Grebe on my life list in a little marina. Surprisingly, there was also a Horned Grebe about 50m further down. It was nice to see the two so close and therefore immediately comparable. Also saw a CALT in the parking lot which lifted my spirits immensely. It was nice to be back in the bay area, even unexpectedly. Wish I had had more time to organize a stop-over visit at Palo.
Now, I'm back in the islands jet-lagged and a little depressed about the Northern Cardinals, Red-crested Cardinals, Bulbuls, Mynahs, Nutmeg Manakins, MODOs, Zebra Doves, Japanese White-eyes, and feral cats around. But the waves at the beach yesterday helped. Can't wait to get over to the Big Island where they Akis await me. I'll be working with a postdoc from Stanford who is studying kipuka size for restoration. We'll be banding, resighting and doing veg surveys (no p-oak!) for the spring. Still looking for something for this summer and beyond.
By the way, those beard pictures are awesome but would scare small children.
Now, I'm back in the islands jet-lagged and a little depressed about the Northern Cardinals, Red-crested Cardinals, Bulbuls, Mynahs, Nutmeg Manakins, MODOs, Zebra Doves, Japanese White-eyes, and feral cats around. But the waves at the beach yesterday helped. Can't wait to get over to the Big Island where they Akis await me. I'll be working with a postdoc from Stanford who is studying kipuka size for restoration. We'll be banding, resighting and doing veg surveys (no p-oak!) for the spring. Still looking for something for this summer and beyond.
By the way, those beard pictures are awesome but would scare small children.
Thursday, April 3, 2008
Central Valley is the "cool" place to be!
Today I arrived in an exotic village called "Modest-O"...where I will be spending my summer looking for nests - and shade. (I am missing the ocean already...)
I must say, though - it's not as awful as most people have described it. It's no Bolinas or Stinson, but it's a heck of a lot better than East Hartford, CT. And although I have been warned not to look the locals in the eye or piss them off...I'm not scared.
We've also got a pretty sweet pad with furniture and everything! Thanks to the Dettler for finding the place. We don't have a pool, but I think we can get one of those kiddie pools in the front yard and soak our butts in it while drinking beer and smoking cigarettes (just kidding about the cigarettes part...not about the soaking butts in the kiddie pools...).
Tomorrow I get to check out the sites and the birds with Mr. D. Should be fun!
Hope everyone is well.
Kokes
I must say, though - it's not as awful as most people have described it. It's no Bolinas or Stinson, but it's a heck of a lot better than East Hartford, CT. And although I have been warned not to look the locals in the eye or piss them off...I'm not scared.
We've also got a pretty sweet pad with furniture and everything! Thanks to the Dettler for finding the place. We don't have a pool, but I think we can get one of those kiddie pools in the front yard and soak our butts in it while drinking beer and smoking cigarettes (just kidding about the cigarettes part...not about the soaking butts in the kiddie pools...).
Tomorrow I get to check out the sites and the birds with Mr. D. Should be fun!
Hope everyone is well.
Kokes
Gouldii Headed For the Central Valley
Hey all, I will be headed to Redding California in the next week to start nest searching on the Clear Creek Project. I will definitely miss Palo and the Ocean, but I am looking forward to working woth some cool birds. I hope everyone is doing well and best of luck to you all in your future endeavors.
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