On the road Again.....

2010-10-21T19:59:00.000-07:00

About this time every year Sandra makes a pilgrimage to the east coast to visit family and friends. I am left free as a bird and usually bored stiff with nothing to do and 2 weeks to do it. This year I decided to use the time pursuing volunteer work for next summer.
Since we have been together, about 4 years now, we have shared and satisfied our wanderlust volunteering in Alaska, Nebraska, Arizona,Texas, and of course Bosque del Apache here in New Mexico where we met...but that's another story. Anyway, I decided I would use the time for a road trip up to some beautiful places we had not seen yet and mapped out a trip to Utah with stops at Zion, Bryce Canyon Lands and whatever else on the way of interest. My plan was to leave a resume with Volunteer
Coordinators at these spots for work beginning after our winter at Bosque and one month assignment at White Sands.
After delivering Sandra to the airport, I left Albuquerque headed for Grand Canyon on a beautiful sunny morning with a sky full of balloons overhead, to pay homage to what I think is the most beautiful, scenic, quiet spot I have ever been to.
Shoshone Point is an almost secret spot on the south rim. Secret because once you've seen it, you jealously want to guard it from the average tourist. Although open to the public, it probably gets 10-20 visitors a day because you have to (shudder) walk a mile through the woods to get there. But when the trees end you are standing on the edge of the world in complete silence with a thread of the Colorado river visible a mile below and the occasional Condor gliding by on a rising thermal. This is where I hope I am scattered to spend eternity. But not yet! Today I was looking for the solitude found here while still alive and breathing.
To my enormous disappointment, I met a lady on her way out who said, "must be a wedding or something goin' on, there's about 10 cars passed me by heading in". I continued on in anger ready to confront these interlopers to my private corner of the Canyon. Then ahead I saw a small trailer with the words Superstition Search and Rescue on the side. My anger turned to guilt as I figured somebody had fallen over the edge. Also there was that old spark of excitement from my years of work with the Sierra Madre Search and Rescue team back in California long ago.
As I approached the canyon it was obvious from all the ropes and pulley systems and people in harness and hard hats peering into the abyss, that some kind of rescue or recovery was in progress. It was a recovery, but not what I expected. Some bozo, or in this case group of bozos had, with great effort, carried an iron picnic table and benches weighing hundreds of pounds to the edge and pushed it about 300 feet into the canyon where it snagged on a branch. My first evil thought was I hope they didn't let go. What kind of thinking drives so called humans to this kind of act? It's not spur of the moment, they obviously planned to drag it there with no one around and, I guess, get their kicks for about 10 seconds watching it fall, meanwhile destroying the view for all future visitors.
But that's not how it played out. This dedicated group of volunteers, professionals in all aspects of mountaineering from what I could observe, drove up from southern Arizona to spend a weekend figuring how to get it back out. I talked with some of them, men and women ranging in age from 20's through 60's and recalled the pride I felt being part of such a team. Today it was a table rescue, more of a practice run. Next time it might be a child. Check out and support Mountain (and desert!) rescue teams in your area. They do good things.
Oh yeah, the rest of the trip? It started to rain, rained all the way to Bryce Canyon, spent 6 hours in freezing weather in a leaky tent, 6 more in the car trying to sleep, turned to snow, headed back (in rain) through Flagstaff skirting 3 tornadoes, and home to warm, sunny, New Mexico where I'm staying a while.

2010-09-10T18:36:00.000-07:00

I was out at the Bosque checking our bee traps for the pollinator study we are working on when about 50 yards away under a cottonwood tree I spied a huge owl looking at me. My car was about a 1/4 mile away, it was hot and the terrain uneven and difficult, but this was a great opportunity to capture a shot of a Great Horned owl, so I slowly backed off without disturbing it and sprinted to my car (1/4 mile) to get my camera with the long lens.Returning stealthily to the scene, I could see it hadn’t moved so I slowly raised my lens and...WARNING-CHANGE BATTERIES flashed at me. Since he hadn’t moved I retraced my steps, (1/4 mile), and grabbed my spare set. Back to the scene (1/4 mile) I started taking photos as I moved ever so slowly closer. The big bird watched, frozen in it’s shady shelter.After about 10 shots without change I had enough and gave him a quiet thank you . Back at the car (1/4 mile) I couldn’t wait to see my images. I blew them up on the camera screen and....see the attached, look closely- I wish I had!

2010-09-05T17:54:00.000-07:00

2010-09-05T17:48:00.000-07:00

Audubon photos

2010-09-05T17:38:00.000-07:00

Sandra and I have entered the Audubon photo contest, prizes are fabulous including a trip to the Galopagos Islands. We're not really planning on winning, but...
Looking at last year's winners was dicouraging. The quality of entries was fantastic. It's inspirational to see them and drives us to try harder. Anyway, here's 6. I won't say whose are whose since in 3 years she has achieved what has taken me around fifty (it's really the equipment!)

2010-09-02T19:50:00.000-07:00

2010-09-02T19:38:00.000-07:00

Sorry about the double posting of images, it"s been a long while since we used this! That's our friend Bob picking up "Sand dog" Sandra's find. The other snake is a mean one I came across. The Mtn Lion is one of 3...yes 3 that we were priveledged to see at the Bosque. This is mom. She had 2 cubs, nearly full grown with. I think it's the first time they were confirmed.Last but not least is a Great horned owl we spotted while doing our pollinator count. I am also posting my last column for the local paper on finding a babt bird and what to do then.

I FOUND A BABY BIRD, NOW WHAT?

It was another nice, cool summer morning. Sandra and I were about a block into our early morning walk up to the Tech campus. As I passed a low hanging branch on a fully leafed-out tree, in the gutter litter I saw a little rustle of movement. Stopping to investigate, to my surprise the rustle turned out to be a bundle of feathers no bigger than a ping pong ball. Almost invisible in the leaf litter and general gutter detritus, under all the downy feathers was a live little bird no more than a few days...hours? old.
Lying beside it was its less fortunate nest mate. Dead, already shriveling in the sun.
Now, our love of birds would not let us walk away from such a situation and we know enough that picking up a baby will not stop a mother from caring for it. That is an old wives tale. But what is the proper thing to do from here? The first and most logical seemed to move it out of the street and the sun. It is true that a mother will try to find the baby and continue to feed it if it has fallen from the nest. It's also true that you should try to find the nest and gently place the baby back if possible. We searched the dense foliage for a nest but were unable to find any. The decision was made to continue the walk and peek in on the way back to see if mom was able to take over. We quietly approached the scene on the way home about 45 minutes later. No change. No mom. Baby was quieter now and probably very dehydrated.
As gently as I could, I picked it up and brought it home with us.Sandra gathered grass along the way and prepared a small box with a lid and placed it inside. I made a quick trip to Walmart and bought an eyedropper (Why didn't we have one here? We do now.) and some gold fish flakes (sounded right at the time) and made an attempt to feed it while Sandra went online to glorious Google that knows the answer to everything. Typing in baby bird rescue brought up about 200,000 hits. Being big fans of Henry Thoreau, we clicked on to "Walden's Puddle Wildlife Rehabilitation Center" having no idea they were on the other side of the country in Tennesee. They had a phone, we called, got a machine, left a message and searched for more information. A short time later the phone rang. It was a nice, concerned lady calling from Tennesee who was surprised to find we were calling from New Mexico. She asked a lot of questions about the bird and the situation of finding it and gave us suggestions on how to proceed. Well, to my dismay, I found out trying to feed such a youngster was wrong and could likely kill it. Most importantly she said to prepare a suitable nest substitute from a berry container stuffed with grass and place it securely back in the tree as near as we could to where we found the bird. A plastic strawberry box from Smith's was perfect. I put the little guy/gal in and, climbing a step ladder, secured it as best I could near the spot.
The odds of all this working were pretty long, but at least if it didn't work, it would be a quiet, comfortable death. Better than a dirty gutter with all the traffic on Bullock.
My confidence was low, so we vowed to not peek and just believe in the best but after 2 weeks or so, I had to know. I climbed the tree and looked into the nest certain I would find a dehydrated little body. Guess what?...The nest was empty! No signs of trouble but a whole lot of bird poop, a good thing. We will never know what really happened, but the odds of it being found, fed and fledging are a lot better and I'm sticking with it!
thanks to Walden's Puddle and the caring person who promptly returned my call, we may likely have added a another voice to nature's chorus.
If you ever run into a similar situation, you can reach them at 615 299 9938 or if you care to make a donation, their address is PO 641, Joelton TN 37080 or just google Walden's Puddle.

I PROMISE TO KEEP UPDATES!

2010-09-02T19:13:00.000-07:00

"Outdoor Story" - Hair Raising Rattler Research

2010-09-02T19:04:00.000-07:00

The "Outdoor Story" is a newspaper column Erv and I take turns writing every other week for Socorro's El Defensor Chieftain. This is my most recent! Sandra

Just like every other critter, large and small, rattlesnakes have their place and purpose on this earth. Still, they could use better PR because they often get a bad rap. From the serpent in the Garden of Eden to the asp that killed Cleopatra and in movies like “Snakes on Planes,” they are the bad guys. Little is said about their usefulness in controlling rodents and other small mammals, or the role of rattlesnake young as prey for hawks, eagles, roadrunners and even wild turkeys, as well as mammals including coyote, fox and badger.
Rattlers do warrant caution – their bite can be fatal if not treated, but they don’t seek humans and only bite us when surprised or threatened. Humans, on the other hand, have a long history of hunting and killing snakes, sometimes just for entertainment.
The Western Diamondback Rattlesnake is the largest of the Southwest desert rattlers; adults average 3.5 to 4 feet. They have a venomous snake’s characteristic flat-triangle head shape and their color ranges from gray-brown to pinkish with diamond-shaped body blotches. Their tails have distinctive bands of alternating black and white (coon-tail) that fade with age. Rattles grow segment by segment, each one a remnant of a shed skin. It’s a myth that the segments show a snake’s age; they can shed 2-3 times a year.
Diamondbacks generally hunt at night and early morning, positioning themselves to ambush passing prey. Having poor vision, they use their flicking tongue to “taste” the air by pulling chemical molecules into the Jacobs organ where they are translated into smell and used to track prey. Heat-seeking facial pits (hence the name pit viper) guide their strikes. Prey includes rodents like mice, prairie dogs and ground squirrels or the occasional bird or lizard, which they swallow whole. They can go several weeks before feeding again.
Rattlers are solitary outside of mating season and winter denning. In late Oct. they seek den sites where they burrow in quasi-hibernation with other snakes until early March. Live-born rattlesnake young are self sufficient, capable of delivering a venomous bite from the moment of birth – they only spend a few hours with their mother. It’s another myth that the young deliver more concentrated venom.
Enough background – on to the hair-raising research! In the fall of 2009 Lorraine McInnis, a UNM biology graduate student began radio tracking Western Diamondbacks at the Bosque del Apache to document their general movements and locate winter dens. She is radio-tracking 16 at the current time and hopes to track 25 individuals over a two year period. An additional 200 Diamondbacks have been tagged with microchips which can’t be radio-tracked but provide additional data.
The stimulus for Lorraine’s research was management of human/snake interaction - rattlesnakes are a safety concern in visitor areas of the refuge but she has found it an opportunity to explore aspects of rattlesnake biology that are not fully understood. Lorraine explains that any animal occupies a particular location for access to food, shelter, water and/or for breeding but snakes’ habitats and movements are also affected by daily and seasonal temperatures. “Cold blooded” reptiles externally regulate their body temperature.
The hair-raising part of all this is that each one of these 200+ snakes must be captured, examined and measured, then carefully radio-tagged and re-released to its original location. (Only those found in visitor areas are relocated elsewhere.) The radio- tagged snakes are then tracked daily no matter how remote or difficult to access. Trackers must take great care to neither disturb the snake nor get bit themselves. Erv and I have been greatly impressed by Lorraine’s skill, focus and caution working with the snakes but, as volunteer help, we always find it a hair-raising experience!
It has been shown that long distance relocation has a negative impact on a snake’s natural movements and even their survival. Lorraine’s detailed field research on Western Diamondback denning sites and normal patterns of movement will provide important information for Bosque del Apache managers to safely reduce human/snake interaction with the least impact on the snakes. Refuges are, after all, for wildlife - including rattlers!

surprise! We are still alive and well.

2010-09-02T09:18:00.000-07:00

Okay, okay, We aren't keeping up like we should. Emails, Facebook, and oh yeah, life seem to be occupying my time. Summer is gone and no one told me. Sandra is into her 8th week with a new hip and stronger than ever. We have had a bit of travel, down to Cloudcroft, White Sands and that area, mostly to keep the motorhome in shape. It looks promising that we will be working at White Sands in Feb for a month to warm up before we go to Nebraska. The winter will be doing tours, lectures and boy scout projects at the Bosque. I hope I can twist Sandra's arm into writing more and on a regular basis,- she's much Better at this and I'm doing it on my iPad which I love, but hate the typing part...anyway if you're new here, keep checking. We are going to post our bi-weekly columns from the local paper along with photos from both.

2009-11-03T10:29:00.000-08:00

2009-11-03T10:17:00.000-08:00

The weather improves daily here in south Texas. Today, the best so far, is sunny but cool with manageable humidity and a brilliant blue sky dotted with small puffy clouds. It explains the increasing numbers of what the locals refer to as “Winter Texans” - northerners migrating south to enjoy a temperate winter here on the gulf coast.
We continue to work 3 days/week at the Laguna Atascosa FWR and Sunday mornings at the Texas World Birding Center on South Padre Island. In addition to the wonderful variety of birds and wildlife, I have been introduced to butterflies in infinite variety as they also migrate south. If you think birders are a specialized lot, you must meet butterfly enthusiasts!
Today I’ll add photos of whistling ducks, butterflies, and an armadillo.
The Black-bellied Whistling- Duck is a subtropical species slowly spreading northward. Unlike most ducks, they mate for life and males are actively involved in egg incubation and chick rearing. The male here stood vigil as his family napped then gathered the sleepy-eyed chicks and their mom for a swim and relocation to more distant quarters. They are also unusual (like wood ducks) for roosting in trees, webbed feet not withstanding.
Butterflies include the slightly iridescent White Peacock, the Queen (a bit similar in appearance to the Monarch) who demonstrates some of the perils of long migration, and the American Snout whose schnoz explains the name! I’m beginning to admire these beautiful, interesting creatures more and more as I follow them with my lense.
The armadillo is a fascinating mammal with thick leathery plate armor and great digging ability which it uses to forage for grubs and other edibles and for digging burrows for home base or escape. Poor vision; great sense of smell. How wonderfully odd that we share the world with such a creature!

2009-11-03T10:09:00.000-08:00

Laguna Atascosa NWR - Texas Gulf Coast

2009-11-03T10:05:00.000-08:00

Although I may perspire a bit or causally rub an itch, I don’t usually “sweat” or vigorously scratch in public. Both, however, are now part of my persona thanks to the chiggers and high humidity here in south Texas. Erv and I were looking for a warm winter spot but, arriving in early October, we got more than we bargained for with 90+ degrees and 90% humidity… OK, I’m exaggerating a bit but that’s what it feels like. On the other hand, we know the weather will improve and the birds and wildlife are great.
In the last day we’ve seen coyote, Javalina (a small wild pig in appearance but actually a collared peccary), deer, raccoon and armadillo within 20 yards of our motor home. Fortunately snakes and alligators have been seen at a greater distance. And the birds – amazing in variety and quantity! In one tiny wetland pond we saw lovely roseate spoonbills (pink like flamingos), wood stork, egrets, heron, avocet and curlew. Nearby were a variety of other shorebirds and ducks (including Black-bellied Whistling ducks with bright red bills and pink feet and American Wigeons sporting buff “Mohawks” atop a grey head with green cheek patches). Children’s art mimics nature at her most colorful!
Coming to the feeders at the visitor’s center are brilliant green jays and orioles and noisy chachalacas ( large rather prehistoric looking birds resembling a hybrid of turkey and roadrunner) and other neo tropic birds. Guess you have to bear tropical weather for tropical flora and fauna! We’re like kids in a candy store enjoying the abundance and variety of life here at the Laguna Atascosa Fish and Wildlife Refuge.
Less than a half hour away is South Padre Island, part of the Gulf’s barrier island system. It’s a lovely strip of land with long beaches bordering the gulf on one side and Laguna Madre on the other. Dolphins and pelicans are frequently seen, fishermen abound and the large fresh shrimp are a treat. Best of all, South Padre is a mecca for migrating and overwintering birds. We’ve begun volunteering Sunday mornings at the Texas World Birding Center (“ask me” guides along the boardwalk) for the opportunity to regularly see and photograph the birds. We’ll be here through the end of the year and anticipate a good three months.

2009-09-03T19:29:00.000-07:00

Moving On:

2009-09-03T19:26:00.000-07:00

In this, our last week, we prepare to get “on the road again” with anticipation flavored by nostalgia for the Aplomado Falcons and the dynamic open spaces they now consider home. (OK, the anticipation is mostly Erv’s and the wistful nostalgia mine.)
The falcons have become increasingly self sufficient and this week are fed on an every-other-day schedule. We use “off” days to work on photographs and reports for the Peregrine Fund summarizing our experiences and the falcon’s development. We’ve also taken time to pamper ourselves with a restorative soak in one of Truth or Consequences’ hot springs and to explore more of the ranch delighting in a “find” of petrified wood and checking out the “big house,” Ted Turner’s understated ranch house which blends well into the environment. I was particularly drawn to a Spanish-era door there.
Next week we return to Socorro where Erv will tend to his Tracker (sorely abused by multiple trips on ranch roads) while I reconnect with family in Albuquerque, then drive to Big Bear Lake, CA to savor mountains and present our Bald Eagle and Sandhill Crane programs. We’ll start up the blog again in October from our volunteer post at Laguna Atascosa NWR in southeast Texas near the gulf coast. Please join us there!
I’ve enjoyed being “blogmaster” from the Armendaris and hope to have given you a taste of the challenges and pleasures we’ve experienced here. Please share your feedback and comments via email: sjnoll@msn.com.

2009-08-31T15:03:00.000-07:00

Small Critters:

2009-08-31T14:59:00.000-07:00

Although our vistas are large scale, we spend most of our work time on a small piece of real estate about 20 yards square and have become increasingly aware of the small critters co-inhabiting that space.
Being E.O. Wilson fans, we’ve especially enjoyed watching the 5-6 varieties of ants come and go on their daily business. Observing one carrying a dead comrade from the front of the shelter to its ant hill(about 50 feet in 10 minutes) Erv calculated the human equivalent to be a 5'5” adult carrying an 80# weight 1.5 miles in 10 minutes. And we’re not alone in this ant fascination. One of our fellow site attendants,a Tenn. State student,tossed out pop tart half then counted how many ants it took to pick it up and move it. Our equivalent is ants teaming up to carry away quail parts that fell off the tower as the falcons ate. Fascinating stuff!
While Erv watches ants, I’ve developed a fascination for lizards and beetles (remember the horned lizard photo early on?) and neither of us can help but notice the few, but large tarantulas. We’ve seen lizards eat aunts and the roadrunner eat beetles, but never a face-off with a tarantula.

2009-08-27T14:10:00.001-07:00

Pleistocene Pause...

2009-08-27T13:34:00.000-07:00

Break out the cigars! There’s a new baby born down here on the ranch. It’s a bit premature, but it appears healthy and active. It’s a Bolson tortoise. The thing is we don’t know if it’s a baby boy or baby girl. And we won’t really know for sure until it’s about 15 years old. The sex of the hatchlings is determined by the temperature of the incubator. Males are produced at one temperature range, females at another(Hot mamas, cool daddies. The problem here being there was a prolonged power failure one evening that may have critically affected this newborns gender. But whatever we have,it’s cute as a button and full of life. Hopefully there will be more hatching soon and the nursery will be hopping,well,slowly crawling anyway.
The Bolson tortoise was “discovered”in 1959. Until that time it had been thought extinct for 10,000 years. The story is that a group of biologists working in the Bolsón de Mapimí region of Mexico were at a ranch and saw chickens eating out of a large tortoise shell. They inquired about the origin of the shell and the locals responded that it was, “la tortuga grande del desierto,” the big turtle of the desert.
Bolson populations had declined mostly due to over collecting for food and the pet trade. Incursion of roads, railroads and agricultural development continued to accelerate the decline of the species in the last 40 years. In the central portion of its range locals are keenly aware of the tortoise’s protected status and aid in its conservation. However it is believed that tortoises are still collected and eaten and their habitat compromised.
In the fall of 2006, 26 Bolson Tortoises were translocated from the Audubon Appleton-Whittell Research Ranch in Elgin, Arizona to Ted Turner’s Armendaris Ranch in south-central New Mexico, a Chihuahuan desert environment within the prehistoric range of this species. Here this group of tortoises is known as the Appleton tortoises in commemoration of Ariel Appleton, a champion of Bolson tortoise conservation.
We were privileged to see one of these remnants of the Pleistocene hatch at the “nursery” here on the ranch.. They can take days to work out of their shell and don’t reach maturity until around 15 years. Their life span is similar to that of a human.
The Ted Turner Endangered Species Fund is in charge of the project on the Armendaris and TESF biologist Lisa Haynes is acting mid-wife. She is on call 24/7 and helps the hatchlings by delicately removing shell fragments,keeping moist paper towels under their yolk sac and providing food and water along with other things to welcome the baby into the world. All the incubators are on a system to control temperatures and humidity. Even so it's a venture into the unknown and things happen. At this time only one has made its way into the world, but there are high hopes that as many as 12 others will be pecking their way through shortly.
Lisa will be leaving the ranch for an appointment in Arizona this weekend, and Sandra and I will be watching over the eggs. A new tiny foot poked its way out of another egg this morning and we are following the progress closely. I hope it all happens before she leaves. Because as Butterfly McQueen’s famous line in Gone With the Wind goes, “I don’t know nuthin’ bout birthin’ no babies!”
(This blog entry is taken from Erv's weekly column,"The Outside Story",in our local newspaper.)

2009-08-23T15:24:00.000-07:00

The Sky:

2009-08-23T15:19:00.000-07:00

Fulfilling the promise to balance "yuck factor" with something more sublime, I post these photos which surpass words in describing the beauty and drama of New Mexico skies - sunrise, sunset, thunderheads, monsoon and rainbow reflections!

2009-08-17T15:12:00.000-07:00

The “Yuck” Factor:

2009-08-17T15:09:00.000-07:00

The yuck factor - to be balanced out by fabulous images of NM skies in our next post– includes quail thawing in our tiny RV kitchen; said quail cut up and attached to a feeding board for the chicks; the always riveting spectacle of older falcon consuming whole quail - including their preference for brains, slurping and tugs of war with viscera, and downing an entire leg and foot whole like carnival sword swallowers.
To commemorate this, Erv composed the “Ode To A Hack Site Attendant,” sung to the tune of The Battle Hymn of the Republic: “Mine eyes have seen the gory of dismembering a quail; they are pecking out the gizzards and the stringy red entrails. As they rip apart the heads and feet we watch the feathers fly; the mess could make you cry!”
You get the gist, and you can imagine cleaning up after these orgies, even with a little help from a box turtle under the tower! Last yuck factor photo… what we refer to as “taking the shovel for a walk…”

2009-08-12T14:12:00.000-07:00

The Job:

2009-08-12T14:05:00.000-07:00

There are two basic aspects to our job as hack site attendants. First is the physical care of the falcons:food and water,and protection from scavengers and predators. The second is observation and record keeping about details of the falcon’s activities, feeding patterns, flights, hunting skills and behaviors, including contacts among themselves and with other species. They are observed through tiny peep-holes for 5-7 days while inside the hack box then from a distance for 6 weeks after release. And, about once a week, we host visiting biologists, professors, and other officials who visit the site to observe the project and the falcons. The job features periods of intense awareness and activity contrasting with waiting- for-something-to-happen-time bordering on stupor. Rain or shine!
The falcon’s physical care requires a lot of thinking about and handling frozen “feed quail” at a rate of .75 quail/falcon/day; not something I’ve really done much of... One must calculate the ever-changing food requirement - hard for the math challenged, thaw the quail and, for the first 2-3 weeks of each group’s arrival, inject them with an electrolyte solution then cut them in half for the young or pierce them whole; another new job skill. The quail are then carried up a 15’ ladder and attached to the tower with zip ties. This has a definite “yuck” factor but isn’t so difficult once you adjust to the schedules. (More on the Yuck factor later… bet you can’t wait!)
After the three intense 14-hour days following each group’s release when we were on-site dawn till dusk (some days reaching 110 in the shade) you can imagine our relief to change to the current split-day schedule… and it’s not a winner in its own right. We rise at 5:15AM, drive to the site, prep quail and get the tower set-up by 6:30-7. Returning to the shelter area, we set up scopes and observe the falcons taking notes until 10 or so when we return to the tower to remove leftover quail, clean, refill water pans, etc. Then we’re off site about 5 hours and, at 4:30, repeat the process all over again, packing it in at dusk when we, like the falcons, go to roost. Any personal business, photo work, writing, driving the 35 miles to town for groceries, etc. is done in that little window between feedings. For us oldies, it’s also nap time to preserve sanity and some degree of civility.
Sunrise and sunset are ever-changing kaleidoscopes as well as the coolest parts of the day when falcon and other wildlife are most active; our “happy times.” That still leaves about 4-5 hours “work.” This less-dynamic period of observation and record keeping has generally been my task. I find the nuances of falcon activities and interactions more interesting than Erv; probably related to my detail-oriented nursing background. He generally keeps us from getting sunstroke or stuck in the mud, damaging expensive optical equipment, falling off ladders, etc and, as you have seen, he concentrates on photography and has captured some great images. We are tiring of the routine but continue to learn volumes about ourselves as well as the falcons and the myriad life stories around them.

2009-08-07T14:54:00.000-07:00

2009-08-07T14:46:00.001-07:00

NEWS FLASH!! We interrupt this series about work with the Peregrine Fund to reintroduce Aplomado falcons to southern New Mexico to report on local conflict… a battle of bison.
Working on site this morning we were enjoying the diversion of a herd of 100+ bison slowly grazing our way like ships on a sea of grass. There were many cows and calves as well as older males and females and one enormous bull watching over them all. This herd, one of two on Ted turner’s ranch, is purposefully not managed for hunting or commercial production and has been allowed to develop and roam as they would have in a bygone era. The bison made low growly noises, grazed, lay down to rest, rolled in the dust, thrashed and scratched themselves on the bushes and generally rearranged details of the landscape as they made their way westward less than a football field’s length south of our shelter. Their presence and activities gave clarification to the wallows and hair-covered shrubbery we had noted these past few weeks. It was a bucolic scene.
Then we noticed a lone bull making slow, deliberate progress our way from the north. As he neared the herd, its large bull came forward to meet him. These huge animals squared off not more than 30 yards from us and began a pushing, ground shaking, hair-flying battle lasting 10-15 minutes. The herd bull reasserted his dominance and made sure the contender retreated the way he had come before returning to his domain. WOW!!

compare dehydrated falcon to those in previous post

2009-08-01T12:45:00.000-07:00

Life and Death Struggles:

2009-08-01T12:44:00.000-07:00

We began with seven 33 day-old Aplomado chicks, or eyass, as in-nest young are called before they are able to fledge (fly). Release day, their big debut at 40 days of age, is perhaps the most sensitive time in the entire hacking process. They are deprived of food the preceding day and feeder quail are attached to numerous staples on the tower platform to encourage the chicks to feed immediately after release. This helps bond them to the tower as a source of food and gives them time to get their bearings. They are also hand sprayed with water just before the hack box door is secured open which gives additional time for exploring the tower and their surroundings as they dry and preen in preparation for first flight.
In our case, about 3 hours after the first chick had emerged from the box and 10 minutes after the last, an unidentified raptor ( likely Coopers Hawk or sub-adult Aplomado) flew in front of the tower flushing 3 of the 7 into thick brush about 60 meters away. Two returned the next morning but one has never been seen again, possibly taken by a ground predator. Now there were six in our charge for feeding and observation.
We became increasingly concerned as three days passed and two fledglings had not returned to the tower for food and water. They flew over and around the tower but seemed averse to landing on it. On the morning of day 3, the male flew and was not seen again by us. Two days later a rancher about 3.5 miles north found him under the lawn sprinkler. The falcon was obviously weak and, fearing his house cats would hurt it, the rancher placed him in a birdcage overnight where he was found dead next morning. Lab analysis determined death from dehydration and starvation. Then there were 5.
We assisted one of our supervisors, Angel Montoya, in the capture of the second bird, a female who hadn’t returned to the tower but stayed in the area. It was a long process of following her from shrub to shrub over ½ mile of desert until she could be sprayed with enough water to hinder flight and then picked up by hand. I cannot tell you how impressed we were by the skill, patience, gentleness and endurance Angel modeled through it all. Although showing definite signs of dehydration, the fledgling was in fairly good shape. Angel injected her with ringers’ lactate subcutaneously; gave her rest in the travel box back at ranch headquarters; hand fed her a mush of fortified quail; injected ringers a second time and placed her back into the hack box for rehab. Erv and I fed/observed her there for another 3 days when she was re-released. Upon release she ate and hung out on the tower for several hours before flying to a nearby mesquite tree. Next morning she flew back to the tower and ate with the others as though she had been doing so all along! Since then she has been a chow hound and often first to the tower for the twice-daily feedings.
At another hack site about 90 miles northeast, a third group of young had recently been released when a great horned owl killed 4 newly released and two slightly older falcons in one night. We aren’t supposed to get “attached” to the falcons in our care, but such a loss is hard on personnel and a blow to the overall program of reintroducing this species to its once traditional habitat.

2009-07-28T14:21:00.000-07:00

The Birds:

2009-07-28T14:20:00.000-07:00

Aplamado falcons are strikingly beautiful. The second group of 7 chicks arrived yesterday and was placed in the hack box where they will mature a bit more, grow accustomed to their surroundings, and learn that the tower represents food and home base. These new chicks dramatize the development of the first 7 which have been in our care for 2.5 weeks. During that time they have grown from downy-headed 33 day old innocents into sleek adolescent pre-hunters with 26-28” wing spans. They have become individuals with subtle differences in markings, behaviors and interactions. Their days are spent in exploration of their abilities and their world; these activities interspersed with periods of preening and rest while perched upright or laying flat on their bellies. It’s a bit disconcerting that, at rest, they often close just one eye while leaving the other alertly open.
We especially enjoy watching them develop their flight skills (Aplamados, like Peregrines, are incredibly aerodynamic) and tuning into their hunting instincts – at this stage following grasshoppers on the ground and tracking flying insects with their vision (at least 10X more acute than humans). The first chase we observed involved two pursuing a pronghorn antelope! The large mammal could, of course, never be considered prey but a chase is a chase and the antelope obligingly ran. In adulthood they will fly with great agility and speed in pursuit of large insects and smaller birds, their primary prey.
Aplamados don’t generally pair for two or more years when they will “spruce up” a nest previously constructed by a raven or other large bird, lay eggs and raise young. Peregrine Fund staff also place artificial nest boxes to help the process and one has been erected just inside the electric fence (a perimeter barrier erected to discourage bison from rubbing against the tower) for these to become familiar with and to provide them another shady perch site.
It is an extraordinary experience to be given the mandate to simply observe other creatures. It is generally interesting and sometimes exciting but with long periods akin to watching paint dry. It requires attention and endurance and rewards one not only with insight into the life of these birds, but glimpses of the interconnected lives of all creatures in this superficially barren landscape. As another crimson desert dawn was breaking today we were treated to a panorama of bison in the background, pronghorn antelope with twin fawns and a coyote passing through the middle space, and quail, lizards and rabbits almost underfoot. All this set to the music of songbirds and chirping insects with the Aplamados performing aerial ballet overhead. Well worth going to work for!

ore photos of "place." Erv's foot missed this diamonback's larger cousin by 2"!

2009-07-19T10:50:00.000-07:00

2009-07-16T21:02:00.000-07:00

The place...

2009-07-16T20:58:00.000-07:00

Though the vistas are strikingly beautiful, this is a harsh land. Temperatures in our canvas-topped observation platform reach the upper 90's daily and well over 100 in the sun. The fauna is classic Chihuahuan desert - yucca, mesquite, creosote and a variety of brittle grass clumps with a scattering of other cacti, thistle and other small, desert tolerant plants; many defended by arrays of thorns and bristles. During our first three days we enjoyed the dramatic clouds and afternoon rains of the season’s monsoons, but in the week since it has been clear and hot and dry. The greening grasses have retreated into their brittle old growth. A few, striking wild flowers recall the short bounty of moisture. Pronghorn and bison have moved on to greener browse and, other than the continuing array of birds, the wildlife who now visit are of the rabbit, ground rodent, lizard, tortoise and occasional rattlesnake varieties. We are relieved that the falcon fledglings have developed to a point where we are able to leave for naps and AC through the midday hours.

2009-07-06T19:12:00.000-07:00

2009-07-05T20:37:00.000-07:00

2009-07-05T16:17:00.000-07:00

2009-07-05T16:08:00.000-07:00

Yippee! We’re on the road again where we feel most alive and content. “Home” now is a gently used 24’ RV in which we travel and live and work; a virtual palace in comparison with last years tent and bunkhouse living! Through our naturalist's lifestyle we honor it’s previous owner, Jan Arrott, a dear friend whom we met in her capacity as originator of the "Friends of the Las Vegas National Wildlife Refuge" which, like our own Bosque del Apache, is a winter sanctuary for crane and waterfowl.
As of July 2, our “home” is parked behind the headquarters of Ted Turner’s Armendaris Ranch, a 350,000+ acre spread in south central New Mexico. We’ve graciously been given the keys to “Ted’s place” by Tom Waddell, ranch manager whose acquaintance alone has been worth the trip. Tom is an unassuming, salt-of-the-earth man with a steel-trap mind. His managerial and scientific work is seasoned by wry observations of human nature and by depth of knowledge gained through personal study and his lengthy experience here and with Arizona’s Dept.of Fish and Game. The ranch runs about 12,000 head of bison and hosts, among other things, scientific study and/or reintroduction projects for Bolson’s tortoise, prairie dogs, big horn sheep, cougars (mountain lion) and our own Peregrine Fund project with Aplamado falcons. The ranch also includes a huge cave where hundreds of thousands of free- tail Mexican bats emerge nightly – we’re eager to see that - and so much more. It’s difficult to express how excited and fortunate we feel to be here.
Yesterday our first clutch of seven young Aplamado Falcons was flown in from Idaho and placed into the hack-site box atop a 15’ tower (in a remote section of the ranch where the buffalo roam) by Paul, one of our Peregrine Fund supervisors. Erv and I are the attendants for this site and will care for and monitor the young birds in the box for about six days then upon release until they are self sufficient. We man one of several hack sites in southern New Mexico and Texas where the Peregrine Fund is continuing its successful project to reintroduce this falcon into traditional habitat where it became endangered and vanished in the 1930s.
That first night was pretty exciting for the birds and for us as New Mexico’s monsoon season (not an oxymoron) began with an amazing display of lightening and torrential downpours. The next morning was no less exciting. A part of our duties include feeding the chicks portions of quail (thawed and quartered)at first light and at dusk. Our 5:30am drive to the tower was highlighted by near-entrapment in mud (envision the first stage of a fossilized specimen) then challenge by an advancing herd of 35 or so bison (all but the calves were larger than Erv’s Tracker) who must have felt really frisky after the rain. We had no idea those big critters could move so fast!
And so it begins – on the road again. Wonder what's next!

vacation time

2009-03-02T18:33:00.000-08:00

CANCUN

It’s 6:30AM and we just awoke to another morning of sunshine, bird calls and crashing surf along the Mayan Rivera about an hour from Cancun, MX. Although with a good measure of guilt, Erv and I have enjoyed this week’s resort vacation. Everywhere we’ve been met with warmth which emanates from the people as well as the tropical sun.

It is undeniable that tourism has sustained and improved the lives of many, but the local economy’s dependance upon the decadence of wealth is troubling. Additionally, as the area’s resorts grow, the environment is compromised. Huge swaths of mangrove forests/jungles that secure the coastline have been bulldozed for the towers and beautifully manicured gardens of the resorts which also use immense amounts of water in thousands of rooms, each with Jacuzzi and daily linen changes.

The focus of the week was relaxation and warmth but we enjoyed a few excursions as well. Taking the ferry to Cozumel we were surprised and delighted to find Carnival in progress; snorkeling we discovered colorful fish and corals; and touring an ecological center with a guide who obviously loved the plants, birds, fish, animals and reptiles in his charge we learned several natural remedies derived from plants growing in this part of the Yucatan. All in all, a good week and good preparation for our next stop in frigid Nebraska where we will again serve as Rowe Sanctuary guides for the massive central flyway migration along the Platte River.

2009-01-02T09:18:00.000-08:00

“The finest workers in stone are not copper or steel tools, but the gentle touch of air and water working at their leisure with a liberal allowance of time.”

Wise and wonderful words from Henry Thoreau. Words meant for something in his New England landscape, but describing a Grand Canyon he probably never even heard of.

This blog entry, long overdue and with our apoligies, is to hopefully impart upon you the feelings of two small and humbled people who are fortunate enough to experience the magnificence of the Grand Canyon everyday in its infinite moods and timelessness.

So many come to see and are- rightfully so- overwhelmed and lost for words. But they walk away, get back in the car or board the bus and on to the next beautiful spot on their vacation itinerary be it Brice, Zion or even (shudder!) Las Vegas. But this canyon, 277 miles long, 1 mile deep, 10 miles wide, has been a work in progress for 6 million years.

We are reading everything we can and spending most of our work time and a good portion of our free time trying to unravel and understand the spirtual hold that grows on you daily by just being here. But we are trying and in doing so learning to accept that although there is more to know about this place than anyone ever could, the rewards are worth the effort.

For all but the past 100 of the 10,000 years man has lived in and around it, he has seen his time pass not with a clock but with the sunrise and set, the moon phases and the seasons. Now the average visitor spends 4 hours here. 4 hours to see the work that the mighty Colorado River has cut deep into the very core of the earth and in conjunction with the brief but violent summer monsoon rains, washing away the rock, gravel and sand of mountains that once towered a mile or more above the rim and, until less than a blink of the eye in geologic time, deposited its baggage into the Gulf of California.

Now, with Hoover Dam to the west and Glen Canyon to the east, man, in another of his feeble attempts to control the earth seeks to contain the river and, in the process, is altering at least temporarily, the flora and fauna .The canyon is timeless and the river has worn its way through volcanic dams much higher and wider on its journey to the sea and it will again. Humankind, in its headlong race to destroy itself may not be here to see it, but the Grand Canyon will. And the remnants will be little more than the cliff dwellings and petroglyphs of the Anasasi and others who have passed this way.

Enjoy the pictures.

2008-11-07T07:57:00.000-08:00

2008-11-07T07:54:00.000-08:00

Sorry it’s been so long between posts, but we are both hopping around here with new programs and hikes and... well all kinds of stuff. We purchased a motorhome from our good friend Jan and I drove it up here, but other than that, have not had the chance to use it. Looking forward to a few days at the North Rim in it this week.
Settling back into the life of the Grand Canyon has been easier than I thought it would be after 6 months of long daylight hours in Alaska. My body quickly adjusted to the more “normal” sunrises and sunsets and even though the days are crisp and the nights hovering around freezing this time of year, I’m happy for the sunshine after all those months of rain and overcast skies. Although I experienced the year without summer, I also had the year of 2 autumns since that season begins in early August up around Coldfoot.
The wildlife here is surprisingly more abundant than what we experienced in the far north. I awoke the other day to a tremendous ruckus in the Pinion treetops that turned out to be a flock of maybe 2-300 Pinion Jays scouring the cones for seeds getting ready for the cold times ahead. And the antics of the huge population of Ravens as they squabble amongst themselves investigating every object on the ground could entertain even the non-bird lover for hours. I’ve added 4 new birds to my “Life list” just at the leaky water fountain in front of headquarters. I set my camera up on a tripod and sit and wait for them to come in for a drink. The other morning the water had frozen over, probably for the first time in the season. and it was a hoot watching the little Pygmy Nuthatches trying to figure out what was going on. They would glide in with feet out in front as they always had, and then would slide right off the edge of the fountain to the ground with what could only be described as a quizzical look on their tiny face. After a few more unsuccessful attempts. they succeeded in not skittering off the edge but couldn’t figure why the water was hard. They started pecking at it, tentatively at first, then with the ferocity of a woodpecker. Ice chips were flying all around until finally some liquid water appeared and thirsts were quenched.
Today as I rode my bike home after attending an afternoon California Condor program in the village I had the misfortune or good luck, depending on the outcome, of finding myself in the middle of 16 elk cows and calfs and one very excited Bull elk who was not at all happy to see me there. This is the rutting season when the big males are attempting to keep their harem together and will challenge any man or beast (or automobile!) that comes between him and them. Stories of unfortunate joggers and hikers and plain ignorant tourists trying to get too close for that great photo that end up being charged and many times injured had already spread through the canyon as they do every year at this time. I wanted no part of it. Just my luck, the ladies decided to stop and lay down all around me.
I decided I might have a better chance out pedaling that big boy than attempting to outrun him, neither which was true I later found out. I slowly weaved my way through the curious big eyed beasts while watching him watching me. Made it! Back home over a cold beer, I thought about this encounter and compared it to the Grizzlies up north that worried me so much. I wonder if they make an Elk spray?
In Alaska when I went into the woods there was always a kernel of uneasiness way back in my head that around the next bend I might encounter a Grizzly. I almost wish I had just to put it to rest since most of the time bear encounters are not all they are hyped up to be. But it never happened, so I really don’t know how I would have reacted. I do know that probably because that uncertainty is gone in these woods, I am much more relaxed and able to enjoy my surroundings to a greater degree. Was I being irrational? Probably but....

2008-09-19T07:18:00.001-07:00

We’re back!

2008-09-19T07:18:00.000-07:00

Sept. 18, and we’re in CO with my sister, Janis, and family. Leaving Fairbanks August 30 we camped (out of touch w no phone or internet connections) all but 3 of the last 20 days. Two of the three motel nights were necessary dry-outs following cold rainy nights in the tent, now-named “river runs through it,” and the third was to enjoy clean-up and sheer luxury before returning to “society” and the family reunion today.

It’s been an excellent 8-month adventure spanning two nations and more than 13,000 miles. Along the way we’ve been privileged to experience a wide range of landscapes and wildlife, to meet a variety of interesting people and to make a few new friends. Still, it’s great to be back home in the southwest! We are proud to have survived the rigors of travel/tent camping and communal living with no major illnesses, accidents or automotive problems. Are we glad we undertook this journey? YES! Will we do it again? No. Our days of tent camping, other than short jaunts, are over. We’ve come to accept that a 60's road trip meant the 1960's rather than in one's 60th decade.

We’ve seen and experienced so much more since leaving Fairbanks, and still have so much of our Alaskan experience to process that we’ll be writing and sharing photos for some time just to catch up. Yukon, British Columbia, Alberta - Canada is a great county! We delighted in the scenic beauty of her national parks, especially Jasper and Banff, followed by Glacier,Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons in Montana and Wyoming. I am grateful for the wisdom and foresight of those who preserved these areas. On that note, Ken Burns of PBS is just completing filming a series on our national parks and how they reflect our society and culture to be aired 2009. Should be great. Stay tuned here as well because we’ll soon share more of our own impressions!

Today’s photos reflect some of the agonies and ecstasies of camping. Our last night in AK was in a state park near Chicken (another off-the-grid hardscrabble village) on a bluff overlooking a lovely pond. We saw more than 20 snowshoe hares in transition from their muted browns to solid white coats. Beautiful evening, frost-covered morning.

2008-08-30T21:18:00.001-07:00

Subsistance living

2008-08-30T20:55:00.000-07:00

I’ve been giving a lot of thought to the “subsistence” lifestyle espoused by so many Alaskans. To most of us in the lower 48, and many dictionaries, subsistence is defined as “the minimum necessary to support life.” To Alaskan natives, early homesteaders/settlers, and to those who today chose to live in remote areas, it is more clearly defined as “the means by which one supports life.” These families subsist on what the land provides in concert with their own ingenuity. And such are the 15 full-time residents of Wiseman, a small community 12 miles north of our visitors center in Coldfoot, of whom half represent three-generations of one family.

Meeting and talking with several of them (and ourselves living for 3+ weeks in a cabin with no running water more than 500 miles round-trip from the nearest shopping for anything other than gasoline) I have come to think more about the infrastructure that supports us. In Wiseman, families are “off the grid” electrically and must create energy for lights, heat, refrigeration, cooking. Most use a combination of solar, wind, and back-up gas-powered generators. One innovative family also harnesses the spring/summer energy of a nearby stream with a paddle-wheel generator. All cut, haul and utilize wood stoves to heat their homes against the up-to 70 degree below winter temps. With gas at 5.60/gallon, this creative ingenuity is necessary for personal and economic survival. All have also had to consider how to deal with human and household waste making me think more deeply about where is the “away” when we discard our household waste; throw things away?

Families in Wiseman must also supplement expensive food stocks trucked in on trips to Fairbanks at 3-6 month intervals. Every family hunts and supplies meat for the table - caribou, moose, bear. They appear to practice good animal husbandry and I have come to support and admire this reliance on and co-existence with the land. I continue to have some difficulty with trapping lines (which many there run) for income. Everyone had berry-picking forays during our stay - berry ripening time. Erv and I also enjoyed fresh blueberries we picked every week and I even got enough cranberries to make sauce to enhance our canned-goods meals on occasion. Most also had gardens, carefully planned, tended and “put-up” during the very brief, intense growing period at these latitudes. Wiseman boasts the farthest north “truck gardens” in the US!

A minimum of 10 children are required for a State-appointed school teacher so the 4 local kids are home-schooled. All have placed well above average on standardized testing for age. Their “book” education is supplemented by the necessity for practical creativity - the ability to improvise solutions to basic engineering and “entertainment” challenges with only the materials at hand. I don’t mean to suggest there are no modern resources at all. There is a rudimentary telephone system and satellite radio/TV on a very small frequency. There are trucks, snow machines (snowmobiles) and vehicles/tools to assist. And, unsought-after by Wiseman residents, the 800 mile pipeline and haul road are within sight of their community.

To me, these folk represent what most Alaskan’s admire and identify with, no matter if they live in the relative urban comfort of Fairbanks or Anchorage, Homer or even smaller towns. Some of these Alaskans are “end-of-the-roaders” who have fled their problems and disgruntlements elsewhere and come north only to find new problems, etc. Other residents enjoy Alaska much of the year but return to more temperate southern climes for hard winter. Most all residents, however, benefit from “subsistence” waivers in hunting and fishing regulations. Perhaps this is warranted by Alaska’s significantly higher cost of living, perhaps not. With increased human population, it is having impact on animal/fish populations in some areas. Where does one draw the line? That remains a quandary for me.

This trip to the arctic north has made me more aware of and, hopefully, thoughtful about my own environmental footprint. Even if I do not chose to live so close to the land as the hearty souls of Wiseman, I have a more intimate knowledge of being an interactive, integral part of my local ecosystem and the whole planet Earth, and a deeper appreciation of how what each of us does impacts that balance. For one thing, monitoring and conserving our own energy usage can do far more to promote national energy independence than drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge would ever do. Think about it!

2008-08-21T19:05:00.000-07:00

Hiking the Arctic Refuge

2008-08-21T19:04:00.000-07:00

Hi all,Erv here.We just got back from a few days hiking in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge- Not! ANWR as the industry refers to it to depersonalize it. As Sandra’s entry touches on, its beauty is magnificent. Its size is humbling, Its silence is deafening. It’s everything they say, but NOT an easy place to get around in. We covered just a few of the 11 million acres by hiking in from Atigun Gorge across wet spongy tundra covered with tussocks, little mounds of grass about a foot high and spaced so you can’t find a rhythm in walking them. The ones you think are firm, will sink under your feet and soak you, the ones you think are soft are hard as rocks and twist your ankle. Makes for slow, wet travel. Even so, a flyin would have been around $800 so we hiked. Another Alaskan conundrum. If the pipeline wasn’t built, the road would not be there for us to travel on. If the road wasn’t there, we and thousands of others would never know this place in person. But one road and one pipeline is all that should ever be here. Because of our choices of lifestyle, they are necessary scars on the land. If you ever find yourself arguing the point against more drilling, ask if the other person believes in God. If the answer is yes, remind them that this is quite possibly the last place on earth that is as God made it. Keep it that way for your children should they ask what the world was like then.

2008-08-21T17:22:00.000-07:00

Above the Arctic Circle

2008-08-21T17:09:00.000-07:00

Wispy tendrils stretched across the sky, undulating in shades of yellow-green, with an occasional patch brightening into a rainbow of red-green-yellow then quickly fading leaving a question of whether it was even there. We have seen a tease of the aurora, like restless spirits visiting the night sky. It is finally dark enough here above the arctic circle to experience the Aurora Borealis! Of course it means setting the alarm for 1AM and mustering the determination to bundle up and head outside but, like so many things here in Alaska, the discomfort is repaid by the experience.

Coldfoot, named for men, drawn here in the early 1900's by gold fever, who developed “cold feet” and gave up their dreams of easy riches to return home. Later, in the 1970's it became a working station along the Trans-Alaska Pipeline and now it has morphed into an “essential services” station midway between Fairbanks and Deadhorse (local name for the large Prudhoe Bay oil complex) on the Arctic Ocean. Erv and I are working at an interagency visitor center here where we provide information and assistance to visitors from many countries: independent travelers, backpackers and river floaters and large bus loads of tourists bound to see, and maybe dip a toe into the Arctic Ocean. The mission of the center is “to instill an understanding, appreciation and connection to the Arctic as an important part of our natural heritage.” Challenging! One more week before heading south. Hope the good weather holds!

We live in a nice little cabin with propane stove and solar/ gas generator for heat and electricity. With no running water we haul well water from the full facility visitor center (15 min. down the road) where we also shower. The outhouse is a chilly 2-3 blocks from the cabin but has its own rewards in opportunity to see short eared owls, flocks of crossbills, Grey jays and moonlit skies. Our work is not difficult and we have plenty of time to explore locally. We just returned from a two day camping trip (beautiful days but really cold, frosty nights) when we traveled another 100 miles north. Fall colors on the tundra are spectacular! We saw Dall sheep, caribou, Peregrine falcons but weren’t able to get far enough to see Muskox . We also encountered a number of bow hunters(caribou) and a most interesting fellow who drives a water truck as part of the Alaska DOT road crew and shared a slice of watermelon with us! We developed an admiration for all who venture to hike the tussocks and watery pits of the tundra. It’s like working out on an unstable stair master surrounded by water! This trip has strengthened my legs! So much more to share.... later!

2008-08-08T12:01:00.000-07:00

Fairbanks

2008-08-08T12:00:00.001-07:00

Fairbanks was an opportunity for Rand R after camping in poor, OK- horrible, weather and developing colds. We splurged for a night at a lovely B and B with Jacuzzi bathtub then the Fish and Wildlife service put us up at the BLM Firefighters barracks on Fort Wainwright - exposure to another choice of work and lifestyle (challenging, tedious, often dangerous; people we count on but have little contact with) and an interesting temporary home base. In the unduly rainy summer here (there was significant flooding in Fairbanks), most of Alaska’s fire fighters had been detailed to California so there was plenty of room.

When feeling up to it and not tending to laundry or “last chance” shopping for food, and supplies for the next 3+ weeks above the arctic circle, we did a little sightseeing as well. The Museum of the North and botanical gardens at the Univ. of AK were spectacular and we discovered a beautiful new bird, the Bohemian Waxwing in the gardens. Creamers field/bird sanctuary and nature walks were also delightful. The Sandhill Cranes, our favorites, and several duck species had begun gathering for their fall migration south; they’re early this year which unnerves me a bit. Walking through the boreal forest there I discovered that the birch and other plants, as well as the people and animals we are more familiar with, also entered Alaska over the Bering land bridge. Interesting! We’ll be on the road to Coldfoot on Tuesday.....

Another point of view

2008-08-01T22:55:00.000-07:00

Erv here. Sometimes Sandra gets just a leeeeetle to romantic about this place. Sure, it's beautiful and all that, but the weather truly sucks. Our first night in Denali it rained hard all night. Our second night the wind howled all night. Our third night it rained hard AND the wind howled all night! My memories of those nights are represented by the photos of her precious Honda and how the tent site really looked in the morning.
But then I saw wolf pups and Golden Eagles. Two firsts for me. So life is good again.

2008-08-01T15:11:00.000-07:00

Denali

2008-08-01T15:06:00.000-07:00

Our experiences in Denali State and National Parks have been a microcosm of our overall experience of Alaska - a study in contrasts.

In order to more intimately experience this vast, beautiful landscape and its wildlife, we chose to hike and tent camp. The weather was not cooperative, however, and we were usually wet, cold and windblown - sometimes exhilarated, sometimes miserable and most often just tolerant. We savored 12 hours of sunshine during the eight days out. Those hours were incredibly rich in views of the elusive Denali peak (only 20-30% of those traveling here to witness this mountain, the highest in North America, are actually able to see it through the turbulent weather systems its great heights generate even when it is sunny and clear below).
We savored it’s perspective from high overlooks and also as we hiked around a lovely lake where the eerie, wild call of the loon enhanced the experience of both lake and mountain.

In Denali National Park we also rode buses (designed to protect the 65 miles of park roadway from the impact of hundreds of individual cars) from which we saw a variety of wildlife; remarkable in that this roadway represents a tiny inroad into an area larger than the state of Massachusetts. During our three days we saw small groups of magnificently racked caribou, two grizzly sows with cubs, several moose (including cow with yearling offspring, one a bull in velvet rack), Red fox, ground squirrel, Snowshoe hare, Dall sheep high on mountain slopes, Grey wolf pups - our favorite, Golden Eagles, Ptarmigan (Alaska’s State bird) and many raven, magpie, Grey Jays and a few songbirds. We just missed a lynx glimpsed by others. Most of these were distant views; we had close encounters only with the wolf pups and the smaller mammals upon whom the entire carnivore food chain depends. Although sometimes frustrated by having to ride busses and be part of the tourist mass, we support the intent of providing “wilderness” access while minimizing human impact. We learned that we could leave the bus for hiking intervals and especially enjoyed several hours hiking ridges in the tundra above Polycrome Pass.

As has been the norm for us in Alaska, we were humbled and awed by the vastness and rugged beauty of the country which is difficult to depict in words and photos. Part of the yin and yang of Alaska is its vast, wild beauty which is often difficult and costly to access and frequently requires the sacrifice of personal comforts. My greatest personal discomfort has been the dearth of sunshine. Even though this summer will likely go on record as the wettest, and one of the coolest - we’ve been above 60 twice, the amount of sunshine in a more typical year would likely not be able to meet my needs. A second yin-yang relates to the kinds of people Alaska attracts - and that’s a topic for another blog.

It's not all about the scenery!

2008-07-30T21:03:00.000-07:00

Sure, the place is beautiful, but so are we! Not really, we are both getting as craggy as the mountains and moving as slow as the glaciers.

We just finished tent camping in Denali for3 days. The first night it rained all night, the 2nd night the wind blew all night,the third night it rained AND the wind blew all night! We are now in Fairbanks dryingout and actually saw the sun.Thought you'd enjoy the attached. I got to see wolf pups in the wild and a rare glimpse of the mountain.

2008-07-23T20:46:00.000-07:00

Bears, Volcanoes and Glaciers

2008-07-23T20:37:00.000-07:00

Katmai National Wildlife Refuge continued - You could tell that we flew to Hallo Bay for bear viewing from Erv’s photos of the icy volcano lake and the panorama of cliffs and mountains. For me, the flight was almost as great a thrill as the bears. We flew in a 6-seat bush plane with a taciturn pilot who skillfully landed on a sandy beach near where a group of bear were grazing on rich sedge grasses. En route we were treated to another impression of Alaska’s vastness and rugged diversity. We flew over rugged, snow topped mountains, glaciers and a complex system of rivers, wetlands and bays. I spent some flight time contemplating escape routes and wondering how we would survive if forced down and left on our own in this remote wilderness - no problems with imagination here! We also flew close to the St. Augustine volcano which erupted last in the 1990's dropping inches of ash on Homer (local volcanoes generally expel steam and volcanic ash vs magma) and is currently steaming. In my camera lens I was able to line Augustine up with another quietly active volcano, Mt. Ileamna - love this photo.

The Alaska Peninsula and Aleutian Islands stretch southwest from the Anchorage area and are a part of the Ring of Fire which also includes islands of Hawaii and Japan. The local geologic activity stems from proximity to where the pacific plate slips under the continental shelf. In 1964, a 9.9 quake and related tsunami destroyed several towns in Alaska and significantly impacted Homer, claiming about 6-9 feet of the Homer spit. Even this month we felt a small earthquake (4.5) and there continue to be ash eruptions from two Aleutian volcanoes near Dutch Harbor. All this has made me more aware and respectful of the strategic Tsunami warning system which is part of the scenery along the bay in Homer.

I echo Erv when I relate the time with the huge brown bears as being a special experience. For me, it was Zen-like as I never felt more fully present than in that beautiful, remote meadow among these amazing creatures. Even when a large male, pursuing females at the end of the mating season, unexpectedly came within 8-10 feet of me ( it is truly amazing how fast these huge animals can move!) and I could see him salivating and hear him huffing, I felt awe rather than fear. One of our party of 4 got a photo of this encounter which I’ll post as soon as he forwards it to me. We’ve learned a lot about normal bear behavior and appropriate human behavior around bears and will have even more training as we prepare to live in the cabin in Coldfoot where being bear aware is essential. People and bears are more likely to get into trouble when they surprise one another.

Volcanos and now glaciers... lots of geology! So much of Alaska remains primal and that is a huge part of its value to our nation both experientially for those who come here, and for the insight it provides about our planet and interdependent interrelationships on this earth. Let me move on lest I get on a soapbox myself. Today 7/21 we took a guided hike on the Matsanuga glacier with Rob, a friend of Erv’s from Big Bear, CA and his party of 5. It was quite a new experience for me - I mean hard hats, crampons (I unfortunately - shades of Star trek - called them “clingons”) poles and all. The play of sun on ice, the dynamics of melt and movement, the steep climbs and descents were exhilarating. I’ll let photos do the talking!

From Erv's soapbox

2008-07-14T13:39:00.001-07:00

It just gets better and better...
A short while ago we flew to a very remote area of Katmai National Park and, with only 2 others and a very environmentally minded guide (meaning no firearms), we experienced the world as it may have been if man had not been part of it. Of course thanks to technology we were able to reach back in time by arriving in an hour on a small plane and I was able to record it with the latest in digital cameras and I am able to send it out to the world through the internet, but other than THAT, we were in Brown Bear Jurrasic Park. Surrounded by active, steaming volcanoes, ancient glaciers miles thick and creatures that struck fear and respect in our ancestors as they told stories around their fires in the distant past, you couldn’t help but feel small and insignificant but part of something bigger. I could write for days about the wonderful time we had, but something more important is gnawing at me since that day.
This wonderful, remote world of Alaska is so accessible today it makes it even more important to save areas like the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge from man’s imprint.
Protecting it from the proposed drilling and limiting it to scientific study to learn how nature or God if you want, intended the earth to evolve without us. This is one of the last places on earth that we haven’t scarred or altered significantly. Can’t we just keep this for the plants and animals that live there and see what there is to learn from it? Sure, Senator Stevens would have you believe it’s a “barren wasteland” with his blank white poster board displays and photos of snow covered tundra, but under the white blanket is a tremendous variety of life forces waiting to explode in the short seasons given them. And there’s a vast number of birds and animals that call it home as it is. My friend Alan Bartels reminded me, only man can make a barren wasteland. We are learning (or should) every day, all of life is woven together. You can’t tug on one string without another reacting to it.
Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, or ANWR, as the oil industry would like you to call it to depersonalize it, has maybe 200 days worth of oil. It would take at least 5 years to even tap that. It would not be “American” oil. Oil companies are international. The product would not be exclusively for our SUV’s.
Alaska is known by its license plates as the “last frontier”. As I look around, more and more I see it treated the same as all of America’s frontiers of the past.
This is the last chance we have to have a last frontier. We must try something different. Soon Sandra and I will be leaving to work for the Visitor Center that serves Gates of the Arctic National Park, Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and Kanuti NWR above the Arctic Circle. I’m sure it will be the experience of a lifetime for us. We will be in a log cabin with no indoor plumbing, running water or electricity leaving lots of time to blog and photograph and explore the “wasteland”. Keep you posted!

2008-07-02T14:31:00.000-07:00

Cabin in the Woods

2008-07-02T14:03:00.000-07:00

I must admit to feeling weary of late. We work four 8-hr. days plus additional time for program development in the evenings since planning time is difficult to come by at the Visitors’ Center. (Program presentation is both fun and a personal commitment for Erv and I; our current efforts focus on eagles and sea otters.) Then, on our 3 days off we feel compelled to take full advantage of being in Alaska by exploring as much of this unique and beautiful state as we can. And, like everyone else, we must fit in laundry, shopping, cleaning, business, etc. So, we’ve just returned to work after 3 days hiking/camping in the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge, about 11/2 hrs north of our home base in Homer, and we’re ready for some down time which isn’t an option.

The trip to Kenai and Engineer Lake was a joy although it made us feel our age. We back-packed everything in to our remote site on a boggy, root-encumbered one mile trail around part of the lake’s shoreline then (rowboat came with the primitive cabin) rowed back to the parking area for the rest of our gear - another 1 mile round trip. We set up camp in the relatively new cabin (fine outhouse way back in the woods with a Dutch door to facilitate contemplation of the beautiful surroundings) and sat back on the porch to relax. The quiet evening was interrupted only by the lovely calls of red necked grebes and loons nesting around the lake. Entertainment was provided by a group of snowshoe hares nibbling grasses and chasing one another around the small clearing between cabin and lake. The quiet was deafening!

Alaska’s “summer” sunlight lasts 19+ hours and one becomes confused about time’s passage and the normal cues for waking and sleeping (dawn is around 4AM and dark- a relative term- about 11:30PM) - another cause of our weariness I think. And, although it is now considered summer, we sun-worshiping New Mexicans sorely miss intense sunshine and bone-permeating warmth - our longest stretch without a gray and overcast sky for at least half the day, has been 3 days. Nights continue in the 30's (days now reach the low 50's). At the cabin we enjoyed being able to make a fire in the wood burning stove to ease the chill before turning in.

Next day was cloudy and blustery along the lake but good for a 4-hr hike further inland to an even more remote lake. We saw lots of bear and moose scat but only birds and small critters. Returning, we found the boat swamped from large waves and had to bail and drag it to higher ground. Still plenty of time for rest and reading. The final morning dawned clear and calm and, after breakfast, we loaded everything into the rowboat and headed for the far shore. About half way there a stiff wind came up, as we had been warned it could, and we added a lot of stationary and “blown off course” rowing to the round trip. At one point we rowed in place for so long that we had a lengthy conversation with the Youth Conservation Corps trail crew! Still it was better than packing everything out on our backs. All in all - great outing and one in which we developed an even greater admiration for Alaska homesteaders!

Seward photos

2008-06-21T18:32:00.000-07:00

2008-06-21T18:26:00.000-07:00

Seward

2008-06-21T18:17:00.000-07:00

Our best single-day Alaska experience thus far was the 9 hr. glacier and wildlife viewing cruise in Resurrection Bay out of Seward. I use the term cruise as a verb - what the small excursion boat with 34 passengers did - vs. cruise ship touring. Our trip took place under overcast skies with occasional sun breaks - a good Alaska day here on the Kenai Peninsula.

We were enchanted by the diversity of sea mammals encountered - Orca (killer) and Humpback whales (one Orca did a full breach out of the water); Stellar Sea Lions sunning on rocks in their traditional hauling-out spots along the coastline; Dall’s Porpoise (speedy wake riders who look a lot like orcas in coloring); the always adorable Sea Otters; and Harbor Seals floating on glacial ice flows where they were pupping. Our captain had a special passion for Orca and brought his personal hydrophone enabling us to listen to several pod’s unique vocalizations by which, in addition to the subtle differences in dorsal fin characteristics, he was able to identify each of three matriarchal groups we encountered.

Seabirds were another delight - Tufted and Horned Puffins, Cormorants, Mures, Kittiwakes and Gulls. A special bonus was a chance to watch two Coastal Mountain Goats grazing, meandering and finally lounging high on the cliffs above us. There were, of course two regal Bald Eagles - not so many as in Homer. The scenery was equally as magnificent - snow capped mountains on either side of the bay, many glittering with gushing waterfalls of spring run off, some a quarter of a mile in length as they coursed down the mountains; glimpses of the vast Harding ice field (about the size of Rhode Island) high above and a few of the many fiords and sand bars it’s glaciers have carved over the millennia; then the awesome glaciers themselves, most with blue- tinged areas marking recently “calved” icebergs where the electric blue-reflecting inner layers of dense, ancient ice is exposed; all this in contrast to the varied shades of sea and sky, the new greening leaves and shifting cloud cover. Awesome.

We camped two days near landlocked Exit Glacier to which one can easily hike and even touch. It was a lovely campground with few guests. Food preparation and storage areas were several hundred feet from campsites as a bear precaution. Black bears were sighted while we were there, but not by us. The temperatures were in low 30's at night which was OK but the rain on the second night made packing up unpleasant. I was grateful, however, that the rain had stopped by morning. Now it’s back at work 8:30-5:00 four days/week until our next three-day adventure! We'll keep you posted!

2008-06-04T15:00:00.000-07:00

2008-06-04T14:58:00.000-07:00

2008-06-04T14:48:00.000-07:00

Recent Alaskan delights........

2008-06-03T17:27:00.000-07:00

The moose cow we’ve been watching in the boggy meadow just outside the Islands and Ocean Visitors Center where we work calved this week. The calf, with it’s big ears, looks surprisingly like a kangaroo Joey - what a delight they are.

We’ve enjoyed three more short trips across the bay and were finally able to photograph the Tufted Puffin, a bird which delights me every time I see it.

This week has also presented the greatest negative tides of the year and weve been “tide pooling” again. The quantity and diversity of life at the edge of the sea is remarkable and I’m attaching a photo composite of just one species - sea stars (plus a glimpse of sea urchins with one of the beautiful Lined Chiton’s we found). There’s so much more to see and share from the water’s edge, especially when the extreme tide reveals the lower tidal areas not usually seen.

It was so much fun learning how to make the tide pool composite in photo-shop that I decided to make another... a depiction of Spring’s finally reaching Homer. Perhaps because Spring is late this year, or perhaps because all flora here have an intrinsic awareness of their short growing season, the greening and blossoming seem to be occurring at an accelerated pace. The flora of this area, like everything else, is a diverse mixture of the known and unknown. Many berry bushes are blossoming - blueberry, elderberry, salmonberry, raspberry and Marion berry among others. There are also beautiful wild and cultivated flowers and lily pads full of procreating bugs. The bristly leaves and stem pictured belong to the Devil’s Club plant which also produces berries. The story goes that it was given it’s name from the practice of shamans using it to drive out evil spirits that caused people to act strangely. Judging from the plant’s proliferation, I’d say the aberrant spirits should be well under control.

And although I have no photos - you’ll have to await Erv’s - it has been a lot of fun observing a nesting pair of eagles. The female, who does the majority of brooding, seems to have found it quite tiresome. On several occasions we’ve seen her eyes droop and beak fall open as her head slowly relaxes to her chest (we almost expect to see drool), then, apparently remembering her regal status, she quickly snaps back to attention - followed by a distinct yawn. How remarkably delightful to see an eagle yawn!!

Trust your Springtime is full of natural delights as well!

2008-05-30T23:01:00.002-07:00

2008-05-30T23:01:00.001-07:00

Our trip to Kodiak Island was disappointing due to a combination of unrealistic expectations on my part, over saturation with the orientation process and too many people in close quarters. To me, Kodiak has always been synonymous with it’s unique population of Brown Bear (aka Grizzly although that term is reserved in Alaska for a smaller version living more than 50 miles inland). The Kodiak Brown Bear is impressive; our largest land carnivore averaging 600-800# with a height of 5’on all fours,10' upright. Our orientation included lectures on bear physiology, behavior and bear safety; we saw numerous artistic renditions of bears and heard more than a few stories about bears, but in our three days there, we saw no bears - none, zip, nada. On an island where the ratio of bears to people is 1:4 we saw nary a foot print although prints had been sighted not far from the bunkhouse. I am somewhat embarrassed to admit that what I expected was a dramatic expansion of my childhood visit to Yellowstone in which bears congregated around our car. I underestimated both the reclusive nature of these wild animals (the bears in Yellowstone were unnaturally and unfortunately habituated to people and their “treats”) and the vastness of Kodiak Island only 100 miles of which has road access. To actually experience bears on Kodiak, one must travel by light aircraft to their feeding grounds which, in springtime, are emerging grasslands or isolated beaches where they dig for clams. Later in summer they move to streams congested with spawning salmon where the wealth of food causes them to temporarily congregate and provides wonderful photos for National Geographic and wildlife magazines not to mention fuel for my imagination.

Our “orientation”included several boring and repetitive sessions redeemed only by the opportunity to meet and hear Larry Van Dahele, a world renowned bear expert. The12 hr. ferry trip included special moments as well. We saw sea otters, some with babies riding atop their bellies (sea otters generally swim and float on their backs), humpback whales - one quite nearby, and many seabird species including the tufted puffin - think pudgy black bird with a colorful face and feathered head tufts reminiscent of Einstein on a bad hair day. And, while touring Kodiak Island, we came upon a domestic buffalo herd grazing near the beach with spouts of a passing pod of grey whales in the sea beyond. Just over the next rise were the silos of part of the strategic star wars defense program - sometimes the contrasts here are bizarre. In town we explored Kodiak’s harbor; visited Aleutic and Russian history museums and a WWII defensive outpost. And we “people watched” - I’ve included photos of Russians (many Alaskans are of Russian ancestry and still hold to the old ways of dress and Russian language usage while texting on cell phones and purchasing all the modern conveniences). And then there was Daryl and his brother Daryl. We are more and more taken by the contrasts here.

Unsimple things

2008-05-23T16:14:00.000-07:00

Then again, there is always the giant grandeur that is Alaska. Most of these were taken on Kodiak Island, the second largest island in the U.S. where we went for training. We arrived on a rare sunny day and I was able to capture the early spring beauty of a place noted for its bad weather. Hope you enjoy looking as much as I did taking.

Simple things

2008-05-23T16:11:00.000-07:00

The magnificence of this land is most often seen in its scale and grandeur. This is of course the Alaska everyone knows, however often ignored is the beauty in a simple
tidepool. This compilation of photos were taken on a lowtide walk by our bunkhouse.

Bunkhouse musings

2008-05-20T11:35:00.000-07:00

Soooooo... It’s yet another day of gray overcast sky and cold, “rainish” weather - not as in downpour or even a slow soaking, just perpetual wetness like a rain forest. Yes, I still consider the opportunity to live here and explore Alaska to be fabulous, but not every day is fabulous. I am beginning to feel sun deprived - SAD. All the locals assure us that this is an atypically late and cold spring which helps only in that their misery equals or bests our own after their having waited through the long, dark winter. Given all that, they are a remarkably cheerful lot. And it holds out hope that a change for the better is just around the corner. Erv and I have come to the conclusion that while we remain delighted to have the opportunity to live and work here, we are clearly not year-round resident material.

We are also preparing to say good-bye to our fellow sojourners in the bunk house:
Scott, a 44yo engineer turned biologist - a returning bio-tech, he is very knowledgeable about the Aleutian Islands, the birds and research. As a youth he served in the Peace Corps in Africa and has also lived and worked in South America among other places. He continues considering work in international development which is one of the few settings in which he thinks progress can be made, but he is not sure he wants expose himself to the continual realities of poverty on the one hand and insensitive greed and politics on the other. His sharp, organized and analytical mind seems well suited to the work he will be doing here and anything he would choose in the future. He’s also frugal and a good cook and enjoys organizing large scale communal meals.
Kevin is in his mid 30's and also a returning bio-tech. Like Scott, he has a sharp, organized mind and is well traveled on more than one continent. We enjoy their discussions of the risks and benefits of their nomadic lifestyles which often follow seasonal biological research-related field jobs dependent on annual funding cycles. His broad knowledge of birds is impressive.
Leah and Rob are a couple in their late 20's who have served together on Aleutian field assignments in the past. They came a bit later and are not as familiar to us although it is immediately apparent that they are also quite able, dedicated and give one a sense of conscious, thoughtful living and confidence. Leah, an early AM runner, is simultaneously working on her MS. Unrelated, but remarkable are their tanned fit physiques and Rob’s great braids.
Ray, the only first timer in this group is our favorite. He’s 27 and hails from Montana. A lanky 6'6", he, like my son, is a cancer survivor (lymphoma @12-13yo). Like most all of the other bio-techs, he is lean, fit, self reliant, well read and extremely bright. We especially enjoy his dry wit and easy going way - again reminiscent of Erik. Ray and Scott have savage cribbage matches but Ray seems equally as comfortable watching old movies and discussing life, music and/or photography with us. He is also wood worker who hunts with bow and arrows he’s crafted himself. All of these “guys” are wonderfully multidimensional and we are rarely at a loss for interesting conversation! They are inspiring and we will surely miss their company.

My writing this last night must have pleased the weather gods - it’s about 9:30AM now and already 47F with mostly sunny skies. We’re off to check out nesting eagles and trumpeter swans and savor the day! Hope you’re having a great one too......

2008-05-13T19:14:00.000-07:00

Tide and Time.....

2008-05-13T18:33:00.000-07:00

Homer is a major site of extreme tides; variations here of 28-30 feet which we enjoy despite our struggle to understand their dynamics. This past week we experienced three days of large negative tides, the lowest being -5.5 during which the rapidly receding sea exposed rarely seen rocks and sand bars and created tide pools for exploration. One of the other volunteers saw octopus which I envied, but we were delighted by the array of sea stars, anemone, kelp and other seaweeds and crabs, worms and small fish we did see. This first extreme negative tide has taught us the best places to go and we'll find that elusive octopus next time. I'm eager to share some of my finds/photos. The shore, tides and rich estuarine environment (where fresh water streams/rivers meet the sea) are another bonus of volunteering here but I must admit that the generally cold, dreary weather and the "late" spring are getting to us.

This past weekend we worked in various capacities for the Kachemak Bay Shorebird Festival - one of the top in the US. My favorite assignments were manning the scopes and "hosting" birders at some of the birding "hot spots" on the bay and preparing and manning an indoor station for kids working on their Junior Birder Badge. My station involved matching food source and beak type and introduced a conservation challenge of preventing deadly, "unhappy meals" of Styrofoam, fish line, plastics, etc. by taking care of their trash and picking up after litterers to protect birds, an increasing number of which are killed by human garbage. (Hope all of you will also initiate and support efforts to rid our planet of plastic 6-pack rings, shopping bags and Styrofoam!) Erv provided roving photographer services for the festival as well as manning hot spot viewing stations. There were also a lot of good speakers whose programs we were occasionally able to get into. Overall a very good but tiring (volunteers are also "gofers") festival.

The volunteers' post-festival treat is a 4-day trip to Kodiak Island and another NWR there during which (especially on the full day ferry trip over) we hope to see whales, seals, sea lions, sea otters, and sea birds and, once there, some bear. We will definitely see bear before leaving Alaska, however, because I won a festival drawing for a flight to Katmai National Refuge and half day with bear guides there. Everyone remarks about what a great guide group this is and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. WOW - do I feel lucky!!!

2008-05-06T15:10:00.000-07:00

2008-05-06T15:05:00.000-07:00

2008-05-06T15:04:00.001-07:00

Help! I’ve created a monster!
Sandra has taken up photography and is taking it to some pretty high quality stuff. I bet between the two of us we have shot over a thousand eagle photos and, after 45 years in the biz, I have to say she has the lead in good shots.
Most of our landscapes are similar because we travel together and find beauty in the same things. But somehow when it comes to my favorite bird, hers are getting better than mine! Am I jealous? Well, maybe a little. Am I proud of her? You bet. Posted today are some from both of us. I won’t say who’s are which. You decide. I hope you enjoy them all.

2008-04-28T13:41:00.000-07:00

Homer, AK, On the Job

2008-04-28T13:40:00.000-07:00

April 21st and it’s snowing ..... 4" on the ground mid day. It’s our first day off after a week of orientation when the sun shone and temperatures reached the low 50's. April in Alaska!
Today’s snow, however, is beautiful and we’ve enjoyed a long exploratory walk around town with breakfast in a local café, birding in the slough beside the visitors center where we were delighted to see the sandhill crane pair who have been there off and on this week and may be the same two who fledged two colts there last year, then off to the dump for eagle viewing.....
What a day!

We are delighted at our good fortune to be here. The Islands and Ocean’s Visitor’s Center is a beautiful, state of the art facility shared with the Kachemak Bay Research Reserve (one of 25 in the National Estuarine Research Reserve system), both of which are staffed with outstanding biologists. We have learned an amazing amount from them this past week and will have the benefit of these fabulous resource people for the next three months! No way to share it all, but one of the highlights was an hour on invasive species and the biologists’ incredible preparation to eradicate egg and bird-eating rats from several of the islands which previously provided safe rookeries for all sorts of shore and sea birds until rats were inadvertently introduced by sailing ships years ago.
In addition to “in house” orientation, we toured the spit and docks where we saw halibut being off loaded (Homer is the Halibut capitol of the world). We were privileged to have Captain Billy Pepper give us a tour of the Maritime National Wildlife Refuge’s (NWR) research ship, the Tiglax (TEKH-lah - Aleut for eagle) which has a proud history of 20 years sailing for science. He is preparing (huge logistical and nautical challenges) to take all the field biologists’s to their arduous summer work sites at isolated islands along the Aleutian chain. He, like everyone we have met, is a most capable man who is very serious about his work but in possession of a great sense of humor. I am both proud and humbled to be among those who will represent these dedicated people and interpret their work to the thousands of visitors who will flock here this summer. What an amazing opportunity.

In the bunkhouse we have been joined by several NWR transients and another full time volunteer, Elizabeth, who is a good humored, energetic 70 yo UU, widow of a biologist, retired teacher and artist, who tent camped around Alaska with a friend last summer and decided she wanted to try volunteering this year. We will have two more field biologists joining us this week until they sail on the Tiglax and second wave of volunteers will come in June.

Oh, I’ve finally seen a moose, in fact three, all cows! They have come down into town to graze where the snow melts earlier, and to give birth. We see one daily from our second story perch but give her wide berth as the females are “edgy” just prior to and after giving birth. Sometimes I have to pinch myself to believe this is real!

Finally, I am so impressed by the NWR system and mission that I encourage you to give yourself a treat by exploring some refuges this summer! Since many of you live in MD, PA and NM, I’ll list those. MD - Patuxent Research refuge, Laurel; Blackwater and Martin in Cambridge; and Eastern Neck in Rock Hall, MD. NM - Bosque del Apache and Sevilleta, Socorro; Bitter Lake, Roswell; San Andres, Las Cruces; Las Vegas and Maxwell in towns of the same name and Grulla near Muleshoe, TX. PA - Erie in Guys Mills and John Heinz at Tinicum, Philadelphia.

2008-04-21T13:19:00.000-07:00

2008-04-21T13:08:00.000-07:00

We made it and are now at home in Homer, Alaska, also known as “the end of the road,” because the Sterling Highway is literally the ending of paved roads in Alaska. It's the tip of the Kenai peninsula about 250 miles south of Anchorage, as far as you can travel south of Anchorage without a boat. and it's within a few miles of the western most point of the North American continental landmass.

On the afternoon of April 15th, under cloudy skies - our 5th day of episodic snow and rain which occluded most of what all the guide books reported to be “some of the most spectacular scenery in Alaska” - we reported to the Maritime National Refuge. We had been driving and seeking overnight accommodation in difficult conditions (sometimes bordering on white-out in the high mountain passes - accompanying photos really are in color) for four days and were weary to say the least. The tension of those days was broken at intervals by glimpses of wet eagles in stoic acceptance, dramatic mountains occasionally erupting from the clouds in “sun breaks,” large mountain goats with shaggy white coats and sleeker Dall sheep scattered on spectacularly steep slopes, and a herd of caribou crossing the deserted, snow covered road in front of us. (I continue to look in vain for moose even though locals say the caribou heard was a much rarer sighting.)

Checking in, we received keys and were directed to “the bunkhouse,” gratefully unoccupied upon our arrival which gave us an opportunity to select the one room with bathroom on the bay side of the walk up. It was initially disheartening in it’s heavily used, messy state but, as we cleaned and rearranged, it has become a comfortable “home” and we delight in views of Kachemak Bay and dramatic snow-covered mountains rising from the Alaska peninsula on the far shore. (It is this peninsula that, leads into the crescent of the Aleutian Island chain.) The weather has also improved and, although a general haze remains, the winds are down, it is dry and temperatures are a balmy 30+ degrees, expecting to hit 50 this weekend! Amazing how quickly one becomes acclimated - we are really excited about these high temperatures! Yesterday, in the low 40's we walked a bike path the length of the 4.5 mile Homer spit and discovered a lovely little restaurant where we enjoyed delicate, locally caught Halibut tacos ( actually more burrito-like). The sea and shorebirds have not yet arrived but eagles were everywhere, flying and perching on masts in the harbor, driftwood on the beach and any elevated post. They continue to awe and delight us but are in danger of seeming more and more like glorified sea gulls! The walk was great until the final grueling mile of the return trip - my lower limbs protested mightily.

More to share as we explore and begin our work here....

2008-04-14T09:25:00.001-07:00

2008-04-13T21:42:00.001-07:00

Juneau, Alaska's state capitol

2008-04-13T21:41:00.000-07:00

Juneau - the awesome Mendenhall glacier, discoveries on the shore at low tide, a lovely museum, eagle encounters ( what a thrill to see an eagle diving on a sea otter in a failed attempt to steal the otter’s fish!) and a serendipitous folk festival which we enjoyed with some great people we met en route: Jim, a Juneau artist who provided helpful suggestions for our time there and introduced us to halibut burritos; Bill and Betty, professionals from Fairbanks who contra dance and play hot flute and fiddle; and Morgan Fawcett, a native Alaskan wood flute player who performs to raise money for children effected by fetal alcohol syndrome as he was.

This post includes another sampling of photo impressions from Juneau.

2008-04-13T21:36:00.001-07:00

Few more photos

2008-04-13T21:35:00.001-07:00

2008-04-13T21:29:00.001-07:00

Ferrying the Inside Passage

2008-04-13T21:26:00.000-07:00

Our journey north along the inside passage held wonders, many of which couldn’t be captured with a camera lens, but a sampling of which (Sandra’s perspective) follows this post .

The inside passage, perhaps the longest fjord in the world, is comprised of the mainland (Canada then Alaska) and islands of all sizes, some of rocky prominence and others, indistinguishable from the mainland with snow-frosted pines framing dramatic mountain peaks seen through mysterious clouds (think the Lord of the Rings) and occasionally dramatized by “sun breaks.” Hugging the shore in the rain forests of the mountains and islands, were small fishing towns and Native villages. We took just over a week for the passage, disembarking at Ketchican, Wrangell and Juneau. We experienced everything from warm sunshine to rain to snow and sleet along the way. But enough - I’ll let the photos speak.....

2008-04-13T21:16:00.000-07:00

That's me watching an eagle

2008-04-13T21:12:00.000-07:00

Hi, Sandra has a case of blog fever and is doing most of the posting. I'm happy just enjoying the trip. She's also getting pretty good with a camera as you can see. Here's a shot she took as I was enthralled with watching a Bald Eagle studying the ocean in search of a meal. Thte poem is one of my favorites and says it all. Enjoy

2008-04-06T23:19:00.000-07:00

leaving the lower 48

2008-04-06T23:18:00.000-07:00

Leaving CA and the Redwoods behind we continued north along the coast highway and camped in rain forests within good hikes of rugged, heavily driftwood-laden beaches. Beautiful, damp and cold - around 30 degrees both nights - although we’ve been extremely fortunate not to camp in heavy downpours. We rate Oregon’s as the loveliest, most private campgrounds with the nicest BR/shower facilities. In northern Oregon we also visited several historical sites related to the Lewis and Clark expedition which placed our adventure and ideas of "roughing it" into a different perspective. Theirs was an awesome journey with many hardships, the success of which was in good part related to the assistance they received from Native Americans whose nations they crossed.
Humbled by Lewis and Clark’s fortitude, breadth of knowledge in the natural sciences and geography, we crossed into Washington, again following the coast and stopping at intervals to hike quiet, padded trails of the Olympic rain forest discovering a few waterfall; to appreciate picturesque lighthouses and to visit both the Dungeness Spit and Willaca (?sp.)National Wildlife Refuges. Although further north and traveling among snow covered mountains, Spring is still in evidence with Robins, songbirds and paired ducks and shorebirds, budding trees and blossoming skunk cabbage ( beautiful yellow calla lily- like flowers) in the bogs.
Yesterday we boarded the Matanuska for the first leg of our marine highway passage along the Canadian coast to Alaska. It’s really happening - the scenery is beautiful and this morning we saw our first whale - hard to believe but it’s happening! "Home" now is an all metal stateroom with bunk beds. No connection here but will post later. WOW!!

2008-04-04T12:39:00.000-07:00

2008-04-04T12:31:00.001-07:00

Home Away From Home and Redwoods

2008-04-04T11:44:00.000-07:00

"Home" has come to be so many different things since we've been traveling two months with more on the horizon. It's consistently the little Honda Civic hybrid, and variably: volunteer housing - that lovely lake front house in Nebraska, our little summer tent (which, in northern CA, Oregon and Washington was much too summery) , a "tent cabin" ( new concept to me), various motels and, starting later this afternoon, a small ferry "stateroom" in which we will start our trip up the Inland Marine Passage to Alaska. Makes one reconsider the concept of home and to realize that this amazing journey is increasingly an internal one as well.

In this post, I shall include some photos of "home" as well as of the Redwoods.

These ancient trees touched me deeply. Not just their enormous size and age, but their magnificent presence. Like a revered sage, these trees seemed to have much to teach. I began to be aware that they share their life journeys ( some up to 2,000 years) through their structures - bending to the forces of wind; scarred and hollowed by intervals of raging forest fire yet persisting via protected resources; disfigured with beryls whose rapid overgrowth may have been stimulated by disease or other stress, those beryls then becoming a new source of growth. And finally, in death they become a nursery for new life so their species (and the many other species of fauna and flora they host in symbiotic relationship) may continue. Their root systems are relatively shallow for their great heights but are intertwined, the whole giving more strength to each individual within the grove. Their bark can be 1-2 feet in thickness which helps explain their ability to survive fire and their resistance to insects. I was awed by these beautiful trees in their still, peaceful world, and by their testament to interdependence, endurance and survival. Words and photographs fail.

2008-04-01T21:16:00.000-07:00

2008-04-01T21:13:00.001-07:00

Correction & Additions

2008-04-01T20:31:00.000-07:00

Adding photos: the California coast, vivid California poppies that brightened roadsides and hills all along our drive, and a bull elephant seal.
Also posting a photo sampling of our tour of William Randolph Hurst's "enchanted castle," an architectural marvel on a beautiful, isolated hilltop housing his fabulous collection of statuary, tapestries and art. (Interesting aside - his architect, Julia Morgan was, like her turn-of-the-century peer, Mary Colter who built the harmonious structures in the Grand Canyon, an incredibly talented woman/pioneer in traditionally male field.) The first is a view of the "castle" from the long, winding drive, the next a bit of detail on a facade of carved teak over marble, and the third an alcove of one of the intricately tiled pools. All was donated to the state of California following his death.

Corrections from Nebraska postings: The correct spelling of the Prairie Chicken's courtship and breeding ground is lek. The full name of the Canadian artist/author/environmentalist who wrote Thinking Like A Mountain is Robert Bateman. And while I'm at it, I want to recommend two other books - Michael Forsberg's On Ancient Wings - a great overview of the Sandhill Crane's life and migration from Siberia and Alaska to the southern US and Mexico beautifully illustrated by his outstanding photographs, and Dan O'Brien's Buffalo for the Broken Heart, a good first-person story and introduction to the ecology of the tall grass plains.