A day in the life: Lassen Volcanic National Park Mornings are cool, quiet, beautiful….and wayyy to early. Alas, this is the biologists conundrum. The small mammals rise early, and so do we (at least I’m not an ornithologist). We set out for the day to check the Sherman traps we set the night before. Mice, …
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What’s happening to the birds?
My time among the birds, moose, and amazing wilderness of northern Michigan has now (mostly) come to an end. It was a whirlwind summer of adventure, exploration, and some deep, juicy data science! I hope you find the fruits of my journey interesting. What did I find? Normally, methods are supposed to precede results. You …
Moving Beyond the Tangible Experience
My favorite part of any experience whether it be an internship, academic semester, or major life event, is everything you learn in between the lines. This summer I worked on multiple projects like northern spotted owl surveying, mission blue butterfly monitoring, coyote tracking, stream insect sampling, and much more. The technical and professional skills I …
The end of the chapter, not the book: wrapping-up at Saguaro National Park
After 3 months of backcountry field work, 5 trips into the mountains, and almost 250 total miles, my time at Saguaro National Park ends this week. This internship has been mostly field-based; we have been dutifully monitoring the springs and checking the trail cameras, but now is when we really get to see the fruits …
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Plants of the Potomac
Recently, I have been conducting site visits for some of the rare, threatened, and endangered (RTE) plant species that occur within the C&O Canal NHP, in order to gain a better understanding of their habitats, populations, and threats within the park. All of this information is critical for deciding the best way to conserve populations …
A cliffhanger ending
Have you ever read a book that ends with a cliffhanger? You can tell the entire story is building up to some grand, exciting finale. You have so many questions you’re dying to answer, so many plot twists you can’t wait to have resolved. Then BAM. The novel unexpectedly, prematurely ends. You’re left in agony, …
Climate change and hawksbill sea turtle productivity at Buck Island Reef National Monument
After spending the week on-site at Buck Island Reef National Monument (BUIS), my time as a SIP Fellow is almost over! Before I go, I’d like to finish sharing the results from the primary objective of my project: Conduct a baseline assessment of the critically endangered hawksbill turtle nesting aggregation at BUIS. Before I “geek …
Life Cycle of a Plant (Ecologist)
As a plant goes through its unique and miraculous lifecycle, it transforms from an embryonic seed to an organic machine capable of converting light to energy and finally to a fertilized fruit with the potential to provide nourishment either for hungry animals or for a new generation of seeds. But did you know that plant …
Baby’s First River Trip
HELLO AGAIN FROM DINO! Soon it will be a month since I began my SIP Fellowship at Dinosaur National Monument, and boy has it been packed with new experiences! I caught an indiscriminate cuckoo bumble bee; gotten up close tours of the both Dinosaur bones in the Quarry Visitor Center and the process of taking …
An ornithological ride-along
BIRD Team Six We were gliding over the glassy water when the first rosy-fingers of dawn began to color the sky. I was hunched down against the wind whipping across our bow, serving as human ballast. Jared and Scott sat further back and were more sheltered from the cold, but I didn’t mind. Using my …