For my third work trip in a row, I went out to Arizona. The main purpose was to meet our Point of Contact (POC) for the pollination networks project, as well as some other key players (botanists, GIS specialists). While I was there, I learned my way around base, picked up some maps, copied lots of info on pollinators and plants found on base, and explored the various ecosystems. It was not what I expected. The view heading onto the base looks like this:
There were many more trees than I thought there would be, and when I got up into the canyons I was really surprised! There were streams! It was really beautiful and I'm looking forward to working there for the next 2 years (it's a long-term project with 2 long field seasons: April-September). Hands down, the best part of my trip, was of course adding new birds to my Life List. In particular, I was amazed to see a pair of Mexican Spotted Owls, just 50 ft up the trail from an endangered plant I was observing:
One more cool experience on this trip was getting to meet a couple of hummingbird specialists and watch them work a migration survey station.
This is the trap they use to catch the hummingbirds, fine mesh on a pully system!
Here's a beauty waiting to be processed (they caught half a dozen during the hour I visited).
I've never seen a bird weighed like this before... but it sure worked like a charm!
And the BEST part? I got to be a launch pad!
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