DAY 2!

After a somewhat improved night's rest, we began our second full day in Wyoming with a scrumptious breakfast of french toast, sausages, and fruit. Despite the brief time we've been here, many of us were stunned with our brand new, very irritating souvenirs from Kelly Campus's thriving mosquitoes. After learning our lesson the hard way, we covered ourselves in heavy layers of DEET, which for the most part, kept the bugs away.

Our first activity of the day was in the lab, where we met Jenny, our program director, who gave us a detailed presentation outlining the goals of our research. She further explained what, how, and why we were studying the birds in Jackson Hole. Soon after, Donna-Rose assisted us in gearing up with binoculars, whistles, GPS's, walkie-talkies, and guides to the birds, flora and fauna we expect to encounter in the field. After a short hike with a deer in the fields behind the Teton Science Schools, we reached some picnic tables, where we started our training for nest hunting. Jenny and Donna-Rose introduced us to real bird nests and elaborated on a bird's perspective of nest-making.

Suna, Sally, Adrienne, and Jackie scoping things out

Next, they gave us our first taste of the hardships of nest-hunting. Finding the fake nest and bird they had hidden earlier that morning seemed nearly impossible to most of us, except to Romario, who was successful in finding both treasures. After learning more about documenting our findings on nest cards and becoming more comfortable using our binoculars, we retired to the lab for refuge from the incoming thunderstorms, which we heard were rapidly approaching from behind the Tetons. During our time indoors, we discovered the extensive Murie Collection and the campus library...

Charles and Josh learning together.

- Adrienne, Eleanore, Sally, and Suna