After dragging our feet to breakfast at 5:30 in the morning with heavy eyelids, we managed to finish our luxurious continental breakfast and pack our handy-dandy Hoorahs. After breakfast we loaded the cars and drove to the Conservation Research Center in Jackson Hole to watch some bird banders at work. At the site, all of us were stunned as the sight of the small, vibrant birds completely exceeded our expectations. As Jenny, the master of bird banding, led us to the bird nets that seemed almost impossible to see with the human eye, we shrieked with joy as we discovered the chickadees, wrens, robins, and cedar waxwings caught in the fragile nets. We were even more thrilled soon after, as we were given the lucky opportunity to release the banded birds into freedom once again.
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Charles releases a swainson's thrush
after measurements and banding |
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Sally releasing a bullock oriole
(not the customary orange one!) |
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| Suna releases a cedar waxwing |
Afterwards, we all headed to KARNS meadow to continue searching for some nests. With our fashionable rubber boots, we trudged through the creeks and waist high grass fields to look for the nests and monitor the surrounding vegetation. Once again, Romario saved the day by discovering some nests with fledglings and eggs still inside, an awe-striking sight. We were also able to approach a nest with the mother still sitting on it, guarding it from the strange teens that would not stop staring and taking pictures.
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| Banding, inspecting, and measuring a bullock oriole |
Though our day seemed full of excitement and joy, one of us faced a terrifying, life-threatening moment in the field when an angry mother American Robin began to dive-bomb towards him upon realizing that her territory had been intruded. Luckily, Kenney was kept from harm, saved by his agility and some fortune.
Before leaving KARNS, all of us enjoyed another game of Camouflage, this time led by Jackie. The game ended with a few misfortunes as David ran frantically out of the bush with a glorious battle wound left on his lip by a yellowjacket and some others walked off with their own scars left by the bees.
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| Jacky, Sally, and Charles trying their best to measure tree height |
In the evening, we paired up and presented information on various possible outdoors careers in the science field. While all presentations were clearly impressive and informative, our young chemistry prodigy Suna also gave a detailed, passionate lecture on the secrets of Analytical Chemistry.
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| Josh says, "Hello, Wyoming!" |
As the long day came to an end, we all retreated back to our cabins with the same heavy eyelids that we came to breakfast with. However, though our minds and bodies were exhausted, we all went to bed eagerly anticipating the packed, upcoming day.
-Sally, Jacky, and Suna
