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Borrego Springs, CA

Tuesday, September 1, 2015

A different kind of assignment today

Intern Katie and I headed out this morning on a dual assignment for the refuge complex hunt biologist. 

_MG_2382Notice Mount Shasta above my head.  Not much smoke around today. _MG_2374

We had to go to the Oregon section of the Lower Klamath NWR to install these signs at entrance roads.  There were about a dozen access sites to the refuge, and the signs needed to be put up to keep Oregon goose hunters out.  We had brought some poles along, but luckily, we didn’t need to pound any in.  Empty stakes were available at all of our stops. 

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The area we covered was about 10 sq. miles which was divided up into around 25 half mile square sections.  That was the second part of our assignment.  We had to survey each of those 25 sections and determine for the biologist whether they were Pasture, Grain, or Fallow.  The sections on both sides of this road were obviously G.  As you can see, the roads were not paved, and this is an example of one of the better ones.  We were very careful on some of the two track lanes so that the growth in between the lanes didn’t catch fire as the truck brushed through it.  Don’t need any more wildfires around this area!

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Ha Ha!  Give two women power tools, and we felt like “Charlie’s Angels”.  Out to defend our nation’s wildlife.  Winking smile

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Our ‘missions’ were accomplished by early afternoon, and Katie even got a good look at her first ever black-crowned night heron.  Now this was a fun assignment.  Sure beats sitting in the VC!

I’ll be back out on Thursday morning to do the weekly bird survey.  You can bet I’ll be borrowing that 600mm lens again!  In the meantime, I’ll leave you tonight with a picture vignette from last Thursday:

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                                              Parent western grebe about to take care of its young.

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                                                                           Where’s junior?

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                                                                 Did Dad catch my lunch?

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                                                     Oh boy, I’d better get over there fast!

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                                                                             Here I come!

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                                                                              Thanks Dad!

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                                         Okay, now I have to figure out what to do with this fish.

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                                                                                 Gulp!

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                 Like father, like son.  (or it could have been like mother, like daughter.  Who knows?)

Thanks for stopping by… talk to you later,  Judy

23 comments:

  1. So nice to see you having a fun job instead of that old V.C. Gorgeous skies and love the grebe photos. Can't wait to see more from that lens.

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  2. That does look like a fun job... bet you took along some spare batteries "just in case". Glad you didn't have to pound any posts... looks like that could be hard to do.

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  3. Looks like you’re in your element once again. :-)

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  4. Charlie's Angels, LOL! Looks like you were ready to drill a few holes in the bad guys! :cD

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  5. Looks like a good day. As you mentioned, being outside is better than being in the VC!!

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  6. Love it! Mount Shasta in the background completes that photo..What a beautiful day!

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  7. Hooray for women with power tools! The grebe story is beautifully told and illustrated.

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  8. Looks like this volunteer position is going to fit you just fine. I love working with power tools....but I do get dangerous.

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  9. Love the pics with you girls and your guns. Sure wish those were the only sort of guns we sported in this country. Great photo essay. I think your captions are perfect.

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  10. Women and power tools-seems like I have seen that on magazine covers in the book store:)

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  11. Agree...much more fun that sitting in the visitor center!

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  12. One thing we learned about putting up signs is to be sure you put the sign all the way to the top....therefore perching birds do not get their talons caught in them and die.

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  13. Heck, anything outdoors (pretty much) beats an inside VC job, right? Fun watching the Grebes. The A/Q looks much better ... hope it continues that way!

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  14. Mount Shasta from any view is gorgeous.

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  15. Just going to borrow the 600mm, thought you would have bought one for yourself by now!

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  16. When you can, check my blog.... a bird there I need your help on. But than Petersons Bird Guide, you are.

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  17. Can you please modify your blog to allow subscription by ordinary email? I am unable to use either of the current 3 methods.

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  18. A very handul job doing by you.. Really!! Click are pretty awesome...

    Thanks
    Dudhwa National Park
    http://dudhwa.co.in

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  19. Amazing photos.. love watching those lovely birds


    click here

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