Yellowstone

This past weekend nine of us went to Yellowstone and it was totally awesome! We left at about 9:30 Friday morning and got to the North Entrance to meet with the head Wildlife Biologist, Glenn Plumb, at 3:00. This meeting went very well. He told us about some of the projects they have going there such as getting rid of all the hybrid cutthroat trout and the problems they are having with wildlife diseases, including parvo, TB and the Spruce Bud Worm, which causes the trees to have a reddish tint. He also informed me of a program at UC Davis which works on controlling these diseases so I think I may be looking into that. Then he told us the best times and places to see the wolves. After that meeting we went back to the West Entrance to set up camp.
The next day we drove all over the park and saw all the things you are supposed to see when at Yellowstone such as Old Faithful, the waterfalls and the steam/sulfur vents. Many of these impressed me more than I thought they would but at some of the spots the sulfur smell we horrible. Old Faithful was interesting but not as amazing as I thought it was going to be but that could also be because it was the last place we stopped that day. Then we headed back to the camp to get ready to get up at 4 am the next day to go see wolves. The last day there began at 4 am and we drove all the way to the north east entrance but the only thing we saw was an incredible number of bison. So we headed out of the park to go to the cafe that Glenn Plumb recommended but it was closed due to a wedding party. On the way back through the wolf and bear area we remembered what Glenn said and was on the look out for bunches of people on the side of the road. Soon we came across a crowd so we stopped and asked them what they were looking at and low and behold it was a pack of wolves! We got to watch them for about 45 minutes. I think I was able to figure out that the white one was the alpha and I'm not sure where the black one stood but he/she was very playful and tons of fun to watch. He reminded me a lot of Chase when he tries to get Brig to play with him and the grayish one, that the black one was playing with, reminded me of Brig because he/she just went along with it for a while then decided to lay down or get a drink or something and the black one went off to explore for a while. After all seven of them calmed down a bit we took off back towards the main part of the park. We had only driven no more than 2 miles when we saw another crowd of people so we pulled over again. This time it was a Grizzly Bear. He/she would look at us but pay us no attention and go back to looking for things to eat. My roommate Colorado got a really good picture of it. By that time it was 11:00 am so we went to one of the villages to get breakfast and continued on our way home. Since the pass to Yellowstone was good for seven days and the Grand Tetons we took the long way home. The Tetons were very pretty but not much in the way of wildlife. We got back to Twin around 7:30 pm and went to bed so we could get up the next morning for work.

Cool Stuff

I have a picture of the chipmunk I was talking about last time on here as well as a picture of a Short Horned Lizard. I know I look like a dork in the pictures but I am having a great time not only getting to see all these animals but holding them as well. Things are pretty much going the same just at different plots. I am looking forward to going to Yellowstone this weekend and meeting the head Wildlife Biologist and possibly the Wolf Biologist while up there. We are still working out the details but any which way it should be exciting.

New Sites

So far this week has been very long but much more interesting. For the first time since we started doing wildlife inventory everybody is working plots in the south. Our plot is an aspen stand and is much cooler than the sage brush since it is at a higher elevation and we get shade all day long. However, there is a trade off, the aspens can get very thick which makes it hard to walk through them to set mammal traps and walk vegetation transects. There is even one part for about 50 meters in which we have to actually fight our way through. Even with all this trouble I would not trade it for the sage again. We are finding a much more diverse wildlife here such as many kinds of vegation some included are the flowers I am posting. I don't know the names of them but I think they are very pretty. Also we are getting more than just Deer Mice and Voles. (Today we got Deer Mice, Voles, Yellow Pine Chipmunks which are not supposed to be here) and a short-tailed weasel that jumped on my head. It was quite funny and things like this are what makes this job so much fun. Utah was holding the weasel so I could get a picture since we aren't supposed to measure them cause they are too feisty, when it jumped onto my camera then onto my head and off into the aspen. It was quite comical. We have to take pictures of the chipmunks int the bags because they are too quick other wise.
We still have to go into the northern Jarbige area every day or every other day though because that is where our reptile arrays are and today one of the plots was 102 degrees F but we did catch a baby Western Whiptail Lizard just 52 mm. And that is ok with me because if we moved the arrays to the south too we probably wouldn't catch any reptiles. Reptiles in the north and mammals in the south. Lots of driving but I'm not complaining since we usually get to take naps on the drive and still get paid for it, it just makes for some long 14 hour days. Oh and by the way I put a picture of what I believe is a Western Kingbird feeding her babies on here too. I'll try to get some good pictures of the new mammals and put them up.

The Excitement Never Ends

Yesterday the newest addition to our house, Pennsylvania who got here two weeks ago, rolled her jeep while out in the field. She is ok and came out with no scratches but some very sore muscles. When telling the story she said she started to fishtail, which has happened to most of us if not all at one time or another, and while she corrected, her front wheel hit something and spun the steering wheel out of her hands directing her down a slope. The jeep rolled 3/4 a roll and the roof was all messed up. Well when I got back from the field today they had picked up the jeep and I was able to look at it. The roof above the driver seat is very much dented in as well as the windshield being massively shattered. Judging from the flat right front tire it has been assumed the blow out from the tire is what caused the roll. As traumatized and shook up as my roommate is it was a good thing that she was the one driving. The riparian team which normally takes that car and is made up of tall people were out on a work camping trip so Pennsylvania got to drive it. Pennsylvania is no taller than 5'1" everyone else probably would have some major head injuries. Anyway the word had spread to just about everyone who works at the BLM within an hour. Most heard from the CB radio and the rest was word of mouth but the only thing people are concerned about is if she is ok. I think she will be making the best of one of our friend's hot tub with jets for a while and she is still a little weirded out by it but she'll be ok.

My House Inside

All last week we were working the streams of the area. Actually we were in northern Nevada. We were looking for frogs and toads which was tons of fun but the mosquitoes thought I was mighty tasty and bit me all over my arms, face, neck and back. They were quite painful for a while. Falling down in the stream and getting my waders full of water felt really good though. Also if anyone has ever been touched by a stinging nettle plant they will know that it is not very pleasant. This week we are back to our regular plots and transects. It is still hot here but not unbearable like a few weeks back.
This past Saturday it was my turn to check the reptile traps so Colorado and I decided to make a day of it. We went to check the traps together then went to a Bird of Prey Conservation area and went swimming in the Snake River. The only birds we saw were a Golden Eagle and some American Kestrels. However, I did get to handle and measure a rare snake that was caught in one of the traps. It was a Stripped Whip Snake, it has a couple strips down each side and a light, rosy, pink on the rear of the underbelly. Tomorrow I should have an easy day. The first part we are going out to our plot and checking the mammal traps then coming back to the office to finally enter some data. The database and spreadsheets are finally up and running, we hope.
These pictures are of my room (I took the picture from my bed and the wall behind me pretty much looks like this wall and the window above the garage is to the left), living room with our lawn furniture and the opposite wall with a map of the U.S. that has push pins in everyone's home town (the front door is to the right).
Love you all and goodnight!

The fourth of July

Today was pretty cool. The day started out quite warm. We had a bunch of people over for a bbq and now we have a ton of food left over, which is a good thing since most of us haven't gotten our pay checks yet. Then we played some stick ball which is hitting a wiffle ball with a broomstick. This game has become a big thing at our gettogethers. Some people went down and bought some fireworks for at home and since we couldn't wait we went ahead and set them off right then and there. However, as we started a storm started brewing with wind and dirt everywhere. It was fun anyway. When the time came we all walked down to the college to watch the fireworks. Even though it was really neat to see the fireworks at the same time as the lightning I think Soboba's fireworks are way better. There was a radio station that played patriotic music to the fireworks but when someone mentioned it being choreographed "Mr. Third Grade", a math prof at the college said, "choreograph is too big a word for Idaho." Laughter all around since no one is from Idaho. Now as I am writing this it is raining. We have the craziest weather here. Good times!
I am too tired now but look for pics of the inside of my house next time.

Camping in the Sawtooth

This past weekend was a blast! About 13 of us went camping in the Sawtooth National Forest and hiked up to the Independence Lakes. At first we were going to camp up at the top lake but soon decided it was a better idea to camp at the bottom then hike up with no luggage. This was a very good idea since the hike was 3 miles one way and parts of it were so steep it made my legs scream. Before my car load got to the campsite 3 of the campers had already hiked to the top and they kept telling us the hike was well worth it once we got up there. They were right, it was so beautiful up there. We stayed at the top for a while, some fished, some continued up to the top lake and most of us just rested. Soon we heard our cue to leave in the form of Thunder so we hike back down the mountain, got our stuff together and went home. My legs and behind are so very sore but it was all well worth it. Who knew co-workers could be so much fun? On the other hand who better to go camping and hiking with than a bunch of people who work for the BLM?
The first picture is taken from the campsite towards the creek. The second picture is the second Independence Lake which was our main goal.