I think I'm Growing Feather's but I'm Not Sure of It! -Cloud Cult

The Crew all Geared up to head to the stream

 The new job is really fun! We camp near the headwaters of the Trask River here in Oregon. We have 14 streams that we study 8, 5-m plots in. Half of the plots in each stream will be in a logging area next year and half will be outside of it. This allows us to determine the effects of logging on the streams. My crew is in charge of the amphibians (Pacific Northwest salamander, Pacific giant salamander, and tail frogs (tadpoles and adults)). Other crews are studying flow, macroinvertebrate densities, substrate, fishes, and sediment deposits. They have been doing this study for 4 years and next year the logging begins, after the logging is done they will do 4 more years of collection. In past years the amphibian crew marked certain individuals to calculate a population estimate. We aren't marking this year because of the logging break, but we are getting a fair amount of recaptures!

Me with a Pacific NW salamander

A recaptured dicamp

 The salamanders are marked with an elastomer tag, or a dye injected into their skin. The combination of colors and location of mark allows us to identify individuals! We can look back in the database for this combination of marks and find out how much it grew (length and mass) and where it came from (what plot it was marked at). I am having a great time, my crew is fun, camp is awesome, everything is great... except for salmonberry and Devil's club- two plants that are everywhere next to the streams and have obnoxious thorns that are determined to poke every possible surface of my body. Arrg!

salmonberry

After last week of work, I went and joined Andrew capturing cormorants on the island! It was pretty awesome! We wore coveralls because of how disgusting the tunnels are... filled with sand and cormorant poop... but it was really awesome seeing the banding done! I am still pressuring him to guest blog... hopefully while I am on this next 8 day stint he will find the time ;)

Andrew and I in coveralls

Well, that is a bit of an update on my adventures out here! I will be out in the field from Wednesday to Wednesday this coming week, then flying to Minneapolis for Will and Erin's wedding and family and friend camping fun! Can't wait!

Birthday Reflection

Idaho Birthday

 Well, I am now officially 24 years old. uff da. I had so many cards, call, texts, and Facebook messages it was unbelievable. Thank you to all who made my day so special. Andrew is currently doing the dishes as part of my birthday present :) He is never home for very long, so doesn't do them very often, a great present! I was looking back at my last few birthday's and so much has changed in the past few years, for #23 I was in Idaho, #22 I was in Trout Lake, #21 I was in Madison. I feel like quite the jet-setter!

Madison Birthday (21st!)

Trout Lake Birthday

So now I have some goals I want to accomplish before I turn the big 2-5 (ugh).
25 Goals before 25 years old (in no particular order)
1. Get into Grad School
2. Finish a 5k race
3. Continue on my weight loss goal (i'll keep my number to myself ;) im already down 15!)
4. Find a job/grad school/something where Andrew and I can actually live together!
5. Complete my Fisheries Management Graduate Certificate with OSU
6. Publish a report through ODFW
7. Learn a new knitting pattern
8. read 25 new books
9. buy myself a new nice road bike
10. Purge all my unnecessary crap
11. Learn how to crochet
12. go kayaking
13. go backpacking for fun not just for work
14. Boundary Waters Trip!
15. spend some good quality cousin time
16. actually keep up with my journal. (whoops)
17. Learn how to tie knots. (embarrassing... I know).
18. send a postcard to Myanmar (hey karrrri!)
19. Be better at skype dates... at least one skype date a month!
20. Get back to my localtarian diet... I have been indulging in a lot of bacon lately... ruh roh!
21. Watch more documentaries than Rom Com's... I will keep a tally! haha.
22. Hike Mount Hood. Bam.
23. Visit friends in their new homes (Washington, St. Louis, Milwaukee, Baltimore, Minneapolis, Utah, Ocon (Jan!)(leave me your new home and I will try and visit you!))
24. Visit a Foreign country (Canada counts! I haven't been there in years!)
25. See some more live music in Portland!


Ok folks, thank you for being so wonderful to me on my birthday and all the other days too. I will expect you all to help me get through this hefty list! :)

Now I am going to go sit on Dave and Jitesh's back porch in the sunshine for a barbeque! Yahoo!

i get by with a little help from my friends

On the last float of the season!

These past few days have been wonderful. I have seen my favorite Vanessa and Scott Hood in Seattle, Fiz and Nick Heredia came to visit, phone calls from Nick Wellenstein and Benny Fullerton, and back porch sunning and drinking with the tripod. It has been a great past couple days, and the good times keep a rollin! As soon as Andrew gets off work today we drive down to see Chris, Jen, Drew, and Alison from Northland!!
Also can't wait for July... Will and Erin's wedding! Surrounded by camping with friends and family. Cannot cannot cannot wait!

Yahoo!