D&D

Tagged Dowitcher Release

I've been to Los Banos

Alright, I'm back. I've been computerless in Los Banos, CA for about two weeks now. Working for Point Blue again, I now spend my days in the wetlands of the San Joaquin Valley trapping wintering shorebirds, banding and attaching radio transmitters to them in an attempt to gain a better understanding of their habitat use and needs during this time of their life cycle.

We are specifically targeting Long-billed Dowitchers and Dunlin.

However, there are the occasional peep by-catches, this one being a Western Sandpiper, I believe, though our most common are Least.

As well as this Yellowlegs

The second team of trappers spend most of their time up in the rice fields of the Sacramento Valley, looking a little something like this.

Whereas, this is our typical morning scenery.

Buff-fronted Quail-dove

New old

While moving my photos over to a new computer I did a lot of browsing of old photos and realized that there are quite a few pictures I haven't posted that I would like to, mostly from Costa Rica, so those will be mixed in for a bit.

For example, this monster.


Though I understand that Dunlin and Long-billed Dowitchers are really not much bigger than most of the songbirds I am used to handling, this is still what I imagine it to be like.  I say this because I will be starting a job on Thursday in the San Joaquin Basin in California trapping those two species, but sadly no Bare-throated Tiger Herons.

Fall Views

Outside our window at Manomet.

Skinner Mountain in western Mass.

Second NOPA

Our second Northern Parula of the season, this time a young male, showing a little bit more of a necklace.