From DC, NYC, Boston and Shutesbury

Over the weekend I had some visitors. It was fun. Ben, Lizzie, Maya, Carson and Peter all made it out to Leverett for some hiking around Mt. Toby, outdoor games, settling of Catan, and great great food from my dear mother. My dad also got them to move a huge rock.

Pondering the flip
Trying to flip
Flip!
Thanks mom!


Ben, furiously arguing the rules of SPUD


Carson, in fact, still has it


We found this little wren on a walk, looked like it was hit by a car, but could still make it?


Up at the Peace Pagoda



Just got back from Maine. Katahdin and banding at Manomet pictures to come.

DAR-Ash Bog-Bear Swamp-Sugarloaf

Tree Swallow

Great picture my mom took of my dad taking...


...this great picture of a swallow:

ssolata

5 days off

Its just the start of the spring banding season, and since I am staying on, they let me take 5 days off in a row! Great timing too. My parents flew in Wednesday, spent that afternoon and Thursday with me, my brother got in Thursday night, we all hanged out around Point Reyes on Friday, had a wonderful pizza party with my friends in Oakland, and then watched CUT dominate a weekend of frisbee, winning their second (of 2) tournament of the winter! Great visit by all.

And now some pictures:







Bishop pine




At Abbott's Lagoon










My BRO!


Horse tails of some kind


Open horse tails


On the coastal trail






Eggs?


Lil hermit crab


In Muir woods, checking out redwoods:








Small redwoods

Parents weekend

This past weekend my parents came out for a visit and got a chance to see some of what I've been doing. Though the days were really (very) slow with hawks, they got to see a few shins come in and at least get a good idea of how exactly things function at the station. The nights were a different story however, with two of our biggest nights at 85 and 69 saw whets and it got kind of crazy.

Despite the lack of hawks and a bit of rain, my dad came out of the trip with an awesome set of pictures which I will gradually be putting up pictures from.


Photo by my pa


Photo by my pa

The day before they came we actually had a great hawk day, with 4 goshawks and a redtail. RT on left, G on right:




Gos scream a lot


American pipit's long back talon


My parents did get some stellar rainbows


Black backed woodpecker


Saw whet with a white talon