As the time for me to leave San Saba approaches, I am realizing there is so much I am going to miss:
1. Spending my days with Liz, Juan Jose, Kristen, John, and Jimma
2. The sweet country air
3. Blaring country music while doing PNC and Anabat checks
4. Spending my nights under the stars and playing with bats
5. Having the freedom to squat down and pee when/where ever I need to
6. Skinny dipping
7. Dinners with John, Jimma, and Co.
8. Running with Coqueta and Laika
9. Rodeos and cowboys
10. Hanging on to the back of the SUV holding an antenna and receiver as Liz drives over bumpy country roads tracking bats
11. Visits from the UPS man
12. Visits from drunken cowboys while mist netting
13. Trips to Austin every month
14. Country dancing
15. Lifting John’s weights outside under ornamental animal skulls
16. Fresh vegetables straight from the garden and fresh, unpasteurized goat milk
17. Driving down the road and seeing a cowboy hat on the head of each driver
18. Waving at the cars passing down dirt road
19. The people I have met and have come to love
Saturday, August 1, 2009
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Tail Between My Legs
In June we began to alternate 2 week cycles of mist netting and radio tracking. However, since our last radio tracking cycle was very unsuccessful, Liz decided that we would radio track during this mist netting cycle. Nycticeius humeralis (evening bats) are the bats of primary interest for radio tracking because they forage locally and we have hopes that they are remaining in the orchards at night and eating pecan pests. About 4 days ago we caught a male Nycticeius and so began our simultaneous mist netting and radio tracking cycle!
Two nights ago I went out to radio track the bat from its roost while Kristen and Liz set up nets and insect traps in an adjacent orchard. The bat soon tired of foraging around his roost tree and took off to the Leonard conventional orchard that lies behind a barbed wire fence. There was no choice but to follow: where the bat goes, I go. So with 5 foot pole, antenna, receiver, walkie talkie, GPS, compass, and head lamp I attempted to gracefully cross over the three foot high barbed wire fence. I was doing well up until I was ready to swing my second leg over the fence and the barbed wire snagged me in my crotchetal region. Nice addition to the cuts from the cactus thorns I had gotten personally acquainted with the night before. It took a few minutes, but I was able to extricate myself from this awkward situation and proceeded to follow the bat into the orchard.
Conventional orchards are characterized by tilled rows of trees, which easily become very dry and dusty. Liz soon joined me and we were immediately covered in dust. Luckily, the bat decided to make a short visit in this orchard and about an hour later started back for his roost. He settled down for a time, allowing Liz and I a chance to take shifts and get a bit of shut eye. I offered to stay up first. The bat has been roosting in a Live Oak grove that has tall, thick stalked plants sprouting from the ground. They reach about three feet and cover most of the floor of the grove. I settled down on Coqueta’s doggie blanket, took out my book, and made myself comfortable as Liz snoozed. The constant beep from the radio receiver assured me that the bat was happily relaxing at home and I quickly became absorbed in my book.
It was not too long though before I heard a rustling in the tall grasses. At first I figured it was Coqueta coming over from the car where she had been resting, but I didn’t hear the jingling of her collar. Then, I heard grunting and snorting noises, not typical of canines. Oh no, it’s a boar, I thought! Unfortunately, the leather Indian Jones bull whip I have taken to carrying around was laying uselessly in the car where Liz was sleeping. Quickly, I detached the plastic 5 foot long tube attached to the antenna and brandished it over my head. I could see the grass moving, and the hog was heading towards me. Coqueta, who had initially been interested, turned, tail between her legs, and fled to the shelter of the car. Desperate for human reassurance, I reached down and grabbed the walkie talkie to radio Kristen who was manning the nets, but she did not answer. I later found out that she had been checking nets and had forgotten the radio at the table. I was on my own. Tightening my hands on the pole, I took at deep breath, and boldly stomped forward. Grunting and whooping, I decided to attempt to scare off the hog. My plan back fired. The hog must have taken my noises not as a threat, but instead as a challenge and lunged towards me.
I wish I could say I stood my ground and whapped the thing on the head, but instead I squealed and jumped aside, running from the beast charging toward me. Being chased by an animal you can see is scary enough, but it is even more frightening when you cannot tell exactly where it is. The thick grass hid the hog and only the parting of the long stalks gave me an idea of where he was. My scream must have scared him off, because I turned to see the grass part out into the meadow where the shadow disappeared into the darkness. My heart was pounding and the pole was slick with the sweat from my hands, but I felt a glow of satisfaction knowing that I had survived. My actions may not have been brave, but at least I had escaped injury. I forced myself back to my spot next to the receiver under the roost until Liz came to relieve me.
I spent the intervening half hour cursing Coqueta’s cowardice and sat with my ears perked for any hint of the boar’s return, which (thank God) did materialize again. But I now am prepared for next time (which I hope will never come to pass): I will scream like a girl and run for my life; the hog will be so busy laughing at this pitiful sight, he will forget his original business.
Two nights ago I went out to radio track the bat from its roost while Kristen and Liz set up nets and insect traps in an adjacent orchard. The bat soon tired of foraging around his roost tree and took off to the Leonard conventional orchard that lies behind a barbed wire fence. There was no choice but to follow: where the bat goes, I go. So with 5 foot pole, antenna, receiver, walkie talkie, GPS, compass, and head lamp I attempted to gracefully cross over the three foot high barbed wire fence. I was doing well up until I was ready to swing my second leg over the fence and the barbed wire snagged me in my crotchetal region. Nice addition to the cuts from the cactus thorns I had gotten personally acquainted with the night before. It took a few minutes, but I was able to extricate myself from this awkward situation and proceeded to follow the bat into the orchard.
Conventional orchards are characterized by tilled rows of trees, which easily become very dry and dusty. Liz soon joined me and we were immediately covered in dust. Luckily, the bat decided to make a short visit in this orchard and about an hour later started back for his roost. He settled down for a time, allowing Liz and I a chance to take shifts and get a bit of shut eye. I offered to stay up first. The bat has been roosting in a Live Oak grove that has tall, thick stalked plants sprouting from the ground. They reach about three feet and cover most of the floor of the grove. I settled down on Coqueta’s doggie blanket, took out my book, and made myself comfortable as Liz snoozed. The constant beep from the radio receiver assured me that the bat was happily relaxing at home and I quickly became absorbed in my book.
It was not too long though before I heard a rustling in the tall grasses. At first I figured it was Coqueta coming over from the car where she had been resting, but I didn’t hear the jingling of her collar. Then, I heard grunting and snorting noises, not typical of canines. Oh no, it’s a boar, I thought! Unfortunately, the leather Indian Jones bull whip I have taken to carrying around was laying uselessly in the car where Liz was sleeping. Quickly, I detached the plastic 5 foot long tube attached to the antenna and brandished it over my head. I could see the grass moving, and the hog was heading towards me. Coqueta, who had initially been interested, turned, tail between her legs, and fled to the shelter of the car. Desperate for human reassurance, I reached down and grabbed the walkie talkie to radio Kristen who was manning the nets, but she did not answer. I later found out that she had been checking nets and had forgotten the radio at the table. I was on my own. Tightening my hands on the pole, I took at deep breath, and boldly stomped forward. Grunting and whooping, I decided to attempt to scare off the hog. My plan back fired. The hog must have taken my noises not as a threat, but instead as a challenge and lunged towards me.
I wish I could say I stood my ground and whapped the thing on the head, but instead I squealed and jumped aside, running from the beast charging toward me. Being chased by an animal you can see is scary enough, but it is even more frightening when you cannot tell exactly where it is. The thick grass hid the hog and only the parting of the long stalks gave me an idea of where he was. My scream must have scared him off, because I turned to see the grass part out into the meadow where the shadow disappeared into the darkness. My heart was pounding and the pole was slick with the sweat from my hands, but I felt a glow of satisfaction knowing that I had survived. My actions may not have been brave, but at least I had escaped injury. I forced myself back to my spot next to the receiver under the roost until Liz came to relieve me.
I spent the intervening half hour cursing Coqueta’s cowardice and sat with my ears perked for any hint of the boar’s return, which (thank God) did materialize again. But I now am prepared for next time (which I hope will never come to pass): I will scream like a girl and run for my life; the hog will be so busy laughing at this pitiful sight, he will forget his original business.
Thursday, July 16, 2009
A Pseudo "Lyme Condition" (LC)
I used to wonder what it would feel like to be old. It was always hard to imagine since I am in my youth and enjoy running and weight lifting, swimming and horseback riding, and just moving in general. Well, I need wonder no more because I have “traveled” forward in time and experienced it all for myself...and all thanks to a tick.
About three weeks ago I began to feel the transformation. While mist netting one night, my head began to throb painfully, to the extent that I was seeing dark blotches and felt as though I was about to faint. In the morning the nausea came; I could hardly eat because every time I did I got sick. After a day or two I really began to worry because I felt achy all over, and not just as if I had the flu. My joints ached everywhere: in my knees, my fingers, my wrists, my elbows, and my neck was stiff. It was as if I had developed rheumatoid arthritis overnight. Throughout it all I was exhausted; I still can’t comprehend how I motivated myself and made it through the rest of the mist netting cycle.
I had started to feel strange on Wednesday and by the following Saturday I was pretty sure I had Lyme disease and headed off to the clinic in San Saba. I arrived to find it closed. Apparently it people don’t get sick on weekends in small towns. I was concerned because Lyme is a bacteria and can be cured, but if it is left untreated it becomes chronic and stays with you for the rest of your life...I was worried I would remain an 80 year old for the rest of my life. I called Jimma from town to see if she knew of any other clinics nearby, but she said the nearest clinic was about 45 minutes away, so I decided I would wait until Monday. Fortunately, Jimma has the best timing. She hadn’t known I was sick before I called that afternoon, but coincidentally she had already invited a couple neighbors who are doctors over to dinner that evening.
The second I walked into John and Jimma’s house that night I was greeted with anxious questions concerning my health. “What’s wrong?” and “How are you feeling?” “Let us see your insect bites!” I was touched by their concern, but somewhat embarrassed as they scrutinized my hairy, bug bitten, red legs. (I have a picture of the bulls-eye rash that developed on my leg, but I will spare y’all). I was surrounded by people in the medical profession, who all happen to live within three minutes of one another: Jim Conyers is a surgeon, Jerry Thompson is a GP, and Linda Thompson (his wife) is a nurse. The consensus was that I most likely had STARI (Southern Tick Associated Rash Illness), not Lyme. STARI is much more common in Texas, as the name suggests, but is very similar to Lyme (same genus of bacteria, but different species). I was given a name of a doctor at the clinic and lots of advice and information that helped assuage my nervousness. I am so fortunate to have found such wonderful people; I have found a second family for the summer.
I was itching to get to the clinic on Monday and get antibiotics, but I was wary because Jim had cautioned me that the doctor may be hesitant to give me medicine or to diagnose me with STARI. There is a blood test available, but false negatives occur about 40% of the time and the antibodies may not build up until 8 months after contracting the disease. As a result, I was prepared to argue, persuade, or charm a prescription from the doctor. Before I left, Kristen gave me a pep talk and made me promise not to leave the clinic without medicine. I gritted my teeth and drove off to the clinic on a mission. My confidence dwindled a bit when the receptionist shrank back and shot me a wary and slightly disgusted glance when I explained why I was there. I guess my description of the plethora of bug bites and my symptoms was a bit daunting, but I had expected the professionals at the clinic to take it well. Fortunately I pulled myself together by the time I was taken back to the doctor and as I sat waiting I gathered my symptoms in my mind and created a logical and coherent argument as to why the doctor should give me a prescription. When he entered, I attempted to look as tired and ill as possible, sulking quietly and miserably in the corner. This actually really was not very difficult as I felt extraordinarily miserable to begin with.
When the door opened and the doctor walked in, I took a deep breath and began. I explained my symptoms, how I had contracted the disease through the field work, how all the neighboring doctors thought it was STARI, that there are tests but they have a high rate of false negatives, and what medicine I needed according to Jim, John, and Linda. I was pleasantly surprised and relieved when the doctor almost immediately told me he agreed and that I needed to be put on antibiotics. It was only about a matter of 10 minutes before I was out the door and on my way to the pharmacy. Three days later I was feeling as though I was in my fifties, a considerable improvement, and by the end of the week I felt like 20 again!
About three weeks ago I began to feel the transformation. While mist netting one night, my head began to throb painfully, to the extent that I was seeing dark blotches and felt as though I was about to faint. In the morning the nausea came; I could hardly eat because every time I did I got sick. After a day or two I really began to worry because I felt achy all over, and not just as if I had the flu. My joints ached everywhere: in my knees, my fingers, my wrists, my elbows, and my neck was stiff. It was as if I had developed rheumatoid arthritis overnight. Throughout it all I was exhausted; I still can’t comprehend how I motivated myself and made it through the rest of the mist netting cycle.
I had started to feel strange on Wednesday and by the following Saturday I was pretty sure I had Lyme disease and headed off to the clinic in San Saba. I arrived to find it closed. Apparently it people don’t get sick on weekends in small towns. I was concerned because Lyme is a bacteria and can be cured, but if it is left untreated it becomes chronic and stays with you for the rest of your life...I was worried I would remain an 80 year old for the rest of my life. I called Jimma from town to see if she knew of any other clinics nearby, but she said the nearest clinic was about 45 minutes away, so I decided I would wait until Monday. Fortunately, Jimma has the best timing. She hadn’t known I was sick before I called that afternoon, but coincidentally she had already invited a couple neighbors who are doctors over to dinner that evening.
The second I walked into John and Jimma’s house that night I was greeted with anxious questions concerning my health. “What’s wrong?” and “How are you feeling?” “Let us see your insect bites!” I was touched by their concern, but somewhat embarrassed as they scrutinized my hairy, bug bitten, red legs. (I have a picture of the bulls-eye rash that developed on my leg, but I will spare y’all). I was surrounded by people in the medical profession, who all happen to live within three minutes of one another: Jim Conyers is a surgeon, Jerry Thompson is a GP, and Linda Thompson (his wife) is a nurse. The consensus was that I most likely had STARI (Southern Tick Associated Rash Illness), not Lyme. STARI is much more common in Texas, as the name suggests, but is very similar to Lyme (same genus of bacteria, but different species). I was given a name of a doctor at the clinic and lots of advice and information that helped assuage my nervousness. I am so fortunate to have found such wonderful people; I have found a second family for the summer.
I was itching to get to the clinic on Monday and get antibiotics, but I was wary because Jim had cautioned me that the doctor may be hesitant to give me medicine or to diagnose me with STARI. There is a blood test available, but false negatives occur about 40% of the time and the antibodies may not build up until 8 months after contracting the disease. As a result, I was prepared to argue, persuade, or charm a prescription from the doctor. Before I left, Kristen gave me a pep talk and made me promise not to leave the clinic without medicine. I gritted my teeth and drove off to the clinic on a mission. My confidence dwindled a bit when the receptionist shrank back and shot me a wary and slightly disgusted glance when I explained why I was there. I guess my description of the plethora of bug bites and my symptoms was a bit daunting, but I had expected the professionals at the clinic to take it well. Fortunately I pulled myself together by the time I was taken back to the doctor and as I sat waiting I gathered my symptoms in my mind and created a logical and coherent argument as to why the doctor should give me a prescription. When he entered, I attempted to look as tired and ill as possible, sulking quietly and miserably in the corner. This actually really was not very difficult as I felt extraordinarily miserable to begin with.
When the door opened and the doctor walked in, I took a deep breath and began. I explained my symptoms, how I had contracted the disease through the field work, how all the neighboring doctors thought it was STARI, that there are tests but they have a high rate of false negatives, and what medicine I needed according to Jim, John, and Linda. I was pleasantly surprised and relieved when the doctor almost immediately told me he agreed and that I needed to be put on antibiotics. It was only about a matter of 10 minutes before I was out the door and on my way to the pharmacy. Three days later I was feeling as though I was in my fifties, a considerable improvement, and by the end of the week I felt like 20 again!
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
What Batologists Do on Their Nights Off
I only have one night off every two weeks (unless there is inclement weather which is rare), so when I am given a night off it is a big deal and a very welcome break from my work. This past Saturday Liz gave us the night off and it was perfect timing because it was the weekend of the San Saba rodeo and country dance! San Saba is a very small town, but from what I had heard the rodeo would be well attended. I had never been to a rodeo before since I do not enjoy watching the bronco and bull riding, but I was eager to see the barrel racing event and just be around the smell and sounds of horses.
Before we could leave for the rodeo, which began at 7pm, we had a few small chores we had to finish so that we would be ready to mist net the next night. All we had left to do was check PNC traps and since it was swelteringly hot outside, we decided we would go for a swim in the river once we finished and before heading back to the house to get ready for our big night. As we were walking to the river we decided that swimming in and of itself was not exciting enough. Recalling Liz’s stories of skinny dipping in Costa Rica and with adrenaline pumping through our bodies at the prospect of our fun night, we found ourselves sufficiently motivated to strip off all of our clothes and dive into the San Saba River.
For those of you who have never experienced skinny dipping, I highly recommend it. I felt liberated and the thought that we might be caught red handed in the middle of the day made it all the more of an adventure. Usually we are the only people in this area of the river since it is on John and Jimma’s private property, however on this particular day voices floated down to us from up stream. It wasn’t long before we saw a person around the river bend, so we hastily grabbed our swimming suits from a hanging branch and surreptitiously exited the water. I think we made it safely to shore and I am hoping no one caught a glimpse of my pasty white backside.
Revived from our refreshing and adventurous trip to the river, Kristen and I rushed back to the house and prettied ourselves up for the rodeo. I have worn makeup only once this summer, so it felt strange to get ready. I also have not shaven my legs for the whole summer and decided to let them remain hairy for the rodeo. I have gotten attached to my furry appendages and the chance of attracting some attention from cowboys did not seem enough of an incentive to me. Not shaving just seems to go along with the atmosphere of this summer. Somehow roughing it and going natural makes the experience feel more authentic.
When we were finally ready, we drove into town, our spirits high with excitement. It was a gorgeous day and the sun was setting a brilliant red/orange. I brought my red and white spaghetti strap dress that flares out around me when I twirl for the dance, but was disappointed that I had no cowgirl boots to accompany it. The cowboys did not seem to mind my lack of boots or my hairy legs for as soon as Kristen and I stepped out of the car we were blinded with dazzling smiles from the cowboys. There is something very appealing about a man who dresses nicely and these cowboys knew how to dress. Shiny cowboy boots, colorful long sleeve button up shirts, and fancy cowboy hats to top it all off. Not to mention shiny silver belt buckles that gleamed in the setting sun. Yes, the men looked very nice, but I could not take my eyes off of the beautiful horses they were riding. I think I may have disappointed a few men as they realized my appreciative gaze landed on their mounts instead of on themselves. Kristen had a hard time pulling me away from the horses, but eventually we made our way to the bleachers and watched the rodeo events.
The bull riding and bucking broncos were unpleasant to watch, but I really enjoyed the barrel racing and the overall environment. Unfortunately, there was a rodeo clown and as most of you know I hate clowns. This one was particularly annoying as it took time away from the horses and made very bad jokes. During these boring intermissions, Kristen and I entertained ourselves by looking for cowboys to dance with later in the night. We spend all of our time on John and Jimma’s orchard and don’t run into the locals on a weekly basis, so the thought of meeting new people was very exciting.
Once the rodeo ended, most people made their way over to the outdoor dance floor. There was live music and it was a clear night so the stars were shining brightly overhead. There is very little light pollution out here, so the stars are extraordinarily bright; sometimes it is so bright I do not need to use my head lamp at night. Kristen and I were unfamiliar with any of the country dancing so we spent some time on the side watching some of the older couples and pretty soon the two of us picked it up. Unfortunately, none of the men had asked us to dance, so we decided to dance with each other for a song.
As we walked off the dance floor, Kristen was immediately approached by an Argentinean man who asked her to dance. His friend Frederico came over and began chatting with me. I found out that he and his friends are from Argentina and are polo riders on Tommy Lee Jones’ ranch, which is in San Saba! Liz and Juan Jose had met us at the rodeo, and they began chatting with the polo riders in Spanish and I was excited that I could understand almost all of what was being said.
Frederico’s friend Jose asked me to dance and I had a fun time teaching him the country dance I had just taught myself Jose explained that after each song, everyone leaves the dance floor to grab a quick drink and then heads back onto the dance floor. If a guy asks you to dance again, it is a sign that he thinks you are a good dancer and is interested. I think this was a hint, because Jose continued to ask me to dance. After a few songs we decided to take a short break and went over to talk to his friends. I noticed that Carlos, the guy Kristen had been dancing with, was moping and I also noticed that Kristen was not around.
“Where did Kristen go?” I asked him. “She is dancing with another man,” he dejectedly waved his hand in the direction of the dance floor. “I don’t want to cry in front of everyone, but…you know…my heart, it is breaking.” I did feel sorry for him, but I had to hide a smile. Latin American men can be very melodramatic. Eventually Kristen returned, and Carlos swept her off her feet to the dance floor again and monopolized her for the rest of the time he remained. It was not too long, however, before the Argentineans said their goodbyes as they headed off to a party at a friend’s house. They tried very hard to get us to come, but we insisted we wanted to stay at the dance. Jose asked for my email (since my stupid phone has decided not to work!) and pecked me on the cheek goodnight. I am really hoping he emails so that I can visit Tommy Lee Jones’ ranch. He has 320 horses!
Liz and Juan Jose headed home shortly after, so Kristen and I were left standing alone for a bit. A group of cowboys that we had seen earlier in the night was standing next to us and I was desperately hoping that they would ask us to dance. Unfortunately, they were surrounded by a throng of girls from the rodeo who were way too young for them. Kristen and I were just about to go dance with each other when a striking cowboy in a pink long sleeved shirt and a white cowboy hat walked over and asked Kristen to dance. Following his cowboy booted heels was his friend who asked me to dance. I was so ecstatic and excited to be dancing with a cowboy! The Argentineans were a lot of fun, but I wanted the authentic Texas experience
The cowboy and I introduced ourselves and asked where the other was from and what we were doing in San Saba. His name was Cody and he had come to San Saba to ride in the rodeo! He had ridden a bucking bronco earlier in the evening and I was surprised he was up for dancing. I really dislike the bronco riding, but it was interesting to hear him talk about the sport. He was a nice enough guy, but was quite full of himself and was a terrible teacher. Everyone else was doing the dance I had learned earlier, but for some reason Cody decided to mix it up. This would have been fine except that it resulted in him smashing my toes with his cowboy boots since he ignored my requests to teach me the song. Despite all that, it was still really fun.
He led me off the dance floor at the end of the song and we started chatting. Eventually his friend Blake strolled over. Blake is not what my type is typically: very tall, burly and gruff looking, but I had the most fun with him. I think Blake had wanted to dance with me earlier, but had been too shy to ask because he looked over questioningly at Cody who then said to me, “You should dance with this guy. He’s a great dancer!”
“I would love to, but I don’t know all the dances.” I replied, hoping that Blake would offer to teach me.
“Oh I’m a great teacher, don’t worry! Come on!” Blake enthusiastically explained and then led me out onto the dance floor. Despite his large size he was very graceful and he really was a patient and knowledgeable teacher. We must have made quite the picture: little me in a red and white striped dress and his stalwart frame towering over me in his cowboy boots and hat. Blake and I had a great time dancing and talking. He asked about me and I explained that I went to school in Boston and was here for the summer researching bats. He was the most enthusiastic listener I have found thus far. He kept asking me questions and at one point exclaimed that I was “like the people on the Discovery channel.” I found that rather entertaining.
When the song ended, we left the dance floor and started talking with some of his friends. I danced with Cody a few more times, but I really looked forward to the dances with Blake. As I got the hang of the dance, he started twirling and spinning me around. We made a very good dance couple and I really enjoyed the night.
Eventually the band packed up and we had to leave, but by the time the night ended, I had seen my first rodeo, danced with Argentinean polo riders from Tommy Lee Jones’ ranch, and danced the night away with Texan cowboys! I think it was quite a success and I can’t wait for my next rodeo.
Before we could leave for the rodeo, which began at 7pm, we had a few small chores we had to finish so that we would be ready to mist net the next night. All we had left to do was check PNC traps and since it was swelteringly hot outside, we decided we would go for a swim in the river once we finished and before heading back to the house to get ready for our big night. As we were walking to the river we decided that swimming in and of itself was not exciting enough. Recalling Liz’s stories of skinny dipping in Costa Rica and with adrenaline pumping through our bodies at the prospect of our fun night, we found ourselves sufficiently motivated to strip off all of our clothes and dive into the San Saba River.
For those of you who have never experienced skinny dipping, I highly recommend it. I felt liberated and the thought that we might be caught red handed in the middle of the day made it all the more of an adventure. Usually we are the only people in this area of the river since it is on John and Jimma’s private property, however on this particular day voices floated down to us from up stream. It wasn’t long before we saw a person around the river bend, so we hastily grabbed our swimming suits from a hanging branch and surreptitiously exited the water. I think we made it safely to shore and I am hoping no one caught a glimpse of my pasty white backside.
Revived from our refreshing and adventurous trip to the river, Kristen and I rushed back to the house and prettied ourselves up for the rodeo. I have worn makeup only once this summer, so it felt strange to get ready. I also have not shaven my legs for the whole summer and decided to let them remain hairy for the rodeo. I have gotten attached to my furry appendages and the chance of attracting some attention from cowboys did not seem enough of an incentive to me. Not shaving just seems to go along with the atmosphere of this summer. Somehow roughing it and going natural makes the experience feel more authentic.
When we were finally ready, we drove into town, our spirits high with excitement. It was a gorgeous day and the sun was setting a brilliant red/orange. I brought my red and white spaghetti strap dress that flares out around me when I twirl for the dance, but was disappointed that I had no cowgirl boots to accompany it. The cowboys did not seem to mind my lack of boots or my hairy legs for as soon as Kristen and I stepped out of the car we were blinded with dazzling smiles from the cowboys. There is something very appealing about a man who dresses nicely and these cowboys knew how to dress. Shiny cowboy boots, colorful long sleeve button up shirts, and fancy cowboy hats to top it all off. Not to mention shiny silver belt buckles that gleamed in the setting sun. Yes, the men looked very nice, but I could not take my eyes off of the beautiful horses they were riding. I think I may have disappointed a few men as they realized my appreciative gaze landed on their mounts instead of on themselves. Kristen had a hard time pulling me away from the horses, but eventually we made our way to the bleachers and watched the rodeo events.
The bull riding and bucking broncos were unpleasant to watch, but I really enjoyed the barrel racing and the overall environment. Unfortunately, there was a rodeo clown and as most of you know I hate clowns. This one was particularly annoying as it took time away from the horses and made very bad jokes. During these boring intermissions, Kristen and I entertained ourselves by looking for cowboys to dance with later in the night. We spend all of our time on John and Jimma’s orchard and don’t run into the locals on a weekly basis, so the thought of meeting new people was very exciting.
Once the rodeo ended, most people made their way over to the outdoor dance floor. There was live music and it was a clear night so the stars were shining brightly overhead. There is very little light pollution out here, so the stars are extraordinarily bright; sometimes it is so bright I do not need to use my head lamp at night. Kristen and I were unfamiliar with any of the country dancing so we spent some time on the side watching some of the older couples and pretty soon the two of us picked it up. Unfortunately, none of the men had asked us to dance, so we decided to dance with each other for a song.
As we walked off the dance floor, Kristen was immediately approached by an Argentinean man who asked her to dance. His friend Frederico came over and began chatting with me. I found out that he and his friends are from Argentina and are polo riders on Tommy Lee Jones’ ranch, which is in San Saba! Liz and Juan Jose had met us at the rodeo, and they began chatting with the polo riders in Spanish and I was excited that I could understand almost all of what was being said.
Frederico’s friend Jose asked me to dance and I had a fun time teaching him the country dance I had just taught myself Jose explained that after each song, everyone leaves the dance floor to grab a quick drink and then heads back onto the dance floor. If a guy asks you to dance again, it is a sign that he thinks you are a good dancer and is interested. I think this was a hint, because Jose continued to ask me to dance. After a few songs we decided to take a short break and went over to talk to his friends. I noticed that Carlos, the guy Kristen had been dancing with, was moping and I also noticed that Kristen was not around.
“Where did Kristen go?” I asked him. “She is dancing with another man,” he dejectedly waved his hand in the direction of the dance floor. “I don’t want to cry in front of everyone, but…you know…my heart, it is breaking.” I did feel sorry for him, but I had to hide a smile. Latin American men can be very melodramatic. Eventually Kristen returned, and Carlos swept her off her feet to the dance floor again and monopolized her for the rest of the time he remained. It was not too long, however, before the Argentineans said their goodbyes as they headed off to a party at a friend’s house. They tried very hard to get us to come, but we insisted we wanted to stay at the dance. Jose asked for my email (since my stupid phone has decided not to work!) and pecked me on the cheek goodnight. I am really hoping he emails so that I can visit Tommy Lee Jones’ ranch. He has 320 horses!
Liz and Juan Jose headed home shortly after, so Kristen and I were left standing alone for a bit. A group of cowboys that we had seen earlier in the night was standing next to us and I was desperately hoping that they would ask us to dance. Unfortunately, they were surrounded by a throng of girls from the rodeo who were way too young for them. Kristen and I were just about to go dance with each other when a striking cowboy in a pink long sleeved shirt and a white cowboy hat walked over and asked Kristen to dance. Following his cowboy booted heels was his friend who asked me to dance. I was so ecstatic and excited to be dancing with a cowboy! The Argentineans were a lot of fun, but I wanted the authentic Texas experience
The cowboy and I introduced ourselves and asked where the other was from and what we were doing in San Saba. His name was Cody and he had come to San Saba to ride in the rodeo! He had ridden a bucking bronco earlier in the evening and I was surprised he was up for dancing. I really dislike the bronco riding, but it was interesting to hear him talk about the sport. He was a nice enough guy, but was quite full of himself and was a terrible teacher. Everyone else was doing the dance I had learned earlier, but for some reason Cody decided to mix it up. This would have been fine except that it resulted in him smashing my toes with his cowboy boots since he ignored my requests to teach me the song. Despite all that, it was still really fun.
He led me off the dance floor at the end of the song and we started chatting. Eventually his friend Blake strolled over. Blake is not what my type is typically: very tall, burly and gruff looking, but I had the most fun with him. I think Blake had wanted to dance with me earlier, but had been too shy to ask because he looked over questioningly at Cody who then said to me, “You should dance with this guy. He’s a great dancer!”
“I would love to, but I don’t know all the dances.” I replied, hoping that Blake would offer to teach me.
“Oh I’m a great teacher, don’t worry! Come on!” Blake enthusiastically explained and then led me out onto the dance floor. Despite his large size he was very graceful and he really was a patient and knowledgeable teacher. We must have made quite the picture: little me in a red and white striped dress and his stalwart frame towering over me in his cowboy boots and hat. Blake and I had a great time dancing and talking. He asked about me and I explained that I went to school in Boston and was here for the summer researching bats. He was the most enthusiastic listener I have found thus far. He kept asking me questions and at one point exclaimed that I was “like the people on the Discovery channel.” I found that rather entertaining.
When the song ended, we left the dance floor and started talking with some of his friends. I danced with Cody a few more times, but I really looked forward to the dances with Blake. As I got the hang of the dance, he started twirling and spinning me around. We made a very good dance couple and I really enjoyed the night.
Eventually the band packed up and we had to leave, but by the time the night ended, I had seen my first rodeo, danced with Argentinean polo riders from Tommy Lee Jones’ ranch, and danced the night away with Texan cowboys! I think it was quite a success and I can’t wait for my next rodeo.
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
San Saba: a Romance
I have never been as happy nor felt as fulfilled as I do here in Texas doing field work. I am always busy and I truly feel that I am accomplishing important work every day. Here are some of the reasons I have fallen in love with San Saba, Texas:
1) The air is fresh unlike the smog filled air of Boston and there are lots of wide open spaces. John covers the dirt/grass roads on his property with pecan hulls and when I walk on them an earthy and refreshing smell wafts up and fills the air and the crunch under foot is so very satisfying.
2) There are a plethora of primitive dirt roads for me to run on. Coqueta and Laika (Liz’s 2 wild dogs from Latin America) accompany me on my runs and I am surrounded by the beautiful scenery of pecan orchards and pasture lands that melt into the natural riparian areas.
3) I have never met friendlier people in my life. Everyone is so eager to meet us and they are always inviting us over for meals and conversation. Often times neighbors on nearby orchards just drop by for a visit and they are always genuinely interested in our bat work. Today I met two of Jimma’s friends who have horses and I was invited out to visit both!
4) Dinners with John and Jimma are always wonderful. There is great food, interesting conversation, and wonderful people. Jimma is a very talented Naturalist and has abounding knowledge on the surrounding wildlife and John is always giving us tips on hunting and cooking this wildlife :-)
5) There is a warmth in San Saba that extends beyond the stifling weather. I truly feel accepted into the community and feel like I have a home while I am here. I love Boston, but in the city I do not feel the constant sense of welcome I experience here. Often I feel like an anonymous person going about my business, but out here in the country I am always waving to cars passing by and stopping to chat with the neighbors. In the city it is easy to get caught up in the hustle of all the people moving around you and time seems to fly by. Here I am extraordinarily busy, but I get lost in my own work without the distraction of millions of others around me. It is like an isolated bubble of time that moves at its own pace. I can only hope that I will be lucky enough to live in such a place when I have a family.
1) The air is fresh unlike the smog filled air of Boston and there are lots of wide open spaces. John covers the dirt/grass roads on his property with pecan hulls and when I walk on them an earthy and refreshing smell wafts up and fills the air and the crunch under foot is so very satisfying.
2) There are a plethora of primitive dirt roads for me to run on. Coqueta and Laika (Liz’s 2 wild dogs from Latin America) accompany me on my runs and I am surrounded by the beautiful scenery of pecan orchards and pasture lands that melt into the natural riparian areas.
3) I have never met friendlier people in my life. Everyone is so eager to meet us and they are always inviting us over for meals and conversation. Often times neighbors on nearby orchards just drop by for a visit and they are always genuinely interested in our bat work. Today I met two of Jimma’s friends who have horses and I was invited out to visit both!
4) Dinners with John and Jimma are always wonderful. There is great food, interesting conversation, and wonderful people. Jimma is a very talented Naturalist and has abounding knowledge on the surrounding wildlife and John is always giving us tips on hunting and cooking this wildlife :-)
5) There is a warmth in San Saba that extends beyond the stifling weather. I truly feel accepted into the community and feel like I have a home while I am here. I love Boston, but in the city I do not feel the constant sense of welcome I experience here. Often I feel like an anonymous person going about my business, but out here in the country I am always waving to cars passing by and stopping to chat with the neighbors. In the city it is easy to get caught up in the hustle of all the people moving around you and time seems to fly by. Here I am extraordinarily busy, but I get lost in my own work without the distraction of millions of others around me. It is like an isolated bubble of time that moves at its own pace. I can only hope that I will be lucky enough to live in such a place when I have a family.
Saturday, June 6, 2009
My Welcome to Texas: a run in with the local law enforcement
May was the month dedicated specifically to mist netting, and now that we have entered into June we are beginning radio tracking. However, we did not have the radio tracking equipment the first few days of June, so we decided to have some fun and try exploring some of the bridges nearby in the hopes that we might find some bat roosts. Two nights ago we set out on our bridge adventure with an old atlas, an Anabat recorder, thermal camera, head lamps, and lots of energy! Unfortunately, our high spirits began to wane after we checked the fifth bridge with still no sign of any bats.
On our way back towards the house, we decided to try one more bridge running over modest stream named Stillwater creek. People really are not supposed to be nosing around under bridges, so often times there is barbed wire fencing surrounding the bridge…I have become very accomplished at circumventing these minor nuisances. Behind the barbed wire, concrete pavement slopes steeply down to the base of the bridge from the road. We were able to reach the base of the bridge and to our happiness we found some bats roosting in a metal pipe on the underside of the bridge. Several bats were also swooping in under the bridge and circling us indicating that the bats not only roost here, but probably also forage nearby as well. We began the usual routine of recording the bat calls with the Anabat, taking pictures of the roost, collecting guano, recording a description of the area and bat activity, and marking the GPS point. It was a beautiful, cool evening which aided in our efficiency and I was thoroughly enjoying the experience. Spirits and excitement had risen due to our success and we decided to initiate a more thorough investigation of the bridge.
Just as Dan was beginning to scale the wall to reach an interesting crevice, we heard a deep, authoritative voice yell, “Hello, this is the county Sheriff! I need you to come out from under the bridge now!” Engrossed as we were in our work, it took a moment for the words to register and shock was plainly written over all of our faces. Liz started walking out from under the bridge and called up to the sheriff to let him know we were approaching. Kristen and I were giggling nervously while we were climbing back up the pavement to the road. I was so excited; things like this only seem to happen in movies. However, I proceeded with caution knowing that Texans are known to be very territorial and many of them carry shot guns and are not afraid to do what it takes to protect their property. Liz was the first one to reach the road. Dan, Kristen, and I quickly followed.
“Turn off the head lamp and put your hands in the air where I can see them!” The sheriff ordered Liz. At this point I was quite nervous, and put my hands in the air too. I felt so ridiculous at that moment with cars driving by as I was walking on the side of a country highway at night carrying a thermal camera over my head with a head lamp dangling from my neck, sweat and dirt dripping down my face, and baggy/ripped field pants hanging on me. I could just imagine the sheriff ordering us to lie face down on the ground, handcuffing us, and hauling us off to the local jail. Ironically, Kristen and I had met a woman at the Laundromat just a few days prior to this incident who works at the jail. When we had left with our laundry we told her it had been nice meeting her and joked that we hoped we wouldn’t be seeing her any time soon behind bars. But now that joke seemed to be turning into a reality and although I was nervous, I was also excited about the story I would have to share if we were in fact taken in.
Fortunately or unfortunately, Liz handled the situation like a pro (maybe this is not her first experience with the cops :-) and explained that we were bat researchers exploring the bridge to find bats and that we were not up to any illegal activities. All of our equipment added veracity to our claims and the sheriff was persuaded to believe us without any trouble at all. We were soon allowed to continue our work, but not before the sheriff finished calling us all “slabbernockles,” which I am assuming is a very playful, yet derogatory name for Northerners.
Apparently some of the especially remote, rural areas of San Saba (meaning not directly in the “city” since the whole place is remote and rural) are meeting locations for drug dealers and many of them carry out their deviant acts under the bridges. This information might have been nice to know before we began our epic journey scouring the local bridges, but fortunately we didn’t enter upon any sketchy scenes. A landowner whose property runs along this particular bridge had seen our lights, become concerned, and called the police. The landowner and the sheriff were actually very polite once they realized what we were really up to, and before they got in their cars and drove away they both shook all of our hands and said, “Welcome to Texas!”
On our way back towards the house, we decided to try one more bridge running over modest stream named Stillwater creek. People really are not supposed to be nosing around under bridges, so often times there is barbed wire fencing surrounding the bridge…I have become very accomplished at circumventing these minor nuisances. Behind the barbed wire, concrete pavement slopes steeply down to the base of the bridge from the road. We were able to reach the base of the bridge and to our happiness we found some bats roosting in a metal pipe on the underside of the bridge. Several bats were also swooping in under the bridge and circling us indicating that the bats not only roost here, but probably also forage nearby as well. We began the usual routine of recording the bat calls with the Anabat, taking pictures of the roost, collecting guano, recording a description of the area and bat activity, and marking the GPS point. It was a beautiful, cool evening which aided in our efficiency and I was thoroughly enjoying the experience. Spirits and excitement had risen due to our success and we decided to initiate a more thorough investigation of the bridge.
Just as Dan was beginning to scale the wall to reach an interesting crevice, we heard a deep, authoritative voice yell, “Hello, this is the county Sheriff! I need you to come out from under the bridge now!” Engrossed as we were in our work, it took a moment for the words to register and shock was plainly written over all of our faces. Liz started walking out from under the bridge and called up to the sheriff to let him know we were approaching. Kristen and I were giggling nervously while we were climbing back up the pavement to the road. I was so excited; things like this only seem to happen in movies. However, I proceeded with caution knowing that Texans are known to be very territorial and many of them carry shot guns and are not afraid to do what it takes to protect their property. Liz was the first one to reach the road. Dan, Kristen, and I quickly followed.
“Turn off the head lamp and put your hands in the air where I can see them!” The sheriff ordered Liz. At this point I was quite nervous, and put my hands in the air too. I felt so ridiculous at that moment with cars driving by as I was walking on the side of a country highway at night carrying a thermal camera over my head with a head lamp dangling from my neck, sweat and dirt dripping down my face, and baggy/ripped field pants hanging on me. I could just imagine the sheriff ordering us to lie face down on the ground, handcuffing us, and hauling us off to the local jail. Ironically, Kristen and I had met a woman at the Laundromat just a few days prior to this incident who works at the jail. When we had left with our laundry we told her it had been nice meeting her and joked that we hoped we wouldn’t be seeing her any time soon behind bars. But now that joke seemed to be turning into a reality and although I was nervous, I was also excited about the story I would have to share if we were in fact taken in.
Fortunately or unfortunately, Liz handled the situation like a pro (maybe this is not her first experience with the cops :-) and explained that we were bat researchers exploring the bridge to find bats and that we were not up to any illegal activities. All of our equipment added veracity to our claims and the sheriff was persuaded to believe us without any trouble at all. We were soon allowed to continue our work, but not before the sheriff finished calling us all “slabbernockles,” which I am assuming is a very playful, yet derogatory name for Northerners.
Apparently some of the especially remote, rural areas of San Saba (meaning not directly in the “city” since the whole place is remote and rural) are meeting locations for drug dealers and many of them carry out their deviant acts under the bridges. This information might have been nice to know before we began our epic journey scouring the local bridges, but fortunately we didn’t enter upon any sketchy scenes. A landowner whose property runs along this particular bridge had seen our lights, become concerned, and called the police. The landowner and the sheriff were actually very polite once they realized what we were really up to, and before they got in their cars and drove away they both shook all of our hands and said, “Welcome to Texas!”
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
True Country Girl
This past weekend was spent travelling and conducting cave censuses at two different sites. On Friday we went to the Bamberger Ranch, which is a large patch of conservation land. The owners conduct a lot of educational tours and have received many rewards for their conservation efforts. The cave where we held the census is the only man-made bat cave in the world and was constructed like an upside down swimming pool. We hypothesize that there are about 50,000 Brazilian free-tailed bats living there currently and we will have more concrete data once we have the opportunity to analyze the data from the thermal camera. The cave has a viewing room in the back so I was able to go in and watch the bats swarming at the mouth of the cave before they left for their evening of foraging. As you might imagine, the stench was pretty impressive and I was forced to cover my mouth and breathe through my handy bandana. Liz, Kristen, and Dan have expressed their doubts about the bandana and think that it is a very silly article of clothing, but I adamantly attest to its various uses and it has become a standing joke that the bandana could save me from any situation. I carry it with me at all times and this came in useful when we ran into a gang of motorcyclists.
That evening we spent the night in a cabin on the Bamberger property just off of a dirt/gravel road. As we were driving back in the dark, we saw an armadillo sitting in the middle of the road. But before I get ahead of myself, let me give y’all the back story. Juan Jose (Liz’s husband) came out with her last summer to help with some of the research and there is a legendary story of him catching a wild armadillo. Dan, not wanting any doubt cast onto his manliness and not wanting to be out done by Juan Jose, has been waiting for the opportunity to catch a wild armadillo. Well Friday night Dan found the opportunity and as soon as we spotted the creature, Liz slammed on the brakes and Dan yelled for one of us to toss him a head lamp. Unfortunately the armadillo was already making good on his retreat so Dan yelled, “Oh screw it!” and leapt out of the car in hot pursuit. Fortunately, I was able to toss him a headlamp before he got too far and soon he was weaving in and out of trees and jumping over branches. The armadillo was about to escape in to his hole, so Dan made a bold move and lunged through the air and tackled the armadillo. He was able to grab onto his tail and Liz, Kristen, and I rushed over and were able to get a good view of an armadillo butt :-) Don’t worry; we soon released the armadillo, who was uninjured and scuttled back into his hole.
The cave we went to Saturday evening is located in Round Mountain, Texas which is near Austin. This is a natural cave and is set on the side of a steep cliff; this made carrying the 40lbs camera and computer equipment for the thermal camera up to the cave a sweaty and unpleasant job. However, the view was worth all of the hard work; we were able to watch the sun set over the “hill country” as it is called out here in Texas. The sky was golden red and the shadows of the bats speckled the background as they flew from the cave. As the free-tails leave, they fly in a column and swoop off into the dusk. The flapping of their wings sounds like rain pattering on a tin roof.
On our drive to the cave, which is out in the middle of nowhere, we ran into a huge road block…of long horn cows! There were dozens of them standing obstinately in the middle of the road staring questioningly at us. We were finally able to coax them to move out of the way, but not without listening to them moo incessantly to let us know that we had rudely disturbed their evening amble.
During the day on Saturday we lounged around at Barton Springs. Right outside of Austin there are several natural springs that have been transformed into a public swimming area. It was a scorching hot day and the place was filled with people. It was a nice change from the orchard where I only see the same 5 people every day. The springs are enclosed in concrete like a pool, but there is thick, green grass growing at the bottom. The water was cold and refreshing and there was even a diving board that we took advantage of.
The census Saturday night was finished around 10pm. We drove to Liz’s friend’s house in Austin and spent the night there. We arrived around midnight and then Kristen, Dan, and I decided we wanted to explore the city. Liz dropped us off and we wandered around and eventually decided to go dancing. Austin is a very vibrant city. They streets were blocked off and there were lots of people walking around and many venders selling all sorts of different foods. I was hoping to find some live street music, but unfortunately I think we got into the city too late. We grabbed a cab and went back home. The house was beautiful, but very small so I ended up sleeping on a sleeping bag on the hardwood floor (thank you Zoe!!). It wasn’t the most comfortable of spots, but I have gotten used to sleeping in strange places since arriving in Texas. I am usually tired enough to fall asleep most anywhere.
Sunday night we went back to the Bamberger Cave and took another census reading before driving back to the orchard. Since being home, we mist netted once and are taking tonight off. Yesterday I was working out when I heard Dan call for someone to come outside. I walked over to see what was going on and he motioned to the side of the house. Apparently Coqueta had jumped into the bushes near the house and knocked something over. Dan was worries she had knocked a propane tank over and went to investigate. As he was nosing around, he heard a hissing noise closer to the pipes on the side of the house. He pulled the shrubbery aside to reach the pipes and discover the source of the hissing. As he did so, a rattle snake lunged at him. Luckily, he was able to pull his hands back in time and avoided being bitten. I came on the scene just in time to see the snake slithering away alongside the house. I really hope it never finds its way into the house.
A huge storm is hitting us right now and I am enjoying relaxing inside. We just finished a wonderful dinner of deer neck stew. John killed the deer last year and froze it and Liz and I boiled the meat to make a broth and added lots of vegetables and rice. It turned out really well. I feel like such an authentic Texan eating wild hog and deer neck! In addition to eating the right foods, I have also encountered the appropriate pests, poisonous plants, and parasites. I am covered in mosquito bites, biting fly bites, and poison oak. Kristen and I both have a lovely rash from what we have guessed is poison oak so the other day we went to the Laundromat to do some washing (some place other than in an outdoor sink where fish and other animals are sacrificed). While we were there, we met a woman who was also doing some laundry. The people of San Saba being as friendly as they are, she quickly engaged us in conversation and when we explained that we are doing field work with bats she exclaimed that Kristen and I “really are true country girls!” So there you have it, straight from the horse’s mouth…I am a true country girl!
That evening we spent the night in a cabin on the Bamberger property just off of a dirt/gravel road. As we were driving back in the dark, we saw an armadillo sitting in the middle of the road. But before I get ahead of myself, let me give y’all the back story. Juan Jose (Liz’s husband) came out with her last summer to help with some of the research and there is a legendary story of him catching a wild armadillo. Dan, not wanting any doubt cast onto his manliness and not wanting to be out done by Juan Jose, has been waiting for the opportunity to catch a wild armadillo. Well Friday night Dan found the opportunity and as soon as we spotted the creature, Liz slammed on the brakes and Dan yelled for one of us to toss him a head lamp. Unfortunately the armadillo was already making good on his retreat so Dan yelled, “Oh screw it!” and leapt out of the car in hot pursuit. Fortunately, I was able to toss him a headlamp before he got too far and soon he was weaving in and out of trees and jumping over branches. The armadillo was about to escape in to his hole, so Dan made a bold move and lunged through the air and tackled the armadillo. He was able to grab onto his tail and Liz, Kristen, and I rushed over and were able to get a good view of an armadillo butt :-) Don’t worry; we soon released the armadillo, who was uninjured and scuttled back into his hole.
The cave we went to Saturday evening is located in Round Mountain, Texas which is near Austin. This is a natural cave and is set on the side of a steep cliff; this made carrying the 40lbs camera and computer equipment for the thermal camera up to the cave a sweaty and unpleasant job. However, the view was worth all of the hard work; we were able to watch the sun set over the “hill country” as it is called out here in Texas. The sky was golden red and the shadows of the bats speckled the background as they flew from the cave. As the free-tails leave, they fly in a column and swoop off into the dusk. The flapping of their wings sounds like rain pattering on a tin roof.
On our drive to the cave, which is out in the middle of nowhere, we ran into a huge road block…of long horn cows! There were dozens of them standing obstinately in the middle of the road staring questioningly at us. We were finally able to coax them to move out of the way, but not without listening to them moo incessantly to let us know that we had rudely disturbed their evening amble.
During the day on Saturday we lounged around at Barton Springs. Right outside of Austin there are several natural springs that have been transformed into a public swimming area. It was a scorching hot day and the place was filled with people. It was a nice change from the orchard where I only see the same 5 people every day. The springs are enclosed in concrete like a pool, but there is thick, green grass growing at the bottom. The water was cold and refreshing and there was even a diving board that we took advantage of.
The census Saturday night was finished around 10pm. We drove to Liz’s friend’s house in Austin and spent the night there. We arrived around midnight and then Kristen, Dan, and I decided we wanted to explore the city. Liz dropped us off and we wandered around and eventually decided to go dancing. Austin is a very vibrant city. They streets were blocked off and there were lots of people walking around and many venders selling all sorts of different foods. I was hoping to find some live street music, but unfortunately I think we got into the city too late. We grabbed a cab and went back home. The house was beautiful, but very small so I ended up sleeping on a sleeping bag on the hardwood floor (thank you Zoe!!). It wasn’t the most comfortable of spots, but I have gotten used to sleeping in strange places since arriving in Texas. I am usually tired enough to fall asleep most anywhere.
Sunday night we went back to the Bamberger Cave and took another census reading before driving back to the orchard. Since being home, we mist netted once and are taking tonight off. Yesterday I was working out when I heard Dan call for someone to come outside. I walked over to see what was going on and he motioned to the side of the house. Apparently Coqueta had jumped into the bushes near the house and knocked something over. Dan was worries she had knocked a propane tank over and went to investigate. As he was nosing around, he heard a hissing noise closer to the pipes on the side of the house. He pulled the shrubbery aside to reach the pipes and discover the source of the hissing. As he did so, a rattle snake lunged at him. Luckily, he was able to pull his hands back in time and avoided being bitten. I came on the scene just in time to see the snake slithering away alongside the house. I really hope it never finds its way into the house.
A huge storm is hitting us right now and I am enjoying relaxing inside. We just finished a wonderful dinner of deer neck stew. John killed the deer last year and froze it and Liz and I boiled the meat to make a broth and added lots of vegetables and rice. It turned out really well. I feel like such an authentic Texan eating wild hog and deer neck! In addition to eating the right foods, I have also encountered the appropriate pests, poisonous plants, and parasites. I am covered in mosquito bites, biting fly bites, and poison oak. Kristen and I both have a lovely rash from what we have guessed is poison oak so the other day we went to the Laundromat to do some washing (some place other than in an outdoor sink where fish and other animals are sacrificed). While we were there, we met a woman who was also doing some laundry. The people of San Saba being as friendly as they are, she quickly engaged us in conversation and when we explained that we are doing field work with bats she exclaimed that Kristen and I “really are true country girls!” So there you have it, straight from the horse’s mouth…I am a true country girl!
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Oh What a Night
A few nights ago Liz decided that she really did want to do some mist netting across a body of water, so we set up 2 nets across the San Saba river and 2 more nets on the river bank. We were all wearing knee-high, waterproof rubber boots, but the river was swollen from a recent rain and despite my efforts water poured into my boots, leaving my feet soaked. The poles we have to raise for the triple high mist nets are 30 feet tall metal tubes that wiggle back and forth due to their height and slender build. To secure them, I have to pound a three foot metal stake into the ground with a three foot metal "pounder" that weighs about 15 pounds and then raise the thirty foot pole two feet and place it over the stake. This is difficult enough on dry land; imagine doing it in a river of swiftly flowing water. The bottom of the river was so rocky that it was impossible to pound the stake in more than a few inches, so we piled rocks around the base of the pole to provide support.
The sun was sinking by the time all the nets were raised, but enough light remained to illuminate the ominous thunder clouds rolling towards us. Nonetheless, Liz decided to press on, hoping that the storm would miraculously miss us. As the sun faded further, it was necessary to turn on the head lamps for light. Unfortunately, being on a river means that there are a plethora of insects and when I turned my light on, they swarmed me. I have never in my life encountered so many bugs. I literally could not breathe because I would choke on them. They flew up my nose, into my ears, into my hair, down my shirt, into my eyes, and crawled up my pants. It was the most horrifying and disgusting thing I have experienced, but I forced myself to maintain my composure and continue on with the research.
The nets were set up in very strategic positions and we immediately began to catch multiple bats. At one point I was extracting a bat from the net strung across the river, when I was overcome with bugs and fell into a fit of coughing that lasted about 5 minutes. Liz had to come over and help me finish…for some reason the bugs seemed to enjoy feasting on me more than her.
Around 11pm the storm seemed as though it was about to hit in earnest, so we frantically began taking the nets down in the pitch dark. Lightening lit up the sky and thunder boomed, not in the distance, but right over head. It was impossible to seem the bottom of the murky river water in the dark and I was constantly slipping on rocks and countless times I almost fell into the river. I don’t know exactly how we managed, but we did get all of the nets down and drove back to the house before the rain came. In the end it was nice because we finished very very early (we usually work until 6:30-7am) and I was able to get a lot of sleep.
This weekend we are going to a few caves to census the bats as they emerge. I may not be able to write for a while, but I am hoping to update the roaming on my phone, so perhaps I will be able to make a few phone calls! Lots and lots of love
The sun was sinking by the time all the nets were raised, but enough light remained to illuminate the ominous thunder clouds rolling towards us. Nonetheless, Liz decided to press on, hoping that the storm would miraculously miss us. As the sun faded further, it was necessary to turn on the head lamps for light. Unfortunately, being on a river means that there are a plethora of insects and when I turned my light on, they swarmed me. I have never in my life encountered so many bugs. I literally could not breathe because I would choke on them. They flew up my nose, into my ears, into my hair, down my shirt, into my eyes, and crawled up my pants. It was the most horrifying and disgusting thing I have experienced, but I forced myself to maintain my composure and continue on with the research.
The nets were set up in very strategic positions and we immediately began to catch multiple bats. At one point I was extracting a bat from the net strung across the river, when I was overcome with bugs and fell into a fit of coughing that lasted about 5 minutes. Liz had to come over and help me finish…for some reason the bugs seemed to enjoy feasting on me more than her.
Around 11pm the storm seemed as though it was about to hit in earnest, so we frantically began taking the nets down in the pitch dark. Lightening lit up the sky and thunder boomed, not in the distance, but right over head. It was impossible to seem the bottom of the murky river water in the dark and I was constantly slipping on rocks and countless times I almost fell into the river. I don’t know exactly how we managed, but we did get all of the nets down and drove back to the house before the rain came. In the end it was nice because we finished very very early (we usually work until 6:30-7am) and I was able to get a lot of sleep.
This weekend we are going to a few caves to census the bats as they emerge. I may not be able to write for a while, but I am hoping to update the roaming on my phone, so perhaps I will be able to make a few phone calls! Lots and lots of love
Monday, May 25, 2009
The Patrick Conroy Special Section
The other evening Liz decided that we should take the thermal imaging camera to the ocean and set it up on the shore to look for bats there. After setting up all the equipment, we got distracted and began building sand castles. As we were fooling around, storm clouds began to roll in and the wind picked up. The tide was beginning to flow in, but being distracted we were oblivious until a 20 foot high wave crashed on us.
We fled to the safety of higher ground and in the panic forgot the thermal imaging camera. Midway up the shore I remembered our forgotten equipment and raced back to save it before the next wave swept hundreds of thousands of dollars of equipment away. Liz, Kristen, and Dan were screaming at me to let it go, but I would not abandon the precious gear. Ignoring their pleas, I flung myself upon the camera and braced myself as the next torrent of water fell from the sky ripping my body from the ground. Miraculously, I was able to maintain my death grip on the camera and scrambled back to shore before the next wave hit.
Liz and Dr. Kunz (the head of the project) were so proud and indebted to me that they wanted to offer me a reward. I did my best to protest, but I had after all saved equipment that the lab had put hundreds of hours of labor into and was finally forced to accept their offer. To show me his great appreciation Dr. Kunz wrote me a check for $20 and promised never to forget my act of courage and bravery…The End.
We fled to the safety of higher ground and in the panic forgot the thermal imaging camera. Midway up the shore I remembered our forgotten equipment and raced back to save it before the next wave swept hundreds of thousands of dollars of equipment away. Liz, Kristen, and Dan were screaming at me to let it go, but I would not abandon the precious gear. Ignoring their pleas, I flung myself upon the camera and braced myself as the next torrent of water fell from the sky ripping my body from the ground. Miraculously, I was able to maintain my death grip on the camera and scrambled back to shore before the next wave hit.
Liz and Dr. Kunz (the head of the project) were so proud and indebted to me that they wanted to offer me a reward. I did my best to protest, but I had after all saved equipment that the lab had put hundreds of hours of labor into and was finally forced to accept their offer. To show me his great appreciation Dr. Kunz wrote me a check for $20 and promised never to forget my act of courage and bravery…The End.
Sunday, May 24, 2009
The Scientific Side of Things
Ok, so here is some more information about processing the bats, because I am sure you are curious about why I am out here in Texas! I mentioned that we band the bats, but we do not do this to all the bats we collect. The bats we are catching weigh anywhere between 10-15 grams, a few pregnant females we caught last night weighed about 17 grams. The wing band is only about 0.5 grams, but we don’t want to burden the pregnant or lactating females since they are already expending more energy than normal. Therefore, we only band males and non-reproductive females. Banding allows us to keep track of the bat in case we happen to catch again. This actually happened last night. We caught a female that Liz had banded last year. We take guano samples to analyze back in the lab for the DNA of pecan nut casebearer moths (PNC), which are the pests eating the pecans in the orchards. If we find this DNA, we know the bats are eating the PNC and providing agricultural benefits for the landowners. The wing punches allow us to take a small sample of the wing to get DNA from the bat. When we release the bat we take a record of their call with an Anabat recorder. This way we have a collection of calls and we know which species they came from. This is useful because we also have Anabat recorders set up in various orchards and they record all through the night, but we don’t know which bat is producing the calls. But, if we go back to our database of collected calls from the processing we can look at the different frequencies associated with a specific species and determine which species have been flying around in those other orchards. So that is a little bit more about what I am doing at night.
During the day, I wash bat bags that were used the previous night, repair mist-nets, check the Anabats in the other fields and replace there batteries and compact flash cards (CFC), check traps for PNC, and collect bug samples. I have also been in charge of cooking dinner quite frequently, which is an interesting task since we only have a camping stove. John actually brought over a small grill the other day, so I now have more to work with. We don’t have a laundry machine or a dryer and I do all my laundry by hand and hang it outside on a clothes line. Liz told me to use the outdoor sink in the back yard for my laundry. It seemed to work well except today I walked out to clean some bat bags back there and blood was dripping down the side of the sink and collecting into a puddle on the ground. Apparently that is where John skins all of the animals he hunts. I am trying not to think about it as I sit here wearing my “freshly” laundered clothes, but I guess I will begin doing most of my laundry in the shower…
During the day, I wash bat bags that were used the previous night, repair mist-nets, check the Anabats in the other fields and replace there batteries and compact flash cards (CFC), check traps for PNC, and collect bug samples. I have also been in charge of cooking dinner quite frequently, which is an interesting task since we only have a camping stove. John actually brought over a small grill the other day, so I now have more to work with. We don’t have a laundry machine or a dryer and I do all my laundry by hand and hang it outside on a clothes line. Liz told me to use the outdoor sink in the back yard for my laundry. It seemed to work well except today I walked out to clean some bat bags back there and blood was dripping down the side of the sink and collecting into a puddle on the ground. Apparently that is where John skins all of the animals he hunts. I am trying not to think about it as I sit here wearing my “freshly” laundered clothes, but I guess I will begin doing most of my laundry in the shower…
Night had fallen in the orchard, but the stars were shining in the sky. It was nearing 2am and we had caught no bats so the bat team decided to start taking shifts to sleep. As Dan and Liz headed off to the house for their 4 hour break, Kristen and I set off to check the mist-nets. As we were walking in the dark, I noticed a very large branch, turned around to warn Kristen and in the process proceeded to trip over the branch myself. I tumbled to the ground as my pants caught on the branch and ripped a gigantic hole in the bottom of my pants (a few expletives may or may not have escaped my mouth in the process). Kristen was practically rolling on the ground laughing and I thought I was about to pee my pants.
Once we finally made it to the nets, we were shocked to find 4 bats. As we began to lower the nets to extract the bats, 2 more flew in! We couldn’t believe it. Naturally, once everyone went to sleep we were swamped with bats that were entangled in our nets. Kristen is not up to date on her rabies vaccines so I was left to take them out all on my own. It took at least 30mins for me to free all of them. Fortunately, an hour later the two of us were able to take a short nap, but then we had to wake up and help process the bats and release them.
I don’t think I have ever explained what processing a bat entails. When we catch a bat in the net, we place them in a cloth bag and keep them for 2 hours in the hopes that they will poop. Guano is one way we can determine what the bat is eating and we can also do hormone assays to look at the levels of sex hormones. After the two hours, we collect the guano, take a measurement of the forearm, mass the bat, determine the species; sex; and reproductive status of the bat (pregnant, lactating, etc), take a hair sample, put a band on their wing for identification, and take a section of their wing for DNA samples. (I will write more about this later…I just found out I have to wake up very early so I need to get to sleep).
The nets had been set up next to the bat house, so in the morning (about 6am) we watched the bats returning to the roost as we took down the nets. In the morning they tend to swoop around the bat house and fly back and forth with one another. No one is quite sure why they do this and it is something I hope to study as part of my project. I should be starting my specific research in June. We will also be radio tracking in June, which requires two cars following the bats at night in an attempt to determine where the bat is foraging. We do this all night until about noon to determine where the bats are roosting. Then we can start from the roost and follow them again. It will be exhausting work, but can’t you just picture me following a bat in a car at night?! Oh it will be great!!
Monday, May 18, 2009
Scenery and other descriptions
San Saba, Texas is about in the middle of the state and Austin is the city it is closest to. The orchard is in a riparian environment, which means it is near a river and the pecan trees grow along the riverside. The roads are windy and hilly and cow farms and orchards run along the country roads. Everything is really green and all of the wild flowers are blooming in the fields. There is a particularly beautiful aster flower known as Indian's Blanket that covers the fields in small, red flowers and when the wind blows it looks like a quilted blanket flapping up and down.
The organic orchard where I am staying is set next to a hill side and the grounds are rolling. It's very peaceful and quiet and only a few cars pass by the house each day. I am living in a small field house right next to the main house where John and Jimma live. The field house is a 1 floor, 3 room house with a kitchen and a common room and bathroom. We have sheets running across the common to make a small bedroom, so it feels not quite like a bat cave, but more like living in a giant fort! We share the house with a mouse who has decided to live under my bed. Fortunately, the two of us operate on different schedules so I have not seen too much of him.
A dirt road runs in front of the house and branches off to a few smaller dirt/gravel roads that eventually wind down to the San Saba river. The river is wide, may be about 200-300 feet across where I have seen it. I jumped in with all my clothes on and went swimming a couple days ago when it was really hot. Coqueta came with me and we had a great time playing together. Some areas are very shallow and it is possible to wade in the water, and other sections are much deeper. Apparently there are some water snakes to look out for, but so far I haven't seen any. Living out here in the country is great because it forces me to get over my fears of snakes and spiders. They are all over the place and there is nothing to do but to accept it and go about your business.
Jimma grows a beautiful garden full of zuccini, brocolli, tomatoes, lettuce, spinach, garlic, and a whole bunch of other wonderful vegetables. We have free range of the garden and have had tons of fresh vegetables with every meal. I have been cooking dinner every night and also lunch most of the time as well. I really enjoying making the meals for everyone and it has been a nice way to relax and unwind. Liz said I should put cooking on my next resume :-) I have been experimenting with a variety of stir fries and quesadillas. All we have is a camping stove and a toaster oven, so I have had to be very resourceful. Dan brought flowers to put on the dinner table and right now we are enjoying "cookiewhiches": butter pecan ice cream smashed between two homemade chocolate chip cookies (thank you mom!).
Today has been wonderful. I woke up late (3pm), repaired some nets, and went into town for food supplies. It was nice to get away from the orchard for a bit. I had a really funny run in with a native Texan in the grocery store today. I was taking my time in the deli section trying to find the perfect cheese ,when an older man joined me and started perusing the various food items. He started up small talk and I couldn't help but notice his strong Texan accent. I have a tendency to pick up accents very quickly and since arriving in Texas I have already noticed that my twang has become more pronounced. The man commented on how expensive cheese is these days and I surprised myself by responding with a very decisive "I know" in a thick Texan accent. I think I looked shocked and the man looked a bit stunned since it was pretty apparent to him that I was not a local. I found myself looking around to see where the "voice" had come from only to realize that it had been me. I was really embarassed because I think the man thought I was a rude out of towner mocking him. Oops! Hopefully my next encounter will go better.
I am actually siting in the house right now and we have mistnets setup outside. We are going to a school tomorrow to give a presentation and decided to take a quiet evening in and just mist net for a couple hours outside of the house. I just extracted a Tadarida brasiliensis (Mexican/Brazilian free-tailed bat) from one of the nets!! He is so cute and very calm. Y'all should goggle a picture of them, they have really adorable wrinkly faces and cute ears.
I think I am going to take a shower during one of our 15 minute breaks and head to bed soon! I miss you all! Zoe, Christine, and Patrick please be sure to let our friends know about this blog...I don't think everyone knows about it and I don't think I have everyone's email. Much love!! I hope all is well with everyone :-)
Love,
Lauren
The organic orchard where I am staying is set next to a hill side and the grounds are rolling. It's very peaceful and quiet and only a few cars pass by the house each day. I am living in a small field house right next to the main house where John and Jimma live. The field house is a 1 floor, 3 room house with a kitchen and a common room and bathroom. We have sheets running across the common to make a small bedroom, so it feels not quite like a bat cave, but more like living in a giant fort! We share the house with a mouse who has decided to live under my bed. Fortunately, the two of us operate on different schedules so I have not seen too much of him.
A dirt road runs in front of the house and branches off to a few smaller dirt/gravel roads that eventually wind down to the San Saba river. The river is wide, may be about 200-300 feet across where I have seen it. I jumped in with all my clothes on and went swimming a couple days ago when it was really hot. Coqueta came with me and we had a great time playing together. Some areas are very shallow and it is possible to wade in the water, and other sections are much deeper. Apparently there are some water snakes to look out for, but so far I haven't seen any. Living out here in the country is great because it forces me to get over my fears of snakes and spiders. They are all over the place and there is nothing to do but to accept it and go about your business.
Jimma grows a beautiful garden full of zuccini, brocolli, tomatoes, lettuce, spinach, garlic, and a whole bunch of other wonderful vegetables. We have free range of the garden and have had tons of fresh vegetables with every meal. I have been cooking dinner every night and also lunch most of the time as well. I really enjoying making the meals for everyone and it has been a nice way to relax and unwind. Liz said I should put cooking on my next resume :-) I have been experimenting with a variety of stir fries and quesadillas. All we have is a camping stove and a toaster oven, so I have had to be very resourceful. Dan brought flowers to put on the dinner table and right now we are enjoying "cookiewhiches": butter pecan ice cream smashed between two homemade chocolate chip cookies (thank you mom!).
Today has been wonderful. I woke up late (3pm), repaired some nets, and went into town for food supplies. It was nice to get away from the orchard for a bit. I had a really funny run in with a native Texan in the grocery store today. I was taking my time in the deli section trying to find the perfect cheese ,when an older man joined me and started perusing the various food items. He started up small talk and I couldn't help but notice his strong Texan accent. I have a tendency to pick up accents very quickly and since arriving in Texas I have already noticed that my twang has become more pronounced. The man commented on how expensive cheese is these days and I surprised myself by responding with a very decisive "I know" in a thick Texan accent. I think I looked shocked and the man looked a bit stunned since it was pretty apparent to him that I was not a local. I found myself looking around to see where the "voice" had come from only to realize that it had been me. I was really embarassed because I think the man thought I was a rude out of towner mocking him. Oops! Hopefully my next encounter will go better.
I am actually siting in the house right now and we have mistnets setup outside. We are going to a school tomorrow to give a presentation and decided to take a quiet evening in and just mist net for a couple hours outside of the house. I just extracted a Tadarida brasiliensis (Mexican/Brazilian free-tailed bat) from one of the nets!! He is so cute and very calm. Y'all should goggle a picture of them, they have really adorable wrinkly faces and cute ears.
I think I am going to take a shower during one of our 15 minute breaks and head to bed soon! I miss you all! Zoe, Christine, and Patrick please be sure to let our friends know about this blog...I don't think everyone knows about it and I don't think I have everyone's email. Much love!! I hope all is well with everyone :-)
Love,
Lauren
The past few days have been very busy and eventful. Friday evening Kristen, the other field assistant who is my age, arrived and we went to Bessent Field to mistnet. It's an organic orchard that is situated next to a horse farm! It would have been gorgeous, but we arrived late and had to set up all the nets in the dark and were not able to enjoy the scenery. We had a fairly slow night and only caught a few bats, but the exciting part came in the morning when we had to pack everything up. Throughout the night there had been heat lightening and thunder off in the distance, which is not unusual in Texas. However, in the morning storm clouds rolled in and rain began pouring down. Liz's dog, Coqueta, was running around barking while Liz, Dan, Veronica, Kristen, and I were frantically scrambling to get all of the supplies. Fortunately, we were able to safely pack everything up and get home somewhat quickly, but we were all soaked and Coqueta had decided it was a good idea to role in a large pile of horse manure so the ride home was a bit stinky.
Saturday was very fun. We used a thermal imaging camera to watch the bats imerge from the bat house! In addition, we got the night off and were able to sleep :-) The thermal imaging equipment is something the Kunz lab has been working on developing for several years and the equipment is very very expensive (probably around the value of our house) so I was terrified of breaking something. It's a really neat setup: we have the camera focused on the bat house and then a computer that shows the image and later analyzing the data to determine the number of bats that leave the roost. We are really interested in learning how many bats live in the roost to determine the composition of the colony and gain insight into the behavior in bats.
Last night was the most miserable night so far, but I also had the most beautiful experience. We mistnetted in a commerical orchard across the river. Commerical orchards till the ground and use pesticides unlike organic orchards that allow the trees to naturally grow with limited human intervention. The orchard was gorgeous and there were fewer insects due to the use of chemicals, but it was freezing. I have never been so cold in my entire life. We stayed out all night which was frustrating because bats do not enjoy cold weather so we were guaranteed not to catch anything for most of the night. We were able to catch a few bats before 11 when it was still fairly warm. The first bat we captured was a perimyotis subflavus (the tri-colored bat), which we have not caught yet this year. As is procedure, we place him in a bat bag for a couple hours in the hopes that he would poop and allow us to collect a fecal sample that will be analyzed in lab for moth DNA. After this time is up we release the bats back into the wild. When we tried to release this little guy he flew up in the air and then turned back and landed on Kristen's leg. Since she is waiting for the results of her rabies shots she can't handle the bat, so I picked him. Liz decided he was cold and asked me to try and warm him up and then release him in a few minutes later. I went to sit with him in the car and it was one of the most magical experiences I have ever had. It was so special to be holding a little bat in my hand and watch him lay calmly in my hand flattening himself out to soak up my body heat. He didn't try to bite and he even fell asleep for a few minutes as I was holding him! After this experience I am hooked, bats are so adorable!!
I will write more later tonight and describe more of the scenery and the fun stuff I have been able to do. Right now I need to collect some more insect samples, repair a couples nets, and possibly head to town for a bit. We have tonight off because we are giving a presentation at a local elementary school tomorrow morning. Yay for sleep!
Love,
Lauren
Saturday was very fun. We used a thermal imaging camera to watch the bats imerge from the bat house! In addition, we got the night off and were able to sleep :-) The thermal imaging equipment is something the Kunz lab has been working on developing for several years and the equipment is very very expensive (probably around the value of our house) so I was terrified of breaking something. It's a really neat setup: we have the camera focused on the bat house and then a computer that shows the image and later analyzing the data to determine the number of bats that leave the roost. We are really interested in learning how many bats live in the roost to determine the composition of the colony and gain insight into the behavior in bats.
Last night was the most miserable night so far, but I also had the most beautiful experience. We mistnetted in a commerical orchard across the river. Commerical orchards till the ground and use pesticides unlike organic orchards that allow the trees to naturally grow with limited human intervention. The orchard was gorgeous and there were fewer insects due to the use of chemicals, but it was freezing. I have never been so cold in my entire life. We stayed out all night which was frustrating because bats do not enjoy cold weather so we were guaranteed not to catch anything for most of the night. We were able to catch a few bats before 11 when it was still fairly warm. The first bat we captured was a perimyotis subflavus (the tri-colored bat), which we have not caught yet this year. As is procedure, we place him in a bat bag for a couple hours in the hopes that he would poop and allow us to collect a fecal sample that will be analyzed in lab for moth DNA. After this time is up we release the bats back into the wild. When we tried to release this little guy he flew up in the air and then turned back and landed on Kristen's leg. Since she is waiting for the results of her rabies shots she can't handle the bat, so I picked him. Liz decided he was cold and asked me to try and warm him up and then release him in a few minutes later. I went to sit with him in the car and it was one of the most magical experiences I have ever had. It was so special to be holding a little bat in my hand and watch him lay calmly in my hand flattening himself out to soak up my body heat. He didn't try to bite and he even fell asleep for a few minutes as I was holding him! After this experience I am hooked, bats are so adorable!!
I will write more later tonight and describe more of the scenery and the fun stuff I have been able to do. Right now I need to collect some more insect samples, repair a couples nets, and possibly head to town for a bit. We have tonight off because we are giving a presentation at a local elementary school tomorrow morning. Yay for sleep!
Love,
Lauren
Friday, May 15, 2009
Dinner with John and Jimma was really nice the other night. They are very friendly people and Jimma is a wonderful cook. We had fresh organic pecans, homemade bread, fresh spinach from the garden, and roast wild boar that John hunted. Some of the neighbors joined us and they were equally as friendly. I think I received 2 or 3 offers to stay in various homes and come swimming in water holes. Texans are extraordinarily welcoming and very social, atleast the ones I have met.
Last night was very unsuccessful, we only caught 2 bats the whole night. We ended up leaving early because Veronica (one of the researchers) slammed her finger in the car door and her finger was in pretty bad shape. On the up side, it meant I was able to get a full 6 hours of sleep today! We usually head out to the field around 7:30pm, set up the mist-nets, and then open them around 8:45pm when the sun is setting and start catching bats. Then we return to the "house" around 7 am, do a bit of work until 8am and then sleep until 2pm and start doing some more work.
Two nights ago was a very successful evening. We went to an organic orchard down the road and caught 23 bats! I got to see my first red bat! They have beautiful golden, red fur and red and black wings, but they tend to be very feisty and make an intimidating hissing noise. I have been bit once or twice, so I am very happy that I have had my rabies vaccines! It doesn't hurt too much because their teeth are very tiny, but it is a bit uncomfortable and a little startling.
We are hoping to head into town today and buy some food supplies and get away from the orchard for bit. I am going to head out and check some of the insect traps and maybe see the river!
Much love,
Lauren
Last night was very unsuccessful, we only caught 2 bats the whole night. We ended up leaving early because Veronica (one of the researchers) slammed her finger in the car door and her finger was in pretty bad shape. On the up side, it meant I was able to get a full 6 hours of sleep today! We usually head out to the field around 7:30pm, set up the mist-nets, and then open them around 8:45pm when the sun is setting and start catching bats. Then we return to the "house" around 7 am, do a bit of work until 8am and then sleep until 2pm and start doing some more work.
Two nights ago was a very successful evening. We went to an organic orchard down the road and caught 23 bats! I got to see my first red bat! They have beautiful golden, red fur and red and black wings, but they tend to be very feisty and make an intimidating hissing noise. I have been bit once or twice, so I am very happy that I have had my rabies vaccines! It doesn't hurt too much because their teeth are very tiny, but it is a bit uncomfortable and a little startling.
We are hoping to head into town today and buy some food supplies and get away from the orchard for bit. I am going to head out and check some of the insect traps and maybe see the river!
Much love,
Lauren
The Patrick Conroy Special Section:
We were setting up the triple high mist-nets when all of the sudden we see a shadow in the darkness. We point our head lamps in the direction of the disturbance and watch in awe as Jack Bauer comes striding out of the forest. Bats start flying out of no where, but Jack has the situation under control and plucks them out of the air and places them into the bat bags with ease.
The my nana shows up and starts arguing with Jack Bauer; accusing him of improper methodology. A huge fight breaks out, shots are fired, and Jack is chasing me through the forest and I am dodging bats and bugs trying to run away...
We were setting up the triple high mist-nets when all of the sudden we see a shadow in the darkness. We point our head lamps in the direction of the disturbance and watch in awe as Jack Bauer comes striding out of the forest. Bats start flying out of no where, but Jack has the situation under control and plucks them out of the air and places them into the bat bags with ease.
The my nana shows up and starts arguing with Jack Bauer; accusing him of improper methodology. A huge fight breaks out, shots are fired, and Jack is chasing me through the forest and I am dodging bats and bugs trying to run away...
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Hi everyone,
So I have been in Texas one day and I have learned so much already. I apologize if I have to cut the post short, things are very fast paced here. Liz (the graduate student) picked me up from the airport and we made some stops at Target and and Petsmart. I found that pretty funny. I met the two other assistants who are here currently, Dan and Veronica. Dan has been here for a month and will stay for one more. Veronica arrived with me yesterday and is only staying the week.
We immediately headed out to the field last night and began research! It was exhausting, but very rewarding. We stayed close to the field house and raised two triple high mist-nets in the organic orchard in the hopes of catching some bats. The night was very windy early on so we didn't catch any bats until later in the night. The first bat was a Myotis velifer...a very feisty one too. It was a pregnant female and she was not at all happy about being stuck in a net. Throughout the night we caught 5 more and I released two, took wing samples from a couple, released a few, chased some with a bat recorded to record bat calls, fed a couple, collected some nice guano samples, and learned how to identify a few different species. In the end I had seen an evening bat, a cave myotis, and a brazilian free-tailed bat.
Throughout the night we checked the mist-nets every 15 minutes for bats. Each time we found one we put it in a small cloth "bat bag" and held onto it for 2 hours to give it time to poop. Then we collected the poop samples, which will later be analyzed by Veronica in the lab to check for moth DNA. This way we will know whether or not the bats are eating the insects and helping to reduce the pest damage on the pecan crops.
We went out around 9pm and packed up at 6:30 am, it was a very long night. Normally we would head out around 7/7:30 to set up the nets and then begin checking them around 8:45pm when the sun sets. When we get back in the morning we have a quick breakfast, take a shower and sleep to 2/3 pm and then take care of any odds and ends that need to be finished. I have been delegated the exciting task of repairing the damaged mist-nets. The bats often bite through the nets and leave gaping holes that need to be repaired.
There are a ton of insects and I am really roughing it out here. I have never had an experience like this before. It is wonderful! I will definitely be over my fear of bugs when I get home :-)
I have to head over the to John and Jimma's (the landowner's) house for dinner. Hopefully I will be able to write again soon. I am sorry for any misspelling, I am so exhausted it is hard to think straight. I have left out a lot of details because so much has happened, but let me know if you are interested in anything particular and I will write more about it :-)
Love,
Lauren
So I have been in Texas one day and I have learned so much already. I apologize if I have to cut the post short, things are very fast paced here. Liz (the graduate student) picked me up from the airport and we made some stops at Target and and Petsmart. I found that pretty funny. I met the two other assistants who are here currently, Dan and Veronica. Dan has been here for a month and will stay for one more. Veronica arrived with me yesterday and is only staying the week.
We immediately headed out to the field last night and began research! It was exhausting, but very rewarding. We stayed close to the field house and raised two triple high mist-nets in the organic orchard in the hopes of catching some bats. The night was very windy early on so we didn't catch any bats until later in the night. The first bat was a Myotis velifer...a very feisty one too. It was a pregnant female and she was not at all happy about being stuck in a net. Throughout the night we caught 5 more and I released two, took wing samples from a couple, released a few, chased some with a bat recorded to record bat calls, fed a couple, collected some nice guano samples, and learned how to identify a few different species. In the end I had seen an evening bat, a cave myotis, and a brazilian free-tailed bat.
Throughout the night we checked the mist-nets every 15 minutes for bats. Each time we found one we put it in a small cloth "bat bag" and held onto it for 2 hours to give it time to poop. Then we collected the poop samples, which will later be analyzed by Veronica in the lab to check for moth DNA. This way we will know whether or not the bats are eating the insects and helping to reduce the pest damage on the pecan crops.
We went out around 9pm and packed up at 6:30 am, it was a very long night. Normally we would head out around 7/7:30 to set up the nets and then begin checking them around 8:45pm when the sun sets. When we get back in the morning we have a quick breakfast, take a shower and sleep to 2/3 pm and then take care of any odds and ends that need to be finished. I have been delegated the exciting task of repairing the damaged mist-nets. The bats often bite through the nets and leave gaping holes that need to be repaired.
There are a ton of insects and I am really roughing it out here. I have never had an experience like this before. It is wonderful! I will definitely be over my fear of bugs when I get home :-)
I have to head over the to John and Jimma's (the landowner's) house for dinner. Hopefully I will be able to write again soon. I am sorry for any misspelling, I am so exhausted it is hard to think straight. I have left out a lot of details because so much has happened, but let me know if you are interested in anything particular and I will write more about it :-)
Love,
Lauren
Saturday, May 9, 2009
Hi everyone!
I have started my blog for my summer of bat research...I hope you are excited. I miss you all already, but I hope your summers are off to a great start. I will be leaving for San Saba, Texas on Tuesday and will head straight into the field to start catching bats :-)
Please let me know if you have any ideas for this blog. I want to use it to keep in touch with everyone and to relay all of my adventures so please post a lot! Also, be sure to read every post with a Texan accent because I plan to come back with one :-)
Well, not much to write now, but hopefully there will be much to share soon.
Love y'all,
Lauree
I have started my blog for my summer of bat research...I hope you are excited. I miss you all already, but I hope your summers are off to a great start. I will be leaving for San Saba, Texas on Tuesday and will head straight into the field to start catching bats :-)
Please let me know if you have any ideas for this blog. I want to use it to keep in touch with everyone and to relay all of my adventures so please post a lot! Also, be sure to read every post with a Texan accent because I plan to come back with one :-)
Well, not much to write now, but hopefully there will be much to share soon.
Love y'all,
Lauree
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