Towers and Tires

After another “short” work week I’ve got a couple days off before getting into the full swing of things. Here’s what I’ve been up to:

Monday was the last day of our weekend, and our boss arranged for us to take a tour of the Keauhou Bird Conservation Center where they have captive populations of some critically endangered bird species. The most notable species is the ‘Alala (Hawaiian crow), which only exists in captivity. In addition to the captive birds here on the big island, there is a captive population on another island (Maui?), and one individual at the San Diego Zoo. That’s it. There are only like 120 individuals left on the planet. (By the way, I’m not allowed to post pictures of the birds without permission from the PR department, which is apparently a hassle, so ask to see them next time you see me! You can probably also Google pictures.) The center also has Maui Parrotbill, Puaiohi, and Palila. It’s crazy to think that these birds that I saw at the center (or even the ones that I am banding at work) could go extinct in my lifetime. I guess I’m pretty lucky to get some great views of them while they’re around.

After the tour we packed up and headed back to our field station in Hakalau Forest National Wildlife Refuge (with many stops in Hilo for groceries and such). On Tuesday we banders did a lot of maintenance and repair work. We replaced some bent poles that were damaged in a wind storm last month, cleared vegetation out of our net lanes and trails, and our biggest challenge of all was figuring out how to fix the broken canopy nets. The regular nets are held up by poles that are pretty easy to set up (just support the poles with guy lines). The canopy nets are meant to catch birds flying around high in the forest canopy, so the structural ropes are tied around upper tree branches with the help of a sling shot. Most of those nets had one side still standing, but the other side needed to be re-strung. They are also far more confusing than the pole set-ups because there are lots of different ropes in different directions tied into the ground, hooked to each other with carabiners, setting specific opposite tensions, working as a pulley system to get the net up, etc. So when we approached the half-broken nets they all just looked like hodge podge piles of rope, carabiners, and zip ties that we had to make sense of. After a few hours and three canopy nets fixed we had a decent grasp on them. Also, using a massive sling shot and a beanbag tied to a fishing pole to get rope into the top of a tree is pretty fun, if not also a bit tricky.

We took a break from net-related things on Wednesday and helped our boss (Eben) set up some radio telemetry towers. As part of our banding we’ll be attaching radio transmitters to certain individuals to try and track their movements. The towers pick up the signals, and since we have several of them up we should be getting some fairly accurate location data by triangulating the signals. Anyways, Eben had a 20ft tower for us to set up. Most of the parts were already put together (cables zip-tied to the main pole, antennae put together, etc), so we just had to attach everything and heave it to a standing position. It was easier said than done when you factored in the 20mph winds and the exposed hillside we were working on. But with the five of us we managed to get it up with minimal problems! Then we took a lunch break before putting together all of the parts for a 40ft tower. This one we started from scratch, so it took a few hours to get it to look like a telemetry tower, and by that time it was 4pm and we were pretty wiped out. But we felt good about it – WE made it, and we were determined to make it work. But looking at the size of the tower, we figured it’d be best if we came back with more help the next morning.

So bright and early on Thursday (after a BEAUTIFUL sunrise) we came down with four of the nest searchers and Eben’s research assistant (Tracy), and the ten of us got pumped to raise this massive tower into the sky. We had four people holding guy lines at the 20ft mark, two people at the 40 ft mark, one supporting the base, one supporting the middle of the pole, one standing on a ladder in the middle to heave it into the air, and one at the end with the antennae to push it up. It was epic – it was 7am, we were all pumped, we were good to go, and at the count of three our project leader had us all start pushing/pulling the guy lines/etc. The pole bent wildly in the other direction from how it was resting without really leaving the ground, and then it promptly bent in half, completely breaking the pole. So… we spent a good 3 hours constructing it and it snapped in under 30 seconds. We figured it was because of how heavy the antennae end was (we could barely get it off the ground), but we had no idea it would just bend in half so quickly. We figured our problem was going to be controlling it while it was in the air, as in pulling on the guy lines the right amount rather than not enough and then overcompensating. So yeah… that failed. Now we’re going to hacksaw the bent bits off, take a 10ft section off, and try again with a 30ft tower! What could go wrong… that hasn’t already?

Before I forget, I should mention that that little cold some of us caught managed to wipe out over half our crew. To date it’s hit 3/4 banders, 2/6 nest searchers, and the assistant field leader. The nest searchers work mostly independently, so it probably wasn’t as bad for them, but nearly an entire banding team of sneezing and coughing people is kind of gross. Of the sickies, 5/6 were women, and we share that big dormitory with 4 sets of bunk beds, so when you walked into the room and people were coughing from beds on all sides it made it seem like an infirmary. I’ve done a number field jobs by now, but this is the first time I’ve seen a cold take out so much of the crew. It makes sense, but ugh!

I'iwi

Anyways, after the fiasco with the tower, we went out to do a day of banding at one of our sites – Pua Akala. It happened to be a “teaching change” day, which means that a group of high school (?) students was there learning about the goings on at the refuge, like the greenhouse, the native plants and animals, and coming out to see some banding. That was interesting because it was only our second day banding, but our boss was great at teaching the kids while pointing out key things to us as well. He even put radio transmitters on two birds, so our newly erected tower will have something to do!

'Apapane

We banded on Friday as well, but at the Koa site, which is an area where the forest is being restored, as opposed to the natural forest at Pua Akala. We don’t have any canopy nets at Koa because the canopy isn’t tall enough for that, yet. The vegetation looks very similar down at Koa, whereas there is a nice blend of vegetation up at Pua Akala. Both sites have plenty of birds, but Pua Akala seems to have more of the natives, at least it just sounds like it when you hear them calling all over. We’ll have to see what our catch rates reveal at the end of the season!

Tracy, jacking up the truck

Since the banders and half of the nest searchers were heading back to Volcanoes on Friday for a short weekend, we worked a half day and then headed out in the early afternoon. On the drive out (which has a solid 40-minute stretch on a dirt/rock road), we got a flat on the tire that our boss had managed to patch the day before. Luckily for us there were several people experienced with changing tires in the field, so we were out of there not *too* long after (having to read the manual to find where the jack was even hidden and how to get the spare out from under the car, and the car slipping off the jack added some time). But we did it! Now we’re wrapping up our short little weekend in Volcanoes. Half of us (the sick half) stayed at home on Saturday and just recuperated and caught up on internet things. Today we went into Hilo for groceries, a farmer’s market, and general wandering, but basically all of downtown is closed on Sundays, so that was bad luck. Tomorrow we head back up to Hakalau to start our first 10-day shift. I’ll let you know how it goes!

Beautiful sunrise I mentioned earlier - the house is above a nice puffy layer of cloud!

Hawaiian Living

Breakfast with a movie and Hawaiian mimosa

Aloha! Well I’ve been here for a little over a week, so it’s about time I updated you on life in Hawaii. I’ll start with my flight over – while checking in, I saw that I had the option to upgrade to first class for $100. Normally I wouldn’t even consider it, but this was supposed to be a 5.5 hour flight, so I splurged! It was one of my best decisions. First of all, I was going to have to pay to check a bag, and first class comes with 2 free checked bags, so it really only cost me $75. Second, I got as many free things as I could to offset the cost (hot towel, an Irish coffee, 4 Hawaiian mimosas, 4 mai tais, a fruit plate with a hot pastry, a cheese blintz with scrambled eggs and chicken apple sausages, and 2 free movies). Third, there was a ton of extra space! That was especially nice considering we had a 100mph headwind which added 30 minutes to our flight (and probably an extra drink). I’d say I got my money’s worth.

Halema'uma'u crater

Anyways, one of the project assistants picked me and another technician up from the airport, took us grocery shopping, and then dropped us off at our weekend house in Volcanoes National Park. It was dark by the time we finally got there, so I didn’t see the surrounding area until the next day (Saturday). The other three technicians (Matt, Alex, and Gabby) and I went on what was supposed to be a short hike, but turned into an 11-mile / 9-hour adventure. It was fun, though! We walked along the crater rim past some steam vents up to the Jaggar Museum and got a closer view of the Halema'uma'u crater in the Kilauea caldera. From there we walked along the main highway and up to the Kipukapuaulu trail, which is a nice bird-viewing area. On our way back we stopped to see some tree molds, which are areas where the lava flow encased trees and cooled against them. The trees burn up from the lava and what remains is a mold of the tree in cooled lava! To top the day off, I went out after dark to the caldera rim to see the “orange glow” of lava from the crater – it was amazing! It was probably the best night out of any of the nights people have gone to see it. I went out last night and it was super dim. I guess you need the right combination of clouds and volcanic emissions to get a good glow.

Tree mold, with a new tree growing into it

The "orange glow"

Walking across the Kilauea Iki Crater

While we were sleeping three more technicians showed up (Caitlin, Ben, and Liza), so we met them in the morning. That day (Sunday) we all went and hiked the Kilauea Iki trail, which takes you down into the crater lava lake! It was a really awesome trail because we got to see various other people walking across it while we descended into the crater, we walked across a huge expanse of the lava lake, and then got to see it as we ascended on the other side. It was really awesome. The trail came out at the Thurston Lava Tube, so we went to check that out next. Lava tubes are formed when a lava flow cools on the surface but continues to flow underneath, forming the external crust of a tube. It was pretty cool! So another short hike turned into probably a 7-mile trek. That afternoon the last two technicians showed up (Rachelle and Willow; the tenth technician – George – lives in Hilo and doesn’t stay with us on the weekends, but yes, that means there were nine of us living in a house with only 6 beds and one bathroom).

The start of our trek across the crater

What hiking with birders is like...

Entrance to the Thurston Lava Tube

Our first couple of days of work were just office days here in Volcanoes NP, but on Wednesday we finally headed up to our field station in Hakalau Forest National Wildlife Refuge! From Volcanoes it’s about a 45 minute drive to Hilo (where we get gas and groceries), and then it’s 1.5 hours to the field station, about half of which is on a 4WD dirt road. We stopped at a farmer’s market in Hilo and got a bunch of fresh fruits, veggies, snacks, and stuff – pineapple is soooo juicy and sweet! Our field station isn’t quite what I expected (there are a lot of grasses in the understory), but it’s still beautiful – there are patches of pristine forest habitat and patches of regenerated forests (new habitat for the endangered forest birds we’re studying). The field housing is nice, too – there is a huge kitchen with lots of counter space, a dining area, 4 bedrooms with 2 beds each, a bunkroom with 4 bunk beds, and three bathrooms with 2 showers. Unfortunately one of the pilot lights doesn’t like staying lit, so only one shower had hot water, and on our last day before the weekend the other pilot light went out and didn’t want to be re-lit, so we had no hot water. Hopefully we can fix that when we go back tomorrow. The other downside was that one of the girls in the bunkroom was sick with a cold, and now 3 of us (myself included) seem to have caught it. I guess that’s to be expected when you’re living and working in such close quarters, but it’s still a pain.

Thursday was our first full day in the field, and it was just to test out some of the mist nets that we use to catch birds for banding (there was a big wind storm about a month ago that knocked down a bunch of the set-ups, so this week we’ll still be working on repairing them). Everyone went out for that, including the nest searchers. It was a little chaotic as a result, but it was awesome getting to finally see some of these birds in the hand! We caught I’iwi, Hawai'i 'Amakihi, Apapane, Oma’o, Hawai’I Creeper, Hawai’I ‘Elepaio, and red-billed leiothrix. They were all super cool birds, and I plan to get more pictures as the season goes on.

Hawai'i Amakihi - my first bird banded here!

Petroglyphs on lava

Friday was a day for the nest searchers’ training, so we banders took the backseat for that and also started repairing some of the net set-ups. We all worked on the repairs on Saturday morning, and then headed back down to Volcanoes for a short weekend. Today a subset of us headed down to the coast (finally!) to see the sea arch, which is an arch formed by a combination of lava and the crashing waves. We drove over some pretty extensive lava flows and got to check out some petroglyphs! It was a nice, laid-back morning of exploring. The afternoon has mostly been spent on our computers, enjoying the wifi (oh yeah, we don’t have wifi at the field station in Hakalau; there is a cell booster which sometimes works, but there are a couple of very specific spots around the house where I can get one bar of reception and 4G, so I just need to stand in one of those places to get messages – basically don’t expect quick responses from me).

Tomorrow we’re getting a private tour of a rehabilitation center where the last Hawaiian crows are (they only exist in captivity), along with a few other endangered species. Then we head back up to Hakalau for the week, but the banders and half of the nest searchers will be back down for next weekend (we’ll start our 10-day rotations after that). All in all, Hawaii is a pretty amazing place and I cannot believe I’m lucky enough to work here for 4 months! I look forward to sharing lots of stories and pictures as the work progresses!

Aloha!

I meant to get this posted sooner, rather than while waiting for my flight to board, but packing and cleaning took longer than expected (I blame being sick... The Walking Dead marathon had nothing to do with it). But yes, I will soon be on my way to HAWAII for nearly 4 months! I'll be banding birds for the USGS on the big island. The work will be in Hakalau Forest National Wildlife Refuge, and my weekend home is in Volcanoes National Park. Real brutal stuff, I know. My first day of work is on Monday, so I've got the weekend to explore and get settled a bit. Getting excited!

I meant to do an entire post about this, but during my 2 months at home I volunteered at a nearby banding station - the Coyote Creek Field Station in Milpitas, run by the San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory. That was a lot of fun because they catch SO many birds there! I think my biggest day was in the 50s (or low 60s?), and the "slow" days were still all over 15. I'd say average was high-20s. Slow days at Palomarin could be 1 bird, and we thought 15 was a busy day. Plus the diversity was a bit different - we caught a lot more white-crowned sparrows here, a ton of yellow-rumped warblers, had the occasional house finch, and there was an explosion of American robins! No really - since 2008 the most they ever had in an entire year was 48 robins. This January we caught OVER 50. In one month. Compared to 48 in an entire year. In 2014 they caught 7 between January 1 - December 23 (the explosion began on Chistmas Eve with 6, I believe). So yeah, that was a lot of fun working for a local banding station, especially one with such high capture rates!

This is my first attempted post via my blogger app, so I have no idea how these pictures will be formatted, but here are some of our captures:

Yellow-rumped warbler (Audubon's)

Common yellowthroat (the black mask means it's a male)

American robin

I can't wait to post pictures of the awesome birds that I'll be banding in Hawaii! Just bear with me - we have Internet at our weekend house and cell service at our field house, but it's not clear if there will be Internet there, too. Somehow I think it'll be okay :-)