Part of my Environment for the Americans (EFTA) internship is doing Black Oystercatcher monitoring to determine nesting success alongside the California Coastal National Monument (CCNM), Bureau of Land Management California (BLM). For the past few years, the BLOY pairs in Pacific Grove, CA have not been doing well with only an Read more…
This weekend I drove up to UC Santa Cruz to support my friends who participated in the graduation ceremonies. Congrats, Class of 2015! While I was up North, I had the opportunity to work with Daniel, the EFTA intern at Monterey Bay. We planned for a Black Oystercatcher training along Read more…
I’ve always been the type to dive into the action without thinking about the consequences. I find that it makes everything much more exciting and is the best way to learn. Making mistake after mistake and figuring it all out on your own imprints knowledge and wisdom into your very Read more…
Much like Oscar Wilde “I can resist anything but temptation,” and even though I am currently labeled as a biologist my heart belongs to hydrology, which is why I could not resist the opportunity to volunteer with the Elkhorn Slough’s Water Quality Research. With my loyal hiking booths on, my Read more…
It was in an early chilly morning at the start of April that a group of fearless volunteers of all ages gathered at the Moss Landing Wildlife Area in order stomp, dig, and yes occasionally throw, and create, mud and white and pink seashell monuments fit for an Egyptian Pharaoh. At Read more…
“You can tell that the second call following the deep ‘hoot’ is a female because she’s finishing off his sentences. And because females always get the last word.” This was what Bruce Elliot, retired Senior Biologist Supervisor for the Department of Fish and Game, told the class as he played Read more…
It is not often that a 24 year old can act as a child but I had the opportunity to do so this weekend during the teacher training at Elkhorn Slough. Any teacher that wants to take his or her class to the Slough can do so but must first Read more…
Black oystercatchers live in a cruel and dangerous world. Within 30 minutes of monitoring I saw a black oystercatcher couple scare off a young black oystercatcher, have an aerial battle with a crow, and have their nesting area disturbed by two young men. But who can blame us? Beautiful places Read more…