Presentations

Presentations were excellent   Didn't realize there were so many projects. Students rose to the challenge.  Really enjoyed seeing all these students do so well,. and that this research station and CRIRE can open young minds to scientific research.  projects ranged  ----on water quality using macroinvertebrates,  our bird strata habitat project, pioneer species coming in openings in forest,  bat tents using leaves.  I am so happy I did the bird project -- identifying 96 species---so many exquisite tanagers----silver throated, scarlet rumped, blue grey,  palm, and the dimorphic turquoise colored green honey creeper and yellow green female.  Lesson's motmot with all the colors of the rainbow is my favorite, but every day and every hour I would see new species----crimson fronted parakeets screaming overhead to just dive into a palm and disappear,  seeing the young of the caracara in the nest and then loudly fledging,  finding a  blue-headed parrot camouflaged in a tree;  seeing several woodcreepers going up trunks; and of course the yellow throated toucan calling every morning and evening.  All amazing
It was too much in this short time to tie birds with feeding of certain trees-----but I would like doing studies relating to this, or looking at specific trees and identifying the birds using those trees and how. Also not enough time to tie to climate change, but the visitor center has a poster showing 8 species of birds which have moved north  and talking to Rhoda he said they have found a plant which is normally found in lowlands,  and some trees flower earlier and drop their leaves earlier--so more research relating to climate change needs to occur.


   Little rain now and hearing the toucan again calling its late afternoon call.   Swifts falling out of the sky again going to their nesting.   People packing now  getting ready to leave early tomorrow when we'll drive coast route and stop for lunch along the coast and see a beach although not able to get in water due to riptides.
Many thanks to Jessica, Scott, and Steve for keeping this program going   So important   This is the way science should be learned.   Also many thanks to Jason the naturalist, who went out with our group to document the trees which birds use---flowers and fruits----and Rhoda, the Nobe for their TEK knowledge,  as well as kitchen staff for preparing such healthy meals.   I have been spoiled----and will miss being here.  .

Wednesday Presentations

No morning call of toucan-----want to say how lovely the cabins are---Monette and I have Azalea ---simple but very nice  set high up --with windows and deck looking through forest and down -----bunkbeds and other single bed --mattress firm---with shelves in bedroom, and then small living room with table and chairs set at the window looking out.  Showers have been fine-----------Food is great---lots of fresh vegetables and fruit---they make the fruit drinks---I have gone totally vegan which I have been wanting to do--since there are so many choices and I have no desire for meat---Alexis also is vegan and I heard him talking to students about the horrible way animals have-- so important to raise awareness of other -of our terrible factory farming---I am very active opposing these systems, and to support humane farming----but I believe also as Hindus do to not kill or give injury to any living thing--------It's been difficult on Navajo since so hard to get fresh fruit and vegetables  but I feel I will stay vegan now----feel in harmony with the forest and all life 

Tuesday Poster work

Work on Poster----Did 2 graphs and sections yesterday, but students will work on rest this morning and then mentors and Scott checked them off ---Nice pictorial work on strata with key birds    Scott OK'd it  so we are set for  Wed presentations     Did watercolor in Japanese garden -----Have no prescription glasses and binocs broke so hard to see birds------Sat on deck to cabin at dusk and besides swifts shooting down through trees  a bat swooped quiet close    Toucans always call evenings ---will miss this   

Monday Data day

thought putting down data would be for our poster presentation But we have multiple parameters --strata, species and numbers of species, plus behavior----and wanted to show graphs of both species list and total number of species but having hard time interpreting this to students-----so Scott to the rescue  and I have time to do this

Whoops  missed Saturday     Lose time there which I like   so did a watercolor today too-------Yesterday our last field day   Jonathan saw a blue headed parrot-----and sat with Kim at our favorite picnic table by the garden   Motmot was there and we can count on him  and many of the favorites we have seen before    More bats I think   God they are fast  and out I go again on the deck

Sunday free day

Free day   Found the hawk nest I couldn't find before-----2 new birds-----went on hike with Armando, shawman of local tribe---who blessed the forest and asked permission on entering it-----and so i do in my heart in nature in all things---there is communion when you are open, quiet, and respectful---He showed us several plants and how and what to use them for   Cat brier I know from back east---so used for high blood pressure    Have sitting on porch   5pm close to dusk  Hundreds of birds or bats are dropping from the sky---diagonalling through the forest down hill   I must go out

Friday already

Went out with Jason the naturalist to get a handle on trees, plant families, and how birds use trees.   Overwhelmed by all new tree families and species---interesting that birds eat sometimes only flowers and others both flowers and seeds and fruits, and that the trees bloom different times ------The wet season is when most birds nest------Caracara nesting now ---10week old chicks  saw one with scraggly feathers on head------pointed out bananaquit nest ---will return with students to try see bird----He put his scope on toucan this morning ---several students were able to take videos and great shots----------Afternoon Kim and I went back out to Heliconia garden  and Kim spotted a blue parrot hidden in the dense foliage of a smaller tree----She has never birded before and this was a great sighting. The first day she identified a palm tanager, so she is on the way to being a good birder and has the patience for it.  and   Jonathan is great at remembering the larger birds and their calls----  Lovely to just sit this afternoon in the quiet part of the garden for some time with beautiful light hitting some of the trees and the head of the parrot so we would clearly see it  and he was looking intently at us too.    Think of all the other birds that are in all these leafy trees which we can't see. 

most other groups are doing big hikes to get to their sites, but for birds the most are in the botanical garden with plantings from all over the world-----From the dining  hall deck there's a bird feeder of fruit and brilliant tanagers of all colors come to feed   Today there were two toucans in the tall trees, but missed the white crowned parrot but saw it fly away  Spent hours with Kim one student at a picnic table on far side of garden and birded for hours----even a summer tanager which I recognized from East side Rockies in Colorado finding it as a rare species high on a mesa----same place I found rare kites, which are supposed to be here so hope to see that another day.   Raucous parrotlets flew up to a palm tree then completely disappeared--in it  

Tuesday:   The Research Station is beautiful  We are living in the middle of gardens of plants from all over the world.  Our cabin is high and we have a porch looking through the forest out throught the jungle---In the evening the setting sky is orange and frogs and crickets serenade,while morning the birds wake us.  Breakfast is at 6:30  but it is light and the dining room with decks is a lovely spacious place to eat and meet with others.  Food is excellent--healthy with fruit and vegetables----love the papaya and mango-----had star fruit drink--too sweet, but the iced tea was different and good ,    After Scott went thru safety and orientation,  we had a naturalist walk led by Rodo who gave us a tour of the garden, emphasizing certain trees, such as the strangler fig----being the largest in the garden, looking at undersides of big leaves for bats who might be sleeping there, drumming on the trunk of trees which store water----When I traveled here years ago I said I wanted to return to study the trees and tropical vegetation----and here I am, so I hope to meet with Rodo sometime to learn more and access the herbarium.  During the walk we saw a motmot sitting still on a branch of a tree,  black vultures and swallows in the sky,  heard a trogon, and then several chakalacas (large birds something like turkeys landing in the trees)  which my student group wrote down on our bird list later.  Later in the group we went out on the porch of the dining area where there's a bird feeder and were able to identify many colorful birds-----iridescent green honeycreepers;  several tanagers,  thrushes, and a black one with a scarlet back-----but the blue capped motmot was the most breathtaking with blue cap, green under chin ---all the colors of the rainbow  ---with a long tail.  Tomorrow we'll spend time trying to identify which of 60 hummingbirds we see.  Thank goodness Scott has provided us with bird books.  This evening Ngobe and Bugle  tribe members from Pananama came to participate with us during the next week.  Everyone introduced themselves---all students moved by having so many indigenous voices heard.

Sunday:  so glad to be in Costa Rica after running for our connecting flight   Scott was right there to see we all got in the van to the hotel.   Hotel Aerpuerto is a tropical gem in the city----a great way to be introduced to Costa Rica.  Over dinner we met most of the other particants, but some missed there connection sadly and Jessica had to stay to meet them.


Monday:    All our heavy suitcases loaded on the big blue bus----seemed forever to get finally out of all the traffic in San Jose and breathe a sigh of relief to be climbing up the green hills and to be able to get out and walk in the high grasses at over 10,000 high above treeline.    A delight to see the clubmosses, found blueberries  and blackberries to eat, and even cranberries( like alpine areas of Mt. Washington, NH),  teeny teeny red berries which I want to identify, teeny blue and white flowers which are like what I saw in Croatia in their limestone alpine areas, and then views out to the fog and wooded mountians ---Pacific on one side,  Caribbean on another
Then off to eat at high elevation road stop----with hummingbird feeders and could see 4 species of hummingbirds. At green plantain--like  a starch. Peace lilies grow down the garden slopes to meet the tropical forest and sound of bird songs beckon therein.  I am mentoring a project on birds, and with my 2 mentees: Jonathan and Kim we did a short walk to see or hear the hummingbirds which were resting in the bushes between feeding on the feeders. A little bird with sparrow like body and crest is indeed a sparrow.  Jaiden thought she lost her purse, but found it again on the bus.   The bus ride is so long and most of us tired and in and out of sleep or dealing with  car sickness.  Bought cheesits--salt and fat helped the latter.    Went along a large river and stopped again in a town with sweltering heat and humidity.  The high area was so refreshing.     On the bus again and finally came to San Vito and driving then up hills --mostly pasture land dropping steeply on either side with small farms.  All of this land was primary forest until 1950s when the government got Italiens to settle here and convert the land to farmland.  The land of the research station is also not primary forest and we learn it was once pastureland which was converted to a botanical garden of species from all over the world, and then bought in the 1970 by OTS. And so we arrive at Los Cruces Biological Station and welcomed by Rhode bioliogist  who helps us get all of our luggage out -----and moved to the lovely cabins where we are staying---I'm rooming with Monette from Heritage U who is working with Chad on education project.