Army Crawl Through Alder for 5 Hours

The first survey was on the side of the mountain above the reservoir. We each took 8 points: I took the uphill points.

Because we didn’t have radios, we decided to meet after 2 hours for a safety check.

In 2 hours, I only got 3 points done because it was so thick. And I had no radio to tell my partner.

I did 1 lower point hoping he wouldn’t be able to get to it before we met.

Turned out, he did, so that point got done twice.

The data we collected on that same point was so different, it could have been a different mountain range.

Poor viz because of fog.

Couldn’t see the birds. The fog threw their voices, so couldn’t tell where they were or how far away.

While crawling through alders, my bear spray went off. Got me in the nose and mouth.

Scrambling to get away, I lost it. Second canister that I’ve lost this season.

This was the thickest, most punishing survey I’ve done in years.

Swainson’s Thrush, Varied Thrush, Townsend’s Warbler, Western Tanager, American Robin, Pacific Wren, Warbling Vireo, Golden-crowned Kingbird, Pine Siskin, Black-headed Grosbeak, MacGillivray's Warbler, Stellar’s Jay, Red Squirrel, Lazuli Bunting, Fox Sparrow, Dusky Flycatcher, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Orange-crowned Warbler, Olive-sided Warbler, Dark-eyed Junco, Wilson’s Warbler, Chipping Sparrow, Northern Flicker, Red-naped Sapsucker, Willow Flycatcher, Ruffed Grouse, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Common Raven, Ruby-crowned Kingbird, Mountain Chickadee, House Wren, Harry Woodpecker, Veery

Boise State won’t pay for Rite in the Rain paper because they say we shouldn’t be surveying in the rain anyway. What about wet alders? I don’t think we should survey in those either.

My data sheet got so wet, my pencil tore through. Useless.