So When Are You Going to Update The Site???

Alright already.

Man.
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Seriously (the previous lines and title being somewhat tongue-in-cheek...somewhat), I have less blogging-convenient internet access 70 miles off the coast of southernmost CA than I did 600 miles NW of Honolulu, HI. With that said, it may be that we both have to transition abit. Perhaps not. But for the moment it would seem that I won't be able to post the musings, observations, and mastications on life and lives as often via this medium on San Clemente Island as I had in the NW Island Chain of HI. There I would wake hrs earlier than others during a workday, morning being a time when I focus more accutely and generally work in a better fashion than later on, and write(type) on this forum.

It would appear at the moment that timing will be different with this gig than the previous. But, adjustments will eventually be made. So lets work together until this transition takes place into some resemblence of a routine. It will happen. It always does.

Hopefully this blog won't be a victim of its previous success during my stay at Tern I.

"It's going to be alright." - anonymous 21st century poetess

Patience is a ...., how did that go again? Patience is...; well its something I suppose.

So, I post this on the afternoon of one of my days off. I'm a little tired. The morning coffee has worn off, the brainpower is in a bit of a mellow herbal tea haze, and so the gentle musings might be gentler than we are used to. They might be non-existant.

Nevertheless, I have pictures. Plus, we need to "get the ball rolling" on this stage of this particular life's trekkings.

I believe I have somewhat explained in previous postings my current job and location. Regardless, I am newly serving as Avian Field Biologist for the San Clemente Loggerhead Shrike Monitoring Program for a private company that works on San Clemente Island, the southern-most channel island, a chain off the coast of southern California.

I should say I work at Naval Auxilliary Landing Field - San Clemente Island.

This place is owned and operated by the U.S. Navy. It's employer, the Federal Government, also requires by law the protection of species native to the United States that it has listed Endangered or Threatened.

Thus, the endangered San Clemente Loggerhead Shrike (LOSH).

But the company I work for isn't the only agency involved in this effort. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Point Reyes Bird Observatory, as well as the Zoological Society of San Diego.

The highest point on San Clemente Island, Mt. Thirst, rises to 1965 feet above sea level. The mountain range is surrounded by canyons of various lengths and depths.

It is in these canyons where the handful of people that make up the monitoring crew spend much of their time, as the LOSH tend to prefer the vegetation association in these drainage bottoms as habitat for the breeding season.

If it looks like a long ways down in these photos, that is due in large part to the fact that it is.

We backpack around, descend into, ascend out of, and generally orient ourselves to the optimum vantage point that can be (sometimes) reasonably reached to view LOSH's, once they have been seen in the partcular area.

Most of the shrikes have been banded, as fledglings either captive or wild bred, from previous years. Each bird has a uniques combination of four different colored leg bands, two bands per leg. This gives the bird an identity and lineage that can be traced back. As LOSH's are sexually monomorphic, meaning both male and female bird generally look alike, the color combination data set also let us know male from female. After awhile, birds become known to the biologist. Personalities come out, and favorites are sometimes expressed from the biologists.

It is through observation that we monitor LOSH behaviours to determine several stages that are important to know at this time of year. We look for birds that are solitary; single birds that seem not to have a mate, not perching with another bird, and generally foraging by itself. These birds, color-banded, are always noteworthy as they may have had a mate in years past. So where is the other bird? Has it found a better location, a more "suitable" mate? Has it died? Remember there are only 100 of these birds in the wild.

We certainly note when a bird is seen with another bird. Knowing that a pair bond has been documented, and the two individuals documented by determing colorband combination is an important stage. The PR, the pair. General courtship is most often noted when a bird is heard "begging", that would be the female, and the male brings her food.

Another stage looked for is NB, or Nest Building.

It is always an important moment when both birds of a pair are seen entering a spot of vegetation at the same time for the first time. Now we know that something is certainly going on, and it is further illustrated when a bird is seen carrying nesting material to that point. Neither bird spends a particularly long time inside the vegetation. They are both seen flying out only a few moments after.

The next stage looked for is Egg Laying. Egg laying is noted when the female is observed flying into the previously noted nest site and does not come out for awhile. Sometimes she is heard "begging." At times, the male is observed bringing in food. Still, she doesn't stay in there for long, and will forage for herself periodically.

When the female is noticed to have stayed in the nest site for longer periods of time, it is assumed that the pair has reached the Incubation stage. This is also roughly calculated to an expected date after the egg-laying. The female will only occasionally leave the nest site. The male is seen bringing food toward the particular point of vegetation.

Following stages paid close attention to are ofcourse nestling and fledglings stages.

Early mornings and arduous hikes don't always get us to canyon vantage points that are needed. The slope gradient is too steep. Early mornings don't change I suppose, but sometimes in life you have to start from the bottom.

One day out of the week, the Navy takes us around on a little boat and drops us off in an even smaller boat of ours (well, inflatable raft) and we paddle in to certain canyons. Some might ask, "Isn't the water frigid this time of year?"

I would reply.

"Yes."

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Let this serve as the send-off into this leg of our journey together. It is, as always, my hope...my intent that you and I will learn more about ourselves, about the world around us, about those we share it with and the greater interactions that happen. Those that happen well beyond self and pride and ambitions for power and self-proclaimed granduer that only really exist on paper, if they exist at all. Sometimes all we really need to shake off those apparitions is a pair of boots to hike a steep gradient in, or a snorkel and fins to fight a strong current in or be escorted out of deeper waters by those who belong there.

I thank you, my readership, for your interest in this little cyber-experiment of mine. SCI and the subsequent online scribing of philosophy, musings, opinions, questions that have answers and those that don't will most certainly be different from the Tern Island segment. But in time, it should take on its own shape. One that I hope touches all previous bases, and perhaps more.

So, lets keep our hands and feet inside the car, and make sure our safety harnesses are locked in the upright position.

At first, this ride will be a steep climb.

Good evening,

-mwyork