I now fully understand why field work usually goes on for years. There is too much incongruity and too many variables for ecological studies to be conducted in a short span. One needs a lot of time to tie up all those loose ends. That being said, my project is going well, as in that I am enjoying it. Is it going successfully? Well, that's to be determined.
No evidence of bears at my sites this time, but I did see several bushtits (a bird, people, it's a type of bird) primping their elaborate nests. I also found Coues White-tailed Deer tracks near one of my sites. The tracks were in a creek and lightly washed away, so I couldn't determine exactly how many were around.
A less pleasant discovery was that another of my apparatuses went missing. I don't want to jump to conclusions, but I am pretty certain of its fate, considering how a beer bottle was in its place. Certainly peeving. I have taken to cleaning up my areas a bit as well. Nothing saddens me more than litter in such a pristine place.
I will again amend my project by finding a new location.
I hope you're all doing well,
Katharine
5 comments:
Best look for some place off the beaten path.
I think as long as you are are set up where people are hanging out, you're going to keep having these issues. There are two types of people that spend the day up on Mt Lemmon:
1. Good spirited, outdoorsy types
2. Jackasses
Also...
Can you give us more detail about how you are spending your time? How much time are you spending on the mountain, how much time doing...other stuff?
Keep up the good work!
I try to stay as far away from populated areas as possible, but the weather is absolutely beautiful and the snow is clear, so people are sprouting up everywhere.
I go up to Mt. Lemmon twice a week. Typically a trip lasts about four hours, but it varies depending on what I discover/if I'm doing observation. On average, I'd say I spend about 10 hours a week actually outside. I spend about 2-3 hours a day reading, formatting my paper, and looking over my retrieved samples. Later this month I will be visiting the squirrel lab to determine exactly what I'm working with.
Great. Thanks.
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