Status Update

On Friday, I paid a visit to a physical therapist in Białystok.  Actually, two of them spent about an hour studying my knees and my x-ray, and guiding me through some restorative stretches and exercises.  I don’t know if my case was just that interesting, but also, one had a better understanding of English, and did much of the translating. 

They determined that both of my patellas are “naturally” rotated inwards.  (I don’t know if this is a birth defect or a result of improper usage over the years.)  This irregularity would cause extra strain on my knees from disproportionate muscle usage and improper joint movement; never mind the added pressure of hiking in the challenging conditions of the marsh. 

Both physical therapists were confident that I would heal by following a regular exercise routine, designed to shift the patellas back into place, and simply because I am young.  Yet, this process will take months, which I had already gathered from speaking with others here, who had previously suffered from knees problems.  This, combined with my relapse of pain and a more regular Aquatic Warbler breeding season, which is winding down, will prevent me from getting back to work, as I had been hoping.  Now, I’m trying to figure out my next move and how to push forward from this.

Silent Summer

The heat wave has since broken, to be replaced by an ambiance reminiscent of autumn, complete with the scent of a hearth fire wafting through the air.  Occasionally, the sun peeps through the thick, graying clouds, while a fresh breeze ushers them along, initiating a rustling of leaves. 

Yet, the birds do not stir as they did a few weeks ago, during early summer.  It seems still too soon for migration to begin, but they must have gone somewhere.  The Yellowhammers’ requests for “one piece of bread with no cheese” have become fewer, perhaps tiring of the same bland meal.  The spirited call and answer of the Great Tits have become more infrequent.  Just yesterday, I spotted the first individual that I’ve seen in weeks.  I admit that I haven’t been out and about much recently, but the Yellowhammers and the Great Tits, in particular, could once be heard through the open bedroom window or from the doorstep. 

The Barn Swallows, on the other hand, have doubled their numbers, which, they may use to intimidate the other birds away from their turf, as they congregate upon the telephone lines, just next to the hostel’s driveway.  A few days ago, they were holding parties as wild as those had by the college students, who were counting singing male Aquatic Warblers, with droves of them twirling and swooping through the air, chattering endlessly.  Yet, even yesterday, they seem to have hunkered down, being partied out.

Getting Acquainted

Flashback to...April 2010

The other interns seem friendly and enthusiastic about being here with other young biologists.  We have been getting along well so far.  Most of them are Irish and British, and another woman is from Vancouver, Canada.  With this cultural exposure, I’m expecting to come home with a bit of an accent as well as some new terminology.  Apparently, not everyone is staying for the entire season, as some will be starting jobs and Master’s programs in the fall.  I’m wondering if I will end up having the place to myself for the last month or so.  Yet, we are still waiting on six more people to arrive, so that may not happen. 

There are seven sites on the island that will be surveyed monthly, and over one hundred annual sites, located Sherkin, on other islands, and along the coast of County Cork.  All of the work needs to be coordinated with the tides because we will be able to see the most shore and the greatest biodiversity at the lowest tides, which happen near the end of every month.  The tides are affected by the pull of the sun and the moon and the best alignment for the greatest pull happens after the full moon, and to a lesser extent, the new moon. 

I think it’s getting late now.  I’ve been using my alarm clock to check the time occasionally, but mostly I just ignore the concept of time.  At the moment, it’s rather irrelevant. 

Field Station Conditions

Flashback to...April 2010
The marine station seems to have fallen into a state of neglect with so much property to maintain.  Half of the buildings are now used for storage, mostly of books, especially in the sports hall, where conferences and educational programs were once held.  Yet, this is by no means the “rustic” living that I had expected.  There are still beds, hot water, electricity, modern kitchen appliances, internet (although dial-up may seem ancient to some), flush toilets, and a washing machine.  Though, the rooms are certainly drafty, perhaps due to the concrete walls and lack of insulation.  And it’s about a quarter mile of a walk to the toilets, which are separate from the shower.  However, I don’t think it could get much more rustic than my time in the Vermont Youth Conservation Corps, living in a tent and working on the Appalachian Trail. 

By 9pm, there is still a hint of light in the sky, even though it is only April.  Yet, a chill sets in once the sun begins its descent, and the nights are quite cold.  I’ve been sleeping with two to three layers of clothing on, two sleeping bags, and a winter hat!  But the days are so much warmer!  I still wear as many layers, but there is a light breeze and bright sun high in the sky, creating a cozy warmth.  The weather is supposed to be lovely for the week, but it can be highly variable on an island. 

Northern Safari

 The other day, I decided to explore the “wet meadow” along a different path, and on the island, towards which I was heading, there was a large, brown lump of something.  Getting a better view with my binoculars was useless, since I dropped them in the marsh two days prior and they were still quite foggy.  My first thought was an elk, which I discovered to be correct, once I crossed the island and saw him frolicking through the marsh 100-200 meters away.  Maybe he was actually running from me, but it looked as if he was enjoying himself.

Another day, I was driving down the horrible, rutted dirt road to pick up the others from a work site, when four wild boar piglets popped out from the vegetation to the left of the road.  They didn’t seem alarmed at the intrusive presence and noise of the oncoming vehicle, simply standing in the road and observing it for a few moments.  I cut the engine and watched them until they disappeared into the grasses on the opposite side.  Mom was not in sight, but I’m sure that she was keeping a close eye on things, concealed within the overgrowth.

Several weeks ago, we took our day off to look for beavers, but without success.  I returned to the site with one of my co-workers earlier this month to give it another go.  We saw no signs of them on our walk into the forest, even at their village of dams and dens, yet on our return trip, there was a tree root in the stream that looked suspiciously like a beaver.  Presently, it began to casually paddle about and climb onto the shore occasionally to munch on some leaves.  Out of nowhere, another beaver came into view, and yet another, a bit further downstream.  They swam about paying us no mind for a good fifteen to twenty minutes, before one became spooked by some unknown, hastily diving underwater with a harsh splash of his tail.  And then, they were gone.

Angry Birds

Following a more successful trip to plot A last week, I decided to try wandering it on my own, in order to gauge the likelihood of searching the closest subplot solo on our next A day.  I only made it about 200m from the end of the main path along one side of the subplot, when I was greeted by the angry chipping of a female Aquatic Warbler.  I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to add another nest to our growing data set, especially since it is becoming a race against time to discover nests before the chicks fledge. 

From my place on the path, I watched her fly a few meters back and forth between two flowers, which grew slightly higher than the surrounding vegetation, chipping loudly and insistently all the while.  After some time, she began to quiet down slightly and even leave her perches for a few moments to rummage up some grubs for her babies.  I observed her duck down in several locations only a couple of meters apart, which made me think that her chicks had already left the nest and were now scattered about this small section of the marsh. 

But, when I finally left my post to inspect these areas, they were far too damp and the vegetation too sparse to be a hideout for a young fledgling.  Not to mention, she would occasionally pop back up with the same insect in an attempt, perhaps, to give me a false idea of her nest’s location.  She also employed other tricks of going down in one spot and coming up from another, or even flying in, from what seemed a distance away, with more food.  She never seemed to stay in one spot long enough for me to be certain that her nest would be there. 

Yet, my three hours of observation time did yield a deformed circle of a few meters’ diameter, which she frequented, so I am hopeful to find a nest within this area next time.

Settling In

Flashback to...7 April 2012

All I hear in the morning is the chorus of birds and the waves crashing into the shore not too far below me.  It’s a bit breezy this morning, but the sun is bright and the sky, cloudless.  And so much green!  There are trees on Sherkin Island, but they are not very large.  Some on the mainland seem more like home.  Yesterday was drizzling rain until I was on my way to Baltimore, when the sun popped out.  The peacefulness here reminds me of Plainfield, remote, lacking the harsh noises of development, but also, there is water. 

I do love the ocean, but I haven’t spent nearly enough time there as I would like.  It’s just one of those things that I keep coming back to as an interest, something I want to do, but then, the idea becomes buried underneath what I have to do, or drifts away for a time.  It’s kind of sad to think about not pursuing what one loves.  Perhaps, there is a time and a place for it, though since everything can’t be done at once, and it may take time to really develop a passion for something.  I’m here now though, neighboring the ocean.  There are no excuses.  I also wanted to return to Ireland after the last trip, since the island was so lovely and the trip was short and rushed.  It’s amazing what chances life gives to you and how many!  Until you learn the underlying lesson or make the most of an opportunity.

For the past few days, I have been exploring the beaches for intertidal sea life with two other rocky shore surveyors, in order to become acquainted with recognizing the various species.  This will certainly be a crash course in data collection and species identification.  The organisms that we will be surveying include seaweeds, shelled animals, sponges, lichens, and sea anemones, among others.  There is a small library in the lab to assist us with identification.  We’ve mostly been working with seaweed over the past couple of days and there are remarkable differences among them.  Yet, it has been challenging to match what I see with the descriptions and pictures in the books.  There are so many possible choices for what a single organism could be.