A Day in the Life

“Oh my little sister, don’t shed no tears….no woman, no cry…” Bob Marley sings in my ear, waking me from my sweet slumber at 5:15am. It’s still dark outside, Pumpkin is by my side, asleep, and I push the “off button” to my radio alarm (gotta love the reggae station!). I reluctantly, yet energetically roll out of bed. Pumpkin yawns and meows at me, running to her food dish. I feed her, get my field clothes on, carabiner and pocketknife included, put a layer of sunscreen on and brush my teeth. I realize that my coworker hasn’t woken up yet and there’s only 15 minutes left until our departure time. I knock on his door and he bolts upright in bed, full of adrenaline. “Shoot! Did I not hear my alarm go off??” He grabs his phone to check. “Erin….it’s only 4.30 am.” Me: “WHAAAT???” Apparently, after there had been a power outage the previous afternoon, I had reset my clock…incorrectly. Embarrassed and feeling oh so guilty for waking up my partner an hour early, I awkwardly tip-toe back to bed and try to sleep for an hour. I fail miserably. I get up, at the correct hour, pack some fruit and a Luna bar in my bag for breakfast, load the back of the pick-up truck and drive out to Savannah Talofofo, one of our work sites. Eminem and Rihanna are rockin’ out on the radio – a good wake-your-a$$-up combo.

I park the pick-up truck at the top of a hill. We put our packs on, grab our collapsible poles, and walk to the edge of the drop-off. Some sunlight is starting to reach out from the east and paint the sky - the view is stunning. You can almost see the entire west side of the island; the southern tip and northern tip are just out of sight. I stop for a moment to enjoy it and take it all in. The walk down the hill is steep and treacherous when wearing rubber boots that are too big and don’t have the best traction…I pull out a pole for support and hike down over mud, loose limestone and coral. Feeling like an old woman, I curse the dog that stole my hiking boot! I gratefully manage to get to the bottom without falling on my arse, and we set up the banding station, and then start opening our nets.

Our banding station

This is what happens when you wake your coworker up an hour early...

Between net’s 2 and 3 there is a side-trail to the right that takes you to another view. At this point, the sun is out and the blue-turquoise ocean is glowing with gold flecks, almost like a Klimpt painting. Full of serenity, I leave the warmth of the view and set up net 03.  We come back from setting up, checking our nets along the way, 40 minutes after opening. I visit that view again between nets 2 and 3 and now become transfixed by the Mariana Swiftlets that are flying overhead. So agile and graceful, some fly within arms reach of my head! I enjoy their company for about ten seconds before I continue onto the next net. With no birds, we lay down on the tarp, read our books, bird, talk or simply stare up at the sky through the trees until the next net run.

The view between nets 02 and 03....gahhh, this is far too small!!

Skinks and Geckos surround us by the hundreds. Birds chirp and chatter, feeding, flying, flocking and fighting. I spot a gray fluff-ball fluttering on the ground in the distance…I grab my binoculars and camera and approach stealthily…it’s a recently fledged baby Phillipine Turtle Dove! So cute! And still unable to fly properly…it spots me and clumsily flies and almost crash-lands on a nearby low branch. I slowly get closer and closer, as quietly as possible…I manage to get a picture of it. Then I leave it be, to preen it’s feathers in the tree. 

Philippine Turtle Dove Fledgling

Mariana Skink!

After our second net-run it starts to rain, first a drizzle, then in large drops. We close our nets for forty minutes. We get wet. Very wet. Rain gear isn’t entirely wanted when the temperature is 80+ degrees. The weather clears and we open the nets again. It’s a slow day, and I forgot to bring my book, so I start to get creative.

Orchids...

These ants have a stinging bite!

I think my rain pants have seen better days...

Micronesian Honeyeater!

After catching 7 birds in 6 hours, we hike back up the hill, now muddy from the 40 minutes of pouring rain. I slip and slide, losing half a foot’s distance with each step. I reach a point where I can no longer use my feet. Yes, I have to crawl. Talk about lame. That lasts all of 5 slippery feet. I continue hiking, reach the top, breathless and angry at my rubber boots. I turn around and the frustration leaves me when I’m blessed with that view again, this time in full sunlight, the corners of my vision shrouded with clouds.

Sorry, I haven't taken a picture of that view yet :)

The hill really isn’t that bad when I’m in proper shoes, just so ya know. I’ve done it once in my running sneakers and I did not fee like an old rickety woman! In fact, I thought to myself “why did I think this was so difficult before?” The next day, I wore my rubber boots again, and then had the “aha” moment as I stumbled down the hill for the second time, yet again cursing the boonie dog that stole my hiking boot! If he wasn’t such a cute dog, I’d hunt him down and feed him to my kitty. Not really.

I drive home, make lunch, and finally shower.  It is now 3pm. I crash…into emails, facebook, television, drawing, socializing with neighbors, cooking, cleaning, writing to you guys, and reading books/journal articles and searching/applying to federal jobs when I have more energy to be productive. I have dinner, then dive into other activities, then go to bed by 10pm, later, if I get distracted...which has been the case as of late! Then I wake up and do the same thing the next day!

That, my friends, is a day in my life.