Our Big Day

Today was the grad student's 'Big Day.'  How many of you have seen 'The Big Year?'  The Big Year was a great movie about these two bird enthusiasts that try to defeat the world record holder in year-long bird-spotting competition.  So, for the graduate students, this was a really fun day for us to practice our field naturalist skills and go out in groups to identify as many plants, insects, mammals, and birds in the Grand Teton National Park.  Our team, 'Most Recently From Wyoming' identified more than 80+ species from about 7:30am - 10:30am from Kelly Campus all the way to the Oxbow Bend Turnout.  Here are some photos from our 'Big Day'.'

Momma Bison & Her Calf

The Cutest Little Grasshopper Ever Found!

Teddi Portraying a Bird....Don't Remember

Mt. Moran, What a Gem

A Perfect Reflection!

TheChristyBel

Being a Bird Nerd

Wednesday and Thursday of this week was dedicated to the topic of Birds.  I was pretty excited for this one because I never really took bird into a focus or an interest.  Sure, I would go bird watching with binoculars and watch them fly or perch somewhere, but this week, was pretty different.  Maybe because 1.) I had a new awesome pair of efficient binoculars I got for Christmas from Mom and Dad 2.) I had a pretty nifty field guide book to help me narrow down the birds to identify, and 3.) had a really patient guide with us to answer lots of questions.

Perfect Silhouette Outline of the Tetons

On Thursday, we went birding to the Kelly Warm Springs and near the Gros Ventre Jumping Rock!  Let me just say I saw my first Golden Eagle at the Kelly Warm Springs!! And....it was being mobbed by a Red-Tailed Hawk!  It was so cool!  The adult Golden Eagle we saw was really big, I mean it appeared bigger than the Red-Tail!  And its golden nape was pretty visible by binoculars too that helped give it the Golden Eagle name.  Also while we were at the Jumping Rock, we spotted a juvenile Bald Eagle!  Our guide, Kurt Johnson, stated the way to tell the different between a Juvenile Bald Eagle and a Juvenile Golden Eagle is the white patterns or shapes on its underside.

The Juvenile Golden Eagle will have two distinct white patches on the wing linings where as the Juvenile Bald Eagle will have white spots sort of all over the underside (like someone through paint on it and is just speckled everywhere).  And after our discovery and identification, the eagle juvenile was more random with multiple white patches and led us to identify it as a Juvenile Bald Eagle! Super cool and another first!

A Sun Dog! Halo Around the Sun

While birding we saw a Sun Dog!  Sun dogs are atmospheric phenomenons that create bright spots of light in the sky, and most often a luminous ring or halo on either side of the sun.  We did not see spots, but there was an awesome halo!  Sun dogs will appear as a colored patch of light to the left or right of the sun and can be seen anywhere in the world during any season, but are not always obvious or bright.  Pretty cool!

One of My Species Accounts: The American Dipper
The Only Swimming Songbird

Learning the Anatomy of a Bird's Skeleton

Bird Nerd!
TheChristyBel

Nerding Out on Insects

Well, can you believe it...let me just say that I have about 4 more months left with the Teton Science Schools Graduate Program. I know, crazy.  And with that announcement, the graduates have started our last class - Advanced Elements of Field Ecology Course Design.  Besides having three more weeks of a spring teaching practicum, this 5-week course is pretty awesome.  It includes three weeks of field ecology (including a week of backpacking/camping in Yellowstone) and two weeks that focus on course design and curriculum.  

Last week, we finished one of the two weeks that encompass Course Design and Leadership.  This week we are getting more into the natural history of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.  With this part, one of our big assignments is to keep a Field Journal that includes all of our field notes, journal entries, and field sketches.  Yes, sketches!  So I guess you know what that means for TheChristyBel...I get to show off and include my drawings.  I bet you can tell I am super excited about this assignment. I get to draw!! yay!

Also, I am really thankful that I took the Delaware Nature Society's Naturalist Certification Course.  It really helped prep me on how to write field journal entries and keep really good notes on my observations.

Learning How to Identify & Prepare Insect Collections

Monday and Tuesday we learned about Insects.  I did not know there were that many orders for insects.  Very cool.  I think my favorite order were the Orthoptera or the Katydids, Crickets, and Mantids.  I just think it is really fascinating they can make sounds and music with the rubbing of their legs.  From clicks to songs each species of the Orthoptera order has a different 'voice.'

Sneak Preview of a Few Pages of My Field Journal

On Tuesday, we got to go out into the field and go more in depth with Stream Ecology with the Wyoming Stream Team Kits and Faculty.  This session went beyond the water quality testing that we had done and taught in the fall.  This session included exploration of the biodiversity of the streams by examining the macroinvertebrates or insect aquatic larvae in a stream.

Biggest Crane Fly Larva Ever!

This was really fun to do, plus it was a beautiful day to be outside instead of in the classroom.  Macroinvertebrates that are found in the water will consist of snails, leeches, worms, and insect larvae.  Many of the adult insects you may know.  Bet you did not know that some insects will spend part of their life cycle in the water?!? Mind blown, I know!  Dragonflies, Stoneflies, Caddisflies, Mayflies, Crane Flies, and the list goes on to name a few.

Stoneflies and Mayflies can be difficult to identify when they both have 2 tails.
Normally Mayflies will have 3 Tails and Stoneflies have 2 tails....but....
Mayflies Have 'Hairy Butts' - Their Gills Are On Their Abdomens
Stoneflies Have 'Hairy Armpits' - Gills At Their Armpits!

Pretty thankful I also taught a whole bunch of Stream Ecology programs with the Delaware Nature Society and many Stream Explorations with Teton Science Schools Outreach Program in the Fall.  So examining macros was pretty easy, comfortable, and a great review.

So Form of Borer Found in the Lab's Insect Collection Under the Microscope
Photo Credit To Jordan Robinson, Fellow Teton Science Schools Graduate Student

Not only did we find a whole bunch of macros in the stream that we explored in town, but Joe and Charlie brought their rods and caught a really cool fish, a Sculpin!  Never saw one of those before.  It had spines on its pectoral fins and dorsal fins!  So crazy!  Of course I had to take a photo of one!

Sculpin Found at Karns Meadow Stream

Had Fun in the Sun & Stream

So Many Insects, So Little Time,
TheChristyBel