Hello

I have meaning to do this blog for a while and yet have put it off. So here it is minus pictures so far, but hopefully they will be up soon. I am starting with my excursions on Poplar Island (I have already spent three weeks on the Scioto River, but don't feel like catching up on that, haha) Poplar Island is in Maryland and it is this huge project ... basically to rebuild an entire island. It was down to a couple of acres and is going to be 9 miles around when finished. Currently it is barren, no trees and a lot of sand. We have to take a boat over at seven every morning with the workers who are rebuilding the island. We come back around three. We estimate that we walk between 5 and 8 miles a day searching for turtle nests. This sounds extremely exciting, but actually just means staring at the ground looking for disturbed sand. When we find a nest we mark it with flags and record the lat. and long. points. If the nest is new we count and weigh the eggs. If the nests are old the embryos have already started developing and can't be moved. Here is part of a letter that I started to write to my parents then realized I would like to share with everybody:

Work today wasn't bad; we got off early because the turtles haven't been nesting so we grabbed an early boat ride back. We were going to go swimming in Melanie's (the women I am working with) landlord’s pool, but we both took naps instead. We are going out to the island tomorrow even though it is the 4th because they will have a boat leaving at three. Bummer, I was hoping for a lazy day off. I think Melanie wants a day off as well but unless it rains we will be working. I guess it is good to work, otherwise I start wishing I could visit home and visit familiar faces.

The island isn't too bad, just a lot of walking and staring at the ground. It is just intellectually lacking I guess, especially when there aren't turtle nests to be found. Yesterday, we were following some turtle tracks and I looked up and spotted a turtle trying to escape into the water. Melanie grabbed it before it could get there so we could pit tag her (pit tags are not fun, they involve a large needle, I have not been able to bring myself to do it yet. For the turtle and my sake) We couldn't decide if she laid (I am sorry if I am using the wrong form I can’t remember the correct of lay and laid or lain. Forgive me Jackie and Jen) yet, there is a way to check for eggs but Melanie couldn't tell this time. No nest was found. She was feisty though, I guess they get very feisty when it is time to nest. Did you know that turtles hiss? It is quite amusing to be hissed at by a turtle.

We also saw some horseshoe crabs, which are phylum Arthropoda, subphylum Chelicerata and Class Merostomata (just keeping up on my phylums) these creatures haven't changed for thousands of years. They are crazy looking. They are actually in the same subphylum as spiders because they have chelicerae, which is a pincher like mouthpart.
Melanie was telling me that at her old job they had to scrap algae off their backs and they acted as dogs do when you scratch their back, haha. They’re pretty crazy.

We also say some jellies on the beach (Cnidarians, Scyphazoa, Aurelia) I have also been learning some bird names, but I can't keep them in my head. There are these birds called Terns (Common and Least Terns) and when we walk over a section of beach where they nest they fly at out heads and scream. It is pretty scary to hear a scream about a foot or two away from your head and all you can see is a shadow on the ground that gets closer and closer. We just really hope they don't miscalculate a dive and hit us.

It is funny how exciting a job can sound when you hear only the best parts of the day, haha. I am reading my Jane Goodall book and was thought, wow I bet she was super frustrated and bored at times. Lots of research and exciting discoveries, but out of countless hours of just sitting there observing. That is why you must be passionate about the subject you are studying. Melanie is very interested in Gastropods (sea slugs and snails but particularly sea slugs) yeah I know we are science geeks, it is very nice being in another science geeks company though. There is a side project she is interested in involving sea slugs. Sea slugs are crazy interesting. They have no shell to protect themselves like other mollusks. Some predate jellyfish and actually store the nematocysts (the parts that sting) to use when predators try to attack them. Crazy! Even nonscience geeks have to find that amazing!

Everything else is pretty quiet. My social life is down, haha. I normally fall asleep on the boat ride back and fall asleep checking email and fall asleep reading and normally go to bed by 10:30. I would normally go to bed before that but I don't get to talk to Michael until then. I have no cell service here currently so I have to chat online and email. Okay I think that is all for know, I need to get some personal emails out. I am going to try and shoot some photos at the island tomorrow, but I don't have my card reader so it won't be until at least this weekend until I get them up. I hope everybody is doing well!