Colorado Living

After 4 days of driving I finally made it to Colorado.  I haven't wasted anytime since I arrived but it's slowly catching up to me this weekend.  On Thursday I bought a car, Friday I attained a CO license and returned the rental van, and Saturday I spent the day with friends in Denver.  Finally on Sunday I had a chance to unwind and go for a hike.

My afternoon Sunday hike was around Skunk Canyon on the south side of Boulder.  There is a great network of trails there and I ended up not going completely into the canyon and opted to hike up Kohler Mesa and then back down for a loop trail.  The birding highlights were Green-tailed Towhee, Spotted Towhee, and displaying Broad-tailed Hummingbirds.  I loved the small winding trails and the vistas.  It was a great way to enjoy my first hike in Colorado.

Work is going well but I do miss Green Cay.  It's not the same kind of job and I certainly don't get to do any birding but next week will have me teaching for the first time and meeting more people so that should provide at least a change of pace.  I know I left my dream job in Florida but I hope that my dream place will be Colorado.

Colorado Home

Next week I'll be in Colorado.  I am looking forward to the new challenges ahead.  I'm also looking forward to the new birds and wildlife experiences.  Let me know in the comments what areas I should check out. 

Florida, it's been fun but I'm heading to the mountains!

Goodbye Green Cay

Well the goodbyes are starting and it's a little bit like a snowball.  I guess I am on the ride whether I want to get off or not.  I am looking forward to my new life in Colorado but I am leaving so many wonderful people and places behind.  I am going to miss Green Cay Nature Center, the volunteers, the visitors (most of them), my coworkers, and of course all my friends.  It's been a fun and crazy ride these last 6 years.  Thank you all for being a part of it.  For those in the area, stop by on Friday, May 3rd at 1:30PM if you would like to say farewell.  Refreshments will be provided and it will be great to see you all again.

Book Review: The World's Rarest Birds

For many people seeing the world’s rarest birds will never happen but the latest book from Princeton University Press will take you one step closer.  The World’s Rarest Birds by Erik Hirschfeld, Andy Swash, and Robert Still provides the reader with an in-depth look at the changing avifauna of the world.  As many species are on the decline, I hope this book sparks some interest in bird conservation and protection.  The World’s Rarest Birds is divided into seven regional sections and provides breathtaking photos (some, the only ones known to exist for the species) and easy to understand maps and graphs.  The colors pop off the page as each bird species is given its own write-up and a photo, if one is available.  Birding hotspots where endangered birds exist are also covered with special pages that allow you to get a betting understanding of the area these endangered species live in.  This is a book that is both educational and enlightening.  I plan to give my copy to one of my high school students that volunteers at the nature center.  She’s going to Harvard this fall and plans to study biology and specifically study ways to bring species back from the brink of extinction.   I hope this volume inspires her and serves as a beacon to solving some of the world’s biodiversity decline.

This review copy was provided by Princeton University Press.

Green Cay update

On Friday I gave my 2 weeks notice at Green Cay Nature Center.  I have worked at the nature center since 2007 and shortly after beginning my new life in Florida I started this blog.  It's been a great ride full of Everglades adventures, nature center life, and trips.  I am leaving with some sadness but mostly excitement at the new beginnings.  In two weeks I will be living in Fort Collins, Colorado.  I can't wait to share with all of you my new life in the mountains.  Until then, I plan to post some Green Cay photos and remember all the good times I've had here in Florida.

Costa Rican Wildlife

Chestnut-mandibled Toucans

Red-legged Honeycreeper

Great Currassow

Eyelash Viper

White-nosed Coati

Spotted Antbird

The Arenal Volcano area of Costa Rica is full of wonder.  Emily and I saw over 130 species of birds and I racked up almost 30 new species on my life list.  The waterfalls were beautiful, the lush green rain forests brought many new wildlife encounters, and the volcano always loomed in the distance as a reminder of our exotic vacation.  We spent most of our days hiking the trails around Arenal Observatory Lodge looking for birds and taking in the views.  It was a great spring break and I highly recommend Arenal Observatory Lodge if you are interested in Costa Rica at its finest.

Costa Rica bound

Emily and I are heading to Costa Rica for a fun-filled week!  We will be staying at the Arenal Observatory Lodge and hope to do some birding, some waterfall swimming, and some hiking.  

Baby Pine Snake

Green Cay has a new education snake.  We traded in our very large Pine Snake for a smaller more docile Florida Pine Snake.  So far our little guy has hissed a bit but overall seems pretty acclimated.  We'll be phasing him into some education programs in the near future.  Welcome to your new home little buddy. 

Education Birds

The Crossley ID Guide Blog Tour continues today with a great post about Raptors as Education Ambassadors.  I am lucky enough at my nature center to have two education raptors.  In case you haven't met my little friends I thought I would share a few recent photos.

Bobby Falco is an American Kestrel and has been in captivity for over 12 years.  The first ten years was spent at Okeeheelee Nature Center and for the past 2 years he has been with me at Green Cay Nature Center.  He's a high strung, active bird but handles really well.  Unfortunately his feet are not in the best of shape and he doesn't have full flight so he became an education bird.  Now he delights visitors and school children at the nature center.

Our newest education bird is Olliver Jr.  For those that know, Oliver One died this past year at the vet's office.  It's taken a little while but we have a replacement.  He's new at being handled on the glove and so far is doing okay but doesn't have complete trust in his new human companions.  I hope to have Ollie Jr. out on display at the nature center in the coming months.  Until then he will continue to train with staff and volunteers until he settles down.  Olliver Two has partial flight but couldn't be released.  We're happy to have him as part of our education team.



Middle School Trip to the Everglades

Back in December I took a few 8th graders camping in Everglades National Park.  These urban Miami kids often don't take advantage of the diverse ecosystem in their backyards.  We set out with 4 kids, their teacher, and me as the chauffeur of the mini-van and the naturalist.

First stop was Anhinga Trail where the vultures were everywhere.  Some may not be fans but I really enjoy vultures.  I find them a fascinating lot of birds and this is a great place to see them up-close.  Just watch out when they start their hissing.

We transversed the national park with stops along the way.  We played a few games, checked out some of the wildlife, and finally ended our journey at Flamingo campground to set up our homes for the night.  We were greeted by the resident Osprey.

The middle schoolers lost interest in being outdoors when the mosquitos came to play and I don't blame them because they were pretty intense.  Fortunately, a VERY friendly Red-shouldered Hawk came to visit the campsite and provided the group with some great hunting tips.  We watched the hawk catch lizards literally feet away.  It was a great experience for the students and one I enjoyed as well.

We may not have converted any Miami kids into nature lovers and yes, that photo is from our departure day where you would think they would be accustomed to wildlife, but we did provide some real South Florida experiences.  When I leave South Florida, I will miss Everglades National Park.  I love the birding, the camping opportunities, and the unknown.  Every time I visit this park something provides me with one of those awe moments.  I may not love South Florida with the traffic and urban sprawl but I love the Everglades, the birds, and the teaching opportunitites.