Third Time's the Charm

For those of you who do not know, I am going back to Alaska for the third time this summer. It wasn't my original plan, as I have been trying to find a full-time gig in Portland, but it has just worked out as such. I will also not be returning to my position as an intern for Turning Technologies this year, so I will be completely job-less upon my return. As much as that situation sucks, it then gives me the opportunity to travel to Japan and Thailand, so one cannot complain too much (more on that later).

I suppose that gives me incentive to return to this blog and report what I can. I will also try to update more on happenings in Portland before the Alaskan adventures continue. Namely, I am currently taking a bird banding class under the tutelage of Dr. Michael Murphy of Eastern Kingbird fame. I like to say it that way since he has more than 30 years of research on Eastern Kingbirds. Some of that data we are compiling to discern incubation differences per site and year, and looking out how temperature influences those differences. Yesterday was the first day of the class where we actually got out, set up the nets and caught some birds. I banded a male Common Yellowthroat. I have quite a bit of banding experience (from Ornithology in 2010, working for Murphy in 2011), but not so much with ageing the birds. Plus, it is nice to get the additional experience and in an official way to use on my resume in the future.

Golden-crowned Kinglet banded while helping Murphy's Ornithology class 2014