Week Eleven- Back to work 7/24/17 - 7/28/17
Back to the eighty degree weather and incredibly high humidity for another work week. Starting my week, we took a drive to Cane Ridge and checked the water levels and pulled a board for the incoming shore birds that stop by. Kirby and I also got a whole new task this week that we were particularly excited about. We got the opportunity to raise baby chicks for our assistant manager, Heath. Another task included driving around a couple conservation buffers in between crop fields to see the effects of the prescribed burn that was done the year before and looking at land that we could possibly purchase in the future. The things you get to learn while out with your supervisor is something you can never forget. I have learned so much just by going and looking at what a successful prairie is suppose to look like and trying to identify the new plants that have started blooming. This was also the very last week for the YCC crew, so we spent the morning tearing our fencing at the refuge house and had a lovely home cooked meal made by our Admin, Rosalie. The rest of our day was spend geocaching around Oakland City and then sending the YCC on their way.
Week Twelve
Week Twelve- What's the Buzz 7/31/17 - 8/4/17
If you really know me, then you should know that I have a giant fear of bees (or anything that buzzes in my ears). Well this week we got to go out and start trying to identify bumble bees in search of the endangered Rusty Patch bumble bee. By catching the bees in a swoop net and carefully transferring them into jars, we were able to identify five different species in a couple hours. We also continued to look at invasive species such as purple loosestrife, prairie plantings and the history of the lands that we helped restore. We ended the week at Dillon Station where we unclogged a water control structure with minimal tools available. While we were there we got to see a copper bellied water snake, which is listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act.