When we left this morning it was pouring down the rain and 43 degrees outside. I don't think temperatures ever rose and the rain oscillated from pouring to slightly drizzling. Melise and I spent the first couple of hours running through overgrown Christmas tree lots and fields searching for bird boxes. The result was being cold, wet, and frustrated. But okay with it. I then kept a look out for some Second Hand Thrift Store, which never appeared. Luckily we dried off eventually, and the heat in the car was a lifesaver.
Down one of the roads I dropped Melise off to check the first half of the boxes and I drove to the end to work to meet her in the middle. At one box I almost got a beak to the eye, which yeah is a bit of exaggeration but the parents were divebombing me. I would duck down and as soon as I stood back up another would swoop over my head. So I abandoned the box (which is not part of the study. Otherwise, as any good researcher would do, I would risk my life to che
ck the box) and returned to the car and contemplated going back out with my bike helmet on. I didn't. I just moved on. To the right is one of the bluebird chicks just about 12 days old. The can leave the nest about 14 or 15 days old. If I were this little dude's parents I'd be protective too!A couple of houses down there is a box that is in a front yard and houses two dogs; one is the protector and the other is the peace keeper. It was my third time at this house, and the larger dog usually barks for a little bit but then realizes that we are things she jump on and play with. But for some reason she wouldn't come near me and continued to follow closely behind and growl. The little peace keeper was out of sight for some reason. I succeeded in ignoring her after several attempts to make peace but eventually just left. At the end of the driveway she noticed that I was still around and much too close to her property. She came to the edge of the field to continue to announce her fierce presence. As soon as I got in my car to leave she began chasing me and biting at my front tires. Crazy dog!!
Another protective dad hovered over me and swooped down at my head. The chicks had JUST hatched so I could understand him being protective. But it still freaked the heck out of me so I quickly darted back to the car where I noticed my leg bleeding from getting caught in briars due to my hasty fleeing.
This research
is helping me to acquire more professional skills at creeping and making sketchy turn-a-rounds. I am sure the neighborhoods we drive around think Melise and I are up to some sketchy business.We also saw black-capped chickadee chicks in two separates nests. One they were almost fully developed and the other they were just a day or two old. They are just a few cm long in total length after they're born. Dawwwww...
What a day in the field! Fun. But I am tired. I am also just slightly sick with a sore throat, swollen lymph nodes which causes a lot of pressure in the back of my head. And it makes me sleepy. So, goodnight world!
