May 26th, 2009

I was working in the ticket booth today when a fairly odd lady walked up. She was carrying a small bag containing two yorkshire terriers. When I told her that no dogs were allowed on the property, even in a bag she figure she would just leave them sit outside for awhile. I couldn’t believe she would just leave her obviously pampered positions sit outside unattended. On top of that it was raining fairly hard. I was a bit disgusted by this idea and asked if she would leave them in the booth with me. She did just that and was in the center for over a hour! For awhile I thought perhaps she had left without her pooches because she exclaimed earlier that she would just be gone for a few minuets. I couldn’t believe how those two dogs stayed in that small bag the whole time! The lady returned to the booth later very wet with a handful of different plants that she had collected from our hiking trails. From our brief discussion I learned that she is a nurse from San Diego and has a fascination for plants. She slung the dogs around her back and was on her merry way.


-She was just going to leave them out in the rain!


-I couln't belive how much these guys heated the booth.


-My God, they were so cute!

My short walk home was more beautiful than usual for some reason that afternoon. I came across a few banana slugs. Even though these guys look huge to me everyone says there get much bigger. I touched one once. It’s really gross! They cover your hand in a very sticky gooie film that takes forever to come off. Jenna licked one last year because she heard that it makes your tongue numb and indeed her tongue went numb.

May 24th, 2009

I had off today so for some reason I decide to see how long it would take to walk to the airport on Japonski Island. It was a beautiful walk. I got a bit sidetracked and explored everything that looked interesting so how long it actually took I’m not sure of.

Latter everyone gathered for a walk on the Indian River Trail. Some decided to camp for the night including Zach, Skyler, Steve and I. The campsite was gorgeous, right on the river. The rushing water was so loud putting us to sleep as soon as we laid down. I remember thinking, well that's good we wont even here the bears coming.


-Glacier bear display at the Sitka airport. I never new these guys existed.


-Me, Jenna, Skyler, Zach, Morgan, Steve and Forest. Photo by Steve Abbott.


-The camp sight. Photo by Steve Abbott.

May 23rd, 2009

I volunteered today! It was a very different experience being inside of the birds enclosures rather than looking in from the outside. Lacie our centers handler introduced me to the individual birds diets and cleaning materials. I started out working in Main Flight with the wild bald eagles. How cool is that right! I was told not to make eye contact with them because that is the sign of a predator. We want these eagles to be as relaxed as possible and not add to their stress. All the eagles in the Main Flight (Flight Training Center) are recovering from a traumatic incident. Some will be released back into the wild if their injuries heal well enough. Others will be placed in a zoo or other educational facility because their individual damage is to severe for them to rejoin the wild population.

After finishing cleaning M.F. and placing the eagles food, I moved onto our corvidae mews. Martin and Atra are the two ravens located in this facility. These birds haven’t been successfully introduced to people yet and working in there space made them very uncomfortable. I finished cleaning and placed there meal consisting of quail, rat, bear, jelly on bread and left over chinese food in the enclosure. Raven eat just about anything so some of our left over lunches tend to go to them.

I also had the privilege assisting taking Sitka to the river. Sitka can be a handful so its always good to have a bunch of people on hand if she would undo her jesses and run/fly off. Before we left I was shown the fine art of how to capture a fleeing bald eagle with a blanket. Thank goodness I didn’t have to use my new knowledge. Sitka day out was fairly uneventful. She didn’t move around a whole lot unlike Volta who swims around and baths constantly. I really enjoyed watching this magnificent bird and took a few photos.


-Sitka's handler Lacie admiring her favorite pupil.

May 22nd, 2009

It’s the busiest day of the year. Three giant cruse ships are in town and guess who gave them their presentations. Yup, little me. During the largest show of the day three bus loads of people entered the Raptor Center to be given a tour. Everyone told me when I first started that large crowds are easier to speak to than the small groups, they are right. The auditorium was overflowing with people, many were standing in the back just to get a glimpse of Sitka and her handler Lacie. I still can’t believe how people bust a gut when I tell the dry Raptor Center jokes on stage. It’s super encouraging and enjoyable when you get a good response back from the crowed. Sometimes small groups don’t respond well making it awkward for the presenter on stage. The show went very well, you know that you have touched people when they start to tear up during the 3.5 min. video. I just love it when I thank a person for coming into the center as there leaving and they turn around and say, “thank you for all the hard work your doing for the birds.” I get that at least once a day! Anyway, after the large group were filing outside to see our raptors in residence I had an older gentleman ask me if we get allot of celebrates into the center. I responded with an “I don’t think so, why do you ask.” That’s when I discovered that Jack Hanna was at the center and I was just on stage giving him a presentation.

I just wanted to let everyone know that I no longer have a working cell phone here in Sitka. I haven’t had the best of luck with the tracker phone I purchased before I left home. The guy who sold it to me gave me some false information regarding the coverage area and the roaming fees were killing me. Email is simply the best way to get a hold of me if need be. I do have a phone in the facility that I’m staying at however, it is located in the lounge area and I wouldn’t hear it ring if someone called me out of the blue. If anyone would need to call me we can set up a time that I could be at the phone to received the call.

May 19th, 2009

I just wanted to get out on my own today after work and walk the shoreline. I just love photographing the wildlife especially the amazing birds of Alaska. The sun was so intense and I couldn’t have been more at peace with myself and the world around me.

May 18th, 2009

Sheldon Jackson Aquarium is super amazing and also a bit creepy to those who are slightly afraid of what lies under the waters surface. Luckily the aquarium stayed open to the public when Sheldon Jackson College shut down. I was a bit hesitant to put my hands on some of these creatures but once you touch one thing it leads to touching the next weird thing. Very cool this was.








-a whizzing sea cucumber



I even saw my first black tailed deer! They are very small, short legged, muscular looking animals. Half the size of a white tail. These deer weren't afraid of much. They calmly watched as I took thier picture.

May 16th, 2009

Mount Verstovia! What a hike. I was sweating like a pig, if pigs could sweat that is. -Just a little raptor center humor for those who know. Thank God I got a pair of insoles for my hiking boots or I would have been hurting. I had no idea how difficult a hike this was when I agreed to go, not that I wouldn’t do it all over again. The reward was reaching the very top of the mountain and seeing tiny Sitka from high above. What a view! I will never forget it. Next stop Arrowhead Mountain.


-Tiny Sitka. See the airport landing strip




-Arrowhead is behind me


-Arrowhead Mountain


-Tex and Steve romping around


-Me, Lindsey, Steve, Morgan and Tex on the way back down

May 14th, 2009

You meet the most interesting people at the Raptor Center. Today I met a retired policeman that has been living as a nomad for the past 6 years. All he has brought with him was his truck and pull behind trailer. Traveling solo he’s driven all over the U.S. and has visited many foreign countrys. Alaska was his last stop before he heads home, wherever home may be I wish him luck.

I also had the privilege of taking a older couple from Australia on a tour. At first I had no idea If they even spoke English because all they seem to say was “Oh and Aha” while nodding to everything I said. Curious I asked them where they were from and they told me about themselves. I was fascinated to hear that the wife worked at a kangaroo rehabilitation park that took in orphaned joeys and other injured animals. We went on to talk about kangaroo burgers and her hobby farm where she often feeds wild kangaroos right out of her hand. She tolded me that she has never wanted children because animals are better. I still chuckle when thinking about her and how full of fire she was. She said her mother is still upset at her because she always wanted grandchildren. The lady told her mother that that was her own fault because she should of had more children! I love it!



The cruse ships make Sitka look small. Bring in a few more of them and every person in town could all cruse away. It’s neat to watch these ships grow small in the distance.

May 13th, 2009

After many days of practice, I gave my first presentation today at the Raptor Center. I made sure to write notes on my hand just incase I totally blanked out. But you know what, I did alright. The terror of the stage and the many people seated before me wasn’t as bad as I thought. I was shaking pretty good when I first started talking (a combination of excitement and nervousness) but as I kept going the shaking stopped. I haven’t overcome and accomplished something very difficult like that in a long time. At the end of the day I was rewarded with a Alaska Raptor Center pin and a round of applause from my coworkers. I now wear my pin with pride!

After work Jen let Steve, Morgan and I borrow her truck to scope out Mosquito Cove. The cove is at one end of the island by the ferry terminal. I just love the end of the island because the road just stops marked by a sign that says END.

May 11th, 2009

I love the Harry Race! I was introduced to the most magnificent milkshake I have ever tasted today, the marshmallow milkshake. While slurping down this delicious treat Steve and I walked around town.

May 9th, 2009

Went hiking with Stephen and Tex on Sawmill Creek trail today. I bet I saw 25 waterfalls, super beautiful! We scoped out the campgrounds and decided to come back latter to spend the night. After loading up on some essentials (hot dogs and chocolate) we headed back to the campsite. From the truck window I spotted a large moving object in the bay area. A grey whale! Two of them! We had to stop and we quickly ran to the ocean to watch the huge beasts. Tide was out so many other creatures were to be found including starfish and crabs.


-Tex loves rolling rocks!








-Huge Landslide!


-This large boat looks so small.


-There she blows!





Latter after a whole can of kerosene, our fire was a flop. The forest wood was simply too wet. We lightheartedly feasted on cold hotdogs, trailmix and triscuits. The large unburned woodpile was our sighn of defeat.

Today was a slow day at the center. There weren’t any ship's coming in so I helped out allot in the gift shop, learned how to work the front desk, phones and handle adoptions/donations. Around lunch I headed outside to take a few shots of the birds. The center currently has 19 raptors in residence and 5 recovering patients.


-Front of Center


-Presentation area


-Volta


-Karma


-Oliver in his habitat.


-Spotting a squirrel


-Pele


-Gandalf


-Flight training center. (The gym for recovering bald eagles)