Salsa, Candy, and Microwaves

I swear I’m camping. No, really, I am. :) Someone just bought a microwave. It hasn’t tripped the generator…yet. We had one last year, but the power draw was too much for the generator so whenever someone tried to reheat anything, it killed the power for the whole camp. We don’t really need a microwave. But then again, we don’t really need a golf course either…which we now have. Chuck, the camp logistics manager and supplier of big tents, generator, and weekly meals, put in a 9-hole golf course out in the open clearing near camp. They tried it out this afternoon and seemed very satisfied with it. I guess horseshoes, Frisbee, and throwing around the football just don’t cut it anymore. :) So, in case anyone is keeping track, we have a fridge, microwave, showers, TV, phones, internet, and 8 nests. We should have 10 by the end of the weekend, there are a couple of owls that we are sure are nesting, we just haven’t found it yet.

Cinco de Mayo!

Cinco de Mayo!

Monday we had a great Cinco de Mayo party. Not quite the same as last year’s crazy streakers, but we had a great party. Bob, one of the noise team, made a spotted owl piñata out of our recycled cardboard and paper mache. Chuck and El made dinner – tamales, guacamole, chips, salsa. And margaritas! After we stuffed ourselves (there was dessert too – homemade sopapillas), we took turns taking a whack at the spotted owl piñata that was full of Mexican candy and some Hershey’s minis. We spent the rest of the evening hanging out by the fire and just relaxing.


Behavior training

Behavior training

We’ve been working on behavior training for about two weeks now. Training consists of me teaching everyone how to use all the equipment (cameras and palm pilots) and what to call all the behaviors that the owls are doing. We’ve spent the week watching videos from last year and practicing. My first excursion is tomorrow to watch a pair of owls we know are not nesting. We start watching the nesting pairs next week, once the VMUs (video monitoring units…think security cameras) are set up on the nests. Hopefully the weather cooperates. It’s been very windy lately, 20 – 30 mph, often with bigger gusts.

Well, this is gonna be a short one, I’ve got to get up early. I hope everyone is doing well.

Love and sunshine,
Stefanie ;)

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