*After midnight, were gonna let it all hang down. After midnight, were gonna chug-a-lug (pull and tug!) and shout. Were gonna stimulate some action; Were gonna get some satisfaction. Were gonna find out what it is all about. After midnight, were gonna let it all hang down.
After midnight, were gonna shake your tambourine. After midnight, its all gonna be peaches and cream. Were gonna cause talk and suspicion; Were gonna give an exhibition. Were gonna find out what it is all about. After midnight, were gonna let it all hang down.
After midnight, were gonna let it all hang down. Thanks Eric Clapton*
*****Please note spelling change of Holger's last name. It is correct in the Journal entry and correct in the photo gallery, but still incorrect (for now) in the photo captions on this journal. Many apologies!**
The bird people have the super cool lab with the big windows that look out onto the Tundra. I pass their lab everyday and have wanted to help them out since I have gotten here. I kept telling them that and they kept saying whenever. From time to time I would pop in and ask them to identify a bird I had photographed or ask them a question in regards to my ASK THE TEAM section. I also started popping in after I realized that they were incubating eggs. I love the babies and it reminds me of when my class incubated Quail at Holy Name .
Time --- time --- time went by. I missed the mist netting, but that’s okay because I have done that a lot. I finally got to go out with them the other night- morning. It was fun and interesting.
Rob and I met the group after 10pm. We were in a group with Holger Schielzeth a doctoral student, Sylvia Kuhn and Katja Temnow who are lab assistants. They are all affiliated with Max Planck Institute for Ornithology in Seewiesen, Germany, which is near Munich. T**hey are determining the reproductive success and behavior of Pectoral Sandpipers. **
Our mission: To find nests of the Pectoral Sandpiper. We (one person at each end and two walking in the middle area) dragged a rope that measured 100 meters across sections of the tundra. The rope is basically used as a measuring tool. Another person was at the right end of the rope planting flags, which marked the end of the rope as we walked by. This would allow us to know where to walk when we started back so that we did not duplicate the area already covered.
Holger, of Max Planck Institute for Ornithology Seewiesen, Germany is holding one end of 100 meter rope that is being dragged across the tundra. (Notice Sylvia 100meters away and the cool shadows) The rope is used to mark the area walked and to flush birds.
Our presence in the tundra flushes the birds from their nests. We watch them until they go back to the nest, then we find the nest. On this particular night we did not find a nest.
Holger Schielzetc and Katja Temnow watching for birds in the Tundra.
Well, we found several, but not from the Pectoral Sandpiper.
Eggs in the nest. Wide out in the open. If I weren't with experts who knew where these nests were I could have easily stepped on them!
Let me back up-- ** Earlier in the season** they set mist nets. Mist nets are made of extremely fine netting and birds fly into to them and get stuck. People constantly monitor the nets. During this time of the season only male Pectoral Sandpipers are around. They get the birds, take measurements, draw blood and put a little **radio pack on their backs **and release them.
These are lekking birds. This term means that the males gather as a group and perform for females –they spar, display feathers, flight patterns and try to woo females. They are sort of like boys in a band or on a football field right? The females arrive to the tundra a little while after the males do and they pick the male they like.
Dragging the rope is done late at night because the females are less active at night and are usually found on their nests.
The scientists from Max Planck locate nests and monitor them. They take the eggs, replace them with look alike eggs, and then incubate the real eggs. They set a delicate trap around the nest to capture the female, **put a radio backpack **on her and collect measurements and blood. After the real eggs hatch, they take chick measurements and then return them to the nest.
Katji Temnow is measuring the tarsus of this pectoral sandpiper while Sylvia Kuhn takes records the measurements. These ladies are from Max Planck Institute for Ornithology in Germany.
Sylvia Kuhn and Katja Temnow of Max Planck Institute for Ornithology Seewiesen, Germany record baby Pectoral Sandpiper data.
By this time all of the males are leaving the Tundra. The females hang out with the chicks for a while and teach them. The chicks are walking around after the first day. Then the mothers migrate from the tundra first and soon after the chicks follow.
During the season ornithologists (bird scientists) are monitoring the radios and they can actually tell where the birds are and which male and female are chattering with each other. AMAZING.
They are also doing some similar research on the Semipalmated Sandpiper and the Semipalmbated Plover.
They refer to the Pectoral Sandpipers as Pesas - "Peezas" and Sesas - "Ceezas"!
Their research is much more in depth, but this is it in a Nut – Bird Shell.
If you have any questions please go to the Ask the Team section and I will find out the answer for you or perhaps they will answer! Rob and I had to leave them a little before they were finished because it was well after 1AM and I had work to do. I walked home in the sunlight at 3AM. Happy!
Mental note – ***Don’t use the radio at this hour. As I was walking home at 3am I called Jose to check in on him since he was doing a diurnal (working al night). Lewis chimed in** Good Morning everyone! Then we got into this conversation about eating and **hunting seals, because that is what Lewis was doing. UH OH Paulo had his radio on incase Jose needed him and boy did I get the **stink eye including threats **the next morning when I came into the lab! **Lo Siento!!*
Yell
Bird of Day – DUH
This little Pectoral Sandpiper will be measured and bled, then sent back to his/her nest.
Birding from the Top of the World