Are we ready yet?
A trip to collect data is no minor feat. If I dash off to school, I have my schoolwork snuggled in my pack, grab the wallet, yell for help to find out where I tossed my keys the night before and I’m off. If I leave something behind, so what? I can work around it, or call my husband to drop it off, or scurry home at lunch, escaping before my room is waylaid by students looking for a warm den. A trip to work in the Little auk colony necessitates a much more methodical approach, in order to avoid a dreaded trip back to retrieve those forgotten items. With frigid winds a probability and precariously jumbled boulder fields to be maneuvered, only one commute daily is recommended. So after the chores are finished- "whose turn is it to dump the toilet?, I did it last week!” Who’s fixing dinner; you better get the dry stuff soaking. The dried shitake mushrooms might as well be mushroom jerky if they aren’t softened in water for several hours. Now, what data is on schedule for today? Genetics? Need a blood kit for each person, we’re also collecting samples so need the micro-centrifuge tubes, and remember to get the brown needles, they’re smaller.
If the tool kit is packed correctly, the day’s work can get done.
* If the tool kit is packed correctly, the day’s work can get done.*
Into the packs will go tackle boxes with assorted sampling supplies, measuring calipers and scale, sharpies; once the pastel tone of today’s bird is decided. And pencils to be used with the Write-in-the-Rain notebooks. Which notebooks? Ewan and Jerome are doing chick growth, so get that one, Ann is doing genetics and collecting full gular pouches so get the collection bottles and we are also trying to catch thesecond parent for some of the forage trip duration plots so we need picric acid and the paint brush. Jerome is not collecting feathers today, so leave the plastic bags in the lab.
The lab must be looked over for the correct materials*
Everyone will always pack binoculars and camera; we need lunch so someone must take charge of that. This means more canned herring in oil, rye bread, trail mix, one package of biscuits and tea or coffee for the thermos. After that is taken care of an individual must get their wind pants for over the normal pants, gloves, hat, neck scarf, and water. Don’t forget the walkie talkies. If someone is not going up yet, then the group leaving needs a large orange one, the second orange one stays at camp. Two groups on the hill, each take one of the small grey walkie/talkies. If it’s gong to be a very long day, we may take chocolate bars.. Now, stuff or shove it all in the back packs. Coats and gloves on, rifle set to go. Who is carrying the puffin net? Not needed, okay but we will take the noose carpets. If everyone is going up, we need to tie up the dogs, so they don’t follow us.
All part of a day at Kap Hoegh. What is forgotten might be brought up with the rest of the crew if they can, if not, the team goes without or goes back down. Few items have been forgotten, but if forgotten once, that item is never forgotten again. by the end of a month, the procedure is finely tuned, if few errors. Just another day at work.