Hi Friends!
It feels like I closed my eyes for two seconds and my last month at Malheur has already concluded. During these last few weeks, my main duties have included conducting submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) surveys and duck banding.
I am very thankful to have been able to participate in the last round of duck banding at Boca Lake and Summer Lake Wildlife Area. I am happy to report that I did, in fact, catch and band multiple northern shovelers! Additionally, my netting skills have greatly improved as I was able to capture three ruddy ducks with the help of Alexa’s maneuvering skills and patience. We also caught and banded an American wigeon, which I had never seen before that night. The northern pintails and mallards were much more aggressive this time around, but my excitement over the shovelers and ruddy ducks overshadowed their anger.
Pictured Above: Northern shoveler. Ruddy Duck. American Wigeon. Green-winged Teal.
I am officially on the road back to Texas to greet my family and friends. Hopefully I’ll have a job waiting for me when I arrive. Until next time, Malheur! Thank you to the Friends of Malheur for funding this position and to Malheur NWR Biology staff for their mentorship. I will treasure the memories and I’ll be back for sure!