Today was the kind of day where I was so busy I forgot to eat. The kind of busy where my brain fails to send hunger signals through my body because I’m so focused. The kind of busy that changes life from monotonous to wonderfully adrenaline filled. That feeling when you’re at the start of a race and the competition is just challenging enough: you know you can win but it won’t be easy. It’s one of my favorite states.
The day began with poop…
The day began with poop. Baby bird poop to be precise. Though if you want to be scientific, the correct term is nestling fecal sacs. And before you think I’m a weirdo (the petstore manager definitely did when I once asked for their bird poop) this actually is science. I’m answering the question: are baby birds ingesting microplastic? What better way to track the ingestion of something other than poop?
Today, this meant driving thirty minutes to that specific birdhouse location and cuddling with the incredibly ugly, incredibly wriggly, and all together incredibly adorable 10-day old birds.
And please note! All birds are handled with proper training and permitting 🙂 But if you do want a close up look of baby birds, then consider joining citizen science projects like NestWatch.
And the poop was followed by donuts…
Poop samples collected and nestlings safely returned to their nests, I headed to the nearest H-E-B grocery store to wash my hands and pick up some donuts. Late last night my advisor had sent me an SOS text asking me to pick up refreshments before my labmate’s thesis defense tomorrow.
No problem. I added a quick pit stop at the next door pet store to stare longingly at the budgies and then headed to campus.
…The donuts were followed by a thesis defense
Carrying two donut boxes in one arm and two tea jugs in another may not sound like a workout, but when you take into account all the stairs and the circuitous hallways, then perhaps it becomes a bit more understandable that my heart rate went up ever so slightly. Though I suppose I have been skimping on the push-ups…
I found the my labmate a little nervous, but otherwise prepared. We chatted a bit, resolved some technological issues, and waited for the thirty minutes until the presentation to pass by.
Then I got to hang out with my advisor
The public part of the presentation went splendidly. I later heard the secret portion, where the audience gets kicked out and the student must face her committee of professors on her own, also went well. I camped out at the library until my advisor texted me to ask if I was ready to go to the shed.
Now, let me say something about the shed. I realized that the ecologist imagining of shed and “carrying things” is not the same in the real world. My friend learned this the hard way when she found herself carrying not files from an office to a parking lot, but six-foot long metal poles through the forest…
The shed is a little portable trailer about a five minute walk into the woods. Things in the shed are all bulky and heavy.
In this case, “things” comprised of many, many bird feeders and birdhouses. It was hot, the things were indeed bulky, but I was thrilled.
One on one time with my advisor is as precious as a ptarmigan siting. Her level of busy-ness is, honestly, astonishing. I’m not quite sure how she is alive…Beyond our weekly meetings where we talk business, I don’t have much time to just hang out. But this day, we chatted about family, past adventures, future goals, and even faith. Plus a moment of laughter when we frantically searched for the shed key only to find it safely in my pocket.
All in all a 12 hour workday
The day ended with drinks to congratulate my labmate. I got home after a 12 hour day with just the right amount of tiredness, the kind that comes after productivity.
Confession time.
This is not day described at the beginning, where I was all abuzz with busy-ness. That was Tuesday. This blog is about Friday, also busy and productive, but not to the degree Tuesday was. Unfortunately, I do not remember what I did on Tuesday…Still, Friday can give a small peak into how much I love my job. Sometimes I think about how unreal it is. Studying and learning about birds is a real job?? But hey, if they want to pay me to do what I love, then who am I to question it? Instead, I will throw myself full-heartedly down this path with gratefulness, awe, and a touch of ambition.
Bird Lover's Musings 