Turns out owl banding is even more fun when I can sleep in the next day. We got five new cuties last night! All were hatch year birds, meaning they hatched this year and are on their very first migration. Note: I am a licensed bander handling these owls for a scientific study.

In such a hard year, it's strange to have so much to be thankful for. A job that I love, our first house. Most of all, I'm thankful that my family has remained safe. Thanksgiving isn't normal by any means this year, but the reflection on the good things is the same as always.

Working in the cold has some perks!

We found a fallen giant on our hike today. This sycamore was totally hollow several feet up the trunk from the base. Pretty cool to see, even if it was a little sad.

Decided to make my home office a lot happier yesterday! I'm not sure why the GoPro decided to stop recording halfway through, but this incomplete timelapse is still pretty fun.

Super excited to get this paper out! We introduced natural gas compressor noise to nest boxes and found that it reduced incubation time and hatching success in bluebirds and tree swallows. Pretty wild considering how human-tolerant these species are! academic.oup.com/condor/advance…

Even little Oak soldiers need a break from time to time

It's hard to believe it's already been a year since I started as the HEE Field Coordinator! 2020 was a weird year to start a new job, so the fact that I enjoyed it so much tells me I found the right fit. Looking forward to wandering the forest for many years to come!

Great article on my master's work at PSU Ecosystems! news.psu.edu/story/647898/2…

I smell like smoke and gasoline. It was a good day.

Two comments from two different techs today: (As I walked up a steep hill) Danielle, are you a goat?! (As I opened something he was struggling with) Danielle, you're a beast. I think I'm doing this field coordinator thing right.

My tech very sneakily took this great picture of me explaining things in the woods aka being my truest self

I am fully obsessed with these flowers I found at work. They're just. So. Beautiful 😍

There was a tick on the ceiling in our field housing the other day. We hadn't even been out in the field yet that morning.

My techs now get reminders from Cady the Friendly Cicada instead of me

If you had asked me at the beginning of the week, I would have said Ruffed Grouse were likely extirpated from Indiana. Sometimes I love being wrong!

Always making new friends at work 🕷️

So far today I have looked for a rattlesnake (and found it) and poked a wasp nest with a stick to see if it was still active (it was). In short, I think I maybe forgot to switch my survival instincts back on after the weekend. Anyways, here's my gorgeous rattlesnake friend!