So I was out with the monkeys today and just before sunset, I came across this neat tree with a hollow bottom. I thought to myself "that tree would make a good home for some kind of critter". Then I looked up. It was warming with thousands of bees and I was right in front of it before I noticed.
Of course, I had to take a video before I ran away. This is a terrible video. sorry. I didn't want to get right in there just in case they decided to swarm me so I had to use the zoom. Regardless, you can see that the bees filled up the whole trunk!
At the very end of the movie I tried to move in a little bit closer, but then one single bee flew out and hit me in the hand so I took the hint and stepped back. I already got stung by a bee once this week, i didn't really feel like getting a thousand more.
<3 Dayna
p.s. I got bit 5 times on the had today by acacia ants. Now my finger is all sausagey.
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Monday, March 29, 2010
happy sleepy monkey picture
I really like this photo.
This is a picture of Weirdo from LV having a lazy nap in the sun. I think I am going to put this photo on my wall when I go home because I feel happy and relaxed when I look at it.
^____^
This is a picture of Weirdo from LV having a lazy nap in the sun. I think I am going to put this photo on my wall when I go home because I feel happy and relaxed when I look at it.
^____^
Ketchup
Since i'm on the topic of babies, I thought I would introduce you to another one. This is Ketchup. He is the youngest member of LV and was born in December 2009. When I first arrived at Santa Rosa, he was so small that he didn't ever leave his mom (Salsa's) back. She carried him around everywhere she went. She is a great mom. This is a photo of him when he was about two months old. The little monkeys often make faces like this with their tongues sticking out. Apparently it helps them to thermoregulate and keep cool in the hot sun. I think it makes them look super cute and hilarious.Baby ketchup is starting to grow and he is learning quickly. He is always watching the other monkeys to learn how to climb and forage and make the right monkey noises... and whenever I am around he can't take his eyes off me. I must look like a strange giant monkey to him. hehe. Ketchup's siblings now carry him around a lot (giving Salsa a break) and he often jumps down and climbs around in the trees all by himself. The other day, I watched him for about 10 minutes as he practiced his jumping. He would stand on a branch and then just jump forward for no reason, and land back on the branch again. He was all shakey and awkward and sometimes he would lose his balance a little. It was hella cute.
The younger monkeys often use Ketchup to practice their baby skills. I often see him riding on his sister Velveeta's back. She is nearly old enough to have her own baby...and I like watching her practice carrying Ketchup around and watching to make sure that he is safe. One time I was watching them and another monkey gave an alarm call (probably for a bird or something making noise on the ground). Velveeta quickly scooped up Ketchup and took him up to a safe spot in the tree. She was so fast! It was great to see.
Here is a photo of Ketchup from 2 days ago. You can see how much bigger he is now. His face is a lot fluffier and he doesn't look like a little gremlin anymore. I am not sure of which juvenile this is that is carrying him here. They are cute huh?Ok. that's it for now! i'll try to post again later.
xoxox
Dayna
Friday, March 26, 2010
Chutney
This is Chutney. She is an adult female in the LV monkey group. She is my favorite female and SHE IS PREGNANT! The other day I was following her, and I noticed that her tummy looks really round and her belly button is kind of starting to stick out. I asked the PHD student to check the next time he was with the group. Today he confirmed it! I TOTALLY CALLED IT!!!
I really hope that her baby is born before I go home. If I am the one who finds it, I get to pick its name! I know I am getting ahead of myself a little but if its a boy I like the name Wasabi and if its a girl I like the name Saffron. (this is the food/sauces/spices group). Please post in the comments if you can think of other cool names!!
In honour of Chutney's little bundle of joy I have changed my header image! Up there is a photo of the cute little mama and the (most likely) dad Cayenne. In the picture you can kind of see Chutney's fat little tummy!! SOOO CUTE!!!
monkey babies FTW!
<3 Day
p.s. Chutney has had at least 3 babies already but only one (Chai) has survived so far. I hope this new one makes it.
Co-wah'-tee two!
So yesterday I was hangin out with LV under this big shady fig tree...and a coati hung out with us for hours and hours. I got to see coatis twice in two days AND this one let me get really close to him!
I have seen this individual before... he hangs out at the campground all the time. Being close to tourists has made him brave or something because he wasn't shy at all and didn't try to run away! While the capuchins napped in the sun, he foraged on the ground for a while and then climbed up in the tree and had a nap too. I got lots of great photos *cough* coati balls *cough* and some neat videos too!
Here is a video of him saying hi to me. He was literally close enough for me to reach out and touch. They look like little raccoon bears.
:)
I have seen this individual before... he hangs out at the campground all the time. Being close to tourists has made him brave or something because he wasn't shy at all and didn't try to run away! While the capuchins napped in the sun, he foraged on the ground for a while and then climbed up in the tree and had a nap too. I got lots of great photos *cough* coati balls *cough* and some neat videos too!
Here is a video of him saying hi to me. He was literally close enough for me to reach out and touch. They look like little raccoon bears.
:)
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Co-wah'-tee
So there's this huge herd of coatis that has been seen roaming around the park lately. I have been hoping that I would stumble upon them at some point and get a photo for all of you peeps. Coatis are cool. They're like a cross between a raccoon, a cat, and a teddy bear, and they're pretty big and can climb trees too!
Well the other day I found them! The british spider monkey chick and I were at her dorm (which is basically just a tiny little house a short walk down the road) looking for the lid to an epi-pen that she had accidentally stabbed her hand with (long story). We went through to the back of the building and there were probably at least 30 coatis out there. I have seen a few coatis here and there in the forest, but they are usually in groups of no more than five. Also, each time I have seen them they were really shy and ran away before I could get close.
When I found the herd I ran back and got my camera, but by the time I returned, they had already started to leave. I got a quick video of one as it was walking away. You can see a bunch of its buddies off in the distance. Now imagine that...times 10! They were everywhere! Anyway, i'll try catch the whole herd on film next time.
The moral of this story is: always carry your camera with you. Always.
xox
Day
Well the other day I found them! The british spider monkey chick and I were at her dorm (which is basically just a tiny little house a short walk down the road) looking for the lid to an epi-pen that she had accidentally stabbed her hand with (long story). We went through to the back of the building and there were probably at least 30 coatis out there. I have seen a few coatis here and there in the forest, but they are usually in groups of no more than five. Also, each time I have seen them they were really shy and ran away before I could get close.
When I found the herd I ran back and got my camera, but by the time I returned, they had already started to leave. I got a quick video of one as it was walking away. You can see a bunch of its buddies off in the distance. Now imagine that...times 10! They were everywhere! Anyway, i'll try catch the whole herd on film next time.
The moral of this story is: always carry your camera with you. Always.
xox
Day
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Santa Rosa: Take 2
So I made it back safely to Santa Rosa. My little vacation in Canada was great: I got my interview done; I got a pedicure and now my feets are all pretty again; I got to relax with some retail therapy and do a bunch of shopping; I got to eat all kinds of delicious food that I can't get here; AND I got to see all my awesome peeps, my family, as well as my sweet Neko dog. The trip totally rejuvenated me. I'm ready for anything that monkeyschool can throw at me! BRING IT!
I love Costa Rica. As soon as I got off the plane, this wave of happiness washed over me. I love the forest, and the people, and the fact that there are animals everywhere I look. I am excited to get back and hang with my monkey family too! The PHD student gave me a day to rest from flying - but tomorrow its back to the forest! YAY!
My trip back was really good. On the flight from Houston to Liberia, I sat next to a cool young family who is here on their first vacation out of the states. I talked with them for a while about monkeys and fun places in Costa Rica to travel - and it turns out their youngest son William is aspiring to be a primatologist! What an awesome kid! After we landed, I gave them my blog address and they took a picture of me and William together. Perhaps I will see him again someday when i'm a primate vet and he's all grown up and publishing his own research papers! I hope the whole family has a fantastic time here and that the monkeys aren't shy!
To finish off this post, here is a list of things that I will miss about Canada:
That's all for now! Time for lunch.
xoxox
Dayna
I love Costa Rica. As soon as I got off the plane, this wave of happiness washed over me. I love the forest, and the people, and the fact that there are animals everywhere I look. I am excited to get back and hang with my monkey family too! The PHD student gave me a day to rest from flying - but tomorrow its back to the forest! YAY!
My trip back was really good. On the flight from Houston to Liberia, I sat next to a cool young family who is here on their first vacation out of the states. I talked with them for a while about monkeys and fun places in Costa Rica to travel - and it turns out their youngest son William is aspiring to be a primatologist! What an awesome kid! After we landed, I gave them my blog address and they took a picture of me and William together. Perhaps I will see him again someday when i'm a primate vet and he's all grown up and publishing his own research papers! I hope the whole family has a fantastic time here and that the monkeys aren't shy!
To finish off this post, here is a list of things that I will miss about Canada:
- long hot showers. mmmmm
- internet that doesn't fail when im in the middle of a good skype conversation. sigh
- good hair days (with no sweating)
- not having to pick bugs out of my bed
- being able to flush toilet paper (it goes into the wastebasket here.)
- my peeps. it was great to see you guys
That's all for now! Time for lunch.
xoxox
Dayna
Monday, March 22, 2010
airport randoms
So i'm half way back to Costa Rica. I have a 5 hour layover in the houston airport. I took some photos while I waited. One of the photos has been modified in a way that makes me giggle. Can you find it?
<3 Day
<3 Day
Sunday, March 21, 2010
the interview ass kicking
Ok... so I totally kicked the interview in the ass. I think that part went GREAT! I made a lot of the interviewers laugh and smile and two of them even commented that I really appeared to be enjoying myself and having a good time. (This is kind of a big deal, cause many of the students are literally on the verge of tears while going through the interviews). So...go me!
However, I do not feel good about the essay part. They asked about current issues that production animal/rural vets have to face...and I didn't know what to say. I was ready to talk about the school and/or my qualifications for attending the school (either that or monkey balls). I did not do well. We were supposed to write 750 words, and I think I got about 500 actual words written. Terrible. I like to think I am not completely terrible at writing...so its a little disappointing that I didn't kick the essay in the ass too.
Now I get to wait. They score all the different areas, and the students with the highest scores are the ones who get the invites to attend vet school. My grades are great, my interview went great, my references are great, and my essay sucked ass. The interview and the grades are weighted the highest...so I really really hope its enough. Overall I feel pretty good about my chances - and I really do think I would make a great vet. Keep your fingers crossed for me ok?
Today is my last day in Canada. I am back in Edmonton right now and today I plan to: drink coffee, maybe do a little more shopping, snuggle my dog, and relax. I have to be at the airport at 3am...and my flight leaves at 6am. Then its back home to the jungle I go! MOAR MONKEYBALLS! WOO!
Ok, well I just thought i'd update you. Im going to go drink my coffee now.
<3 <3
Day
However, I do not feel good about the essay part. They asked about current issues that production animal/rural vets have to face...and I didn't know what to say. I was ready to talk about the school and/or my qualifications for attending the school (either that or monkey balls). I did not do well. We were supposed to write 750 words, and I think I got about 500 actual words written. Terrible. I like to think I am not completely terrible at writing...so its a little disappointing that I didn't kick the essay in the ass too.
Now I get to wait. They score all the different areas, and the students with the highest scores are the ones who get the invites to attend vet school. My grades are great, my interview went great, my references are great, and my essay sucked ass. The interview and the grades are weighted the highest...so I really really hope its enough. Overall I feel pretty good about my chances - and I really do think I would make a great vet. Keep your fingers crossed for me ok?
Today is my last day in Canada. I am back in Edmonton right now and today I plan to: drink coffee, maybe do a little more shopping, snuggle my dog, and relax. I have to be at the airport at 3am...and my flight leaves at 6am. Then its back home to the jungle I go! MOAR MONKEYBALLS! WOO!
Ok, well I just thought i'd update you. Im going to go drink my coffee now.
<3 <3
Day
Friday, March 19, 2010
Canaduh
Hola Blogoids!
So traveling back to Canada went relatively smoothly. One annoying thing happened though... I purchased 2 bottles of duty-free rum while in the Liberia airport and was going to give one to my parents and one to a friend. Little did I know, that when I arrived in Houston I would have to go through airport security for a second time. I had the rum in my carry on bag, and when they scanned it - they were not happy because having liquids is in violation of their rules. They gave me the option of stowing the rum in my "under the plane" bag, or having it confiscated. I only had half an hour to make my connecting flight, and I did not have access to my under the plane bag because it was already being loaded on the next plane.
So the jerks stole my rum!! This is the second time the americans have taken my stuff on a connecting flight. Once, on a flight coming back from Dubai, we had a stop in Chicago and they took all my bootleg video games during a mandatory bag search (without us present). A-HOLES!
Anyway, aside from that things were great. I watched the new Burton Alice in Wonderland and Avatar (omg I love Avatar) on my computer on the way home. When I arrived in Edmonton, my parents were waiting for me and the weather was nice and chilly. When we arrived at their house, my dog Neko was really happy to see me. I missed her so much I almost started crying. Neko and I made out for like an hour and then we snuggled in the spare bed together to sleep. We are in love.
Today I have to drive to Calgary. Ima surprise some peeps and have lots of running around to do.
To finish this post, here is a photo of me and Neko - my life partner. she doesn't like having pictures taken - just like a few of my other favorites. We're the cutest couple ever huh?
OMG tomorrow is my interview!! I hope I kick its ass.
So traveling back to Canada went relatively smoothly. One annoying thing happened though... I purchased 2 bottles of duty-free rum while in the Liberia airport and was going to give one to my parents and one to a friend. Little did I know, that when I arrived in Houston I would have to go through airport security for a second time. I had the rum in my carry on bag, and when they scanned it - they were not happy because having liquids is in violation of their rules. They gave me the option of stowing the rum in my "under the plane" bag, or having it confiscated. I only had half an hour to make my connecting flight, and I did not have access to my under the plane bag because it was already being loaded on the next plane.
So the jerks stole my rum!! This is the second time the americans have taken my stuff on a connecting flight. Once, on a flight coming back from Dubai, we had a stop in Chicago and they took all my bootleg video games during a mandatory bag search (without us present). A-HOLES!
Anyway, aside from that things were great. I watched the new Burton Alice in Wonderland and Avatar (omg I love Avatar) on my computer on the way home. When I arrived in Edmonton, my parents were waiting for me and the weather was nice and chilly. When we arrived at their house, my dog Neko was really happy to see me. I missed her so much I almost started crying. Neko and I made out for like an hour and then we snuggled in the spare bed together to sleep. We are in love.
Today I have to drive to Calgary. Ima surprise some peeps and have lots of running around to do.
To finish this post, here is a photo of me and Neko - my life partner. she doesn't like having pictures taken - just like a few of my other favorites. We're the cutest couple ever huh?
OMG tomorrow is my interview!! I hope I kick its ass.
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
the best part is at the end!
Babaganouj (the alpha male for Guanacaste) stole an egg out of a crested guan's nest yesterday. Apparently all monkeys have different egg-eating styles. He made a hole in the top and slurped it up. He was very nice and neat about it.
I had a really long video of him eating his egg (like 5 minutes) but I edited it to show you the best part. Watch the end. hehe
<3 <3
Dayna
P.S. I leave for Canada in about an hour. Sooo much to do and so little time.
I had a really long video of him eating his egg (like 5 minutes) but I edited it to show you the best part. Watch the end. hehe
<3 <3
Dayna
P.S. I leave for Canada in about an hour. Sooo much to do and so little time.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
wee cuteness - part 2
so it seems that this week is all about finding adorable wee animals. Lookit this baby toad that was in my shower today.
I loves it. ^____^
I loves it. ^____^
Monday, March 15, 2010
Sunday, March 14, 2010
sunday randoms
Here are some randoms to start the day.
- first of all, Grats to my contest winners Inc and Linds who knew that the quote on the MEGA FAIL INTERNET post was from the Simpsons Treehouse of Horror "The Shinning" episode (arguably the best simpsons episode of all time, definite top 5). Free naked skype sessions coming your way guys. (what? WHAT?! if naked skyping your sister is wrong, then I don't want to be right).
- my primary order of business today is to wash my backpack. I leave for Canada in 3 days and there is no way I can take it on a plane in its current condition. Not only is it full of dirt, leaves, and ticks (blech), but Nutella dropped a hot steaming present right inside it the other day (thanks buddy, love you too!). Also, 2.5 months of sweating like a pig while wearing it has made it kind of smelly. If i wore it now, the jungle stink would transfer on to my regular clothes and I don't think they would be the same after that.
- speaking of regular clothes... I have only one pair of long pants here in Costa Rica. When I fly home, I am assuming that shorts will not be appropriate Canadian March attire. So yay for me! I get to buy stuff! I am looking forward going shopping. I need at least 1 pair of pants, some long sleeves, and something nice to wear on my interview. Also, when I get to calgary my BFF and me are going to get pedicures!! I cannot even explain how much I am looking forward to the part where they rub lotion into your feet and legs for like 20 minutes. *drool*
- today a hummingbird flew into my room! I love them. they sound like little helicopters when they fly. don't worry though, it just had a look around my room and then flew right back out again. Since I started writing this post I have seen: a ctenosaur, an agouti, and some strange kind of small lizard that walked like it was a robot. They were all right beside where I am sitting right now. I love that. oh - I also found a dead snake on the road. yum.
- Finally, monkeyschool is beating me up a little bit. Between the bug bites and the branches scratching me (and my inability not to pick at stuff) I look a lot like a meth addict/crack ho. Long sleeves are definitely in order for the vet school interview. Here is a photo of the crack-hoedness. smexy.
that's it for now!!
<3 <3
Dayna
- first of all, Grats to my contest winners Inc and Linds who knew that the quote on the MEGA FAIL INTERNET post was from the Simpsons Treehouse of Horror "The Shinning" episode (arguably the best simpsons episode of all time, definite top 5). Free naked skype sessions coming your way guys. (what? WHAT?! if naked skyping your sister is wrong, then I don't want to be right).
- my primary order of business today is to wash my backpack. I leave for Canada in 3 days and there is no way I can take it on a plane in its current condition. Not only is it full of dirt, leaves, and ticks (blech), but Nutella dropped a hot steaming present right inside it the other day (thanks buddy, love you too!). Also, 2.5 months of sweating like a pig while wearing it has made it kind of smelly. If i wore it now, the jungle stink would transfer on to my regular clothes and I don't think they would be the same after that.
- speaking of regular clothes... I have only one pair of long pants here in Costa Rica. When I fly home, I am assuming that shorts will not be appropriate Canadian March attire. So yay for me! I get to buy stuff! I am looking forward going shopping. I need at least 1 pair of pants, some long sleeves, and something nice to wear on my interview. Also, when I get to calgary my BFF and me are going to get pedicures!! I cannot even explain how much I am looking forward to the part where they rub lotion into your feet and legs for like 20 minutes. *drool*
- today a hummingbird flew into my room! I love them. they sound like little helicopters when they fly. don't worry though, it just had a look around my room and then flew right back out again. Since I started writing this post I have seen: a ctenosaur, an agouti, and some strange kind of small lizard that walked like it was a robot. They were all right beside where I am sitting right now. I love that. oh - I also found a dead snake on the road. yum.
- Finally, monkeyschool is beating me up a little bit. Between the bug bites and the branches scratching me (and my inability not to pick at stuff) I look a lot like a meth addict/crack ho. Long sleeves are definitely in order for the vet school interview. Here is a photo of the crack-hoedness. smexy.
that's it for now!!
<3 <3
Dayna
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Thursday, March 11, 2010
rincon de la vieja
Today was my day off. The british spider monkey chick invited me to go with her and a friend to Rincon de la Vieja - a volcano that is about 1 hour away from Santa Rosa. It was a really cool trip - except for the fact that is was super humid today and I couldn't stop sweating. ugh. gross. At least I know my fitness level is improving here...we climbed a really long steep hill and I was able to walk and talk at the same time and hardly felt out of breath when we were done. ^___^
Anyway, here is a little slideshow of the photos I took while there. We got to see boiling water pools, mud pits, giant fig trees, and a little mini volcano crater (hiking to the big crater would have taken 7 hours round trip and we didn't have time). The scenery was a mix between a lush green rainforest and a dry barren grassland and the whole place smelled like steamy rotten eggs. They had canopy tours there that I would have liked to do (moar ziplining!!) but the others didn't seem too interested. I guess that just means i'll have to go back again someday.
Hope you enjoy the pics! Also, because a photo just doesn't capture the coolness... here is a video of a boiling pond. I wonder how long it would take a human to cook if they fell in there? mmmm.
<3 <3
Dayna
Anyway, here is a little slideshow of the photos I took while there. We got to see boiling water pools, mud pits, giant fig trees, and a little mini volcano crater (hiking to the big crater would have taken 7 hours round trip and we didn't have time). The scenery was a mix between a lush green rainforest and a dry barren grassland and the whole place smelled like steamy rotten eggs. They had canopy tours there that I would have liked to do (moar ziplining!!) but the others didn't seem too interested. I guess that just means i'll have to go back again someday.
Hope you enjoy the pics! Also, because a photo just doesn't capture the coolness... here is a video of a boiling pond. I wonder how long it would take a human to cook if they fell in there? mmmm.
<3 <3
Dayna
bee hole
A couple days ago, I snapped this video of the LV monkeys drinking at a watering hole in a dried up quebrada (creek). Check out how many bees were swarming! They were everywhere. Sometimes we get bees swarming in our kitchen like this. The crazy thing is, the bees never sting. Apparently they don't associate us as a threat to their hive when they are near water. I guess if the hive was nearby, it would be a different story...
Anyways, after I shot this video I followed the monkeys right through the middle of the bee swarm. I wasn't even scared. Cool huh?
*buzz* *buzz*
Anyways, after I shot this video I followed the monkeys right through the middle of the bee swarm. I wasn't even scared. Cool huh?
*buzz* *buzz*
wee cuteness
My internet is still sucking but I walked to the comedor (cafeteria) for a tiny post this morning.
Look what I found in my room last night? WEE BABY GECKO! I found it on my desk and it let me pick it up just long enough to snap one quick photo. Then it jumped off my hand and ran up the wall. I hope it decides to live with me cause I lurve it.
cute things make me happy.
<3 <3 <3
Dayna
Look what I found in my room last night? WEE BABY GECKO! I found it on my desk and it let me pick it up just long enough to snap one quick photo. Then it jumped off my hand and ran up the wall. I hope it decides to live with me cause I lurve it.
cute things make me happy.
<3 <3 <3
Dayna
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
MEGA FAIL INTERNET
My internet has been down for over 24 hours. I feel like i'm going through withdrawal from some kind of drug. :(
I have snuck into the lab and am using lab-internet right now but I can't stay on long cause dinner is ready soon. I have a few different blogs ready...i just don't have time to post them right now. i'll sneak back and post as soon as I can.
"no TV and no internet makes Dayna something something...."
"go crazy? Don't mind if I do!"
Free cyberz for anybody who knows what that quote is from.
<3 <3
Dayna
I have snuck into the lab and am using lab-internet right now but I can't stay on long cause dinner is ready soon. I have a few different blogs ready...i just don't have time to post them right now. i'll sneak back and post as soon as I can.
"no TV and no internet makes Dayna something something...."
"go crazy? Don't mind if I do!"
Free cyberz for anybody who knows what that quote is from.
<3 <3
Dayna
Monday, March 8, 2010
sink frog = good day
Today is my day off. I lazed around for a lot of the morning and didn't even get out of bed for two whole hours after i woke up (sooo awesome!). Now am just sipping coffee in the afternoon sun. Right away I have to do some data cleaning and then work on a literature review assignment that I have due at the end of the month. Sadly, it is really difficult to do homework here on my days off. All I want to do is sit around... but if I force myself to do about 2 hours on each day off, then I may actually finish sometime in... june? haha
Anyway time to get to work. Here is a little photo that explains one of the reasons I love it here. This little dude was in my sink today. :) What a cutie.
i'll write more later if I have time.
<3 Dayna
P.S. I think I leave for Canada in a week (for my vet school interview). I am hella nervous about the interview and I am really excited to go home to Calgary and see friends and do non-jungley things.
P.S.2 Also, yesterday was my 2 month anniversary of living in costa rica. Can you believe how fast two months has flown by? Its madness, i tell you.
Anyway time to get to work. Here is a little photo that explains one of the reasons I love it here. This little dude was in my sink today. :) What a cutie.
i'll write more later if I have time.
<3 Dayna
P.S. I think I leave for Canada in a week (for my vet school interview). I am hella nervous about the interview and I am really excited to go home to Calgary and see friends and do non-jungley things.
P.S.2 Also, yesterday was my 2 month anniversary of living in costa rica. Can you believe how fast two months has flown by? Its madness, i tell you.
Sunday, March 7, 2010
worst day yet
So yesterday I had probably the worst day I have had since I came to Costa Rica. It started out decent enough. I got up early to wake the LV group.... I found them with no trouble. They spent all day close to this big fruiting fig tree in a sunny part of the forest. Things were going well.
The trouble began when I was doing a 15 minute monkey follow (basically I have to follow a monkey for 15 minutes and record its behaviours every 60 seconds). I was so busy watching my focal monkey that I didn't realize that there was another monkey foraging directly above me. That monkey dropped a log right on my head. And when I say "dropped a log", I am not talking about poo. I mean, a giant chunk of wood came crashing down and cracked me right on the top of the skull. Ouch. I managed to keep it together and finish my follow, but it really hurt.
After I stopped seeing stars, I had to record some phenology for the giant fig tree. One of the things we have to measure is the CBH - circumference at breast height. The fig was so big that there was no way I could get my arms around it...so measuring the circumference involved me holding my measuring tape and basically hugging the tree, and then moving over and doing it again...and again... all the way around. Little did I know, that as I was tree-hugging and/or measuring, I would hug a tiny little wasp nest. A bunch of small wasps flew down my shirt and one stung me on the boob. As far as wasp stings go, this one wasn't too bad...but still! The breast is no place for a wasp to sting. :(
The rest of the work day proceeded without incident. That evening, I had planned to catch a ride into town with the cool british spider monkey researcher. I needed groceries and she happened to be going to the airport to pick up a friend who came to visit. I thought it would be quick and easy to pick up my groceries and save some money by sharing a cab. The plan was, her and her friend would come get me at the grocery store with their rental car as soon as they picked it up. Then we would all drive back to the park together. Well, they had rental car hell...and as a result, I literally had to wait on the curb outside the (closed) grocery store for nearly 3 hours. Also, last night was one of the coldest and windiest nights we have had here in a long time. I was wearing long sleeves and jeans but still froze my ass off. By the time they picked me up, I was too tired to think of anything besides my bed.
It was nearly 11pm by the time we got back to the park. They dropped me off at the researcher dorms and proceeded to the area where the tourists sleep. It was at that moment that i realized that I had locked my key inside my room. Every other person at the dorm was already asleep, and the person who had the spare key to my room wouldn't arrive until morning. I ended up grabbing my beach towel off the clothesline and using it as a blanket in the hammock. The hammock was comfy but for the first couple hours I was pretty cold so I didn't sleep that well. The good thing is, at about 2am the PHD student's girlfriend woke up and noticed me on her way to the bathroom. She gave me her blanket for the rest of the night. After I warmed up, I actually slept pretty well.
Anyway, that was my day of fail. I am glad its over.
The lessons I learned were:
1. wasps don't like to be hugged.
2. Also, always check to make sure you have a key before locking the door from the outside.
3. when in a pinch, hammocks can make comfy (but drafty) beds
The End.
The trouble began when I was doing a 15 minute monkey follow (basically I have to follow a monkey for 15 minutes and record its behaviours every 60 seconds). I was so busy watching my focal monkey that I didn't realize that there was another monkey foraging directly above me. That monkey dropped a log right on my head. And when I say "dropped a log", I am not talking about poo. I mean, a giant chunk of wood came crashing down and cracked me right on the top of the skull. Ouch. I managed to keep it together and finish my follow, but it really hurt.
After I stopped seeing stars, I had to record some phenology for the giant fig tree. One of the things we have to measure is the CBH - circumference at breast height. The fig was so big that there was no way I could get my arms around it...so measuring the circumference involved me holding my measuring tape and basically hugging the tree, and then moving over and doing it again...and again... all the way around. Little did I know, that as I was tree-hugging and/or measuring, I would hug a tiny little wasp nest. A bunch of small wasps flew down my shirt and one stung me on the boob. As far as wasp stings go, this one wasn't too bad...but still! The breast is no place for a wasp to sting. :(
The rest of the work day proceeded without incident. That evening, I had planned to catch a ride into town with the cool british spider monkey researcher. I needed groceries and she happened to be going to the airport to pick up a friend who came to visit. I thought it would be quick and easy to pick up my groceries and save some money by sharing a cab. The plan was, her and her friend would come get me at the grocery store with their rental car as soon as they picked it up. Then we would all drive back to the park together. Well, they had rental car hell...and as a result, I literally had to wait on the curb outside the (closed) grocery store for nearly 3 hours. Also, last night was one of the coldest and windiest nights we have had here in a long time. I was wearing long sleeves and jeans but still froze my ass off. By the time they picked me up, I was too tired to think of anything besides my bed.
It was nearly 11pm by the time we got back to the park. They dropped me off at the researcher dorms and proceeded to the area where the tourists sleep. It was at that moment that i realized that I had locked my key inside my room. Every other person at the dorm was already asleep, and the person who had the spare key to my room wouldn't arrive until morning. I ended up grabbing my beach towel off the clothesline and using it as a blanket in the hammock. The hammock was comfy but for the first couple hours I was pretty cold so I didn't sleep that well. The good thing is, at about 2am the PHD student's girlfriend woke up and noticed me on her way to the bathroom. She gave me her blanket for the rest of the night. After I warmed up, I actually slept pretty well.
Anyway, that was my day of fail. I am glad its over.
The lessons I learned were:
1. wasps don't like to be hugged.
2. Also, always check to make sure you have a key before locking the door from the outside.
3. when in a pinch, hammocks can make comfy (but drafty) beds
The End.
spider monkeys are whores
Spider monkeys are not as cool as capuchin monkeys. For one thing, they have no thumbs. I know, I know...thumbs get in the way during brachiation. But gibbons are brachiators too and they have thumbs! Technically, I think one of the key distinguishing features of a primate is a hand with 5 digits and an opposable thumb......So WTF spider monkeys, how do you explain that?
Spider monkeys are also users. Whenever they encounter capuchins, they flop down and ask for grooming. And since capuchins are such giving little angels, they always comply. However, spider monkeys NEVER groom capuchins. ever. And don't try to tell me they can't groom because their thumbs are missing. excuses. that's what I say.
Yesterday, the spiders and the capuchins were all in a fruiting fig tree together (the spiders were being bullies and weren't sharing the figs by the way) and I got this video. This spider female is basically being a giant grooming whore. Little does she know, one of the capuchins peed on its hands about 30 seconds before I filmed this. HA! Capuchins win!
(I don't really hate spider monkeys. But I do think they look like aliens).
<3 Day
Thursday, March 4, 2010
what a good day
Today was a good day. I got to sleep in until 7:30am which is crazy late for me. Then I got my phenology done really quickly and had some time to kill so I decided to go walk on one of my favorite trails in the forest (K trail). K Trail has really tall nice trees. It runs right along the edge of a ridge and the wind is always blowing there so its a good place to cool off on a hot day. There are also a lot of large rocks jutting out over the cliff which make great spots to sit. I found one of these spots and just sat down for an hour and enjoyed being in the forest in the sunshine.
After I got back to the dorms, I chilled out during the hottest part of the day and watched a movie on my computer. Then I was feeling tired so I had a nap. After my nap, the other research assistant convinced me not to go back out to the field and instead go to the casona (the area of the park that has the war memorial, a small museum, and the iguana corral) with her. It is currently some sort of Guanacaste province appreciation month here and right now at the casona there is a photo exhibit that is showcasing photos taken here in guanacaste. We looked at the photos for a while and hung out in the old buildings. The pics were really pretty, and while I was there I noticed that the building was full of bats!! Bats are so cute. I love them. One of the bats yawned while I was watching it...then it stuck out its tongue. I also got to watch a baby bat nurse from its mom - all while hanging upside down. (btw - the bat in our bathroom has slept there every day for about a week now. ^____^ )
After the casona closed, we walked back to the dorms with a guy who works in the park. On the way back, we saw a group of monkeys race across the road. In the lead was Simba - the alpha female of the group CP (a group that I don't study). She had somehow killed a green parrot and was racing up a tree to eat it. All the other monkeys wanted to be her BFF - with the hopes that she would share (she didn't). Here is a video of her eating the parrot. (can you hear the food peeps?) This video sucks because a) the sun was setting, b) the monkeys were in a forest with poor visibility, and c) while i was filming, an ant started crawling on my shoulder and i had to get it before it bit me...that's why the camera moves at the end. oh well. its not every day you see a monkey eating a parrot. im just glad i caught it.
After we got back to the dorms, the other assistant and the guy who works at the park asked me to go with them and third guy to La Cruz - a town about 50km away from Santa Rosa. At first I didn't want to go because I was nervous that they would all speak spanish and i would feel kind of awkward. But they forced me to come with them and i'm glad I did. They were all really nice and included me in all of their conversations. I even understood a joke when they made one in spanish!! woo! As we were driving out of the park, the sun was setting. The sky was this crazy colour of red. We stopped at a lookout point and watched the sky for a bit. Eventually, we made our way to La Cruz and had food at a cool little seafood restaurant. I had a piece of fish and salad and french fries! Food at the dorms can get a little bet repetitive so I really enjoyed it. Plus it was my night to cook and I didn't have to!!! ha
We sat and talked for a bit after dinner and then made our way back home. By this point i was pretty tired, so i thanked everybody, said goodnight, and settled in for bed.
Wow - good thing that was the end of my day...cause this post is long!! Hope you enjoyed my photos.
<3 <3 <3
Day
After I got back to the dorms, I chilled out during the hottest part of the day and watched a movie on my computer. Then I was feeling tired so I had a nap. After my nap, the other research assistant convinced me not to go back out to the field and instead go to the casona (the area of the park that has the war memorial, a small museum, and the iguana corral) with her. It is currently some sort of Guanacaste province appreciation month here and right now at the casona there is a photo exhibit that is showcasing photos taken here in guanacaste. We looked at the photos for a while and hung out in the old buildings. The pics were really pretty, and while I was there I noticed that the building was full of bats!! Bats are so cute. I love them. One of the bats yawned while I was watching it...then it stuck out its tongue. I also got to watch a baby bat nurse from its mom - all while hanging upside down. (btw - the bat in our bathroom has slept there every day for about a week now. ^____^ )
After the casona closed, we walked back to the dorms with a guy who works in the park. On the way back, we saw a group of monkeys race across the road. In the lead was Simba - the alpha female of the group CP (a group that I don't study). She had somehow killed a green parrot and was racing up a tree to eat it. All the other monkeys wanted to be her BFF - with the hopes that she would share (she didn't). Here is a video of her eating the parrot. (can you hear the food peeps?) This video sucks because a) the sun was setting, b) the monkeys were in a forest with poor visibility, and c) while i was filming, an ant started crawling on my shoulder and i had to get it before it bit me...that's why the camera moves at the end. oh well. its not every day you see a monkey eating a parrot. im just glad i caught it.
After we got back to the dorms, the other assistant and the guy who works at the park asked me to go with them and third guy to La Cruz - a town about 50km away from Santa Rosa. At first I didn't want to go because I was nervous that they would all speak spanish and i would feel kind of awkward. But they forced me to come with them and i'm glad I did. They were all really nice and included me in all of their conversations. I even understood a joke when they made one in spanish!! woo! As we were driving out of the park, the sun was setting. The sky was this crazy colour of red. We stopped at a lookout point and watched the sky for a bit. Eventually, we made our way to La Cruz and had food at a cool little seafood restaurant. I had a piece of fish and salad and french fries! Food at the dorms can get a little bet repetitive so I really enjoyed it. Plus it was my night to cook and I didn't have to!!! ha
We sat and talked for a bit after dinner and then made our way back home. By this point i was pretty tired, so i thanked everybody, said goodnight, and settled in for bed.
Wow - good thing that was the end of my day...cause this post is long!! Hope you enjoyed my photos.
<3 <3 <3
Day
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
tayra trio
Today I was out counting trees in the forest and I stumbled upon 3 tayras climbing in a tree. This was my only third tayra sighting since I have been here and it made my day. The first time I saw one I was like "WTF IS THAT CRAZY THING?!" cause I had only seen them in photos and I didn't expect them to be so big! They are like giant 40-pound black ferrets.
Tayras are pretty shy around humans. Every time I have encountered one, they have hissed at me like a cat and run away really fast. Today was the first time I had ever seen 3 at once and it was awesome. I came across them while I was walking, and the wind was blowing so they probably didn't hear me coming. After I spotted one, I hung back and kind of ducked behind a big tangle of vines that was on the trail and watched it for a bit. Then I crept up closer to the tree it was climbing in. As soon as it saw me, it jumped to the ground and took off...but it didn't go very far because by that time I was near the trunk of the tree and was blocking its buddies from getting down. It stayed right out in the open on the path about 20 metres away from me and hissed and bobbed its head at me (big threats). The two that were left in the tree hissed at me too. I said "hi tayras!" out loud but that just made them hiss more. hehe.
After watching the two in the tree for a bit, I backed up to give them room to get down. As soon as they saw me retreating, they jumped to the ground and all three of them took off. It was so cool to be able to get up close to them. They were big! Sadly, every time I have seen a tayra in the forest I haven't had my camera with me. I should make a point of bringing it every day - just in case I see more cool things. The PHD student saw a really large puma the other day and I would love to catch one of them on film!
In conclusion, I would like to say that I like tayras, even though they don't like me.
The end.
This story was brought to you by me - Dayna!
Also - in non-tayra news, I found out today that I got invited to interview for vet school. That's one step closer. *fingers crossed*
Tayras are pretty shy around humans. Every time I have encountered one, they have hissed at me like a cat and run away really fast. Today was the first time I had ever seen 3 at once and it was awesome. I came across them while I was walking, and the wind was blowing so they probably didn't hear me coming. After I spotted one, I hung back and kind of ducked behind a big tangle of vines that was on the trail and watched it for a bit. Then I crept up closer to the tree it was climbing in. As soon as it saw me, it jumped to the ground and took off...but it didn't go very far because by that time I was near the trunk of the tree and was blocking its buddies from getting down. It stayed right out in the open on the path about 20 metres away from me and hissed and bobbed its head at me (big threats). The two that were left in the tree hissed at me too. I said "hi tayras!" out loud but that just made them hiss more. hehe.
After watching the two in the tree for a bit, I backed up to give them room to get down. As soon as they saw me retreating, they jumped to the ground and all three of them took off. It was so cool to be able to get up close to them. They were big! Sadly, every time I have seen a tayra in the forest I haven't had my camera with me. I should make a point of bringing it every day - just in case I see more cool things. The PHD student saw a really large puma the other day and I would love to catch one of them on film!
In conclusion, I would like to say that I like tayras, even though they don't like me.
The end.
This story was brought to you by me - Dayna!
Also - in non-tayra news, I found out today that I got invited to interview for vet school. That's one step closer. *fingers crossed*
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
ant attack
Out of all the ants in Costa Rica (and omg are there a lot of ants here), leafcutters are probably my favorites. They make these crazy highways through the forest and spend every night marching along them - looking for suitable leaves to bring back to their giant ant hills. They use the leaves to cultivate a fungus inside the hill - which is their main source of food. I love how they are such busy little farmers. work work work!
We currently have a colony of leafcutters that marches into our bathroom every night looking for water. After dark, there are literally thousands of ants marching along the wall - and then by morning they have all disappeared. Usually when they march, they stay in a nice orderly line that we just hop over to get inside the bathroom. But sometimes while we are cooking dinner, one of us will forget and put our foot in their trail. Then the ants get all confused and go everywhere. its annoying cause then they wander around and bite any feet that are standing nearby. ouch!
One time we dropped a cooked fusili noodle in their path. The ants cut it up into pieces and carried it off. it was funny to watch little pieces of noodle marching off into the forest. ^__^ Tonight, I will try to get a good video of the bathroom leafcutters for you to see. If I get one, I will add it to this post.
There are quite a few different types of leafcutters. The little teeny ones are in charge of growing the fungus gardens and tending to duties inside the ant hill. The middle sized ones are the workers who march along the highways and carry leaves around. Then there are the big giant huge ones - the soldiers. They patrol around and defend the colony from danger. They also do the heavy lifting and help to clear big debris from the ant highway. I have no desire to get bit by one of them...their jaws are HUGE!
the other day while in the forest, I came across a poor beetle that had wandered onto a leafcutter trail. The workers and soldiers had swarmed it and were cutting it apart while it was still alive. Of course, I took a video. (this site compresses the crap out of my videos and makes them lose a lot of their quality. boo). You can see how the ants have already removed the beetle's legs and its little leg stumps are wiggling around. gory!
*chomp chomp chomp*
<3 Day
We currently have a colony of leafcutters that marches into our bathroom every night looking for water. After dark, there are literally thousands of ants marching along the wall - and then by morning they have all disappeared. Usually when they march, they stay in a nice orderly line that we just hop over to get inside the bathroom. But sometimes while we are cooking dinner, one of us will forget and put our foot in their trail. Then the ants get all confused and go everywhere. its annoying cause then they wander around and bite any feet that are standing nearby. ouch!
One time we dropped a cooked fusili noodle in their path. The ants cut it up into pieces and carried it off. it was funny to watch little pieces of noodle marching off into the forest. ^__^ Tonight, I will try to get a good video of the bathroom leafcutters for you to see. If I get one, I will add it to this post.
There are quite a few different types of leafcutters. The little teeny ones are in charge of growing the fungus gardens and tending to duties inside the ant hill. The middle sized ones are the workers who march along the highways and carry leaves around. Then there are the big giant huge ones - the soldiers. They patrol around and defend the colony from danger. They also do the heavy lifting and help to clear big debris from the ant highway. I have no desire to get bit by one of them...their jaws are HUGE!
the other day while in the forest, I came across a poor beetle that had wandered onto a leafcutter trail. The workers and soldiers had swarmed it and were cutting it apart while it was still alive. Of course, I took a video. (this site compresses the crap out of my videos and makes them lose a lot of their quality. boo). You can see how the ants have already removed the beetle's legs and its little leg stumps are wiggling around. gory!
*chomp chomp chomp*
<3 Day
Monday, March 1, 2010
agoutis like fruit loops too
So here at the dorms, we get a lot of animal visitors. In the past few days, I have seen deer, bats, toads, bugs, and agoutis right outside my door. What is an agouti you ask? Well let me tell you.
Agoutis are these strange rodents that look like big guinea pigs with hoppy little back legs. They are super cute and aren't pests to humans at all. We always throw our vegetable waste onto the ground because the agoutis come by and eat it up for us. The other day I saw an inter-species interaction between an agouti and a giant toad. The agouti came up to the toad and they touched noses. Awwww!!!
Apparently there used to be more agoutis at the dorms but they started to disappear right around the time I arrived in Costa Rica. We had a big boa constrictor living under the stove at that time... perhaps there is some connection between the boa in the kitchen and the disappearance of the agoutis. such is the way of the forest I guess.
Anyway, the little dudes seem to be slowly returning - I have seen one every day this week. Apparently the agouti babies come right up onto the concrete and squeak sometimes. I hope I get to see a baby one before I leave.
Here is a video of the agouti that helped me to finish my fruit loops this morning.
*nom nom nom*
Day
Agoutis are these strange rodents that look like big guinea pigs with hoppy little back legs. They are super cute and aren't pests to humans at all. We always throw our vegetable waste onto the ground because the agoutis come by and eat it up for us. The other day I saw an inter-species interaction between an agouti and a giant toad. The agouti came up to the toad and they touched noses. Awwww!!!
Apparently there used to be more agoutis at the dorms but they started to disappear right around the time I arrived in Costa Rica. We had a big boa constrictor living under the stove at that time... perhaps there is some connection between the boa in the kitchen and the disappearance of the agoutis. such is the way of the forest I guess.
Anyway, the little dudes seem to be slowly returning - I have seen one every day this week. Apparently the agouti babies come right up onto the concrete and squeak sometimes. I hope I get to see a baby one before I leave.
Here is a video of the agouti that helped me to finish my fruit loops this morning.
*nom nom nom*
Day
stink-berries
The last few days have been really good. The weather has been nice, the work has been enjoyable, and i have just felt really happy. Right now the PHD student is on his holiday in Nicaragua and I get to do phenology while he is away. I can't remember if i explained phenology or not last month... so you get to hear about it again. lucky you!! Basically, i have to walk around the forest and find specific trees. Once found, I have to record the number and maturity level of all leaves, fruits, and flowers on the tree. Over time this helps researchers get a good idea of what fruits come into season at what time of year - and how it affects the monkeys.
Phenology is pretty tedious because I have to find over 200 trees! the good thing is, I don't need to listen for monkeys so I am able to take my ipod into the field and listen to music. Music makes everything better think - and right now I am super stoked on the most recent album by Shout Out Out Out Out that I bought off iTunes before I left. I don't know why I didn't listen to it before - its sooo good!!
For me, music can really help me to imprint a memory in my head. Years from now if I ever listen to this album, it will take me right back to Santa Rosa and monkeyschool and all the happy feelings I am having right now. I love how my brain does that!
Smells also help me to remember things. Its strange how sometimes you will smell something and it will trigger a really intense memory. And right now the forest smells frakken awesome! There is this tree called Guazuma ulmifolia and it has these fruits that look like big wooden blackberries growing on it. The berries smell great and they are absolutely EVERYWHERE right now. They make the forest smell sweet and delicious. I love it. Too bad you couldn't smell things through the internet so you could enjoy it too. Actually, scratch that idea. I can imagine way too many situations where that would just be totally incredibly wrong. haha
Ok that's all for this post!
<3 <3
Dayna
Phenology is pretty tedious because I have to find over 200 trees! the good thing is, I don't need to listen for monkeys so I am able to take my ipod into the field and listen to music. Music makes everything better think - and right now I am super stoked on the most recent album by Shout Out Out Out Out that I bought off iTunes before I left. I don't know why I didn't listen to it before - its sooo good!!
For me, music can really help me to imprint a memory in my head. Years from now if I ever listen to this album, it will take me right back to Santa Rosa and monkeyschool and all the happy feelings I am having right now. I love how my brain does that!
Smells also help me to remember things. Its strange how sometimes you will smell something and it will trigger a really intense memory. And right now the forest smells frakken awesome! There is this tree called Guazuma ulmifolia and it has these fruits that look like big wooden blackberries growing on it. The berries smell great and they are absolutely EVERYWHERE right now. They make the forest smell sweet and delicious. I love it. Too bad you couldn't smell things through the internet so you could enjoy it too. Actually, scratch that idea. I can imagine way too many situations where that would just be totally incredibly wrong. haha
Ok that's all for this post!
<3 <3
Dayna
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