Field Work 7-10-08

On Thursday I unexpectedly got to go out to Rancho San Carlos to help with aquatic sampling training. We were trying some new techniques for sampling to see if we could finally get some salamanders. Dave and Josh tried out the cast net, which was highly entertaining. I'm still not sure how they could actually stand to hold part of it in their mouths after it had been in the pond. I spent about an hour straight dip netting each pond (and later I thought my arm was going to fall off!). Unfortunately we didn't get any salamanders, but found lots of red-legged frogs.

As we were sampling the last pond, big plumes of dark smoke started billowing up on the horizon. The plume got bigger and bigger as we worked, so when we finished we decided to go out as far as we could on the ranch to see if we could see the fire. I had no idea that the Basin fire was so close! It's right on the edge of the ranch, however, as far as I know this is the back fire that was started. Word also has it that the fire breaks in this area are in the same place as the fire breaks from a fire in the 70's and they range in size from the width of 3 bulldozers to the length of a football field. We could see flames on the ridgetop and helicopters flying over dropping fire retardant. I could have stayed there all day. I guess fire chasing is just in my blood. But, we had to get back to the office. Monica had just arrived and was waiting for me!

I'm having issues with the pictures tonight, so I'll tell you what they are in order:
1-4: CA red-legged frog (CRLF) metamorphs
5: Super ugly bug eating a tree frog tadpole
6: Bringing up the seine with Josh and Dave
7-8: Dave throwing out the casting net
9: Josh caught a CRLF adult
10-11: Smoke as seen from our sampling pond
12: Smoke as seen from the middle of the ranch
13-17: Smoke as seen from the edge of the ranch