So many things to see and try to learn that it overwhelms me and I stop listening, stop paying attention. I feel very unfocused, not sure what's most important or how important. I feel like the students: "Will this be on the test?" Also battling the desire to rush to the top of the volcano versus learning as I go. Frustration with being totally out of my element versus excitement over the the same thing. So many vaguely familiar things. The more I travel, the more similarities I see and the smaller the world becomes.

Night walk - got to use the headlamp. Watching for eye shine. Spider's eyes sparkle like diamonds, they were everywhere.
Howler monkey alarm.

Got up at 4:30 AM to head back up to the Mirador with Jheri and April. Very dark, but the sky was beginning to lighten. With the headlamps we saw the eyeshine of deer first, then other animals under the mango trees which turned out to be collared peccaries. Kept seeing bright orange eye shine right on the road. It would bounce up and almost dance around. Turned out to be goatsuckers. (White bands on their wings like nighthawks). What a treat to get to the top with the cool breeze and the great view.

I was just getting started on the computer, (see the report) realized I didn't have my disk, headed out to get it and heard Howler monkeys very close. We headed up to find them and saw about 25 monkeys traveling through the tree tops - we were very close. Some large males at the front of the group, mothers, babies, and adolescents followed.  Surprising how much you can do when you start the day so early.

Rained through the night and still this morning. If it continues, it will be difficult to catch bats tonight. We are planning to go Vampire bat hunting before lunch. We want to collect guano and see what community it supports.

Finally headed out after lunch, unfortunately, a large snake had gotten in the tree and the bats had all moved out. We did see a couple but not Desmodus rotundus although we saw the guano. It looks like tar running down the inside of the tree and nothing was anywhere near it - guess that's why there were no studies done on it before.

We set up the nets about 4:00, then set up the Piper auritum decoys in the shade house. Andrea opened the nets about 6:30. There were several different species, three of the ones we wanted, Carollia brevicata. We took them back to the shade house and let them go one at a time each hour. The first one disappeared, but the next one ate the fruit.

Jim and Andrea marked a Fer-de-lance along the trail. Stacy, Evelyn, and I pulled on boots and headed off. We thought he had moved (an even more frightening thought - he's in the area, but I don't know where) - then we saw it. It blends so well with the dirt! I was getting complacent about the snake situation. Imagine all the snakes and spiders and scorpions that I haven't seen!

Check out the research.

We hiked down to the stream farthest from the garden, then worked our way back up through the four streams. Tested rate of flow, depth, pH, macroinvertebrates.

Sorted through the macroinvertebrates and tried to characterize the streams that way. We were expecting that the streams closest to the garden would be the least healthy. There are too many other factors to consider to draw any conclusions. The more you know, the more you want to know - the more questions you have. (See the results)

We are all struggling to get reports written and web pages finished. Knowing that the trip is almost over makes every moment seem precious. 

WWNFF staff, especially Jimbo Cole and Computer Bill Lawrence,

Viviana and Seyda, who took care of us in Palo Verde,

Manuel Salas, the world's best driver,

Las Duras: Jheri, Carol, April, Millie.