It was a dark and lonely night

Tues 12am shift

All turts in previous locations. The stream is all but dried up in OM. Big tree fell close to #5 but it was too dark for me to determine a cause. It's now providing more protection while weakening the radio signal. There was also a bobcat shadowing me so I did not want to stay any longer than necessary out there.

I also need to warn everyone about the receiver and overcharging. When I pulled it out, the batteries were REALLY hot. The machine worked fine but after my shift I checked out the instruction manual and it says not to charge for more than 12 hours at a time. When I left, I did not plug in the receiver to the charger because the last thing we need are explosive burning batteries inside the tote. This was not a problem when we had people coming in everyday.

The next time I'm up (probably Thur), I'll plug the charger into a timer of mine so it will run for a few hours and then shut off automatically. Hopefully this will prevent the overcharging/heating issue.

98 degrees in the shade

I thought turtle one had moved and tried hard to find her but she eluded me. I know she's in there I just didn't want to tear the place up too much. But my gps reading was the same as Steven's so I think she's in the same place. I moved the flag to the new location. She's under the densest understory under the eucs, a bit closer to the HP swale. Everyone else was in their proper spots. I did get a visual on turtle 5 as her flag has been wandering around, and just to make sure there really are turtles out there. I don't think she woke up. I'm pretty sure the broken valve on the water tank has been fixed although by the time I got up there I must have had head stroke and forgot to check. However, the water in the drainage is not flowing and I expect it will dry up soon.
The receiver worked fine, thanks to Steven's noticing that the power strip was not turned on. Thanks!

Watch out for cows

Thur 8pm shift

Still no luck on getting a visual for #1 but the signal was still in the same area I reported on Tues. Also, the location was more south, not SW, of the flag in the HP. All other turts still in prior locations.

The area around #5 is seeing a lot of traffic especially under the trees and around the stream from the cows. The flag for #5 was pulled out again -- why the cows keep going after that flag is a mystery. I was confronted by a cow in OM, but she ignored me. I did not want to take a picture and risk spooking her.

Receiver worked fine so it must be recharging normally again.

One is the loneliest number

Tues 3pm shift

All turts (#2,5,3,4,7) but #1 were in the usual spots. However, I could not find #1 to confirm what my receiver was telling me -- that #1 hasd moved about 4 meters SW from the flag into another batch of deadfall, making a line towards the HP swale. It also looked like someone took a rolling pin and knocked down all the tall grass. After an hour and a half searching for #1 (there were quite a few potential trails in the crushed grass), I recorded the spot with the strongest signal and took down the GPS coordinates. It was +4 minutes W from the previous GPS fix.

Oh, speaking of things going awry, the receiver batteries died on me but luckily I grabbed the "new" batteries from the tote. Well, those didn't last either but fortunately I had my own AA's in my car. Turns out the power strip in the storeroom was turned off (!). The receiver is now charging and I tagged the dead batteries so no one mistakenly uses them again. Just in case, when we go out on surveys, bring 4 "AA" batteries just in case.

#5 has been getting a lot of hoof traffic, but today I noticed the blue flag was literally pulled out of the spot. I replaced the flag.

Snoozin'

The most exciting thing that happened this morning was that the receiver battery died and I had to switch out the batteries. Everyone was in their normal places, although I hadn't seen some of the recent small moves. I wandered around a while before I got turtle 5 separated from bounce. Are they out for the count?

Donde Esta Ramon?

Faithful sidekick not so faithful this am. Where you at, bro?

No big surprises, the turts are all in their burrows, dreaming little turtle dreams. The cookie has the reservoir all to himself and is taking full advantage of being able to bask without getting trampled on, and all the aquatic insect larvae he can eat.

The Hills Have Cows

8pm Thursday shift

Nothing new to report on the tagged turtles. No sightings of turtles in the green pond. Took a gander at the HP swale and it was remarkably clear(er). On my way into OM, I took yet another randomized approach and saw cows all around the stream. Of course, I was about as stealthy as a Sherman tank so they took off further north. Suffice to say, there was a lot of trample damage in the area.

Here was a shot of the herd as they were in the process of heading up deeper into OM.

Ho-hum

Alright. I've finally been shamed enough, that I too dropped off a bunch of data sheets in the folder.

Turts are same old-same old. The HP swale is full of water (a lovely tea brown as opposed to the chocolate milk color of the Eres). Only one little juvenile seen over about a 30 minute survey period of the Res). I scouted around a bit to see if I could locate either of the males in fresh burrows, but no such luck.

I hate ghosts

7pm shift

Nothing major to report. All turts in previous locations. I did have a wonderful time chasing down echoes and ghosts from #4 and later with #5. I have been to OM three times and I've never taken the same way in or out. It's always an adventure.

Spotted 3 turts in the pond, and suspected 2 of them were bigger than the 3rd.

There is also a bit of construction on the 41 after 6pm so expect 15-20 minute delays going BOTH ways. I also dropped off some of my own blank data sheets. They're not the same as the previous format but I was going by memory and it's better than nothing, right?

She's Out!

Turtle 4 is on the move after a fairly long stint in the reservoir. This morning I found her in a shallow duff burrow between the two pump houses. She is amongst rocks and is oriented sideways to the burrow entrance. As you can see in the photo below, she is positioned below a dead branch. There is little soil in the immediate area and bedrock is close to or at the surface.

Turtle 4 in burrow:

This may be significant as the last time she was palpated (13 May) she was with eggs, and has been in the reservoir ever since. We have assumed that the reason that she had not left the reservoir was that the eggs were developing and she was feeding to facilitate the development. If our assumptions are correct, there is a good chance that laying time is here.

Burrow location 1 meter to the left of the flag:

The other turtles are in the same locations determined during the last survey.

Other wildlife: The female Wood Duck was on the reservoir sharing the basking site with a little turtle cookie. A dead Northern Flicker was found in the middle of the entrance road, apparently hit by a car. If you are reading this and frequent the Range- please watch your speed on the entrance road.

Settling Down

The turts all seem to be settling down now. Everyone was in the same flagged burrows they have been in, although there is some confusion concerning turt5. SG recorded her near the road yesterday morning and today, Ramon and I found her right back in outer mongolia, where she was recorded on wed. Lots of cattle tracks in the immediate area, as well. We did see the cookie (an 08 hatchling) basking on the large log, but he scrambled into the (very nasty)murky water when he spotted us.

My First Solo Op

Thursday 5am shift

All turts in previous locations, though I spent about 20 minutes playing with bounce from #3 and #5. Turt1 was still in HP under the eucalyptus tree. Turt3 by the outpost past the shack and barrack. Turt7 still in the poison thicket. Turt4 was in the center of the pond so I guess that's slightly news breaking (ok, maybe not). Turt5 was in upper ER towards OM, right where the flag was near the fence. Turt2 was still in her hole by the stream in OM.

I couldn't find the GPS or the 2nd receiver (not necessary but I wanted to note it was missing). I emailed Kat and Rodney, and here's a reminder that whoever has the next shift needs to bring more blank data sheets. I used the last one.

Outside of turtles, I saw a Hefner-load of rabbits hopping and scrambling about. I was surprised to NOT get eaten alive by insects this time out. Maybe all that garlic is working after all?

Turtle Tours?

No real news to report other than turtle 1 having moved about 7 meters from her previous dig. All of the other beasts are where Kat left them, including turt 4 who is still in the reservoir.

On an odd note, I had to yield to a tour bus full of people being escorted by a small gray sedan on the entrance road. It was headed towards headquarters. Perhaps they were there to see the turtles we have been blogging about? I would like to see them try to follow Kat through the field. Ain't happening!

Stormy Weather

yet no significant rain. dammit.

The storm system that came through seems to have stimulated some of the turts. Turt1 is still under the same Eucalyptus tree, but has moved to the north side.



Turt3 is in the same place, but made herself a little peephole so that she can stick her head out.



Turt7 is in the same spot and turt4 is still hanging out in the reservoir with an adult male that I strongly suspect is the Beast. There is also still an unknown juvenile hanging out in there, as well.



The Res now looks like this and is only about knee deep at it's deepest point.



Over in outer mongolia, Turt2 has moved a few meters further up the swale and turt5 has moved a few meters further down the swale. I couldn't get GPS points because the gadget died on me mid-signal. All current locations are flagged, however.

Bugs.

same 'ol, same 'ol

KP and I took the 11am shift and found everyone sitting just where RGO left them. We did get a visual on turt4 (still in the res); She was just sitting on the bottom in the shallow end with her scratched up transmitter visible in the murky water. Another large adult male was also seen (turt8?) and an unidentified juvenile.

Off topic, KP and I were discussing the relative proportions of a bison butt in comparison to it's shoulders and head. KP is insisting that bison have proportionally tiny butts in relation to their hulking shoulders and head. I don't think I can call this 'tiny'...... You be the judge.

Same ol'

Thanks for the post Kathy. You have made my life much easier. As of 6AM this morning, nothing has changed since Kathy's post. Thanks for the company this morning Gata. By the way, does anyone know anything about a bunch of loose blue flags scattered all about?

Over and out.

road trip

Kat made me promise to blog or she'd blackmail me with a photo of one of my lesser efforts. RGO's 5 am survey is long past so hopefully I'll get this in before he posts the latest. The big news is that turtle 5, the deep sleeper who occasionally rouses and tries to enter the dungeon, took a long hike and ended up near turtle 2 in the moist overflow area below the water tank. They seem happy there and we're wondering if they get together for morning coffee. Everyone else is where we last left them, 4 still in the remaining water we call the reservoir, 1 in the horse pasture, and 3 and 7 below the dam.

RGO has crabs

RGO and I played hooky yesterday and fled Central Cali for a change of scenery.......





We didn't see any turtles.

Penguin Poo Map

Penguin Poop is Useful.
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