Guest Blogger--Judy Hartshorn (part 1)

To keep you all updated on the Summer Intern Program, we have asked the interns to serve as guest bloggers from time to time. Here is a rundown of recent events from Judy Hartshorn:

Reveille, Reveille, We’re Going to Riverwoods Today!

Generally when my alarm goes off at 5:30 a.m I am not a happy camper. However, when the beeping started that Monday I didn’t have the urge to throw it across the room. In fact I happily got up. Why? Because soon I would be off, along with my fellow interns, Shannon-a past intern and the current education associate, John Marshall, and Dr. Tom on our second overnight trip with the Arthur R. Marshall Foundation. We were headed north to visit northern Lake Okeechobee and the Kissimmee River. I had never been to these areas and was excited to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the greater Everglades system by visiting its headwaters.

The trip got off to a great start with an airboat ride with Don Fox of Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, and Paul Grey whom works for Audubon. We were especially excited for the tour because all our other air boat rides had been canceled due to drought conditions. We all loaded onto two airboats and were off. The tour was a whirlwind of Lake Okeechobee information from natural history, politics and policy, species information, to the Lake’s response to current drought conditions (many of which were good such as increased littoral zone). Dr. Tom caught an armored catfish barehanded, we made lotus maracas, and no airboats broke down. Although the Lake’s Snail Kite population is only about 700,drastically lower than historic numbers, it seemed as if the majority of those 700 showed up for our airboat ride, which was awesome. Afterwards Don and Paul joined us at Lightsies, which I would highly recommend, for lunch. While munching on their famous catnip appetizer and variations of fried cooter, gator, froglegs and catfish we further discussed the happenings around the Lake specifically about the drought’s effect on the lake and local agriculture. It was awesome to experience Lake O firsthand.

After lunch we all piled into the car and headed off to Riverwoods, our home for the next two nights. Riverwoods Field Laboratory is a facility jointly managed by the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) and the Florida Center for Environmental Studies (CES). Riverwoods's main objective is to support research and educational activities related to the restoration of the Kissimmee River and the greater Everglades watershed. Loisa Kerwin came and gave us a very nice orientation to the field lab and the house we were staying in. It was then we learned about CiCi, Riverwoods’ unofficial mascot, whose favorite perch happened to be the tree outside the group house. CiCi is a usually friendly, people fed, Bard owl that recently found a wildmate (named GiGi). Although CiCi and GIGi are usually not a problem it is nesting season and CiCi’s behavior has been more aggressive-metaphorically the Jekyll and Hyde of owls. Loisa warned us about this and explained Riverwoods new CiCi protocol. Anytime one went outside they should have a badminton racket with them which they would swing in front of their head and body. Loisa said CiCi should not be a problem as he had not swooped at anyone in three weeks. Well if anyone knows Dr. Tom and the influence he can have on the interns that statement was basically an invitation for swoopage. Within two minutes of going outside CiCi was in the tree. Next thing we know CiCi has swooped down, lightly scratched Rob and attempted to land on Dr. Tom’s shorts. Needless to say we were more formal about the rest of our CiCi interactions, and he actually had us semi-cornered more than once.