Do You Even Know Who You Are Anymore?

Do you see yourself how other people see you?  Hella doubtful.  Most likely your self perception is drastically skewed.  You think you're super dumb and ugly, but it turns out some people think you've got a hot ass and you think about interesting and complex shit.  Or maybe you fancy yourself quite the socialite.  Everybody's best friend.  But actually, everyone hates your guts and thinks you're an asshole.  I've just been told by a reliable British source that it's likely a combination of the two.  Somewhere in the middle of what you see and what they see.  In any case, it turns out that there's much confusion on this subject in the bird world too.  Out here, I see birds every day that have absolutely no clue who the fuck they are.  Here are a few of my faves:

This Short-tailed Albatross thinks it's a Black-footed Albatross.  It spends most of its time trying to mate with that Black-footed Albatross right there, which is of course looking away in disgust.  It even bullies the BFAL off of her nest and sits on the egg whenever it gets the chance.  So confused.

This Booby thinks it's a Goony.  This bird has been incubating an albatross egg for several weeks now.  Identity crisis?

We Finished Counting

I saw a bunch of great stuff on Eastern Island today.  No new birds, but Ann and I did find some kind of mysterious transmitter buoy that experts say is worth literally hundreds off dollars.  I also got some glass fishing floats, which are prized beyond money or gold out here.  The Gnarly Storm blew a bunch of stuff up on our beaches.  After all that, we finished the Albatross count sweeps that we have been working on since arriving.  The totals are in. It's official.  There are hella.

The ass-end of a Masked Booby.  It's nice, cause you can compare it to the ass-end of a Red-footed Booby in the background.

This Great Frigatebird just kept grabbing crud off the water and then dropping it.  It wasn't food or anything, I think he was just practicing.

Island Bird Day

Island Bird today.  I am within inches of FJ's record, which was previously thought to be unbeatable.  I can almost taste all the Fame and Eternal Glory.  I got a hot tip from one of the Albatross counters that they had seen two Short-eared owls out by the water tanks.  I blasted out there and ticked that shit off like it weren't no thang.  


I've been reading this book called She's Come Undone.  It's good.  It's about this girl who grows up with hecka crazy parents and then gets raped by a neighbor and then gets super fat and then goes crazy herself when her mom dies.  It's very depressing, but I'd still recommend it to anyone.  I think it is the fourth book I've read since being here.(also an Asimov, a cyber punk novel, and a crappy novel based on a move called Event Horizon)  You have plenty of time to read out here while trying to get into a normal sleeping pattern.  I often wake up before 5 AM on accident.


Lastly, I'd like to congratulate Matt Brady on seeing his 10,000th County Bird in California (a Rock Wren in Colusa).  This is an incredible milestone, and I am genuinely proud of my friend for all his hard work.  Rage.

Volunteer Nick gets a look at the Short-eared Owl.  To bad I wasn't standing where he was standing.  My photo would've been much better.

Boobies.  Still fun to look at.  This is a Masked Booby on Eastern Island.

Double Dip Lifer Day

So I saw two species today for the first time in my life.  Of course, this is only a small consolation when I think about a certain duck that my "friends" are seeing in California right now.  You miserable bastards.  Anyway, we spent the entire day over on Eastern Island banding hella goonies.  I got a couple of nice goonybites for my trouble, to go along with a couple of nice lifers.  Mahalo.

Masked Booby.  Thus completes my Booby Trifecta. (unless I can find a Nazca, but I don't even want to think about that...)

Spinner Dolphin.  They just look kind of silly when you look at them captured on camera hanging motionless 2 feet above the water.  But seriously, these things are legit.