Thursday, August 7, 2008

AOU Dispatch

Today is the the fourth day of the American Ornithologists' Union Meeting in Portland. Overall, it's been a great meeting. I have reconnected with many friends and I have been able to place many faces with names I have read for years.


Last night, I presented a poster detailing the hummingbird and dove work that has kept me busy during the last year. Many people checked it out and a few even stopped to chat.



I spent much of the night checking out other posters, however, like this one displaying the reproductive ecology of chestnut-capped brushfinches in Venezuela. I was there during the first year of the project, so it was great to see the data compiled.

The best part of the meetings has been talking with friends I met nine years ago during my first summer as a field assistant in Arizona. Many biologists cut there teeth on that project and we all have stories to tell. Back then we bragged about high school and college adventures and were really excited to be paid a tiny stipend to spend our summer outdoors. Now, we chat about our families, discuss our graduate work, and complain that today's undergraduate assistants are much lazier and more demanding than we ever were.

Today I will see some talks given by friends and colleagues, then have my former adviser over for dinner. Friday is the last day of talks. We'll see if I have any energy left to attend.

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