Life as a Field Biologist (Part #5)

By Isaac Rath and Katie Milesky

Photos by Isaac Rath

This time, we find our biologist still very tired - but also very happy! This time, I’m involved in both Pinyon Jay (PIJA) surveys and working at the solar facility. The first two days were dedicated to PIJA surveys, during which we got caught in some unfortunate weather. We took a wrong turn on the first day and did not reach our camp until late, meaning we had to make do without setting up our camp. I slept in the car and my coworker slept in the bed of the truck. Around 4 a.m., a coyote howled right in front of the truck, which (ignoring the fact that it woke us up) was a treat. After two days of PIJA surveys, I began conducting mortality surveys at the solar facility.

While doing the mortality surveys, I made some new friends! The first was a very cute Desert Horned Lizard; over the week, I found three of them. These young lizards are sometimes no bigger than the tip of my thumb! In other words, they’re adorable. I also found some Great Horned Owls living in the heliostats. This is the perfect habitat for them since there is tons of food available in the form of kangaroo rats and mice. 

After a week of walking 12-14 miles a day, on the last day, we not only completed the mortality surveys but also did the PIJA surveys in the evening. We finished the mortality surveys around 2:00 p.m. and started the PIJA surveys at 3:30 p.m. These PIJA surveys usually take 4 hours, and since sunset was at 7:00 pm, I ended up working in the dark. Not only did we finish late, but we also had a 4-hour drive back to the field house in Reno. We got back to Reno at 12:30am, but I decided to drive through the night until nearly 4am to my parents house in Sacramento for the weekend.

With the summer field season coming to a close, this will be the last “Life of a Field Biologist” blog entry for the year. However, Katie and I have some adventures and endeavors planned, so stay tuned to hear about those! I’m really grateful for the opportunities I was given this summer to learn and gain experience in my field, and I’m excited for what the future holds! 

Until next time, 

Isaac Rath, Wildlife Biologist.