Week 13

A week of good low tides, and so I got to do some of my own reef surveys. Weeks of setting things up, learning new techniques, learning to identify species, observing Erin doing exactly this, and practising have finally paid off. Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday saw me at my three differnt positons in the Tapuae Marine Reserve conducting my transects. At each site I carried out three 50m transects. Each had 10 quadrats, 2 within each 10m section. Using my own data collection sheet I looked at the substrate, the seaweeds, colonies of species and what other species I found in each square 1/4m. The data is now ready to be entered into my Excel sheets. It felt really good to be actually carrying out after getting everything set up.
I haven't entered the data into Excel yet but my observations tell me each of the three sites are quite different. One had a  lot of large rock crabs, and I could hear them scuttle away as I walked over the rocks. One transect had lots of sandy tube worms, and another a lot of cats eyes. I am looking forward to getting it all entered to see exactly what I found.
I also spent time behind the microscope, looking for my species in soft sediment samples. I also met with Elise and talked about designing a brief for some on-line data collection. This sounds exciting and I have spent a lot of thinking time on this so far.

I spent a fair bit of time on the laptop as well putting together the videos from the Penguin Experience II camp. They aren't available to be published yet so here is a little video about some of the crabs I saw. It is not as scary as it seems.

Week 12

Scientists read, scientists research, and scientists write. I have done all of these things this week. I had to write an assignment after my week course in Dunedin. To do this I had to do lots of reading and research. I haven't needed to write an assignment for quite a few years so this certainly was a relearning an old skill. Once I got into it I actually quite enjoyed the process, and I certainly know about the things I wrote about. 
I also had another day inStratford behind the microscope. I seem to be getting quicker at finding the creatures I am looking for. The identification still takes a bit longer, especially with the worms. Even telling which end of the worm is which is tricky sometimes.
I spent some time reading about ecological studies and transects so that I have a bit more theory behind what I will be doing when I do my beach surveys. As the book talks of transects in other environments it was also good to see what I am learning can be applied to other situations. This has already made me start thinking of different things I can do once I am back at school.

Week 11

Another week of variety, from looking through microscopes to being on a little blue penguin camp. The microscope was back at the Taranaki Regional Council looking for different species in soft sediment samples. I seem to be getting better at finding different species and can identify most. At the moment I am just finding things in the species and seperating them out before I try to identify them with Erin.
On Thursday I went on with a group og 10 secondary school pupils on a camp to Urenui. It was organised by 60 Springs, an educational part of Puke Ariki (the local museum and library). The Little Blue Penguin Experience was a chance to go out and observe penguins in the wild, to learn about penguins and to get to know other like minded people. The students came from all around Taranaki. My role was the official photographer and videographer, as well as general helper.
Thursday saw us getting together. We had a talk from Bridy, a lecturer from Massey about penguins and penguin recovery. A lot of her team are currently in the Bay Of Plenty dealing with the ecological disaster. After that we headed to Chaddy's Charters to look at some penguin chicks in a nesting box. There is a camera in the box providing a live feed into the shop. Was good to start the camp by actually seeing some penguin chicks. We headed out to Urenui and set up our baches.
Some people came and told us they had spied a penguin on the beach so a bit later we went down to find it. he wasn't looking all that well, breathing irregularly and so we weren't sure of what to do. We decided to organise getting him to a vet. When we picked him up he didn't fight. The vet said he had a broken toe but he died as he was being examined. A bit of a sad start.
That night we went to nearby Wai-iti beach and ended up seeing about 6 penguins coming up out of the sea to feed their chicks. Was really cool to see them and they certainly can run across the beach but freeze when we got too close or shone too much light on them.
The next day we looked for footprints, surveyed bach owners, played games and that night we went to Rapanui to see grey faced petrels come into land. Unlike the penguins they don't come ashore every night and so we didn't see any.
Saturday was more games, some talks with local iwi, and some suggestions about what the kids could do back in their own communities.
It was a really good experience and part of the variety I am really enjoying with my fellowship.

This weeks video is the penguin that later died, but this is him on the beach during the day which made hime easier to film.

Week 10

Science happens regardless of the weather. At 7:30 Sunday morning in the pouring rain I was on a reef with Erin in the Tapuae marine Reserve. There was a good low tide and I was showing her where I would be doing my transects. I also demonstrated how I would conduct a quadrat study and how I could identify the different species I might find there. I still get some snails a little muddled, especially when they are small. I am learning how to distinguish between cantheridella, melagraphia aethiops, and diloma nigerrima. There are differces that I am learning and remembering. There are quite a few different seaweeds on that particular reef as well and I need to learn more of those.
On Monday I accompanied two other scientists from the Regional Council on a wet weather run. Yes more rain in Taranaki. I helped lift manhole covers, collect samples from stormwater drains, took sample temperatures, and helped where I could so they could be taken back to the lab for testing.
Wednesday I was back behind the microscope looking for species in soft sediment samples.
Tuesday and Thursday mornings found me back at school for meetings and class photos. I also went and talked to my class about what I have been up to and showed them a couple of little videos I have made.
On Friday I went and explored the rock pools at Kawaroa Reef. It is outside the Marine Reserve but it is easily accessible for schools. I also need to compare it to what I find in the Marine Reserve. I found different species there, but in particular a lot of kina. Saw one being eaten by a dark rock whelk, not quite as exciting as a lion catching a zebra, but fascinating to see anyway.
Here is a little video I have made showing some differnt seaweeds, and an anemone. It is from last week and the sunny weather.

The other thing I have been working on this week is an assignment from my course in Dunedin. It's like having to do homework and I need to get more focused and not leave it to the last minute. Then again maybe I should look at it as just another challenge as part of my learning.

Week 9

A busy week that started on Saturday when I accompanied a TRC scientist on a periphyton run down the Kaupokanui river. It involved looking through a tube into the river creating a quadrat. It was then a matter of recording the substrate (rocks, gravel and the like) and then how much and what types of algae were on the rocks. It was an interesting day and actually very similar in lots of ways to quadrats on the reef.
On Sunday Virginia and I went for a walk at the southern end of the Tapuae Marine Reserve. It was heer first visit to that end of the reserve and I was able to show her some of the different species I have learnt.
Monday and Tuesday morning I spent looking through a microscope again looking for creatues in soft sediment samples. The hard part is identifying differnt types of microscopic worms or molluscs or arthropods. I am getting better at using amicroscope and can find most creatures but Erin checks my plates and my identifications. I am up to about 75%, not enough to do it independently.
This week is very low tides and so I have been out with Erin and another scientist to do some reef surveys. She had to conduct transects at three different sites in Waitara on three days. It was really good to watch her in action and see how it is done properly. I would crouch next to her and try to mentally spot what she was saying or trying to work out what I had missed. By the end of the third day she let me have ago at identifying and doing a couple of quadrats. I could do it, but a lot slower and needed help with differentiating between some snails.

The end of the week I have been setting up things for my own transects. My own site sheets, my own field sheets, and practising my identifications. I went down on Thursday with Elise, and on Friday with Virginia. It was glorious weather and great to be back on the beach.