Fiddler Crabs by Anjali

       “Oww!!!” A male Fiddler crab just pinched me. We were catching Fiddler crabs to make a Fiddler crab tank. We only caught Sand Fiddler crabs, not Mud Fiddler crabs.

                 There is a unique way of catching Fiddler crabs. If you were trying to catch a Fiddler crab, and it fled into its hole, right where the tunnel goes left or right, North or South, or just straight down, you put your hand in the sand and block the tunnel. Then you push up and the Fiddler crab pops up and you get another chance to chase it.

                 After we caught the Fiddler crabs, we went for a little swim. I got dunked a couple of times and then we started to head back. When we got back to the laboratory, we pour both the sand and the Fiddler crabs into what used to be the tank of…  DOOM!!!!!!!!! We caught about 20 Fiddler crabs, out of a million and a half. That was pretty fun!!!

First Blog Post - Eliza Dean

Eliza and Anjali on the beach

Today was my first day as a Junior Ranger, I learned so much about nature, like, deer flies hang around Juniper  Trees and when a warm blooded animal walks past the Juniper Tree the deer flies attack! We went to the beach and looked at deer tracks and erosion. I learned that you can tell a male and female deer apart from their tracks! We also looked at dead man's fingers, a type of seaweed that takes over eel grass. Then we walked back and had lunch. After lunch we went to the Conservation Foundation and picked up badges and bags for us to keep. When we got back we had free swim time on the beach, I also got to hand feed the turtle. I had a really fun first day.

Eliza Dean

Seining on a sunny day

Lenny demonstrates seining to a group of visitors, one of our favorite activities here. No one is wearing a hat!  Not a good idea when the sun is so bright and strong.  

Orion on the camera

Tuesday it was Orion's turn to take photo's of our nature walk, I like this shot very much, good work Turtle Whisperer.

Tate strikes a pose

On the beach and ready to learn while having fun.

Jr Ranger with Blue Crab

Ross found the remains of a Blue Crab on the beach, nice photo Orion!

Jr Rangers Take Mackenzie for a nature walk

Last week our cracker jack staff of Jr. Rangers took a nature walk with Mackenzie (in the front with camera) and her mom.  Little Mack liked it so much she brought her brother, her dad, and mom back to show them around the field station and show them what she learned.

Jr Rangers (back row) Tate, Eliza, Anjali, Orion, Sonia, and Ross.