Vacation

This is a bit late, mainly because I'm on vacation in Alexandria, VA this week and next.  I'll put up a few pics from earlier last week.  We had quite a bit going on with boat operator certification training and first responder training for the airport staff.  We had some really good instructors out to help.  I only did first aid training since I am still qualified as a Wilderness First Responder.  I didn't do the boat training either since I'm still good with that too.  We didn't have a tour group this week after Joe Van Os left with his group.  He has been here with his groups for 3 weeks.  His groups concentrate on photography, so his groups always have really great photos.

I won't do a blog this coming week, and probably not the next weekend either, since I won't be getting back to Midway until that Monday.

I went to Eastern Island to check the duck seeps and the boat operating course students came to pick me up.

 One project that the volunteers worked on was building nest boxes for Bulwer's petrels and Tristram's Storm petrels to nest in.  This is Peter, RJ, and Jennifer.

 The Red-footed boobies are nesting on Eastern Island.

 There are only a few White tern chicks around, but a lot of eggs that will be hatching soon.

 The chicks are getting bigger.  Here are a few over by the gun on Eastern Island.

I got to see one cool thing on vacation so far.  The space shuttle Discovery is on its way to the Smithsonian Museum for permanent display.  I got this shot as it flew over the Potomac River.  I was trying to get a photo of it flying over the monuments at the Mall, but I didn't have a good angle on it, or it was too far away when it flew over them.