the mile marker

this week’s news from Jalova Biological Research Station, 15th january 2010

buenas nuevas! new base & new faces

GVI Costa Rica’s new home officially opened for business on January 8th when staff and interns at the
Jalova base finally ran out of nails to hammer into things, and welcomed in the new batch of volunteers.
Charlotte, Emily, Erica, Hårvard, Jeremy, Charissa, Lydia, Andrew, Johnathan, Janet, Richard, Linda, Sophie,
Nicola and Noemie are the lucky team who get to experience the base in pristine condition. We will also
be welcoming back Phase 18 volunteer Anja in a couple of weeks’ time.
10-weeker Nicola commented “The expedition base is better than I expected, and being the first phase
in we get to leave our mark.” Jeremy agreed “It’s great to be involved right at the beginning.”
Restricted power and water takes a bit of getting used to, but by the end of week one most of the issues
surrounding use of the generator and water pump have been ironed out. It takes a slightly different way
of thinking to consider water and electricity needs so closely, but it’s a mindset that is in keeping with the
expedition’s low-impact-living ethos, and our volunteers have been happy to embrace it.
Army ant visitations may not be so popular, but an epic march-through - the kitchen wall black with thou-
sands of ants - just an hour before our newbies’ arrival was sufficiently discouraged by the time refresh-
ments were served. Further dorm invasions may need to be deterred, but it’s all part of finding our feet
in a new environment.

instant incidentals
Persistent rain in week one
has not stopped keen bird-
ers in the group from seeking
out species to be seen on and
around base.
All sightings are currently con-
tributing to the ‘incidentals’
project which is being run by
our interns this phase. Our
new location puts us in a posi-
tion to collect valuable data on
species present here.
Bird Project Manager Rich
observed that some different
species may now feature more
prominently in our incidentals
list as the new base provides us
with a different environment
to Caño Palma: “At Jalova we
are situated within a coconut
plantation right on the coast,
compared to our forest loca-
tion at the old base: therefore
we should expect some differ-
ence in recorded species.”
Incidentals records are already
reflecting this change, with, for
instance, more woodcreepers
seen, a red brocket deer spot-
ted on base, and a sloth and
eyelash vipers on the trail just
outside base (see Johnathan’s
photos, right).
With jaguar tracks in the sand
very close to base, is it too
much to hope that we might be
adding a certain elusive big cat
Among the week’s
to our incidentals list soon...? wildlife sightings: a Hoff-
man’s two- toed sloth
and an eyelash viper.
raining... ...training
A prominent feature of the
week - we tried to ignore it, Not everything about the pour- of information to throw at our
honestly - has been the rain. ing rain was bad: Lydia comment- fresh-faced new arrivals, but they
With such unusually high levels ed, “The weather was awful this don’t seem to mind.
of precipitation our new week but everyone was fine with Some may also be picking up - or
it and really creative about what even passing on - a few building
volunteers may have felt they
to do with our free time. If the skills as various little jobs around
were more or less washed into
weather had been better I prob- base still needed doing. So, as the
the Jalova station. ably would have been a bit more week progressed, washing lines,
We’ve had logistical issues too, cut up about not being able to wellie racks and shelves have
with a fallen tree partially be outside.” gradually appeared around base.
blocking the trail to the river Few distractions then, from Our thanks are due to all the
mouth and strong canal currents the serious business of training volunteers for their adaptability
meaning that our boat travel week. As usual, the group were and enthusiasm right from the
has been limited this week. bombarded with information start of this exciting new phase.
However, we’ve counted and asked to prove their field re-
search skills with regard
ourselves lucky whilst squelch-
to jaguar walks, mammal
ing around base: news from track identification, and
COTERC manager Mike at the setting up camera traps
old Caño Palma station is that (with practice in the
water has breached the kitchen garden). Emergency first
- meaning that if we were still aid and safety awareness
there we would certainly have was also on the agenda...
started phase with an not to mention the thirty
evacuation. Our sandy situation study species of birds that
at Jalova means that flooding is volunteers are required
minimal - although new to know for this expedi-
volunteers may beg to differ... tion. All in all, a great deal Above: first aid training underway: Janet
and Andrew get to grips with sling tying
under Rich’s guidance.
Purple GalliNews
Painfully persistent rain storms have unfortunately put a halt on bird
surveys due to strong currents on the canals, and safety issues were well
illustrated by the incident of a local man capsizing his canoe this week. He
spent the night stranded on a vegetation island before being rescued.
However, while we wait for the water to subside to safe levels, estuary
walks and motor boat reccies have provided an encouraging preview of the
variety and abundance that we can expect from our new location.
After no survey sightings of purple gallinules (Porphyrio martinica) last phase,
Steph, Sam and Helen spotted seven of them foraging near the boat dock
of local village Parismina. They also saw brown pelicans (Pelecanus occidenta-
lis) and snowy egrets (Egretta thula) in their hundreds - possibly a challenge
for our resident mathmatician bird expert Rich.
With rumours of agami heron (Agamia agami) canal highways in the area it
may be possible for volunteers and staff to check off all of the study secies
on their ‘to see’ list.
“I have seven species left to see, but I’d be happy with an agami,” said intern
Molly. And with the weather set to improve in the coming days, we have
high hopes for some stupendous surveys...