2007 Devon Energy Fall Workday - SundownIsland's Photos

SundownIsland > 2007 was a great year for the Sundown Island breeding colony. There were many late season babies. This is a very young pelican, sporting a combination of downy feathers and juvenile feathers. The juvenile tail feathers have not grown in. This is the youngest of all of the pelicans I observed during workday. Photo credit: Marcy Crowe Spears

SundownIsland > Well, first things first. Chester Smith, warden of Sundown Island brought the tractor to the dock to pick up supplies to haul to the shed. Photo credit: Marcy Crowe Spears

SundownIsland > Chester and Lynn Travis (Devon Energy) returned to the dock with supplies for the workday. Photo credit: Marcy Crowe Spears

SundownIsland > Lynn Travis and Peggy Wilkinson (daughter of Chester Smith), set up the supply table for the Devon volunteers. Photo credit: Marcy Crowe Spears

SundownIsland > A lonely gas can, just waiting for an edger and an operator. Notice how the land seems to be reclaiming the dock. Photo credit: Marcy Crowe Spears

SundownIsland > Peggy brings some chairs to the dock so that we have someplace to sit (besides in the bird poop) until the rest of the volunteers arrive. Believe it or not, she is actually walking on the dock. Photo credit: Marcy Crowe Spears

SundownIsland > Finally, the second crew arrives. Devon Energy volunteers, Barbara Van Horn (left) prepares to carry items to shore while Dale Blakeman disembarks as Richard Brietzke prepares to hand him the cooler. Tim Wilkinson (far right) (son-in-law of Chester Smith) was our boat operator for the Fall Workday. Photo credit: Marcy Crowe Spears

SundownIsland > Three juvenile brown pelicans fly over as the volunteers are arriving. Photo credit: Marcy Crowe Spears

SundownIsland > And so the work begins. Far in the distance are Barbara Van Horn and Peggy and Tim Wilkinson picking up trash along the beach. Photo credit: Marcy Crowe Spears

SundownIsland > This was typical of the trash along the beach. Some of it was so deeply buried, picking it up would have required some muscle and a shovel. Photo credit: Marcy Crowe Spears

SundownIsland > What is this? This is beach trash, but I couldn't figure out if it was a dead hedgehog or some kind of object. I was afraid to poke it–-I was afraid it might come alive again. ;-) Photo credit: Marcy Crowe Spears

SundownIsland > Ingrid Rivers and Richard Brietzke (Devon Energy) prepare to plant trees in one of the two new tree plots designated for the Fall Workday. Richard is a seasoned volunteer and this is Ingrid's first time on the island. Photo credit: Marcy Crowe Spears

SundownIsland > Brenda Eskelson and Lynn Travis (Devon Energy) are ready to get started on the other tree plot. This one is located not far from the windmill. Photo credit: Marcy Crowe Spears

SundownIsland > Gary Eskelson (left) and Dale Blakeman set up the tractor to spray for fire ants. On a breeding colony island, fire ants can be deadly for young chicks. Photo credit: Marcy Crowe Spears

SundownIsland > Gary had not been gone long before he returned to do some maintenance on the tractor. Being on an island (even in a shed) is hard on a tractor. Gary and Dale are lubricating everything on the tractor that they can find. Photo credit: Marcy Crowe Spears

SundownIsland > Chester dives in to see what else can be fixed. Photo credit: Marcy Crowe Spears

SundownIsland > Gary is still at it. He is cleaning off the air filter. There was so much over growth it was hard to keep the tractor happy. I also overheard something about needing a battery (not sure what equipment it was for). Photo credit: Marcy Crowe Spears

SundownIsland > Lynn Travis shows a small Ebony tree that is not much bigger than her hand. Many of these have been planted on the island and have done well. The Ebony tree provides great habitat for the medium size birds. When full with occupants it looks like a condo. Photo credit: Marcy Crowe Spears

SundownIsland > Peggy is standing next to an Ebony tree (just behind the dead Silver-leaf Sunflower stalks) that was planted a couple of years ago, just like the one Lynn was holding in a previous photo. This tree is probably 12 or 13 feet tall now. Photo credit: Marcy Crowe Spears

SundownIsland > This is "Pond 3." As you can see there is not much (any) water in the pond right now, but several years ago, there was no pond and no trees. The tree growth is just tremendous. Photo credit: Marcy Crowe Spears

SundownIsland > Brenda Eskelson looks to be almost done planting her trees in the new plot! Photo credit: Marcy Crowe Spears

SundownIsland > Finally, Tim Wilkinson arrives with the last two volunteers (Jennifer and Jarrod) and the battery. Be sure to ask them about their adventures getting to the island. Photo credit: Marcy Crowe Spears

SundownIsland > Jennifer White (left, Devon Energy) and her son Jarrod tell us about their adventure getting to island while they put on their shoes. Be sure to ask about the lost car keys and the boat not runningl. They arrived just in time for lunch. Photo credit: Marcy Crowe Spears

SundownIsland > Flying over us during lunch is a young juvenile brown pelican whose adult feathers are starting to come in. Photo credit: Marcy Crowe Spears

SundownIsland > Tim Wilkinson shows off his collection of beach trash. He found the buckets and the line. Photo credit: Marcy Crowe Spears

SundownIsland > Voted the most interesting beach find was the pelican skull found along the beach by Tim Wilkinson. Maybe we should ask, "interesting for whom?" ;-) Photo credit: Marcy Crowe Spears

SundownIsland > Volunteers for Devon Energy Volunteer Workday: (front row, L to R) Richard Brietzke, Dale Blakeman, Jarrod White, Lynn Travis, Chester Smith (back row, L to R) Jennifer White, Brenda Eskelson, Molly Eskelson, Gary Eskelson, Ingrid Rivers, Barbara Van Horn, Peggy Wilkinson, Tim Wilkinson (not pictured but taking the photo, Marcy Crowe Spears) Photo credit: Marcy Crowe Spears

SundownIsland > Devon volunteers sporting their Devon/Sundown Island T-shirts: Lynn Travis, Dale Blakeman, Richard Brietzke and Jarrod White. Photo credit: Marcy Crowe Spears

SundownIsland > Young juvenile brown pelicans flying in a typical formation just over our heads. Photo credit: Marcy Crowe Spears

SundownIsland > Jennifer White gets started on planting a new tree across from the tractor shed. Photo credit: Marcy Crowe Spears

SundownIsland > Jennifer's new tree, planted, watered and fertilized! Photo credit: Marcy Crowe Spears

SundownIsland > Gary Eskelson clears an area close to the tractor shed for a new tree. Photo credit: Marcy Crowe Spears

SundownIsland > Jarrod White, son of Jennifer White, starts digging a hole for the new tree in the area cleared by Gary. Photo credit: Marcy Crowe Spears

SundownIsland > Dale Blakeman gets water ready for the new trees planted near the tractor shed. Photo credit: Marcy Crowe Spears

SundownIsland > Tim & Peggy Wilkinson, Lynn Travis. Peggy is showing off her new Devon Energy bag. Photo credit: Marcy Crowe Spears

SundownIsland > Marcy Crowe Spears (Sundown Island Webmaster & Chester Smith (Warden Sundown Island). Photo credit: Peggy Wilkinson

SundownIsland > Mostly juvenile Brown Pelicans flying in a typical formation, as we head home. Photo credit: Marcy Crowe Spears

Gallery Comments

|

New comment: Requires approval

Name: Email: Link:

Connect with Facebook

Rating: stars

To foil spammers, enter this code:

in this box: Code unreadable?

Available Feeds | What are feeds?

Gallery Photos:

Atom |

RSS

Sand Theme by Lee Shepherd