Your guide for the tools

and resources

you need to track,

measure, sample,

collect, and research

what makes IslandWood

tick.

RESEARCH EQUIPMENT

The Communications Specialists R1000 receiver and antenna currently track Gus – the

resident barred owl of IslandWood

Location: File cabinet by Karen’s desk

TELEMETRY UNIT

Research: See Theresa Song’s Natural History Field Investigation: Tracking Gus, a Resident Barred Owl, at IslandWood

Teaching:See Chuck Janovick’s lesson: Radio Telemetry

Web:SeaTurtle.org is an amazing resource for following tracked sea turtles, birds, marine mammals and more. Using mostly satellite tracking, this is a great way to introduce another method to kids.http://seaturtle.org/stat/

RESOURCEStelemetry unit

BINOCULARS

There are a variety of binoculars available for use

(Models include Bushnell (8x40 and 7x35) and Nikon (8x25). Around 35 pairs total.)

Location: Prep Room shelves on middle island

Put b inoculars strap around your neck

Find a far away object you would l ike to focus on

Br ing b inoculars up to your eyes (Watch out for eye lashes!)

Ad just b inoculars so that lenses comfortab ly fi t the w idth of your eyes

I f you are wear ing g lasses, fl ip rubber t ip on eyepiece down (and v ice versa i f you are not wear ing g lasses)

C lose r ight eye and focus le ft v iew with wheel located on top of b inoculars

When v iew through le ft lens is c lear , c lose le ft eye, and adjust v iew through r ight eye by turn ing the eyepiece or ad just ing the lever be low the eyepiece (depending on model of b inocs)

When v iew through r ight lens is c lear , open both eyes and make fi nal ad justments

For best use : s tand st i l l whi le you use your b inoculars!

RESOURCESbinoculars

HOW

TO

USE

The Night Owl Optics night vision scope is very delicate and expensive, but can carefully be used to observe

wildlife after sunset. DO NOT EXPOSE LENS TO LIGHT!

Location: File Cabinet by Karen’s desk

NIGHT VISION SCOPE

Additional Information:See accompanying instructions on how to use the night vision scope.

night vision scope

RESOURCES

SPOTTING SCOPES

The Leica APO Televid 77 is a high powered (20-60mm zoom) scope used to observe slow moving or

stationary wildlife from a distance. Must be used with a tripod.

Location: File Cabinet by Karen’s desk

spott ing scope

RESOURCES

Spotting scopes are a particularly great tool for shorebirding.

They also work incredibly well with simple point-and-shoot cameras to take up-close photos.

Note: Make sure that the scope fi ts the tripod before taking both pieces out into the fi eld.

The Pettersson Ultrasound Detector D200 and the Belfry Bat Detector both work to translate inaudible bat vocalizations into audible sounds emitted through

the devices.

Location: File Cabinet by Karen’s desk

ULTRASONIC BAT DETECTORS

Instructions:See Pettersson D200 Users Manual and the Belfry unit’s Bat Detector Information.

Teaching:Educational activity: Bat and Moth

Research:Elliott, P. (1998) Ultrasonic bat detectors: a beginners' guide. Journal of Biological Education, 32, 1, 41-7.andAcoustic Detection of Bats from Inventory Methods for Bats

ultrasonic bat detectors

RESOURCES

BAT BOXES

IslandWood’s bat box, or bat house, provides habitat for bats to roost.

Location: On Douglas Fir snag adjacent to Facilities Parking Lot

Additional Information: from Bat Conservation International:Attracting Bats and Criteria for Successful Bat Houses

Books (not currently found in IW’s Library): Stebbings, R. E. & Walsh, S. T. (1991) Bat Boxes: A Guide to the History, Function, Construction and Use in the Conservation of Bats, Bat Conservation Trust, London, 3rd ed.

Tuttle, Merlin D., Hensley, Donna L. & Kiser, Mark (1994) The Bat House Builder’s Handbook, Bat Conservation International, Austin

bat boxes

RESOURCES

UNDERWATER CAMERA

The Atlantis underwater camera can be used to take video of plants and other organisms living underwater.

Location: Tech Lab

Research: Though it seems Bowdoin College’s camera is newer and capable of color video, this is a great example of the type of footage that can be captured by IW’s underwater camera. http://www.bowdoin.edu/news/archives/1academicnews/007674.shtml

underwater camera

RESOURCES

FROG REFUGIA

Frog refugia are PVC tubes attached to trees in several locations around IslandWood. The refugia can be used as a

sampling method for the presence or abundance of treefrogs.

Location: Grad Commons, Marsh Loop, Mac’s Pond, Facilities Trail, North Mist Net Trail (see map)

Research:See my accompanying Natural History Investigation - Are PVC tubes an effective means of capturing Pacific Chorus Frogs at IslandWood? – which includes a bibliography complete with several scientific studies using PVC tubes as a sampling method for treefrogs.

Recommendations:There are 30 tubes in total, attached to trees around IslandWood. Bungee cord wrapped around the bottom is an essential next step for these tubes to stay on the trees in which they currently hang!

frog refugia

RESOURCES

This tracking box provides a concentrated area of sand which allows for the study of animal tracks.

Location: Service Road SE of Mac’s Dam (see map)

TRACKING BOX

Books (found in the IslandWood Library):Elbroch, Mark. (2003) Mammal Tracks & Sign – A Guide to North American Species. Mechanicsburg, PA: Stackpole Books

Halfpenny, James C. (1999) Scats and Tracks of the Pacific Coast. Guilford, CT: Falcon Publishing

Sheldon, Ian. (1997) Animal Tracks of Washington and Oregon. Renton, WA: Lone Pine Publishing

Teaching:See Greg Schayes’ tracking lesson: Who lives in this Ecosystem?

tracking box

RESOURCES

WOOD DUCK AND CHICKADEE BOXES

These wood duck and chickadee boxes provide man-made cavities for ducks and chickadees to nest and

incubate their eggs.

Locations: see map

Additional Information:See map of IW’s wood duck and chickadee box locations as well as the articles Wood Duck Boxes which includes some information on wood ducks, building, maintaining and managing wood duck boxes in Washington and Wren and Chickadee Nest Box Information .

wood duck boxes

RESOURCES

The following tools can help assist in a wide range of research and teaching opportunities.

Location: Lab A overhead cabinets

MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS

Plaster – can be used to make casts of animal tracks

Spring scales – both digital and not, these scales can be used to weigh a variety of abiotic and biotic matter

Weights – can be used for s imple experiments cal l ing for cal ibrated weights

Tape Measure – can be used to measure tracks, leaf s izes, plant height, etc.

Tally registers – can be used for quick counting

MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS

These nets can serve a variety of functions in aquatic ecosystems.

Location: Lab B lower, middle, cabinet and Prep Room

AQUATIC NETS

Drift nets – can be used to sample for floating organic matter in a stream. The mouth is placed upstream and as the current moves the water through the net, matter and/or organisms are trapped. Nets can be used alone or in groups and can be anchored to the bottom with stakes.

Found in Lab B

AQUATIC NETS

Kick nets – can be used to pick up bottom dwelling specimens over a wide area. While one person holds the net, another can stand upstream and kick up or run their fingers through the substrate to drive invertebrates into the net.

Found in Prep Room

AQUATIC NETS

D-shaped nets – can be used to sample for organisms by scraping the bottoms of streams or sweeping through thick vegetation.

Found in Prep Room

AQUATIC NETS

This tool is used to test the turbidity of water.

Location: Lab B, lower, middle cabinet

SECCHI DISK

LaMotte provides the following information and instructions for use:The Secchi Disk is a black and white circular plastic plate, 20 cm in diameter. A measured line is attached to the center of the disk by means of a special fi tting that stabilizes the disk so that it will be parallel to the surface. Best results are obtained in the shade of a boat or dock. The best readings are usually obtained after early morning and before late afternoon.1. Lower Secchi Disk into water until it

just disappears. Read depth from calibrated line.

2. Raise Secchi Disk until it just appears. Read depth from calibrated line.

3. Add readings from Steps 1 and 2. Divide by 2. Record as Secchi Disk Transparency.

secchi disk

RESOURCES

Larval samplers attract insect larva and other aquatic species when left in place for approximately two weeks.

Location: Lab B, lower, middle cabinet

DENDY LARVAL SAMPLERS

The Rickly Hydrological Company off ers the following information and instructions for use: Multiple-plate substrate samplers mimic substrates with narrow openings, such as leaves or woody debris. They are placed in the substrate for a period of time and recovered. The number and kind of insects which have colonized the surfaces are counted. Since the surface area of the plates are known, the samplers are quantitative.Dendy larval samplers can be used in rivers, streams, lakes and tidal fl ats. Their hardboard plates are divided by special nylon spacers and when left in place for about two weeks, will attract a good collection of insect larva and other organisms. The plates have smooth surfaces on each side, are fastened together with a long eye-bolt and can easily be disassembled for specimen examination.

dendy larval samplers

RESOURCES

These metal traps can be used for trapping small mammals.

SHERMAN TRAPS

Location: LS 103, lower, back cabinet, right-hand side

Research:Sherman traps are one of the most popular methods for live-trapping small mammals. See these accompanying articles which capture the essence of how the traps may be used.

Slade, Norman A. et al. (1993). Diff erential Eff ectiveness of Standard and Long Sherman Livetraps in Capturing Small Mammals. Journal of Mammalogy, 74, 156-161.

Williams, D.F, & Braun, S.B. (1983). A Comparison of Pitfall and Conventional Traps for Sampling Small Mammal Populations. Journal of Wildlife Management, 47, 841-845.

Wilson, S.M. & Carey, A.B. (2001). Small Mammals in Oak Woodlands in the Puget Trough, Washington. Northwest Science, 75, 342-349.

sherman traps

RESOURCES

Increment borers are used to age trees.

Location: Clancy’s Offi ce

INCREMENT BORER

Information:Grissino-Mayer, H. D. (2003). A Manual and Tutorial for the Proper Use of an Increment Borer. Tree-Ring Research, 59, 63-79.

Teaching:Due to the potential harm a corer may infl ict on trees, see appendix for Cassie Brickel’s lesson on Dendrochronology.

increment borer

RESOURCES

This audio recorder can be used to record bird songs (bird song disk pictured below), frog calls, or any other sounds.

Location: File cabinet by Karen’s desk

AUDIO RECORDER

Information:See chapter on “Bird Language” from Young and Morgan’s Animal Tracking Basics.

bird audio recorder

RESOURCES

Densiometers are used to measure canopy cover.

Location: Clancy’s Offi ce

DENSIOMETERS

Research: See A Comparison of Two Techniques for Measuring Canopy Cover – an article that looks at the diff erences between the spherical densiometer and the sighting tube.

Additional Information:See Instructions for the Calibration and Use of a Spherical Densiometer.

densiometers

RESOURCES

Global positioning satellite (GPS) units use satellites to find the exact coordinates of a location.

Location: Filing cabinet between Christina Doherty and Jess Henderson’s desks

GPS UNITS

See Garmin Quick Start Guide for easy-to-read instructions.

gps units

RESOURCES

Sling-psychrometers measure relative humidity by comparing readings from the wet and dry bulb

thermometers on the enclosed table.

Location: Clancy’s Offi ce

SLING-PSYCHROMETERS

See accompanying relative humidity tables for use with sling-psychrometers.

sl ing-psychrometers

RESOURCES

IslandWood’s motion sensor camera can be used to capture images of wildlife on the trails.

Location: Prep Room

MOTION SENSOR CAMERA

motion-sensor camera

RESOURCES

Research: See Emily Durkin’s Independent Study Project on coyotes which includes the use of the motion sensor camera in her research.

Instructions found in camera bag

Photos taken with the motion sensor camera

The Sylvania Digital Model 2050 and the Extech Instruments Model 401025 light meters are used to

measure diff erent light levels.

Location: Clancy’s Offi ce

LIGHT METERS

Additional Information:See manuals on how to use the Sylvania and Extech models.

Teaching:Light meters are a neat way to check existing light levels and show students the energy outputs of diff erent light sources when discussing sustainability.

l ight meters

RESOURCES

Water samplers can collect and sample water from various depths.

Location: Lab B, lower, middle cabinet(Recommendation: In need of new rubber tubing)

WATER SAMPLERS

Additional Information:See operating instructions to learn how to use the water samplers.

Recommendation:These units are in need of new rubber hosing.

water samplers

RESOURCES

Yes. WAY more!

This project began with my interest in uncovering the tools that could be used to carry out research studies on wildlife. It then grew to include tools that can be used to carry out research on the things that infl uence wildlife, and fi nally, includes a general variety of useful, scientifi c equipment. There are some items that were not included in this manual.

Microscopes Water testing kits MAPS banding equipment (must have a permit to use) Aquarium equipment in the Wet Lab Various miscellaneous items!

Search and you may uncover a whole lot more!

THERE’S MORE?