Greg and Kat's blog

So yesterday (Wednesday) was my first real full day in the lab. Got in early (before 9:00!) so I could set up my computer (have to register the ethernet card number) and complete the online animal care course (I passed!) so I could at least touch a bird. Right afterwards, the fun started. I moved the 26 starlings (23 males, 3 females) indoors. Keith took some pictures which I’ll try to get from him asap. He just got a new camera, so he’s pretty happy. I think up until now he may have been a little wary of taking me on as a post-doc as I hadn’t really done anything yet. But, when he came in to the aviary, I was in the thick of it (literally – there was crap everywhere!). I had just caught a bird and was about to band it, so there’s a picture of me holding a female with shit on my face. Ah the joys of starlings. I was able to catch all of them in about 2 hours with another hour to fill up water and roll the cart back and forth between the aviary and the animal trailer.

Had a meeting with Keith and Richard Mailman, a prof doing neuroscience research in the med school. He’s going to teach me how to run HPLC. I think Keith was a little worried because this meeting was scheduled for late afternoon, after I was catching starlings. But, little does he know I clean up fast and well. As if I would show up at a meeting with crap on my face. Hello, princess!!!

So, all went well with my first foray into starling work. I only have a few small cuts on my hands from their claws. Hopefully they’re all okay. Going to check on them now. Forgot my camera, but maybe Greg will bring it in this aft, and I can take a 24-hour picture to show how gross is it (I’m scared!).