It is the 29th of September, my penultimate day as the Artist in Residence here at Bandelier National Monument. It has been a marvelous month, rich with experiences, sights, sounds, and the wonderful people here that have made my time so rewarding. With all that I have been able to do, there is still more to learn and understand. For example, I would like to know more about the endangered species here:

I was lucky enough to get to observe at the bird banding station. I was amazed at how quickly the bird banders worked and how careful they are to keep bird stress at a minimum. An experienced bander can band a bird, determine species/sub-species, age, health, feather condition, size and weight in less than 2 minutes. Bird banding helps to track migration patterns, species frequency in a given area, how birds are feeding, and whether or not a bird species is increasing or declining. Studying birds can help understand the impact of fire, drought, snow levels, and other climate phenomenon. It is a very interesting science.

This is just one of the many marvelous opportunities I have had during my time here. I am deeply grateful to all the people who have shared their knowledge, expertise, and most of all, their time. It has been a truly remarkable experience.