<html><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html charset=iso-8859-1"><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html charset=iso-8859-1"><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html charset=iso-8859-1"></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space;"><div>The first half of November I was in Costa Rica's Orosi Valley for our 22nd Operation RubyThroat citizen science expedition to the Neotropics. Mist netting and live-trapping operations were centered at Ujarrás, a riverside agricultural community whose cash crop is Chayote--a squash that flowers prolifically and whose nectar is sought by hummers and other avifauna.</div><div><br></div><div>Over a nine-day period we spent six mornings in the field, banding ruby-throats and other Neotropical migrants such as warblers and orioles, and photographing other colorful resident birds that went unbanded. We also had time for field trips to view other fauna and lush flora in natural areas, including Tapanti National Park, Irazú Volcano, and Rancho Naturalista ("Home of the Snowcap").</div><div><br></div><div>My "This Week at Hilton Pond" installment for 1-30 November 2013 is a summation of our most recent excursion, complete with more than a hundred photos and a non-technical description of our results. The photo essay is extensive and may take a while to download, but I think you'll find it enjoyable and informative. To view the write-up, please visit <a href="http://www.hiltonpond.org/ThisWeek131101.html">http://www.hiltonpond.org/ThisWeek131101.html</a> . (It's formatted for easy reading on computer or tablet.)</div><div><br></div><div>Remember, experience and training are not necessary to participate in an Operation RubyThroat trip to Central America; ANYONE with interest and enthusiasm can be a citizen scientist! :-)</div><div><br></div><div>Happy (Neotropical) Nature Watching!</div><div><br></div><div>BILL</div><div><br></div><div apple-content-edited="true">
<div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Geneva; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Geneva; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Geneva; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; border-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; "><div style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Geneva; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; border-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; "><div style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Geneva; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; border-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; "><div style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; ">P.S. Please "Like" our new Facebook page at <a href="http://www.facebook.com/HiltonPond">http://www.facebook.com/HiltonPond</a> for timely updates on nature topics. Follow us on Twitter @hiltonpond.</div><div style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "><br></div><div style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; ">=========<br><br>RESEARCH PROGRAM<br>c/o BILL HILTON JR., D.Sci.</div><div style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; ">Executive Director<br>Hilton Pond Center for Piedmont Natural History<br>1432 DeVinney Road, York, South Carolina 29745 USA<br>office & cell (803) 684-5852<br><br>Please visit our web sites (courtesy of <a href="http://Comporium.net">Comporium.net</a>):<br>Hilton Pond Center for Piedmont Natural History at <a href="http://www.hiltonpond.org">http://www.hiltonpond.org</a> <br>"Operation RubyThroat: The Hummingbird Project" at <a href="http://www.rubythroat.org">http://www.rubythroat.org</a><br><br>==================</div></span></div></span></div></span></div></div>
</div>
<br></body></html>