A sad week - 23 May to 29 May

A Skua with epic timing. Photo by Michelle

This week started off well enough with a visit to the Tristan Albatross nests on Tafelkoppie with Michelle. It was the most beautiful day (yes, we do still have them, even in May), the sun was shining brightly and there was only a little wind. Michelle accompanied me on condition that we climbed Mount Zeus, a small peak on Tafelkoppie that overlooks the base, as she had not climbed it before. This worked out for the best as once we were on top we could not resist the temptation to explore further afield and found some spectacular rocks including one shaped like the biggest cricket bat you have ever seen! On the way down we even got nibbled and preened by a friendly albatross. It is wonderful to see how unafraid the birds here are but at the same time, it is really sad because they used to be like this all over the world and it is only our behavior that has altered theirs elsewhere.

@Lawrence and Matthew: not too much good for BGC!

They are incredibly gentle for such large birds. Photo by Michelle

What made the rest of the week sad was finding out on Wednesday that a colleague of mine from my time at Tygerberg, both when I was doing my Honours and this year, had died on Monday following complications after and operation. She was really young, only a few years older than me and had just received her PhD. She had her  whole life to live and now she is gone. It made me realise that what I miss is not things, rather I miss people: my family, friends even just randoms that you bump into and strike up a conversation with. Also I have missed out on important events in several of my friends and family's lives. My sister had a child, two of my friends got married, another became engaged, some others will have a child in September before I am back. These are important mile stones in peoples lives and I am missing them all. I only get to experience them third hand through photos on Facebook. It is just not the same as experiencing it for yourself. Oh well, only a few more months and I will be back in the thick of it all and wishing for the quiet and solitude of the island again I am sure!

The weather has been atrocious this week which (literally) put a damper on work but I did manage to catch the last few Moorhens for the large aviary so that trial is now underway as well. I feel rather sorry for the Moorhens, all cooped up in tiny cells or squashed into the large aviary. They are really endearing little birds that seem to have genuine personalities and mannerisms. It is for their own good so they will have to man up and tough it out. Come to think of it the situation of the Moorhens in the large aviary is hardly any different to the team's situation. All cooped up and nowhere to go.

I finally succeeded in prizing some photos out of Michelle, so here is the summit photo from our trip to Edinburgh Peak

 Next week will be better I am sure. I hope it is the same for all of you too.