Message from the President...

As I write this from my unofficial office in my local coffee shop, I'm reminded of the phrase 'the dog days of summer'! I always thought it was just a colloquial saying after seeing dogs take shelter from the midday heat of the sun, but who knew there's actually a history to the saying!

According to Wikipedia, "The dog days or dog days of summer are the hot, sultry days of summer. They were historically the period following the heliacal rising of the star system Sirius (known colloquially as the "Dog Star"), which Hellenistic astrology connected with heat, drought, sudden thunderstorms, lethargy, fever, mad dogs, and bad luck. They are now taken to be the hottest, most uncomfortable part of summer in the Northern Hemisphere."
According to the Farmer's Almanac, the dog days of summer last from around July 3rd to August 11th!

But, here we are at the end of June already experiencing the days the Romans and Greeks gave a name to all those centuries ago!

Personally, I missed most of the month of June's stormy weather as my wife and I were on our 'bucket list trip' to Kenya and Tanzania where we were on safari, and the weather was much more amenable, having just exited the wet season. The temps were in the mid to high 70's during the day and high 50's overnight, so if you know me, you know I was wrapped up warm for those chilly evenings!

You might have noticed the strange looking dog photo at the top of the page: it's of a Black Backed Jackal, and the reason I'm sharing my trip with you, other than it was the experience of a lifetime, is that once again, being a Master Naturalist paid dividends! Early in our adventure, I took our guide, Joel (his "English" name) aside and asked if he would be able to ID any birds we might see as I'd like to keep a list of our sightings...well, did he get excited! Apparently, most people that go on safaris aren't especially interested in birds, but are there for the big game sightings! But Joel was an avid birder and was happy to share his knowledge with me, and the rest of the people in our 4x4!

OK, not a dog, but definitely grateful of a watering hole in the heat of the afternoon!

After I'd ID'd a few birds myself and shared them with him, I told him my secret was the Merlin and eBird apps...which of course started a conversation about the volunteer work I do with the CMNA as Bald Eagle and Alligator Ambassador. Before long, I was treated to several personal birding sessions with Joel, and introduced to other tour guides who were so welcoming to a stranger that was really interested in more than just the Big 5 game experience!

Those guides, over dinner one night, regaled my wife and I with the behind the scenes stories of their adventures and knowledge of the local wildlife, including the names and familial relations of the lions we'd seen that day, something I don't believe would have happened if it wasn't for me sharing with them my volunteer work and genuine interest in the wildlife!

The Superb Starling, living up to its name!

At the end of our trip, when our group of 20 gathered together to say our goodbyes to each other and our guides, Joel took the opportunity to publicly thank me for rekindling his love of birding...something he hadn't done in a while, because "most people on safari aren't interested in birds"!

Wow...you've heard me say it often. You never know the impact you have as a Master Naturalist!

So, while I have shared with you the experience and photos of my trip, I do encourage you to get out there and spread the word of the good we do in our communities, and sometimes around the world. It is Alligator Ambassador season, so I hope those of you that are qualified will be out there, doing the good work that we do, even during these dog days of summer!

Or maybe we should rename them the Alligator days of summer!

Oh, yes, there were a LOT of birds and almost every new sighting was a lifer!!!