Teton Science Schools' Graduate Program
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By Elizabeth Terp,
Volunteer
Earthwatch, a program that connects volunteers to researchers, had 11 individuals living at the Kelly Campus and volunteering with the Conservation Research Center this past week. Embere Hall, Conservation Research Center Research Director, explained that the volunteers help the Conservation Research Center with bird identification, bird banding, and nest searching. Read the rest of this entry »
The Kelly Campus Observatory has two new additions: A large, state-of-the-art telescope and the “Astronomy Guy”. This time things just fell into place. Less than two weeks after former Teton Science Schools graduate student, Sam Singer, returned to work on the Kelly Campus Graduate Faculty, a pristine, Meade 14-inch RCX400 telescope was donated by a resident of Jackson Hole. Read the rest of this entry »
By Josh Kleyman,
Graduate Faculty
As spring continues to encroach on the valley, a group of 6 graduate students are fully immersed in the natural history of the area. Advanced Elements of Field Ecology began with three early mornings as Dr. Dale Gentry and Mike Windsor took the graduate students birding.
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By Heather Ristow,
Graduate Student
Last Sunday evening in Spur Ridge classroom we were graced with a sunny vista of the Teton Mountains as we gathered to welcome four Elderhostel students to TSS. They had come from Arizona, Nevada, and Indiana to participate in a weeklong ornithology course coordinated by Dr. Dale Gentry. They brought varying degrees of passion for birds and birding, as well as a wide variety of life experiences that they shared with us. They came with many goals for the week: to see a Sage Grouse lek, to add the gray-crowned rosy finch and other birds to their life lists, and to experience the majesty of the Tetons. The first woman to arrive had the amazing luck of seeing three wolves mid-day on the drive from the airport to the Kelly Campus. Read the rest of this entry »
By Aliesje King,
Graduate Student
It is strange, now, as the snow begins to melt I reflect on the winter teaching experience. It was an adventure to say the least. Not only did we have to recall all the new knowledge about snow science we recently obtained, but we had to teach efficiently when the temps were below the 0° C mark. The students couldn’t wander about on scientific adventures as they had in the fall, it was just too cold. To add to this, not only was the air frigid, but we also had these funny contraptions on our feet: skis.
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By Elizabeth Terp,
Volunteer
National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) chose Teton Science Schools’ Kelly Campus as the place best suited to offer their Wilderness Emergency Medical Training (WEMT) month-long course. Training is rigorous for the 28 participants who are enthusiastic in their praise of the course and what they are learning. Read the rest of this entry »
By Elizabeth Terp,
Volunteer
With a background in nursing, education and several years of info-volunteering in the White Mountain Presidentials, I arrived November 18 to begin volunteering at Teton Science Schools and Grand Teton National Park. Read the rest of this entry »
By Aliesje King,
Graduate Student
Amazing, I survived my first semester (or what-have-you) of my graduate education. This includes taking my first science test in ten years, a wondrous trip to a cabin (not-my-own) in the woods with my fellow classmates and instructors, and successfully completing my first scientific research compilation and presentation—–water quality analysis, baby! Read the rest of this entry »
By Derek Meier,
Graduate Student
The day was quite warm—if you are used to Jackson winters. The sky was blotched with blue and white with a few stray stellar dendrites floating down landing on our clothes allowing a quick inspection of these delicate intricacies before being blown away. Our graduate class was out with a local avalanche expert Ron Matous to learn about the snow pack, avalanche safety, and instructional strategies regarding snow science. Read the rest of this entry »
By Heather Ristow,
Graduate Student
Solitude.
It creeps into the spaces between stillness and silence, framed by snow-covered branches in aspen groves. It seeps into my cells with each step that I take deeper into the forest, away from cabin warmth and human merriment. Read the rest of this entry »
By Derek Meier,
Graduate Student
The Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem including Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks are considered to be the largest intact natural ecosystem in the lower 48. With such wildness and wilderness comes the unique and privileged opportunity to observe some the largest and rarest of charismatic mega-fauna in the United States. On an ominous fall day threatening an early winter storm, my friend and I had the incredible opportunity to observe four grizzly bears. 
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By Sarah “Webbie” Webster,
Graduate Student
Our second half of Community Ecology was riddled with excitement.
By Sara Stephan,
Gradaute Student
Yeah that’s right. It’s October and it’s SNOWING!
I called home yesterday and my friend complained that the weather was 90 degrees. I told her it was 38 degrees and we were expecting snow. She laughed and said, “No, seriously, what’s it like there?” All I could say was “SERIOUSLY.” Read the rest of this entry »
And a Bison curls up next to my cabin!
By Judy “Pippi” Fisher,
Graduate Student
Last week became the week of wildlife. All the students in the field learning about the environmental communities on the Teton Science School campus also learned about charismatic megafauna! Read the rest of this entry »
Written By:
Judy “Pippi” Fisher,
Graduate Student
As I embark on my phenology project, the Aspens begin to glimmer gold. Phenology is the study of natural phenomena and the relation of it to climate and changing seasons. As an artist, color effects my everyday life. The colors in nature create a landscape of grandeur for all to appreciate. I chose to study how the colors change over the course of the seasons in the communities around the Kelly Campus.
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Death Canyon, Teton Range, Wyoming
20:00 hours, August 30, 2007
Dinner consisted of curry cous-cous, sautéed peppers, onions, and garlic, marinara sauce, and candied raisins and pecans. Simple fare, elegantly prepared, and devoured without hesitation. This is how it was on our third day of backpacking with half of the 2008 graduate class strolling down this tranquil Teton canyon. Read the rest of this entry »
It’s early. We all stand ready, packs full of pasta and GORP, stuff sacks and puffies, and naturally water bottles and bladder bags bursting at the seams. Our well thought out menus are tucked in our bear bins, second skin is applied, and our packs (both brand new and ill fittingly old) sit awkwardly on our backs. We are half of the graduate class, ready to hike through the Teton Crest Trail to Idaho as the others will start in Idaho and head our way. Excitement permeates our group: Let’s go! Read the rest of this entry »
After completing a mandatory Wilderness First Responder (WFR) Training, I had a few days off before beginning my year as a graduate student at Teton Science Schools. 
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Adventures, learning and friendship. All an intergral part of what was a wonderful 12 day Middle School Field Ecology Program this July.
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On July 17, 18 students from across the country arrived at Teton Science Schools for a 12 day Middle School Field Ecology Program. The theme of the program, “Little things make a big difference,” was explored from an ecology and community perspective.
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The Teton Junior Science School (TJSS) is in the third week of exploring the world around Jackson Hole, Wyoming. It proved to be a busy fun filled week! The 1st and 2nd grade group, Fancy Flyers, flew to new adventures throughout the week. The students captured insects in Read the rest of this entry »
To add onto Rob’s previous blog, here are some more pictures from the Wolf and Bear weekend trip to Yellowstone National Park. On the drive out of Kelly, we saw a coyote feeding on a carcass in the Gros Ventre River. We had barely left campus, but had to stop and take a look through the scopes.
It was my first time in Yellowstone, and it was exciting to spend the weekend there when the roads first opened up since winter. I was fortunate enough to had already seen a wolf in the sage flats near our campus in February, but was thrilled to see two more wolves on this trip. There was a coyote following a wolf for a while, and the wolf kept turning around and tried to chase off the coyote. I never realized how much bigger wolves were compared to coyotes until I saw them side by side.
Every year the graduate students and the faculty go up to Lamar Valley in Yellowstone to watch wolves and bears. This was my first year going. I had an amazing time. I got my first prolonged look at a grizzly bear. Prior to this I’ve only seen fleeting hairy rear ends disappearing into willow thickets. This time, I watched a group of 20 bison chase a grizzly across a hill.
The wolves were amazing too. Four total. The one we got a really good look at is known as Druid 302. He was beautiful. 
The highlight for me was an interaction we watched between the wolf, grizzly, and a coyote. At one time I could see all three through my binoculars at once. There were no scuffles but it looked tense at times through the scope.
Josh Kleyman, Jaime Duval, and I have been out scouting sights for the botany portion of Advanced Elements of Field Natural History that starts next week. Sunny, warm days gave me my first sandal tan of the year and invited us to scour the sides of south facing hills and open plains for the first signs of spring. With temperatures still getting near freezing at night and an inch of snow forecasted for today there are some brave early bloomers that deserve a mention:
Buttercup
Western springbeauty
Yellowbell
Ball-headed waterleaf
Carpet phlox
Sugarbowls
Pasque flower
Woodland star
Shooting star
Prairie smoke
Violets
Rockcress
Biscuitroot
Dandelion
Bluebells
Stoneseed
Bistort
Phalecia
So- despite the inch of snow that may fall and putting my sandals away for the day. I’m convinced that spring is here.
During April 3-6, second grade students from the local Jackson Elementary School visited, each class coming for one day. Students looked for wildlife, did some tracking, and kept their eyes out for animal signs along Ditch Creek. On Thursday, a couple of groups saw a moose near Ditch creek and were able to follow it’s tracks! After learning about the history of the Muries and what it means to be a naturalist, students explored the Murie Musem with some scavenger hunt questions. Before coming to this program, each student had researched an animal in detail, so this was an opportunity for them to look closer for animal signs outside and at specimens in the Murie Museum. By the end of the day, each student had completed a species account in their journals, which included sketching, coloring, and a writtendescription.
Traveling all the way from New York, Churchill High School visited the Teton Science Schools March 25-31. It was one of our smaller groups, with 12 boys. The first couple days started off with strengthening teambuilding activities and setting goals for the week as a group. In the field, students explored the four plant communities around campus, and spent an afternoon hiking to Taggart Lake to learn about the geology of the Tetons and fire ecology of that area. After spending time in the Murie Museum, students went to the Murie Center and had some time to be naturalists, either looking for wildlife and tracking along the Snake River, or hiking on the “around the world trail” for some journaling, reflection, and further discussion of the Muries. One group was fortunate enough to spend some time watching a porcupine next to the trail! An afternoon was also spent at the National Museum of Wildlife Art to do some sketching. Evening programs included astronomy, night hike, art, create your ideal community, and a discussion of clean energy and how to conserve it at home. The final day was an adventure hike up Blacktail Butte to celebrate the week. This group set out for an adventure this week, and that’s just what they got!
This weeks birds, Pine Siskins (PISI) and Dark-eyed Juncos (DEJU), are both abundant on the Kelly Campus right now. Pine Siskins are abundant year round but Dark-eyed Juncos are short distance migrants that recently returned in force.
Pine Siskins are finches that nest in a cup/saucer on the outer limbs of pine trees. Their diet is dominated by seeds of deciduous and conifer trees. Siskins are very social year round frequently forming flocks of over a hundred birds during the fall, winter, and spring. Although most songbirds of their size are highly territorial during the breeding season, Pine Siskins are semi-colonial therefore there can be multiple nests in a single tree. Pine Siskins are frequently lumped into the birds described as LBJs (little brown jobs), a pejorative description of small birds that can be difficult for beginners to identify. They are streaked with brown over their whole body but during the breeding season they will have a few small patches of bright yellow on their wings and tail.
Dark-eyed Juncos were at one time split into five different species (Oregon Junco, Slate-colored Junco, White-winged Junco, Grey-headed Junco, and Pink-sided Junco) but are now considered one species with 5 distinctly different subspecies. The Pink-sided race is the most common species locally. Despite the great variation in plumage, Dark-eyed Juncos are rarely mistaken for other sparrows. The absolute best field mark are the white outer tail feathers that are conspicuous in flight and especially when slowing down to land. Additionally, Juncos will have a dark “hood” and a white belly. They are short distance migrants and they nest in open cup nests on the ground. Their diet consists of seeds during the non-breeding season but includes seeds and a number of arthropods during the breeding season; nestlings are fed a 100% arthropod diet.
Photo credits
http://pie.midco.net/dougback/miscphotos/Pine_siskin5.jpg
On Tuesday, March 27th, Kevin Haspela’s graduate team and their student groups found a great gray owl at the Murie Center in Moose, WY. Several faculty members went back and photographed this bird. This species is able to locate small rodents under the snowpack by sound and catch its prey using auditory clues alone.
The bird(s) of the day are back. Today we will meet Red Crossbills (RECR) and Pine Grosbeak (PIGR). These species are being introduced together because they look fairly similar and are both found in the 
same, coniferous habitats. Both species nest in open cup nests in conifer trees, or sometimes shrubs. Both have a similar diet of primarily seeds, buds, and fruits. The pictured birds are males in both cases and the adult females of both species are yellow in the same spots that the males are red (why not yellow grosbeak and crossbill??? must be sexist). To tell them apart use size (pine grosbeaks are notably Read the rest of this entry »
Meet the Clark’s Nutcracker (four letter acronym CLNU). Found only in the Rocky Mountains, it’s name comes from William Clark of the Lewis and Clark expedition who were the first scientists to describe 
and collect this species. The Clark’s Nutcracker is a member of the Corvidae family that also contains ravens, crows, and magpies etc. They are one of the most common avian species on the Kelly Campus. They breed in cup nests, usually on horizontal branches of pine trees, and should be beginning to breed right now. Their diet is composed primarily of pine nuts but they are omnivorous and also eat arthropods when they are available and Read the rest of this entry »
I’ve been meaning to start sending out bird of the day e-mails and have finally gotten to it. I know that complete field guide to North American birds can be intimidating with its 700+ species so I am going to introduce you to a few of the birds that are likely to be seen in Jackson Hole one at a time. This, coupled with the ornithology portion of the advanced elements of field natural history course, and the voluntary morning naturalist walks that I will start in April, should help to familiarize you with the local birds at a more friendly pace and hopefully help you to gain a love (or at least a like) for birds.
Most days I will cover one bird at a time but in some cases, like today, I will cover two because of their similarity. Today, I would like each of you to meet the Black-capped and Mountain Chickadees. Ornithologists use 4 letter codes that usually include some version of the first two letters in the first part of the name and the first two letters in the second part of the name to help them rapidly take notes in the field. The abbreviations for these birds are BCCH (Black-capped Chickadee) and MOCH (Mountain Chickadee).
Both of these species are year round residents of the Kelly campus and are cavity nesters. During the non-breeding season (fall, winter, early spring) they are almost always in flocks, sometimes single 
species, but frequently in mixed species flocks. Their diet consists mostly of insects that they glean (foraging term) off of bark and foliage.
Chickadees are onomatopoeia bird, meaning that their name sounds like their vocalizations (it sounds like chick-a-dee dee dee), which are nearly identical but if you see them, they can easily be separated by the white stripe above the eye on the head of the Mountain Chickadee.
Black-capped Chickadee image from Learn Bird Songs.
Mountain Chickadee image from Utah Birds.
Big news is circulating since last Friday’s announcement that Jackson Hole is slowly becoming, well, less of a hole. A seventeen year study using global positioning system satellites to measure the slightest movement of the land found the valley rose 1.7 inches. I was concerned about becoming an alarmist, but this could have implications for the Teton Science Schools. What if the valley rose so high the Tetons completely disappeared? Should we be entering into strategic organizational planning to prepare for a loss-of-namesake contingency plan?
My rusty math skills quickly quieted my racing heart. All other rational geologic thought and Read the rest of this entry »
John, Liz H., and Dale headed to Lander, WY for the weekend (Feb. 23-25) to teach students from local elementary schools. Liz H. had the little kiddies, grades K-1, John with the 2-3rd graders, and Dale with 4-6th grade. We met at the Children’s Museum in town and then headed out to the field for most of the day Saturday, and then Sunday morning. Lessons focused on animal and plant adaptations to winter and were spent on the trails at Sinks Canyon State Park.
My (Liz H.) kids were adorable! Most of their parents tagged along as well and were able to spend the field-time with the group. Saturday was spent Read the rest of this entry »
On the late afternoon of February 11, 2007, with bellies full of Mountain High Pizza Pies, Judge Memorial High School rolled into the Teton Science Schools’ Kelly Campus from Salt Lake City, Utah. We settled the group into their cabins, fit them with gear for the week, played some games, and headed to bed. We all had a long, but exciting week ahead of us!
Throughout the week, the group focused on elements of change in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. They cross-country skied around the Kelly Campus, snowshoed at Bradley-Taggart, carried out and presented research projects on snow science, and spent a day in Yellowstone National Park. Yellowstone was a truly magical place to visit in the wintertime- the bison were digging in the snow, the colorful bacteria in the pools contrasted with the surrounding snow, and we arrived at Old Faithful just in time to see it go off! The final day of the program was spent at the Kelly Campus, celebrating with a monumental ski to Coyote Rock, a slide show, and certificates to all the program participants.
The Teton Science Schools crew wishes to send out a final thank you to the Judge High School teachers and students for helping to make this week such a fun and memorable one!
Jack Turner, author of Teewinot: A year in the Teton Range and Abstract Wild, spoke with the graduate students and faculty for an evening. Jack’s ideas were presented in the context of a book of his that is to be released this summer called Travels in the Greater Yellowstone. Jack’s new book highlights ecological issues in the greater yellowstone ecosystem by documenting various locations throughout the area that illustrate specific problems. For example, the Bear Tooth Plateau is an high alpine area that exists at 10,000 ft and is home to the American Pipit, Black Rosy-Finch, and pikas. The increases in temperature associated with human induced climate change may “push” these species out of this habitat. Jack contends it may be the new silent spring for the Bear Tooths.
Jack also spent a portion of the evening discussing what “wild” means to our society. Grand Teton National Park and Yellowstone National Park are often thought of as wild or wilderness. Jack believes they are not as wild as we may think. He posed questions such as, “How can we call something wilderness if we actively try to control it?” Poignant examples he used were the controversial wolf reintroduction and the newly proposed elk and bison herd culls.
His ideas have sparked interesting discussions around our community. The discussion has been timely because it corresponds to the “Ecological Inquiry” class currently happening. In this class, graduate students are exploring multiple perspectives on ecological issues in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. Check back for some results of their inquiries.
A couple photos of a common bird around the Kelly Campus.
Last night some folks saw 13 wolves on the buttes near Kelly, WY. Today a group of us went out to see what we could see. We found three wolves on top of a hill a long ways off. Later, we spotted a lone wolf on Antelope Flats. Here is a digiscoped image:
An eagle showed up too. We have been seeing them on the powerline poles consistently during the last month. Here is a drive by from Dale’s subaru:
Happy Valentines Day!
