Bug guts on the window

I made it to the research station at last, this photo (through the guts) is the entrance to the station. A rather incredible backyard.

So for all those I joked with about the Tucson-Douglas shuttle and the potential for livestock to be on it, well, there were no livestock, but SKETCH was written all over it. My flamboyant taxi cab driver (who waved his arms around a great deal while driving) dropped me off where the shuttle station was in Tucson. Most of the mall is closed and falling apart and a barbed wire fence lines the parking lot. The shuttle station is what appears to be a decomisioned ice cream stand where the guys selling the tickets no hablo englaise. So I asked a guy sitting outfront smoking a corn cob pipe snugly wedged between his remaining teeth, and surprisingly he gave me a discernable answer "yeerjestgointherandgertyertircket, theylerveroundnanthirty" Thanks friend.

The driver of the van was very entertaining however, and told me all about the United States and its injustices towards Mexicans, a topic Im not really an expert on, nor, as a skinny white chick, am I allowed to comment.

However, I made it safely to Douglas and the volunteer director was there to pick me up. We had a great mexican meal (mmm, green chilli burritos) and bought beer at Walmart (I got carded!!). The drive in was nice, and it was great to talk to someone that knows the land, plants and animals around these parts (hes a birder). I have spent the afternoon wandering around taking photos, which I will be posting on Flickr after dinner.

Tomorrow I will begin the volunteer duties, I get to clean dishes and rooms. But its only 4 hours a day. There arent too many researchers here yet, though apparently there is a hummingbird guy around, and we're going to go out banding this weekend (there are several species of hummingbird around these parts)

Until tomorrow friends, Goodnight