There are three things I absolutely hate: wet socks, Brussels sprouts, and the beeping of alarm clocks. On a Saturday morning in late October, I woke up before the sun to the incessant chirp of the clock and rain streaking down my windows. After wallowing in self-pity for a few minutes, I turned off the alarm. Rather than spend my weekend sleeping in and studying with a cup of hot chocolate, I had to trek through a creek bed in the pouring rain looking for salamanders.
Professor Charles Smith’s Introduction to Field Biology class requires that students memorize the scientific names of approximately 300 species—and participate in a weekend-long fieldtrip. After meeting 25 other grumpy students at Fernow Hall, we loaded our sleeping bags, books, and clothing onto the bus, and rode 15 miles southwest from Ithaca to the Arnot Teaching and Research Forest. Owned by Cornell and managed by the Department of Natural Resources, the 4,000 acres are used as hunting ground by local residents, a facility for maple syrup production, and a teaching lab. Cornell students do summer internships at the facility, whose cabins can accommodate 90 people.
We spent Saturday morning laying live animal traps along the creek bank. The rest of the day we learned how to use a compass, estimate distance in the field, and read a map. We spent an hour standing in the creek and lifting rocks in search of salamanders—not difficult, as they slither to the surface when it rains, and I (a New Mexico native) have never been more drenched in my life.
After bringing back three species of salamander and several frogs, we attempted to warm up by drinking our body weight in tea and huddling near the fire. Failing, we embraced our saturated existence and took notes on the amphibians. That night we checked the traps, bringing back alive but very wet voles, mice, shrews, and chipmunks. After collecting data and observing the creatures, we released them. Back in the main lodge, we attempted to dry our coats and eat as many s’mores as possible before retiring to the rustic cabins.
I learned three valuable lessons over the weekend: I still do not know how to quickly differentiate between a Masked Shrew and a Northern Short-tailed Shrew; I will forever be amazed at the Latin that Professor Smith spits out like it’s his native language; and I need to either invest in a high-quality raincoat or move back to the desert.
— Aeriel Emig ’09