We are always reporting on the amazing research the IBO team conducts throughout the year, but we thought we would have a little fun and share some updates from each of our staff member’s lives outside of work. Let’s see what everyone has been up to!
Greg
Photo Courtesy: Greg Kaltenecker
Greg and wife Deniz are very proud of their oldest daughter, Ayla, who started at the University of Montana in Missoula double majoring in Fish and Wildlife Biology and Art. Seems like just a few years ago when Ayla was running around at Lucky Peak, acting like she owned the place.
Something stuck, as the Presidential Scholarship recipient is dead set on going into fisheries research and management and somehow including her incredible talents as an artist in her career as well!
Photo Courtesy: Greg Kaltenecker
Youngest daughter Alara, also a straight “A” student, would rather ride horses than anything else. She and her horse, Ripley, were part of a coordinated drill team this summer at the Western Idaho Fair. Alara is entering high school this year in 9th grade, she’s not quite sure where she wants to end up; it doesn’t matter to her, as long as it’s on a horse!
The Carlisles
Since our last newsletter, Felix (4) started Preschool and Phoebe (21mo) started walking and talking! They’ve been keeping Jay and Heidi busy this summer, and the family has enjoyed spending time together on many IBO projects, especially camping both for hummingbird banding in Idaho City and breeding season banding at Lucky Peak this summer.
Felix especially loved spending time exploring moths, trees, and flowers with the crews. And Phoebe enjoyed climbing logs and dodging peril at every turn while playing outside all summer.
Rob
IBO wasn’t the only one celebrating a milestone in 2024. This year Rob and Karyn celebrated their 30th anniversary, too! Here they are on their mountain tandem bike in the Sawtooths.
Jeremy
Jeremy had an eventful and exciting year getting married and honeymooning in Oregon, where he got to enjoy tidepools for the first time (lots of starfish, hermit crabs, and sea anemones).
He and his wife Sarah also unexpectedly adopted a second rabbit who has one lopped ear and one standing ear, making her look like she’s ready to take flight (bunny enthusiasts call them “helicopter ears” 🚁). Along with supervising bunny bonding sessions, Jeremy and Sarah spend a lot of time in their yard replacing the grass with native plants and growing delicious veggies and herbs.
Heather
As shared by Fiona May, Border Collie and Bestest Girl
I had the best year in ALL of my dog years so far- what DIDN’T I do?! I turned the big 0-3 and even though my humans, Heather and Adam, have been spending many long and suuuuper dog-boring hours remodeling our little house, they did carve out time for us to go on some paw-some adventures together. From springtime camping in the Owyhees, getting a brand new ‘big girl’ pool for my birthday, AND giving my Border Collie blessing for them to get married (yeah, I am kind of a big deal like that), it was shaping up to be an exciting year!
I served as lead technician helping mom spot Long-billed Curlews (and I didn’t even roll in cow poop this season because again, I am now a big girl) and when I wasn’t working, I got to go on fun excursions with my pals Heidi and Amos. I spent LOTS of time on the water, whether I was captaining the boat on local reservoirs or swimming in the Salmon River while my dad panned for gold. Mom and I learned to paddleboard in the meanders of Payette Lake and neither one of us managed to fall off! But my favorite water sport? Leaping from any dock I can find- and this summer I continued to hone my flight skills. We spent nights stargazing, chasing the Aurora Borealis and the Atlas comet through the mountains. “What next” you ask? Cross country skiing and crafting my letter to Santa Paws…I need to remind him that I have been the bestest girl!
Lesley
Since the last newsletter, I have moved to Boise and am enjoying settling into a great community here! Shoutout to everyone who has made this transition a positive and welcoming experience. My largest update, however, comes from the largest of the dogs at IBO who always keeps me on my toes. My malamute, Riker, may be gaining in years as he turns 12 in January, but he has been making the most of it by embarking on a number of firsts in 2024!
He has overcome his intense fear of the dark, camped in all weather conditions, and gained a few new project participation badges. He acted as team mascot during the classroom portions of Pinyon Jay survey training, guarded camp while Rob and I completed woodpecker surveys in the Boise National Forests, and used his curiously sensitive sniffer to locate two deer legs during IMBCR training in southern Utah with Jeremy. Although he is less fond of waking up with frost on the tips of his fur compared to his comfy bed at home, he took this year in stride and I couldn’t be more proud of how far he has come.
Ryan
Work with IBO is never boring – the past year we have traveled across beautiful landscapes and met interesting people, faced down the elements, climbed (many) mountains, and seen fantastic wildlife – all in the name of avian research. It’s a good time for both me and my fabulous field assistant Perl – who keeps me on the straight and narrow (or tries!). We’re looking forward to the next exciting chapter.
This article is part of our 2024 end of the year newsletter! View the full newsletter here, or click “older posts” below to read the next article.
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