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Earl Lou

Alpha Flag Code:

JN

Capture date:

May 27, 2017

Sex:

Male

Location:

Heart Mountain, WY

Namesake:

Our Curlew Checker volunteer Nancy Dewitt named Earl Lou after a Great Gray Owl education bird she used to work with named Earl Grey; plus ‘Earl Lou’ and ‘Curlew’ rhyme :)

Field work is a labor of love, especially for those who study the Long-billed curlew! Most mornings we are up long before sunrise (even before the early-birds getting the worm!) and out past sunset. Spring weather can be inhospitable at times, bringing driving rain, blowing snow, gale force winds…did I mention blowing snow?

Ben West works hard to survey for curlews in the Wyoming snow! Photo by James Laux

So when Mother Nature graces us with a beautiful day- it is never taken for granted! And what a great day it was when we met JN- blue skies and lots of smiles and happiness from everyone involved. It even looks like this curlew was smiling as he flew away, but probably for different reasons than the weather ;)

a family works together to release a long billed curlew
The Thompson Family helps release JN (Katherine works for our partners at The Nature Conservancy) Photo by Mark Davis.