So it's the eve of Christmas Eve and we've officially started the winter session. Just about every morning since I've been here we have gone out birding. Which has been really neat. We are lucky in that the island only has twenty or so birds, so there aren't too many to memorize. I'm still struggling with a couple of birds but it's coming a long. They all look so cute and pretty flying and chirping around. There are lots of Micronesian honeyeaters that live out side my window.
Also we've been seeing a lot of orb weavers while birding, which they are really neat little creatures.
We also have been going around the island to various sites. There are a lot of WWII ruins here.
Two days before that we did get to go to the beach which was absolutely beautiful. Saw lots of neat creatures such as a cone snail, sea cucumbers, hermit crabs, and lots of fish which I don't know the names of yet. It is just wonderful swimming, the water is really refreshing because it is so hot and humid out. It's like swimming in bath water though so you don't get the chills if you stay in for a long time.
Sargent fish
Cone Snail
Three spot Wrass
Yesterday we went to a different beach that was in front of a resort for a group meeting. We wadded in the water a little bit but the water wasn't as clear or nice as the beach that we had visited the day before. We had a game of volley ball going, well just tried to keep it going over the net was more of the aim. We also played some fisbee :) And we watched the sun set over the water. It was a nice time with everyone. Later today we will be having Saipan 101, learning about all the history to the island. So we can get a better understanding of where locals are coming from and where things stand now with conservation and things like that. Tomorrow we will be participating in a bird servery, so that is where most of the time spent tomorrow will be. And for Christmas we will have the day off with an evening BBQ with the group.
