Field Notes

Gilbert Tract: 2022-01-20 16:40:00 (DOY 20)
Author: Daphne Szutu
Others:

Summary: Regular data collection/cleaning, Lots of bird sounds, Changed eddy clock +1min, New datalogger program with Variance-Bowen ET stats, Changed ottercam settings, Police SUV at gate upon exit

2022-01-20
Gilbert Tract

I arrived at 16:40 PST. It was mild and mostly clear with hazy horizons. The sun was starting to set and I could hear a ton of birds. Approaching the tower, I disturbed a tree full of starlings.

Video of bird sounds (turn volume up):
Video 1: https://youtu.be/thkzMkUB3AY
Video 2: https://youtu.be/jhF4rN5x9h4

I downloaded met, cam, and USB GHG data. The wash reservoir was 2/3 full; I refilled it. The PARin sensor still has a lot of noise at night and could be replaced with one of the undercanopy PARs from EE.

I cleaned flux and rad sensors. I checked the eddy clock and it needed adjustment, so I stopped logging, changed the clock +1min from 16:46 to 16:47 to match the laptop time, and then restarted logging.

I uploaded a new datalogger program that removes the Campbell water level sensor and calculates and stores the statistics needed for Carlos’s Variance-Bowen ET calculations. The datalogger numbers seemed reasonable with the new program. The water level sensor is still physically wired to the datalogger and can be removed next time.

I downloaded the ottercam videos; this time it was mostly nighttime videos with no movement (not even grass waving to and fro), and one video of a domestic cat stalking an unknown prey. I changed some of the gamecam settings because last time some of the videos were cut off short: I changed video length from 10s to 15s, interval from 20s to 1s, and sensor sensitivity from medium to high. I think interval is how quickly a new video will be triggered after the current video. There's plenty of space on the card for more videos, but hopefully the batteries won't die too quickly.

LI-7500 readings:
CO2 437ppm
H2O 474ppm
T 21.4C
P 102.4kPa
SS 96 --> 100 after cleaning
LI7700 readings:
CH4 2.5ppm
RSSI 55 --> 83 after cleaning

I left at 17:10 PST. There was a police SUV parked in front of the gate but facing town. He pulled forward when I pulled up to undo the gate and drove away as I drove through the gate. I wonder if he checks that area periodically or if something alerted him to check that area (a neighbor calling, or some alert from the security camera by the gate).

1 photos found

20220120GT_Dusk.jpg ( 2022-01-20 17:10:04 ) Full size: 1920x1440
Sunset behind Mt. Diablo