Where in the world is Kalamazoo?

Turns out, Kalamazoo is in southern Michigan. I'm on my way there now to begin an internship with the Kalamazoo Valley Bird Observatory. I will be spending the next seven weeks capturing, taking data from, banding, and releasing songbirds. My compatriots who arrived a few weeks ago banded over 900 birds between August 25 and 31. I have some catching up to do.

While they have been busy working I have been backpacking in the North Cascades and touring the country. Been to two new states thus far on my cross country journey - South Dakota and Minnesota. This evening is the first time I have ever used Central Time.

As a way to mix things up in our long days of driving my mom and I have visited Devils Tower National Monument, Mount Rushmore, and Badlands National Park.

That is one big crystal. Turns out there were once more towers similar to Devils Tower but they are older and have worn down over time. 

Saw my first prairie dogs while driving on the Interstate but got a good look at them when in Devils Tower NM. The monument houses one of the last large prairie dog towns. 

"Great faces, great places" - South Dakota catch phrase

Badlands National Park

We camped in the park. At night we were serenaded by coyotes while the milky way stretched overhead. In the morning meadowlark song filled the air and a bison (difficult to see in this picture) hung around camp. 

"Try it..." -Bison

Bison, black-footed ferrets, and bighorn sheep were all reintroduced in to the park. 

The security team. 

Our sightseeing is mostly over now as we make the final push to Kalamazoo. Approximately ten hours of driving awaits in the morning. Time to get some shut-eye.