Here are some pics from the job that I started in January and quit in March. I was checking migratory fish traps for steelhead trout in the Santa Ynez River and its tributaries. A lot of manmade and natural barriers have been removed from these waterways, making it possible for steelhead to get to their fresh water spawning grounds once again. Although we did see some steelhead movement this season, it will be years before we know the final outcome of this effort. As you will see below, we caught a lot more than just steelhead. I had to work in brutal settings like these.  
young rainbow trout (a steelhead is a rainbow trout that has migrated to the ocean, they are the same species) 
resident rainbow trout (this fish has spent its entire life in freshwater - it is about 12 inches) 
steelhead trout (this fish has returned to freshwater to spawn - ocean going steelhead are very silvery - a 26 inch fish) this subspecies is endangered 
California red-legged frog - a threatened species 
a very round western toad - silly toad 
Western pond turtle - a vulnerable species 
Crazy three-clawed crayfish 
California newt 
two-striped garter snake - these guys are fairly aquatic, hunting small fish, tadpoles, etc. 
I've moved on to new things. Currently I'm working at the Carrizo Plain National Monument www.ca.blm.gov/bakersfield/carrizoplain.html doing biological field work for a Cal Berkeley study. More on this in a couple of weeks. I'm living on site during the week and coming home on the weekends. We don't have internet access, so things will be sporadic. | 
