Facing a strong headwind I cycle round Block Island chasing ciliates and dodging dragonflies, pond after pond, racing to make the return ferry. Nearing the bluffs, at the next to last location on my sampling map, I take a moment to reflect on the pure joy of riding a bike on a quiet island, serenaded by early Fall warblers under the bluest of Rhode Island skies. It is at these moments that I know why I love being a field ecologist. In a strange way, the isolation of an island after tourist season creates the illusion that you are indeed one with the water, the earth, the sky, and the other beings that leave hints of their presence around you. And it may be that we could find that connection anywhere, any time…some days it happens.

Pond #1