Diario de naturegirlkh

I had an observer reach out to me about how they wished I would journal. I had said I wouldn't know what to write. Even if it were a simple line or two describing what I was seeing, the area of the observations, they responded. I do keep a journal, a physical one about my travels. I have little thoughts in my mind about various observations. Silly antics about getting a photo of something when I'm very much supposed to be focused on something else.

I earned the moniker "Nature Girl" because all my friends know that is where I want to be. Where I spend my time. Even my coworkers know that I am most at home and comfortable out in nature. I had a friend tell me once that the only relationship I seem to be open to is with nature and not with another human. If I'm not working, I'm hiking. I'm looking for critters. I'm exploring the world around me. I write in a private journal about my adventures, not all biology related, but I do write, a lot. I write about how I wish other people loved the wild places and the beauty of the world around us, like I do. I want to share it with people. And I want them to love this planet and what it has to offer as much as I love it. Enjoy it as much as I enjoy it.

Actually in the weeks prior to this individual writing to me about starting a journal on here, I had thought about starting one. I didn't know what to write. I didn't know if I wanted it to be public. When I write it is often just for me. As I am writing this I can see that it shows I can select an observation to associate with this post. I don't know how that will look, and it may take me some time, but perhaps I will start by going back to some observations and writing about those. It might be nice to see the observation attached to a little writing.

Oh, and thank you observer for complimenting my photography. I sure try. It is an art form I am working on and photos are a way to share the world I've seen with others. I know you will be reading this since you are the first, and only person who asked me to journal. It was more than a few lines, but I will try to do some little journal entry for some of my observations. I have been going back in time and uploading old ones, but for future ones I will try to get something up here for you, and anyone else, to read about my observations.

• Nature Girl

I have recently joined the forums of iNat and taken up a few discussions. One topic was an observation that you were witnessing, yet failed to document. Some very interesting responses were put up and most were failed due to not having a camera. My "fail" as it were, was not because I lacked my camera, but because others scared off the observation subjects.

I was in Thailand. I was halfway through a six week Asian Adventure. On this day I was in Khao Yai National Park. My guide was driving to an area knowing the goal was wildlife photography. We stopped at a pullout and got out. In the field was a male muntjac and a large monitor. We sat quietly as we watched the large lizard stalk the little deer. The muntjac would look up and around and go back to grazing, then look up again. The monitor was walking slowly and stopping when the muntjac raised his head. I watched as they got closer and closer to one another. Was I about to get photos of a dinner battle? Would the monitor succeed in capturing a meal? Would the muntjac get away? I snapped photo after photo and watched eagerly. I was torn, I wanted to see the monitor succeed in getting dinner, but I wanted the muntjac to escape. Whatever would happen, would happen.

A van full of tourists pulled up. Everyone got out of the van loudly and rushing out into the grass. The muntjac took off running. The monitor looked towards the people and sulked off in the other direction. I missed the dinner battle and was a bit annoyed by the interruption. I'm guessing my facial expression matched the monitors, if it were able to make facial expressions.

I still wonder who would have won. But, I have the photo with them together, even if the battle never happened.

Same photo, different specie observation:

https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/109619924 (muntjac)
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/109619922 (monitor)

-Nature Girl