Yesterday was spent entirely in a meeting. No, it actually wasn't that bad. More of an interactive slide show. We had myself, a co-worker, and a bunch of fellow professionals looking at projected Landsat 7 images (b&w and color IR) and interpreted vegetation maps (along with road, legal, oil & gas well layers) of his and my entire districts. Don't know how big his is, but I once guesstimated mine at between 6,000 and 8,000 square miles. That's a lot of images to look at, folks.

Our goal was to identify all habitats (polygon by polygon) that provide suitable sagebrush cover for sage grouse.

Oops, a Freudian typo there. Since the Gunnison sage grouse in southern Colorado has recently been identified as a separate species, the American Ornithologist's Union, in their great wisdom, have decided that:

1) everybody else's sage grouse must now be called the "Greater" sage grouse.

and 2) since they dislike three-word common names, sage grouse are no longer "sage grouse." They are "sage-grouse." (say that with the same rythm as a bobwhite call).

So my beloved birds are no longer "sage grouse" (a simple, noble name), but "greater sage-grouse."

Bummer.

But anyway, we spent the entire day scanning satellite photos and vegetative type maps for thousands and thousands of square miles of country. On a scale fine enough to see individual gas wells and the skinny roads I drive (~10m resolution, if you care). And pointing out changes and isolated sites with laser pointers. Four different laser pointers.

And occasionally dueling on the screen with lasers.

I love maps.

Let me repeat that. I love maps. And aerial and satellite photos. But it is a coincidence that I married a cartographer's daughter. Didn't know his career until after we were married (he was retired).

This was not a bad day. This was nine hours of heaven. And we didn't get done, so resumed today.

But I had headaches right behind the eyes last night, and I almost never get headaches.

I suspect the lasers.

Just the same, I brought my own laser to this morning's session, just so I wouldn't have to share.