Bird-ucation!

So far every bird-job I've had has been an educational experience. Whether I'm managing the population of an endangered species, combing the forest for their nests, observing their behaviour, or identifying them based on song and field markings - the birds never fail to teach me something new.  And I know my latest endeavour will be no exception. 

I was finally able to make a decision regarding which job to take (and which job not-to-wait-for).  Sure, I'll be living like a pauper for the next four months, but I'll be getting a superb education as the new Songbird Station Intern at the Coastal Virginia Wildlife Observatory (CVWO)! 

As the assistant to the bander-in-charge I'll be busy running net lanes, extracting birds from the mist nets, determining their age and sex, and of course banding them.  I'll also be largely responsible for providing information about migrating passerines (songbirds) to public visitors and school groups - something I've been wanting to get experience with for a long time.   

I'll be living it up in a small trailer situated in Kiptopeke State Park - a stones-throw away from the Atlantic Ocean.  In the afternoons there will be opportunities to help out at the hawk watch station as well as banding raptors (hawks, falcons, etc.).  In September I'll be sharing my humble abode with the Monarch  Butterfly intern - and probably learn a thing or two about scaley-winged migration as well.

All in all, CVWO was the best decision I could have made.  I'll always wonder about the direction my life could have taken were I to have chosen another opportunity, but someone once told me that when you make a decision you need to stick with it - go forward full-force, and never look back.  And that's what I intend to do.  The next four months will come with new opportunities, challenges and unforgetable experiences.  I'll be wrist-deep in feathers (and at times kicking myself for choosing to help run a banding station) but I'm going to give it my all and learn as much as I can.  Cheers to that!