I had a rocky start with finding housing, but ultimately found the perfect place. I had lived in Buffalo previously, so I was happy to be back in an area with such affordable housing. I started my internship on March 4th, 2019, a bit nervously.

It is now March 25th, and so far I have been having a great time at The Refuge. My day starts at 7:30 am and ends at 4:00 pm. Some people may think starting that early might be tiring, but I always get to see the sunrise on my ride over. Sometimes I even get to see a pink sunrise over the refuge. It is quite beautiful. Even the window in my office even has a good view. I see so many birds each day. Although that is not a surprise for a refuge established to provide nesting, resting, and feeding grounds for birds. 

Recently, I have been working a lot on educational programs and urban outreach, due to the cold season. But occasionally I get to go outside with a member of staff, Paul. On my last outing with Paul we were doing Bald Eagle surveys. We found an eagle in each nest on The Refuge, and saw a few Red Foxes on the way. I cannot wait to eventually do vernal pool surveys as well.

Another event I participated in was Plantasia. It is a plant based event, where there are educational seminars, and all things plant based are welcome. I had a great time promoting the Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge, and meeting many interesting people. I was very happy to meet some beekeepers who would be participating in a future event of ours.

Overall, this has been a great experience, and I look forward to learning a lot more. The beautiful succulents I bought at Plantasia don’t hurt either.