It feels like it has been a whole year since I have written one of these blog posts because a lot has happened in the last few months.

After the meeting in Indiana with all the Fellows I was given the opportunity to go through Motorboat Operator Certification Course (MOCC) where I operated a boat for the first time in my life. I wasn’t sure if I was going to get the hang of it at all, but I passed and got my certification! I was also able to give a presentation on the CCC Fellowship at the Trilateral Meeting between the U.S., Mexico and Canada which was during MOCC, but I was able to take a break and present.

I am not sure if any of the experiences I have had are in chronological order since there has just been a lot that has happened, but the picture attached is of me holding a Northern Aplomado Falcon (Falco femoralis) chick, which is federally listed as an endangered species. This species will not construct their own nest, but rather take over other nests created by other bird species. To increase the survival of the chicks, the USFWS and TPWD partnered with The Peregrine Fund to build artificial nesting structures on Matagorda Island.

 I mainly held the chicks so that the two biologists from The Peregrine Fund could band and assess the general health of each one. Lastly, the last two weeks I have been out of the office. I attended an early career workshop that the South-Central Climate Adaptation Science Center hosted at the University of Oklahoma. Then, last week, I helped with vegetation surveys for each of the Surface Elevation Table (SET) sites that are used to determine the change of elevation of wetland sediments.

Now, regarding my main project, which is the rapid vulnerability and risk assessment, it is the last month of Phase 2. I have learned a lot of information about the overall vulnerability of Aransas and the entire coastal region. This fellowship has given me so many different opportunities and I can't wait to share what I'll get to experience next! 

Agency: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Program: Civilian Climate Corps Program (CCC)

Location: Aransas NWR