When I heard that my internship was going to be telework, I was a bit disappointed. As a graduate student who spends most of my time working alone behind my computer, I was excited to be around other people for once. Nonetheless, the USFWS has done an incredible job of adapting to make sure that this internship could still happen, and I am so glad that we are working it out.

I live in Hawaii, so one challenge for me has been scheduling meetings with a time difference. I am 6 hours behind the East Coast, and 3 hours behind the West Coast, but I have been pleased with how seamlessly we’ve been able to make things work. I was even able to have a meeting with another intern in South Africa. I logged on at 6:00 A.M. my time, and she stayed on until 10:00 P.M. her time. This “can-do” attitude is what gets the job done, even amidst a global pandemic!

My task for my 11-week internship is to update a seabird colony database with information on Wedge-tailed Shearwaters nesting on Oahu, Hawaii and to create a web map to display the data. Wedge-tailed Shearwaters are a native Hawaiian seabird that nest in underground burrows along the coast and on offshore islands. Because they nest in burrows, they often go unnoticed by humans. On Kauai, a Wedge-tailed Shearwater colony was bulldozed during a construction project because the builders were not aware that the birds were there. The goal of my project is to document all Wedge-tailed Shearwater colonies to ensure that this situation does not happen again. In doing so, we will also make information about the threats and conservation efforts at these colonies available on our web map.

I’m often asked, “why seabirds?”. Honestly, I could go on for hours about their cultural and ecological importance, but for now, I want to share my personal experience with these mysterious, graceful, creatures. There is a spot I love to surf near an offshore island that is home to a colony of shearwaters. Around dusk, the shearwaters coming back from sea fly fast overhead, coming into the colony like a plane about to touch down on the runway. As I sit on my surfboard, waiting for a wave, I wonder if they see me. I get my answer as the bird that appears to be flying straight towards my head tilts ever so slightly, leaving but a few inches between us. They know I’m here. I feel honored to share this space with the birds, and it is my duty to protect them and their habitat.

Sure, working remotely has presented some challenges, but my passion for conserving these birds vastly outweighs those minor inconveniences. I’m thankful for the flexibility of the USFWS, HAF, and my project team for tele-working it out and making this internship happen.

Agency: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Program: US Fish & Wildlife Service - DFP

Location: Honolulu Refuges and Monuments Office