Crayfish and Eagles and Snakes - Oh my!

How many of you have actually had the opportunity to live out a lifelong dream?  Well I finally have, or will have over the next few months. I have always been entranced by the natural world – so many wondrous things to see and experience. Plants, animals, birds, insects … all existing in their own unique way as they travel through their time on this earth. I am passionate about learning all I can and then finding ways to teach others about these wonders in a way that helps to build a deeper appreciation for the natural world. This, of course, lies at the heart of my dream. So how did it happen … what possibly brought this great fortune to my doorstep?  Well let me start at the beginning … 

When I was in college studying Biology, I went on a trip to a local environmental center and watched an exceptional presentation about raptors given by a young graduate student. When she pulled the Golden Eagle from his cage and I came face to face with the most amazingly gorgeous winged creature, I was hooked.   I took in every word, watching the program with the greatest fascination.   When the speaker had completed her talk, all I wanted to know was “HOW DO I LEARN TO DO THAT?” 

Many years passed, and although I did work and volunteer in environmental education, I still always longed for the opportunity to work with live animals in education programs … especially raptors.

This past spring my husband surprised me with big news; he was offered a new job, and we would be making a move from Pennsylvania to Waynesboro, Virginia. I must admit I was sent into a bit of a tizzy. I had lived in Pennsylvania all of my life and was a bit nervous about starting over in a new area. My husband had first fallen in love with the Shenandoah Valley while he attended Bridgewater College (many years ago).    We had visited this area many times over the years and I had also become mesmerized by the mountain landscapes.

So with the moving van filled, off we were on a new adventure in our lives. The next issue came up: what was I going to do with myself in a new state? I began looking for opportunities that would utilize my knowledge base and abilities, and also give me a chance to develop new skills, all while meeting some of the great conservation-minded folks in my new home of Virginia. 

I had already been following the Wildlife Center of Virginia through their webcams and Facebook for some time before the move.   On day I came across an advertisement for an education outreach externship position on the Center’s website. Needless to say I applied for the position immediately. To my amazement and delight, I was offered a position. I remember thinking “WOW!!  Could this really be true?”  So after doing the “happy dance” across the living room I let it sink in to my brain. I was actually going to have the chance experience something that has been one of my biggest dreams:   partnering with these fantastic animals to teach others about wildlife.

And so here I am, in the fourth week of my exciting twelve-week journey as an education outreach extern at the Wildlife Center of Virginia, and it has already been quite the experience. Having the opportunity to see all the wonderful things that the Wildlife Center does on a daily basis has been a thrill. I had the amazing opportunity to “get my feet wet” while assisting Raina with a Hospital and Habitat tour at the Center. The Hospital and Habitat tour is designed for school groups and involves a tour of the Center’s education animal area and a nature hike.

Raina and I led a group of quite enthusiastic youngsters on a scavenger hunt through the George Washington National Forest adjoining the Center. I was quickly drawn into the fun, helping the students look for various scavenger items – spider webs, food sources for wildlife, water sources, scat – and seeing some of the great things they discovered – salamanders, squirrel nests, and cool little crawling bugs.

 
The H&H Trail is covered in crunchy leaves through the fall. The bridge, built by Eagle Scouts, takes us over a creek.

 When we came upon the stream we saw some crayfish moving around in the water. Of course I “jumped right in” and netted one of the crayfish so that everyone could get a good look at him. And yes, it was a “him”. I showed the students how to safely hold the crayfish, how to tell the gender of a crayfish, and explained the importance of crayfish in assessing stream health. We even had the chance to see how crayfish move through the water “backwards”.

I can honestly say that even though it rained the entire time, and we were all wet, I didn’t want to quit. What a great day! The kids were amazing, the woods were amazing, and the experience was amazing. I am so looking forward to another chance to get out see what we can discover on our next hike … and it starts in about an hour! 

Stay tuned for updates!

--Margaret, Education Outreach Extern, Fall 2013
 

Margaret with Albus, our education Eastern Ratsnake.
Margaret with Albus, our education Eastern Ratsnake.
 

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