To those of who I didn't get a chance to tell, I'm in Peru!
A few months ago I started applying for volunteer positions, just to see what was out there. Most people didn't even email me back to say "No thanks." I applied to a couple positions thru the University of Florida and two separate grad students emailed me back asking me to be their research assistant. Their field season lasts 4 months and both work in Peru. I couldn't decide which project to go with so I asked of I could do both and both project leaders said that was fine.
For about 2 months I will be working in the Amazon near Iquitos, Peru banding birds. What kinds? Anytthing that gets cought in our mist nets. I think they have been banding anything from hummingbirds to hawks. Don't worry, I'll take pictures of everything! We'll be working along the Iquitos-Nauta road near the Reserva Nacional Allpahuayo-Mishana, southeast of Iquitos. We will mostly be camping either on wooden platforms or inside buildings on cement floors, and we will be moving around quite a bit. I have a nice 2-person tent (thank Mom and Dad!) and a mosquito net that I'll likely use inside the tent. While in the field I won't have email or phone access so if you don't hear from me for 3-4 weeks, don't be alarmed! We will come back to Iquitos about once a month to stock up on supplies, let our friends and family know we are still alive, and eat good food. When in Iquitos I'll be staying at La Pascana hotel. The crew I'll be working with is about 7-8 people. Check out who I will be working with and a bit about the project here:
www.flmnh.ufl.edu/ordwaylab/judit/
On October 3rd I'll be back in Iquitos for sure, then on the 5th I will be switching to the second project. I'll fly to Cusco, stay at the night at Hostel Qorichaska, then take an 8 hour long bus ride to a tourist/birding lodge in a cloud forest near Manu National Park. I'll be staying in the researcher quarters at the San Pedro Cock-of-the-Rock Lodge and the camp will be up on a wooden platform. This projectwill focus more on nest searching and taking measurements of the nests, eggs, and nestlings, as well as watching the adults on the nest. We'll band adults and chicks at the nest. There are no mosquitos at this site, which is nice. I'll also have internet access at the main lodge. More on this project can be found here:
www.flmnh.ufl.edu/ordwaylab/londono/
I'll try to update this as often as I can. Hopefully with pictures! Gotta go catch my flight to Iquitos now!
