What’s next?

What does my future have in store for me?

            So far this year I have tried to keep on top of my studies as well as enjoying being part of a society during my final year. Though this has been difficult, and I have struggled at times, I believe I have tried my best to manage my time wisely and learn as much as I could have.

            I have attended many talks and lectures this year, and I have learned many new things, particularly about birds. During field work this year I learnt how to use a scope to spot and count birds over great distances. I hope that this is a skill that I can use in the future and I hope that having this skill can help me to find a career. I also learnt about reserve management, specialising in bird management and although I did not always understand the finer details, I understood that there are difficulties in managing a large area with species that have different needs.

            I also learnt much about ecosystems, particularly those containing or surrounding lakes or bodies of fresh water. I learnt how small changes can have a dramatic effect further along the chain and how sometimes they have no effect at all. I also got to travel to a beautiful part of the country to observe the Llan Idwal lake in Snowdonia National Park.

            Through attending seminars and other talks, I have discovered much more about the fields in which I wish to work in the future. Whether this be with the BTO, the BIAZA, or even somewhere else. I have also been able to learn more about other species aside from birds and sometimes how birds interact with those species.

            This semester I have been learning about the planet. The damages it has been dealt and how we, as humans, are causing much of this. I have also been able to recognise how animals are adapting to these anthropogenic changes and how perhaps amongst the dark there are is still some form of silver lining; a glimmer of hope for the future.

            My next steps are to apply to numerous research or intern projects that I believe could help me make a start in a career in Ornithology. I have already looked into internships with the BIAZA as well as internship programmes with various zoos nearer my home location to occupy the summer. I will also be looking to pursue a master’s degree in Manchester University with the hopes to spend some time volunteering or interning with Chester zoo, to gain more experience handling animals and of animal husbandry.

            As I finish my final year here, I hope that in my future I will be able to work in bird conservation, be it in-situ or ex-situ, and that I can help to make a difference in the world, even if it is only making a small difference!