Working With Monterey Audubon Society: Making My Time Worth It

Picture of Black Oystercatcher on the rocks taken during one of my monitoring trips

This summer, I had the opportunity to work for the Monterey Audubon Society, participating in a dream internship. I learned about working with data and was given the unique opportunity to apply my knowledge of data analysis to support a cause I truly believe in. The recording of this data is being gathered to make a case for further protections for these birds. It is gratifying to know that my time spent with these birds will go directly towards a better future for their population. Spending time outside monitoring the Black Oystercatchers was a wonderful, peaceful experience that gave me a unique insight into the impacts that we have on the lives and futures of the shorebird populations. I am grateful that I   was allowed to continue to develop my skills in data organization and visualization; I believe that these skills will stay with me in my future education and career.

Choropleth map of Monterey Peninsula and Pebble Beach territories. Shading based on the success rates of eggs in given area.

Working for the Monterey Audubon Society as a Black Oystercatcher Monitor was both an enjoyable way to spend my summer and taught me valuable skills. I worked with my supervisor and was assigned three territories with three mating pairs of Black Oystercatchers (BLOYs). Twice a week, I spent two hours watching the birds in my territories for any signs of mating behavior, distress, territorial disputes, or any other notable behaviors. I was able to do research in the field, collecting data and adding it to a spreadsheet shared between all of the BLOY monitors.  I also worked at home to create visualizations of the past 10 years of data for the Monterey Audubon Society website. I learned how to use a new program, ArcGIS, that helped me make color-coded maps of the territories based on their mating success rates. I figured out the best way to reorganize the data I was given so that it could be used flexibly and with many different programs. I settled on creating a map of each of the areas with territories colored in based on the chance for an egg hatched in that territory to become a fledgling and leave the area.

One of the most important things I learned from this internship was how much impact we as humans have on the wildlife around us. I spent hours watching these birds and noticed a lot of times when people, not knowing any different, encroach on the birds’ favorite feeding areas and nesting grounds. I watched how drones flying over their territories affected them. Working outside in the field allowed me to observe the wildlife in a way that I never have before, despite living here my whole life. Taking the time to watch the birds, what they react to, the places they like to hang out, and how they eat gave me a unique appreciation of the wildlife. I often found myself laughing at how bold the birds get as the tide starts to rise. They continue to feed while waves crash dangerously close to them. The Black Oystercatchers have so much personality and energy. Even on days when the Black Oystercatchers weren’t active, the areas that I worked in were so gorgeous and peaceful; the time I spent collecting data in the field helped me center myself and be more aware of my surroundings.

Picture of Black Oystercatcher on the shore taken during one of my monitoring trips

My time working with Monterey Audubon has been so fulfilling and has taught me a lot, both in a professional setting and in my day-to-day life. My position monitoring Black Oystercatchers altered the way that I interact with my environment. I used to walk along these rocks in the area without noticing that I was bothering the well-being of the animals around me. This has given me a new perspective and taught me to be better about coexisting with these creatures, rather than disrupting their homes. I am grateful to the rest of the staff of this organization for being so helpful and creating a community of people who all want to work towards the same goal. I hope that my work can help educate others in the same way that I was, and will hopefully lead to a better future for these charming shorebirds.