Postcrossing

One of the things on my day zero list is to send a post card via postcrossing.com. Its this website where you make a profile and post your address. Then you request an address of someone, somewhere in the world. A stranger. You send them a postcard. When they get, they register the number and then you get to be the next person to get a postcard. Fun!!

The postcard I sent (I randomly found this from one of my NYC trips)

Anyways, this winter I sent a postcard (see above) to Canada and it was finally received! I had forgotten about the program but one day, I checked my mail box and there was a postcard! I was super excited and started jumping up and down a bit. I love getting mail and this made my week! 

As part of my profile, I had that I work at nature center and this is what I got! How cool is that? I put up a picture of the back too just because I am sure that many of you are wondering about what you write to a stranger.

I feel like this program may get addicting. I am sending out another postcard this weekend. This time to Germany. I will be sure to share if I get anything more :)

meh

This past week has been a busy one. In fact, I am still sitting at my desk right now while writing this post. I have had a full week of teaching and have been frantically attempting to write my first grant. I think its kind of a long shot but its certainly been a learning experience!

Here is a picture of where I have pretty much lived this week - my desk. I even cleaned up most of my coffee cups before taking this :) Also, I don't know how well you can see this, but there is a bush outside my window. I frequently get distracted by my avian friends perching in it.

Twins vs Indians

On Saturday, I went to the Twins game with a friend. They played a really good team (the Cleveland Indians) and everyone expected them to lose. Turns out that I may be a lucky charm because the Twins won 10 - 3!

Target Field

Twins Score!

Me and Amanda at the game

Life Update

I realize that you are all probably wondering what happened to me since it has been so long since I last updated my blog. The truth is my life has been pretty busy and boring. Nothing extremely new and exciting to report but here is what I could come up with.

1. I watched a movie this week called Waiting for "Superman" which is about the education system in America. The system has not changed with the times and now we are falling behind other nations in math and science. Americans still lead the way in one category though - confidence. Americans always seem to think we are awesome despite evidence saying otherwise. Basically, a large factor in how well a child is educated in America is luck. That's right pure luck of what school you are assigned to go to. It is actually depressing to think about. This movie follows students who are trying to get a better education by entering a lottery for a charter school. Its an interesting movie that leaves you thinking.
2. We burned one of the prairies on site last week. I love watching burns.
3. I found a new game on my computer that has hooked me. Mahjong Titans.
4. I taught a bunch of classes the past week to many different age groups. Perhaps one of the most fun was teaching a group of 1-3 graders about birds. The questions and curiosity seemed never ending. Today, I crept up on a barred owl with a group. Very exciting - especially since it managed to get them quiet for a good 5 minutes.
5. Because of their age, we taught 1.5 hour classes rather than the usual 3. I remember a time when I thought teaching for an hour was a long time. Now I feel like even 3 hours is sometimes too short.
6. On Netflix,  you can watch movies instantly on your computer. I have recently became addicted to Pawn Stars and Ally McBeal.
7. I know way more about raptor eyes than I ever thought I would. Fun fact #1: A bald eagle has larger eyes than an adult human. For comparison, a human weighs roughly 20 times more. Fun Fact #2: An American kestrel can see a 2mm insect, 18 meters away. Crazy!
8.  I still get really excited when I see sandhill cranes fly overhead. Sometimes this happens while I am teaching and the kids look at me like I am crazy. There may be some truth there.

Woodrow

This week brought us more signs of spring. The ice went out on the lake and the smelt started running. As enrichment for our eagle Woody, we put a few smelt in his bath on Tuesday. He was jacked - at first just for a bath and then for the fish. Here are a few pictures of the excitement.

Bath before eating

Hunting

Hunting

Gotcha!

Got another

Done!

Wildcat Sanctuary

Yesterday, I went out to the Wildcat Sanctuary with the Audubon staff for a volunteer work day. After a quick tour we got to work. We spent the day working on Layla the tigers new enclosure. It was hard and dirty work but totally worth it and luckily the weather held out. Check out their website (wildcatsanctuary.org) to learn more about the amazing work the sanctuary does for the more than 100 cat residents!

Getting a tour of the sanctuary

Zeus overseeing the work on Layla's enclosure

Zeus the Tiger

Audubon staff and Zeus at the end of the day!

Random Happenings

I have been neglecting to take some pictures so I borrowed some from other people. My week hasn't been too exciting - I have been working on researching raptor vision and some summer camp stuff. We also had our taxidermy day to create artifacts to use for education. As an added bonus, we released a goshawk on site that just finished rehab down at the raptor center.

Looking at a giant owl pellet found at the high ropes course

Taxidermy Day!