The BBC’s first scholarship winner, Aidan Pavao, recently returned from the Hog Island summer camp and sent along a brief report. Check out the scholarship page for more information about the program and how to contribute and expect to hear more from Aidan in the future.

My experience at Hog Island was undoubtedly a highlight of my summer. I had the opportunity and pleasure to meet some amazing people and pioneering ornithologists. The program taught me loads about research and studies on birds, including topics such as nesting programs, banding, audio and video recording, and study skin preparations. It brought me much closer than I expected to birds: I envisioned getting good looks at puffins, but my expectations were shattered when I found myself just feet from them in an observation blind. But far more important than getting good looks at birds was the immersive experience in which I lived with people who dedicate their whole lives to birds. Whether I gained knowledge from formal presentations or from conversation at the dinner table, the stories that these people offered were worth the entire week on their own.

 

Some of my pictures are posted here. I will try to go through them again and get some more uploaded soon.