Eddie the Bird Man

I have recently started research with two biology professors and one graduate student. The research is on mercury contamination in the environment. Basically, mercury gets into food chains thorugh water bodies. In lakes, streams, and ponds elemental mercury (Hg0) is converted to toxic methyl mercury by bacteria in the water. Then, small organisms eat the bacteria and slightly larger organisms eat the small organisms, etc. Eventually, the methyl mercury accumulates in invertebrets like dragonflies emerge from the water and become part of the terrestrial food chain. Mercury accumulation causes many problems in animals including the softening of bird eggs (which causes the offspring to die before hatching). So, the research project is collecting the exoskeletons (called exuvia) of damselflies and dragon flies that are shed when the organisms enter their terrestrial lives. These exoskeletons will be counted and any live organisms collected will be tested for mercury content. (This is a basic overview of the experiment).

The professors and graduate stuent that I work with (along with two other undergrad students) are awesome. The graduate student's name is Eddie. Eddie loves birds and is an avid bird watcher, which I now know are called "Birders". From only 3 sessions of visiting the ponds with Eddie I now know more species of birds than I ever thought I would. At first, I thought Eddie's constant lectures on birds and their "interesting" facts would get annoying. I was pleasantly surprised that I began to enjoy learning about birds. He even lets me borrow his (expensive) binoculars to better see the birds. By the third time I went to the ponds I could identify 4 species of birds.

A Great Blue Heron

A Red Winged Blackbird

A Turkey Vulture

A Black Vulture

There is a term biologist use to describe large animals with large personalities: "Charismatic Megafauna". Goats and horses would be charasmatic megafauna because they tend to have personalities that we humans find entertaining. Eddie is a charasmatic megafauna of his own breed. He can go on telling story after story of his biological and birding adventures and each story is as entertaing as the next. In a short amount of time Eddie, and the professors I work with have taught me something valuable. They are all so passionate about the avenue of study they have persued. I have been inspired by these biologists to dive deeper into my passion for biology. I havn't really been passionate about biology until now. Maybe the hands on experience I am having has helped spark a new interest for me. However, I think the people I am working with are the biggest inspiration. I have learned when your work is your passion and your passion is your work, you find true happiness.

I look forward to the next two and a half years with these biologist as they continue to inspire my own passion for the biology around me. I also plan on becoming semi-proficient in the identification of birds thanks to Eddie.

                                                                             Me collecting exuvia from the traps.