Earlham College is situated in Richmond, Indiana. About 1200 students attend the College and during their time at Earlham many will participate in off-campus study opportunities around the world. In the New Zealand programme Whanganui has been ʻhome-baseʻ for the sixth year (the third year with the majority of the programme in Whanganui). Each year 16-18 students arrive with two programme leaders (university lecturers) and a programme assistant.
During their first 3 weeks the students are introduced to New Zealand’s natural history and the Treaty of Waitangi whilst living at the Quaker Settlement. For the following 4 months the students experience homestays, give voluntary service in internships, and go to classes set up by the program within Whanganui. They also spend a month in the South Island exploring environmental and conservation issues there. (See Program Overview)
Each year for the past three years, two students have undertaken their internships at Bird Rescue. The students begin in February and undertake a variety of work from feeding and cleaning birds, banding harriers and repairing aviaries through to releasing birds back into the wild. The students arrive when we are exhausted after the spring and summer rush but still have large numbers of young birds in care.
Clara Holding a Harrier
Our first students in 2011 were Emma and Melina. Unfortunately I didn’t take any photos that year but in 2012 one of the local newspapers “The Midweek” printed an article and photos of Claudia and Annie at work at the Bird Rescue. See Article and Photos
This year the cameras were working overtime with Clara and Charlie and we got great photos of banding and releasing harriers, preparing a juvenile falcon for release and releasing a dabchick.
The students have all been a great help to us. They are hard working and show great interest in the care and recovery of the birds. We wish them well in their studies and for their future in whatever fields them may choose.
Program Leader Wendy releasing a Harrier Hawk
Charlie Releasing a Harrier Hawk
