Wednesday, September 13, 2006

-- Attn: Field Tech Wannabes --

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Do you like mucking around in dank water? Think mud is invigorating, and camo is your favorite fashion? R
ugged surroundings at little pay doesn't phase you? And your idea of fun includes bugs, cold nights, and days without deodorant, nail polish, or catching "Desperate Housewives" on TV?
--- Have I gotta deal for you!!

Seriously, Cornell is soliciting for Ivory-bill searchers in Arkansas and South Carolina for the coming winter search season; if interested take a gander at their site (application is online); --- and I can still take a few more names to pass along to a different, non-Cornell, group for their forthcoming study in another southern state, as well, if anymore takers. Some local academic and/or FWS folks will be exploring certain areas of other southern states this winter as well. So, if you have the abillity, equipment, desire, and time to look seriously for Ivory-bills this is probably the winter to do it, in terms of opportunities to link up with others.

Some key highlights of the Cornell solicitation (for the AR. locale) are as follows:

These are "volunteer" positions, assisting full-time staff, and a Cornell "Volunteer Agreement Form" must be signed

Arkansas search period January 3 - April 21, 2007

minimum 2-week stints, with 7 possible start dates

strong birding and boating skills required, and ability to work in adverse field conditions (possibly spending 10-12 hrs/day in a canoe or blind with little movement); ability to use or quickly learn necessary digital and computer technology

lodging and major field equipment provided (including canoe, life jackets, GPS, videocam, cell phone); more basic field equipment, food, and travel expenses responsibility of each volunteer

...also helpful if you have a particularly thick skin against critter-bites... and cynics ; - )

see the Cornell site for further details and the Agreement Form.
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