Hi Kim here – one of this year’s interns at Loch of Strathbeg! I just thought I’d write a blog in order to introduce myself and let you all know what we’ve been up to so far this year.
Having undertaken a short term voluntary placement at Strathbeg last summer, I couldn’t resist applying for this year’s internship. The opportunities it presents for those wanting to start a career in conservation are endless. Despite having only been here for two months, so far I have undertaken various practical tasks from path building, to tree planting and the construction of a brand new tern platform at Loch Spynie! I’ve also been lucky enough to be trained in brush cutting and 4x4 off road driving (which has been great fun!). Everyday has been so unique and has presented me with various challenges and great memories. With seabird season just around the corner, I am very excited to get stuck into all the survey work undertaken here and learn more about the monitoring of various birds. Our coastlines and the birds that inhabit them are truly beautiful. It fills me with much excitement knowing I will be spending a lot of time in these natural treasures throughout the summer.
A little bit of background about me - I started my adult life undertaking and completing a degree in adult nursing. Having worked as a staff nurse for 3 years, I began to realise that my heart lay in working outdoors and more specifically in helping nature. I began to partake in various voluntary placements with different charities around Scotland, which I enjoyed immensely! It just seemed so natural for me to progress to my current positon as an intern. My passion was only enhanced when I began making YouTube vlogs last summer, based around photography, nature and the natural beauty of Scotland. I hope one day to be able to make a living in the world of conservation and use the art of vlogging to inspire more people into this career sector. On that note, keep an eye on the RSPB North East Scotland Facebook page! I am in the process of filming some vlogs around the reserve to show you all exactly what us interns do, and why our job is so important.
Thank you for taking your time to read my first blog post! I look forward to seeing many of you around the reserve throughout the year.
Bye for now :)
Kim Grant