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Published: February 11th 2014
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Each day they make us get up slightly earlier than the day before. Apparently this is ease us into the fact we may need to be up at 4/4.30 when proper surveys start at the end of the week. .
Anyhow, where were we - ah yes, the next couple of days are heavily filled with EFR (first aid training). we practise CPR on manikins (the plastic doll things not Manakins the White Collared Manakin bird sort), putting each other into the recovery position (whether we want to be in it or not), bandaging fake wounds, acting as scene managers in mock emergency situations and generally repeating the mantra AB CABS.....Airway, Breathing, Compressions, Airway, Breathing, Serious Bleeding/Spinal Injuries, Secondary care. So there, that's about 3 days training done in 2 lines. Well, thankfully we all passed so it means we can go out on surveys! Hooray.
Also had my first taste of 'duty'. So, every week, one day of that week each volunteer/intern with another has to do duty for the day.
This means no going on surveys but staying on Base to cook all three meals of the day, clean the communal areas etc. My first taste of duty was up at 6am to make porridge for 23 people. It was all eaten up so can't have been too bad!
My second survey was a walk along the South Trail (this heads back the way we had headed into Base on the first day). Lucky enough to see some spider monkeys and a Pale-Lined Woodpecker. On the way back we also had a quick wander along the Beach (mindful of course not to step on any crocs). As we reached the Estuary, a Great Blue Heron followed by a Snowy Egret flew off. Because the first aid training had gone so well, Mari (Base Manager) gave us an extra hour of free time, so instead of having a little sleep a few of us had a very friendly non-competitive game of football on Base....a diving header, a swollen ankle and a twisted knee later we stopped for water melon and Mari discussing the possibility of adding football to the risk assessments!! It was good fun even though the thermometer on
Base was reading a 'cool' 92 degrees! That evening the interns (that's me of course) had our first meeting with our potential mentors (the staff are 'monitoring' all of us in the first week to see who they get stuck with (I mean luckily enough to mentor)! Looks like I am going to be kept pretty busy in the evenings after surveys...have to revise for a bird test (need to learn 30 birds and the test will have 20 birds in- some may even be in more than once (male/female/juveniles all possible), prepare a paper about 3 species of animal that live in the national Park, and start learning 40 species (birds, mammals, snakes and frogs) for what they call the incidentals test in February. Oh and learn Spanish and read scientific papers!
Third survey a walk along the south boundary of Base. This takes you through the coconut plantation that surrounds the Base and then into the south part of Park. It was a mid-afternoon walk in the sun so a lot of the animals had disappeared although we did spot a few vultures, a common black hawk who is regularly seen and has been named Dave and heard a Bay Wren cheeping away.
Wander what we'll see tomorrow.
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