The last two months have been amazing, despite being busy as well! From hiking in Dinsmore Woods, Conservancy Park, Middle Creek, and Boone Cliffs to Creeking for mussel surveys in Gunpowder Creek, there has certainly been no shortage of nature lately!
While the mussel surveys yielded little results, the bat data has been phenomenal! Not only have we monitored nearly all bat species that are found in Kentucky (11/16), but we have caught all 3 federally endangered bats in Kentucky on the monitors. The Virginia big-eared bat, the Indiana bat, and the gray bat were all found at both Dinsmore Woods and Boone Cliffs. We are currently working on lots of data from the semester and preparing to teach the Junior Board some techniques for research!
I’ve learned so much so far in this internship – from plant identification to bat and mussel research techniques, my tool belt is growing in both size and strength. I cannot wait to see what the remaining half of the internship brings!
