S.P.R.I.N.G. – What’s That Spell? Training!

Spring has sprung! Although as I write this it’s snowing and blowing outside. I suppose it’s only fitting since we didn’t really have a winter this year.

Anyway, for me, Spring means that summer is just around the corner. Summer. Our busiest season. The season where hundreds of thousands of tourists (literally) pass through Cody on their way to or from Yellowstone National Park. The goal is to get a good number of those folks to stop on into the Buffalo Bill Center of the West and visit not only the five amazing museums we have, but to stop by and learn about our birds as well.

During the summer everything here is different. We no longer have one informal presentation daily to our small crowds. We have bigger and bigger crowds, interns, summer staff around every corner, and more developed and “show-like” raptor programs for our guests. All that means a lot more preparation on our part. Well, mostly on my part as I’m the one training everyone.

April first means it’s time to begin working on our summer program. Time for birds to get in shape. Okay, Suli is actually the only one who actually has to get in shape, but we also do training with the other birds for exercise and enrichment. Isham and Teasdale do short flights and Hayabusa is working on physical therapy maneuvers for her damaged wing.

I have about six weeks to get Suli not only in shape, but to also teach her what she’ll be doing during our summer programs. Last year we asked her to make two flights across our amphitheater. That might not sound like much, but for a vulture who doesn’t know she’s a vulture, is scared of strangers, and has never flown free in the wild, it was kind of a big task. This year I’m asking even more of her!

On top of getting Suli trained, which I need to do before our three interns arrive in mid-May, we’ve been training Kateri and the volunteers. Kateri is doing amazingly well and seems to handle every new step of her life with the grace and composure that only a truly exceptional eagle can do. The volunteers are also doing well being trained to work with Kateri. I have complete confidence that this summer Kateri will be stealing the show at every program.

Although my mind races with all the preparations for summer, I also have to remember we still have lots of activities going on right here at the Center and tons to do before summer even hits! April and May are quite busy as many local schools invite us to come do programs before the end of the school year. I’ve also been invited to present at a Women In Science conference in Laramie in May, which I’m really excited about, and we’re giving two major programs for the Spring Into Yellowstone Birding and Wildlife Festival the same week as the conference in Laramie.

Fortunately for me and my sanity, I have amazing volunteers that help take a huge chunk of the burden off of me. I can always count on them to provide high quality programs for our guests and their dedication to the birds themselves is incredible. I consider myself very lucky every day and to make sure they continue to be the amazing bird folks they are I provide them with continued training and more opportunities to learn.

That reminds me…time to schedule some training for the volunteers! :0)