MAPS INTERNSHIP PHOTO GALLERY

Welcome to the MAPS Internship Photo Gallery! This photo gallery is designed to give a pictorial tour of the MAPS season - to show prospective interns what to expect and what you will learn as a MAPS intern. Enjoy!

MAPS biologist Kerry Wilcox holds a California Thrasher at a Nature Reserves of Orange County (NROC), CA, MAPS station. Interns generally capture 30-70 different species in a season. Photo courtesy Kerry Wilcox	A Ruby-throated Hummingbird, resting briefly before flying away. Whereas the Thrasher is one of the largest birds captured at MAPS stations, this hummingbird is one of the smallest birds you may encounter. Photo courtesy Nicole Michel
All MAPS interns begin the season with a two-week intensive training session in bird identification, mist-net extraction, and banding techniques. Here, MAPS biologist Nicole Michel trains NW '03 interns Brett Wolfe and Aaron Hobson. Photo courtesy Brett Hartl	Throughout the rest of the season, you will be supervised by a biologist about one-third of the time. MAPS biologist Kerry Wilcox and NROC '03 intern Greg Moore pose for the camera. Photo courtesy Kerry Wilcox
MAPS stations are typically located in shrubby or forested areas, and are often very scenic, such as this station located in a riparian area near Flathead Lake, Montana. Photo courtesy Nicole Michel	Ten nets are set up at a typical MAPS station. Nets are typically set up near understory vegetation, which helps to hide the net and draw in birds, such as this net in Wisconsin. Photo courtesy Nicole Michel
After setting up the nets in the morning, interns visit each net every 30-40 minutes and remove any birds that have been caught. Here, NROC '03 intern Jackie Garneau begins extracting a warbler from a mist net. Photo courtesy Kerry Wilcox	Removing a tangled bird from a net involves practice, skill, and concentration. Here you can see a demonstration of the "foot massage" technique used to remove netting from the toes of a Gray Catbird. Photo courtesy Nicole Michel
After the bird has been removed from the net and brought to the banding station, a numbered aluminum band is put on the bird's leg using special banding pliers. Here, a band is put on an American Redstart. Photo courtesy Nicole Michel	Measurements are taken and morphological data are recorded to determine the bird's age, sex, and condition. Here, NW '03 intern Catherine Craig measures the crown patch on a Nashville Warbler to determine its sex. Photo courtesy Brett Hartl
Measurements and morphological data are recorded on banding data sheets, as seen behind this Wood Thrush. Photo courtesy Amy Finfera	Birds are weighed using a digital scale, such as this Brown-headed Cowbird. In the background you can see the "Identification Guide to North American Birds, Part I" by Peter Pyle - this guide is used by banders to determine the species, age, and sex of birds. Photo courtesy Nicole Michel
By looking closely at feathers on the bird's wings, you can determine the age of a bird. Here, the male Baltimore Oriole on the left was born the previous summer while the Oriole on the right was born at least two summers prior to this picture. Photo courtesy Nicole Michel	Flathead National Forest, Montana, '03 interns Kelli O'Connor and Djordje Kovacevic are excited to catch their first Winter Wren. Photo courtesy Nicole Michel
Flathead Indian Reservation, Montana, '03 intern Brett Hartl holds a Common Yellowthroat in what's known as the "Photographer's Grip". This is one of several ways to hold a bird that you will learn to use. Photo courtesy Nicole Michel	Here an adult male Yellow Warbler poses for a picture before being released. Yellow Warblers are commonly captured at many MAPS stations. Photo courtesy Brett Hartl