Hi there! My name is Fontana and I am excited to be sharing my adventure with you!
Recently offered a position as a Field Researcher on the North Island of New Zealand I have decided to document/blog about my experience in the one country I have dreamed about visiting my entire life!! I am a Clemson University graduate with a B.S. degree in Biological Sciences and am following ornithology (the study of birds) as my career path towards a future PhD.
Barley field in Nepal
THE RESEARCH: The research is on the endemic Bush Falcon (karearea) of NZ . This falcon is considered ‘Near-Threatened’ by the IUCN and DOC due to population decline. The threats to the New Zealand falcon are not well understood and are thought, generally, due to predation and habitat loss by anthropogenic means. My study is to observe the behavioral patterns of a nesting pair from a blind. This behavioral study will be done within the forests of Kaingaroa . From this fine-scale study we will gain insight of the birds’ lifetime reproductive success and fitness traits. I also will be employing different field technology to document the nesting pairs movements and vocalizations. Wooo I’m ready for some biological fun!!
ME: On a personal note, I am a fun-loving person who feels most at home in the outdoors and traveling. If I’m kept indoors for too long I really do go kinda batty haha. I’m a big reader and most enjoy fantasy, sci-fi, and travel novels. And, yes, my favorite author of all time is J.R.R Tolkien. I also love to travel and have also been to India and Nepal for study in SE Asian bird diversity. Next, I hope I may be able to do some research in Bhutan.
To note: I have no great gift of expression so the journals you will read from me will by no means be full of philosophical insight (well you never know) or even seem succinct haha. My thought processes are a bit jumpy & unhampered like a crazy squirrel 
All in all, I hope you enjoy my blog!!
-Font
Unfortunately, this position’s stipend only cover’s my accommodation. As this is my first job out of college I would greatly appreciate your gracious help with anything you can donate (even 50cents would help) with groceries and propane for heat in the field station.
Cheers I look forward to seeing what adventures and trouble you get into, stay safe, have fun and life it up, you only get one life! Miss ya already babe. P.S. – I’ll keep you posted if I’m able to fly down and visit you romping in NZ. Cheers to a dream come true!
P.S.S – first lol
lol, yes, you are. And thank you crazy furry kitty!
I’m looking forward to reading about your adventures!
I know this is one of your big dreams, so congratulations
on the first step.
HEY! This is awesome! I seriously cannot wait to see what adventures you’re going to go on! I’ll just Photoshop myself in a few….
Wonderful, Now I just sit back. I’ve got you in New Zealand, Kate in Scotland, and Aileen in Denmark. This is better than the Discovery Channel.
lol sounds good to me. I’ll try to post some awesome videos and pics for you!
Hey!! Just wanted to make sure you landed and everything was ok with your flight. Make sure to keep us all posted on all of your awesome adventures and make sure you don’t forget about us either. Miss you and we’ll start working on getting me down there so I can be your trainer haha.
Yhea I’m here!!! It’s simply amazing here. I actually thought about you on my bus ride from the Auckland to Rotorua… this is exactly your kind of country. The people are pretty much you haha.
I hope that is a complete and amazing compliment haha. I guess we just gotta work on finding a way on getting me down there so I can come see you and this amazing country…
Howdy! Just checkin in hoping to see some pictures. Hey, there aren’t any! What’s up with that?!