Greetings from Rawlins, WY. The first thing you’ll notice about Wyoming is the beautiful countryside and pristine wilderness. Well to be honest, the first thing I noticed was the wind. All day everyday the wind is blowing here which to no one’s surprise is something that the people of Wyoming have come to love and hate. From a sustainability point of view, the harvesting of wind energy is a major industry with wind farms containing a hundred or more turbines spinning away all day long. Despite the controversies regarding wind turbines, these farms are truly an awe inspiring site set against the unique background that is the Wyoming landscape.

I am working with the Bureau of Land Management’s Rawlins Field Office to determine the effectiveness of bird diverters placed on MET station towers. MET towers are placed in areas for about three years to survey the wind and weather conditions to investigate the potential construction of a wind farm. Diverters are recommended on all MET tower guy wires, but there is no evidence in support of diverters actually diverting birds. That’s where my awesome partner and I come in and set up transects back and forth to search for dead birds.

After three weeks this has been one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever lived. I enjoy working for the BLM and I’ve gained much insight into the workings of federal agencies. I hope everyone else is having as good a time as I and I wish everyone the best.