Postcards from the Field: Stacey MacDonald

Shell Conservation Intern Stacey MacDonald

Greetings from New Brunswick!

I am so lucky to be working alongside the highest tides in the world here at Johnson’s Mills Shorebird Interpretive Centre. Everyday I watch the Bay of Fundy tides come in and out of our beach on Shepody Bay.  How often does someone get to work on the beach doing what they love!?
Here at the Centre, I am the head shorebird interpreter, responsible for managing and coordinating the staff, making observations on the local flora and fauna, and collecting and exchanging information about the shorebirds with neighbouring wildlife institutions.

Johnson’s Mills, NB

Right now I am patiently awaiting the arrival of the shorebirds in early- to mid-July.  I’m especially excited to meet the stars of the show: the Semipalmated Sandpipers. Roughly 95% of the world’s population of these birds use the Bay of Fundy mudflats as a stopover during their southern migration. The mudflats are host to the small mud shrimp Corophium volutator and provide the feeding ground essential for increasing the bird’s fat reserves before their nearly 4000 km flight to South America.  Learning about the shorebirds has been jaw dropping - - I am constantly amazed by what these small birds go through and how important the Bay of Fundy is to their survival.

After my summer with NCC I will be entering my fourth year at Mount Allison University in Sackville, NB (also my hometown!) where I am studying Biology with Minors in both Environmental Science and Philosophy.  I feel so fortunate to work as a Shell Conservation Intern with NCC this summer, and know that the experience will help me in my future conservation endeavours. I can’t wait to see what the rest of the summer has in store!

Cheers!
Stacey MacDonald