Name: June Ficker
Briefly describe the types of volunteer activities you participate in for the NERRS. If you have a favorite volunteer topic or activity, please describe.
My original request was to give banding demonstrations as an educational tool for the public. In May of 1989, while looking for appropriate mist net locations, I was introduced to Dr. Peter Rand, Maine Medical Center Research, who asked if I would be willing to collect ticks (Lyme Disease) from the birds. We had our first project.
By 1991 we embarked on a second known as M.A.P.S. David DeSante from I.B.P. in California asked us to join. At the outset MAPS was concerned about monitoring avian populations, survivorship and productivity. For the past twelve years we have also been asked to collect 2 feathers from certain species. Three years ago we started cloacal swabbing looking for avian influenza. IBP has partnered with UCLA on these projects. In an exciting new project, IBP and UCLA are using the feathers collected in past years, along with new feathers that will be collected during the next three years, to investigate the spread of West Nile virus in birds.
What life experiences led you to volunteer with the NERRS?
While monitoring Least Terns & Piping Plovers, I met a bird bander, Jonnie Fisk, who became my mentor. She encouraged me to sign up at Manomet, a scientific research station in Massachusetts, to learn bird banding. She had her own banding station, but also volunteered at Wellfleet. It seemed only fitting when Wells NERR opened that I try to emulate her accomplishments.
What is the most unusual or most unexpected thing that has happened to you while volunteering for the NERRS?
The faithfulness and enthusiasm of those who are assisting me with the summer banding demonstrations. The frosting on the cake is how excited we are during mid September thru mid November to open up the mist nets at sundown to try and capture Northern Saw-whet Owls! The very first night, October 19, 1994, we captured our first Saw-whet and my heart was truly pounding when I saw that adorable critter in the net. Each has its own personality.
What is your proudest achievement as a volunteer?
This May Paul Dest, Manager of the Wells Reserve, asked me to attend a NOAA meeting. I had never taken the time to make a grand total of the birds captured and banded (3,201), the return/repeat birds (1,151), and the number of visitors from 1989 through 2007 (10,083). I was absolutely stunned with the figures.
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