A Day in the Life

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There are a couple different ways that my day can go while I’m on the mountain doing research. Below is a tentative schedule that gives you an idea.

Possibility One:

5:15 Wake up, eat breakfast, pack lunch
6:00-8:00 Nest observations
8:00-9:00 Set traps up (anywhere from 4-7 locations)
10:00-11:00 Check traps*
12:00-1:00 Check traps
2:00-3:00 Check traps
4:00-5:00 Check traps
6:00 Check and close traps
7:30 Return to camp (usually by foot), eat dinner, etc. etc.
8:00-9:00 Go to bed

While I have here that trap checks are an hour each, depending on how spread out the locations are and how far into the woods they are, the checks can take up to two hours. This means that, while I am expected to work 8 hours a day, sometimes, I’m working 10+.

Possibility Two:

7:30 Wake up, eat breakfast, pack lunch
8:00-9:00 Set traps
10:00-11:00 Check traps
12:00-1:00 Check traps
2:00-3:00 Check traps
4:00-5:00 Check and close traps
5:30-6:00 Return to camp, eat dinner, etc. etc..
7:15-8:30 Night nest checks using radio telemetry
9:00 Go to bed


As you can see, my days are pretty packed. I try to go to bed pretty early because more times than not, I am waking up at 5:30 AM….. Once the juveniles start to emerge, we will be doing more observations, including behavioral observations. I think I will also start working on the side project soon.

Morning observations! It's cold on the
 mountain on the mornings! 



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About Post Author

Kalysha Clark is a recent graudate of North Carolina State University where she earned a Bachelor's of Science in Zoology and a minor in nonprofit studies. She is currently serving as a member of AmeriCorps and will return to NC State in January to begin her Master's program in Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation Biology.

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About me

I am a graduate of NC State University with a Bachelors of Science in Zoology and a minor in Nonprofit Studies.

I am currently a Master's Student at NC State studying Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation Biology. Part of my thesis will focus on how state action plans and policies look at and incorporate climate change and land use change. I am highly interested in habitat use, movement ecology and behavior, and hope to study these during my Master's and, later, my PhD.

I am currently working on my North Carolina Environmental Education Certification.

My skills include: Radio telemetry, Camera Trap Installation and Calibration, Animal Handling, Data Entry and Management, Animal Husbandry, Animal Behavior, Wildlife Rehabilitation, Raptor Handling, Project Planning, Fundraising, Public Speaking, Time Management and Organization

Classes I'm Currently Taking

-Conservation Biology
-Quantitative Methods in Education
-Wildlife Seminar
-Resource Selection Functions

Current Projects

-Evaluating Efficacy of Conservation Planning in the Southeast
-Evaluating the Household Dynamics of Wildlife Value Orientations

Honors, Awards, and Certifications

-Bachelor of Science in Zoology, 2015
-Minor in Nonprofit Studies
-Dean's List, Spring 2012, Fall 2013
-Roots and Shoots Founders' Award, $100, 2012-2013
-Basic Wildlife Rehabilitation Certification, March 2013
-Visionary Leader Certificate, Spring 2012

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