By Darcy Thomas
It is with great pleasure that I introduce you to Jessica Garby, Flathead Audubon’s new Operations Education Coordinator. A graduate of the University of South Florida in 2020 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Science and Policy, Jess comes to us with years of experience working in the field with a variety of avian species and a passion for avian education and conservation that makes her the perfect fit for the position.
Jess’s experience includes working as a Conservation Intern Trail Interpretive Guide with Montana Conservation Corps at The Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail, and as an Invasive Plant Technician through AmeriCorps at Little Manatee River State Park in Florida, before returning to Montana to work as a Heritage Park Steward with AmeriCorps at Travelers’ Rest, Fort Owen, and Painted Rocks State Parks.
Jess spent two seasons in Idaho as a Terrestrial Monitoring Technician and as a Wildlife and Range Technician. The later experience saw her working on the Grouse and Grazing Project capturing and processing Greater Sage Grouse and conducting nest surveys. Finding her way back to Montana again, Jess began working with Raptor View Research Institute in Missoula as a Migration Count Lead and as a Migratory Golden Eagle Trapping and Banding Technician as well as a Biologist Assistant in Glacier National Park working on projects including Common Loon banding, American Pica, Mountain Goat, and Bighorn Sheep. She edited Loons on the Edge Story Map, created Hawks in Flight Story Map, and led and presented independent research at Montana’s Chapter of The Wildlife Society Conference on Golden Eagle movement along the Continental Divide.
Next, Jess found herself in Wyoming as an Avian Technician performing breeding bird surveys. Again, back in Montana, she resumed her work with Golden Eagles with Raptor View Research Institute. As I write this, Jess is at Roger’s Pass capturing Golden Eagles via bow nets. Along the way, Jess has found time to become a certified Interpretive Guide, volunteer with Owl Research Institute in Winter Raptor Surveys and Short-eared Owl surveys in the Mission Valley, volunteer with Montana Audubon with Screech Owl and Long-billed Curlew surveys, and the Neil Paprocki Rough-legged Hawk Project through the University of Idaho.
You may remember Jess from her presentation at the January 2023 Flathead Audubon general meeting on avian predators of Glacier National Park. She has also volunteered with FAS leading a wintering Birds of Prey Tour in the Mission Valley.
Jess has a true passion for avian conservation and education and is very excited to begin her work with Flathead Audubon. You will meet her in December and will quickly understand how her exuberant personality and love for birds makes her the perfect fit for us. Welcome to Flathead Audubon Jess!
You must be logged in to post a comment.