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I had an excellent experience with the Following Forest Owls in the Western U.S expedition. The leadership was superb. I learned a lot, felt like my participation was appreciated and valuable, and the setting was gorgeous. It was a privilege to be part of this project. The leader made everyone feel valuable and highlighted our accomplishments every day. To be so close to the amazing owls was an experience I will never forget.

It took me literally minutes to enthusiastically spread the word about the “Following Forest Owls in the Western U.S.” expedition. Markus Mika's love for the flammulated owls is truly contagious. I was impressed by the team’s attention to consistent scientific procedures and learned to appreciate the precision and detail required for authentic, replicable results. The background knowledge brought to the project by Markus and Jessica Taylor drew me in and made me want to learn more. I greatly appreciated the reading list shared before the trip, as it allowed me to come prepared to engage thoughtfully with the tasks and expand my perspectives on saving owls and their habitats in multiple ways. The staff paid attention to ensure that each participant was well-trained, so we could be trusted to use the tools to find, trap, measure, and document the results of our work. We were entrusted to hold and release the 'flams', an awe-filled experience that will stay with me for life. A bonus was Markus's love of food and cooking. His attention to building community through cooking together worked! We were encouraged to help plan, shop for, and cook meals, which this vegetarian very much appreciated. Markus's love of music—live music and sharing his ukulele songs and playlists—was yet another high. This will also stay with me for the rest of my life! Aubrey and Eli, the other two intern/staff members, were also skilled in engaging all of us. Their interests extended beyond the owls to include birds, plants, and habitats, which inspired me to pay closer attention to what I was seeing and hearing. The entire team was sensitive to individual interests and sleep/rest/time-off needs during this intensive night of research. Think - sleep, interactive games, pool time, solo time, and optional activities. This was my second �������� expedition. I look forward to my next! I am full of Vitamin G - GRATITUDE  to Markus, Jessica, Aubrey, and Eli for making this trip so successful and impactful. Trust that I will be motivating others to listen for owls and pay attention to the habitat needs of all wildlife.

This was my sixth time on the Following Forest Owls in the Western U.S. expedition. Each year, we build on the work that has been done in previous seasons—checking on previously used nests to see if they're active this year, following up on cavities of interest, hoping for sightings or captures of previously banded birds. We also banded new birds, identified new cavities, and helped build the baseline data for these long-term studies. It has been very rewarding to add to the body of knowledge about these seldom-studied birds. (Also—it's amazing to be eye-to-eye with a fierce 2-ounce predator!)