Standing knee-deep in frgid, voracious, foot-sucking mud an 7:30 in the morning may not sound like an incredible experience. But some days, that’s the best time to see the shorebirds come out to feed. If you're lucky enough, you'll see something rare...like a Roseate Spoonbill, a wading bird related to the Pink Flamingo. You don't see this kind of thing everyday(...unless you do, in which case, I am INCREDIBLY jealous)! We'd take trips into the field like this on a daily basis--sometimes leaving at the crack of dawn and returning to the field station until the sun went down. On days off, we would hike, paddleboard, snorkel, swim, go into town, hunt for tamales, or work on our tan. It's a quiet little town, unlike major "college-kid" destinations(tiajuana, cabo, the like), but it's perfect for Prescott College.
I sometimes wonder where I would be if I had chosen a school other than PC, would I be standing on a beach doing a study on Pelicans--or, as I suspect, would I be sitting in a lecture hall with dozens of my peers listening to a lecture on feeding habits--instead of actually observing them? For the adventure-minded student, the experiential learner, or the inquisitive type, Prescott College offers its students the opportunity to venture out into the field and get a realistic idea of the diversity of the natural world! -Sydnie Bonin (Pictures credited to Madison Prez)
