Behind the Scenes with Mallory

In February, I packed my bags and hit the road to my next adventure – being a Field Station Educator at Chincoteague Bay Field Station. On my trek from South Carolina to Virginia, I soon realized that I was about to learn more than I could have ever imagined. From meeting new and amazing friends, star gazing in our backyard, bird watching at the refuge, mock-teaching in 20 degree weather – the list could go on and on - 2015 has been an eventful year to say the least. It is difficult to sum up the thousands of stories in just a handful of photographs. With that said, I will attempt to tell a story of 2015, at the Field Station, in photographs. It is not the story of 2015, it is certainly not all stories, but as a collection it does show a good portion of what life has been like over the past three months here at CBFS!

One of the first days on the job - heading out to a field site to learn more about the classes we would soon be teaching.

A photograph from one of our training sessions in the marsh muck. Fun stuff!

View from the harbor in late February & breathtaking sunsets over Chincoteague Bay.

Our first “family” picture together.

The wildlife here is possibly one of the most incredible aspects of the area - bald eagles, deer, dozens of migratory shore birds, and of course the famous Chincoteague ponies!

Above all, I've enjoyed the opportunity to inspire and teach learners of all ages. The enthusiasm of our participants is what makes each day an amazing experience. I've been able to work with students and adults of all levels and look forward to facilitating summer camps in just a few weeks!

---

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Mallory Pendelton is a Field Station Educator here at CBFS. She has a strong background in environmental education and received a Bachelors of Science from University of Alabama in Biology and Marine Science. During her time at university, she participated in undergraduate biological research looking at phylogenetic and biogeographic components of biological diversity in freshwater fishes.