Woo doggies. It has been a heck of spring and early summer travel schedule for One Earth Conservation!
In early May, Rev. Dr. LoraKim Joyner went to Suriname to work with our partnering village, Kalebaskreek, where rain did not stop the rangers from counting parrots on the river. In the capital city, Paramaribo, Clevia Park also had an open house where a poster about macaws was sponsored by One Earth Conservation.
Getting ready to leave for the afternoon river counts and ready to get wet!
In late May she went to Honduras to work with four partnering villages and to organize the field work that includes protecting macaw nests and veterinary care of the many newly confiscated and rescued parrots. The heat and smoke from wildfires was intense, which, finally, some rain ended.
Hungry yellow-naped parrots chicks await their turn to be fed at the Rescue and Liberation Center of La Moskitia.
These birds were confiscated by authorities from traffickers illegally removing these chicks from their wild nests to sell them.
Then in early June, LoraKim went to Guatemala, meeting up with long-time partners and friends to host two conferences and to begin the annual yellow-naped parrot counts. Unfortunately, rain stopped several of the counts!
Rainy counts in Guatemala (above and below)
Upon arrival back in Des Moines Iowa, she led the Sunday morning service at the First Unitarian Universalist Church of Des Moines where she spoke about Birding for Life: Save a Parrot, a People, and the Planet. The rain is exciting in Des Moines this summer as it often comes with tornado warnings.
LoraKim will now end June by attending the Annual Conference of the Association of Avian Veterinarians where she is the conference keynote speaker on the topic Transformative Parrot Conservation. She will also present lectures on Ethical Considerations in Wildlife Medicine and The Science and Wonder of Birds.
When asked what all these trips and speaking engagements mean to her, LoraKim replied, “Though raindrops keep falling on my head, there is so much beauty in the world! How can I keep from traveling, working, singing, preaching, and presenting?!”
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