Birds, Beaches, and Bonfires: My Summer as the Visitor Experience Intern

I joined the W.K. Kellogg Bird Sanctuary as the 2025 Visitor Experience Intern. I will be entering my senior year at Michigan State University this fall, studying Zoology with a concentration in Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology.

As the Visitor Experience Intern, I helped with a variety of educational programs at the Bird Sanctuary, including Wild Wednesdays, guided tours, and Fishing for Eagles. Wild Wednesdays is designed for children ages 8 and under, using crafts and hands-on activities to teach nature-themed lessons. Spring and summer also bring many group visits, where guided tours give guests an opportunity to learn about the history of the Sanctuary and meet its resident birds.

My favorite program to help with was Fishing for Eagles, which teaches kids about trophic levels and how to fish.  I loved helping the kids learn to fish and seeing their excitement when they watched the avian care staff feed their catch to our bald eagles.

In addition to public programs, I contributed to the daily operations of the Bird Sanctuary. I worked in the visitor center, supervised corn feedings, and assisted with ongoing projects. These included updating the Storybook Walk, spray painting cabinets, improving signage, collecting NOAA weather data, helping volunteers, checking on the overlook, updating the memorial directory and digitizing the Bluebird Trail to make it more accessible for visitors.

A major perk of working at the Sanctuary was being surrounded by hundreds of bird species. In addition to resident birds like trumpeter swans, hawks, owls, eagles, bobwhites, and pheasants, many wild birds visit the property, making it an ideal place for birding. One of my learning goals was to improve my bird identification skills, which I practiced during weekly birding walks. It was an amazing opportunity to see so many species and really appreciate the beauty of the Sanctuary.

Living at KBS

While interning at the Bird Sanctuary, I lived at the Kellogg Biological Station (KBS) alongside other undergraduate students. The strong sense of community made KBS a special place. Interns regularly gathered for bonfires and weekly craft nights, enjoyed time at the beach on Windmill Island, and even took a group camping trip with a stop at Lake Michigan.

Living at KBS also gave me the chance to meet people working in the field of ecology and to learn more about graduate school, research, and future career interests. It was inspiring to be around so many passionate people and to get a glimpse into what my path might look like after graduation.

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Madison Aprill was the 2025 Visitor Experience Intern at the W.K. Kellogg Bird Sanctuary. She is an undergraduate student at Michigan State University, studying Zoology. In her free time, Madison enjoys reading, skiing, and cheering on her favorite sports teams.