I Watched Hope Perch Where I Couldn't

I stood under the transmission tower, pretending I was just there for the birds. But it was more than that. I watched two storks build a home in a place no one expected—like they didn’t get the memo about where they were supposed to belong. I kept coming back, camera in hand, telling myself it was for the data, for the conservation report, for the proof that something we did worked. But really, I just needed to see if they’d stay. If they’d survive. If anything I’ve done in this field has ever really mattered. Everyone says it’s a win for the species, for the wetland, for the planet. But standing there, all I could think was: I’m not sure I could keep coming back if they left. I will keep watching them. Because maybe if they make it, I can too. #Science #ScienceFatigue #ConservationBurnout