Gulf Oil Blowout! waiting...

So I am currently anxiously waiting for my resource order to go through in order to respond to the Gulf oil blowout. Hopefully they will pull my name in the next few days. I only have the first three weeks available in August due to fall classes starting. It is so hard waiting. My heart wants to be down there so badly doing whatever I can to help the birds that are getting hammered. I am not sure even how to prepare for such an experience. 15 hour days for two weeks straight. And I am glad for such long days! Its only two weeks and I better be working more then half of the total hours that I am down there! Every hour down there is an hour to intervene and mitigate some of the damage. It is going to be intense to see so much beautiful habitat tainted by toxicity and death. I feel very fortunate to be in the position to apply and have the opportunity to do my part.  All of our birds on Sandy Point have fledged their chicks and have started to move on. (7 American Oystercatcher chicks from 4 pairs, 6 Piping Plovers from 4 pairs though 2 pairs nested and abandoned) We are currently monitoring  the migrants that are flying through and staging. I am excited to see Red Knots soon and re-sight bands on the Roseate Terns!