Big Picture: Hawk Watch

This sharp shinned hawk was photographed by Jenni Peters during her participation in a citizen science project led by the Golden Gate Raptor Observatory (GGRO). Peters—an elementary school science teacher who graduated from the UC California Naturalist Program at UC Santa Cruz last year—has volunteered with the GGRO for more than three years, helping to fit birds with metal ID bands that assist scientists conducting long-term studies of the seasonal movements of birds of prey along the Pacific Coast. “By participating in citizen science projects, I’m able to contribute to a valuable data bank and be an example for my students, showing them that anyone can be a scientist,” she says. “Through this work, I have also learned more about my local environment and made lasting friendships with people who share my interests.”