Christophe Turcotte-van De Rydt

Reaching for the Horizon

Christophe Turcotte-van De Rydt has always loved nature. His love of understanding the world around him has inspired the 22-year-old Sherbrooke resident to pursue his studies in Biology, focusing on Biodiversity and Ecology at Bishop’s University. Having finished his second year, Christophe decided to focus on his interest in ornithology, the study of birds, and this led him to apply to the B.E.S.T. Project in order to experience field-work. “I strive to learn about what is surrounding me, and I hope to eventually contribute new knowledge to the field”, he confides.

Christophe will be working at the Long Point Bird Observatory in the South of London, Ontario, alongside experts studying bird populations. “There are two main tasks that I will be working on”, he explains, “The first part will be migration monitoring, which means that I will be recording the migration behavioral patterns of birds by estimating how many fly through the region, and the second will be working on the breeding bird census which will give me the chance to studying bird mating habits and estimating population trends.” All of this is part of a long-term project spanning back to 50 years, and Christophe’s work with his colleagues will be contributing to the constantly evolving database.

The future ornithologist will be exposed to established protocols that are commonly used in this type of research. “I hope to get a broader understanding how different protocols complement each other and how they work together”, he says. Learning about these will enrich his understanding of applied field biology. Furthermore, he will have the chance to create important contacts which will benefit his future in research. “Many of the scientists who come to the observatory are from all over the world”, he explains, “This will be a great opportunity to meet experts in the field that I would not have been able to meet without the B.E.S.T. Project”, he explains.

Christophe hopes to bring his experience back to the Bishop’s community in different ways. “One of my ideas is to start a bird watching club because I think it is a good way to share what I have learned to other students”, he declares, “I also hope to encourage them to come together and create a bird census on campus that will give students the chance to study bird populations in our part of the Eastern Townships.”

When asked about the importance of experiential learning opportunities to undergraduate students, Christophe encourages others to reach out. “You are able to get training that is not easily gained”, he replies, “It allows you to experience eye-opening training that will help prepare you for your future studies.”