Before the sun rises, the bird banding tent is already set up at Albany Pine Bush Preserve. Ornithologists will work all day in the late summer heat as birds begin their fall migration.

This assignment, for the Hudson River Valley Greenway, brought me in closer contact with these little guys. But it’s also always interesting to see scientists and the public — especially when they’re younger — connect over an interesting topic.

Early morning bird hike at Albany Pine Bush Preserve Discovery Center in Albany, New York.

Environmental services photography assignments share a common thread. Whether they’re regulatory-driven initiatives, or projects designed to raise the profile of an agency, or to educate citizens about a particular problem or issue, these projects work to gain local support for community-based solutions. And what kid wouldn’t want to hold a small bird for a moment, then release it into the sky?

A Nashville warbler in the hands of an ornithologist at the Albany Pine Bush preserve in Albany, New York. Photo ©Suzy Allman Environmental Services Photography

Albany Pine Bush is a designated Bird Conservation Area and home to a surprising number (given it small size) of Species of Greatest Conservation Need (species that are rare or declining).