I used to track kingfishers between my field notes—blue flashes skimming the riverbank, a reminder that something wild still belonged here. Now, the only thing I count is how many paddleboarders drift by, how many dogs crash through the reeds where otters used to slip unseen. I used to think the data would show us how to save this place. But every survey, every polite letter, every meeting where someone says, “people need access too”—it all feels like measuring loss in increments. The river doesn’t argue. It just gets quieter. Sometimes I wonder if I’m documenting extinction or just learning how to let go. The science says we’re running out of time. The silence says we already did. #Science #EcoFatigue #FieldworkBlues