What made you interested in birds?
Birds really piqued my interest while tagging along birding with my youngest brother during a camping trip that included some spectacular dramas. A pair of Merlins were harassing Flickers nearly their own size (and later, a decidedly bigger Red-Shouldered Hawk!). A Purple Finch was singing from the very top of a pine that suddenly dove just ahead of a stooping Cooper’s Hawk. When I finally got a good pair of binoculars and an eBird account, I was hooked!
Where is your favorite place to atlas?
Druid Hill Park—there’s a wonderful variety of habitats, and I’ve been amazed by what all I’ve seen there! Being able to walk up to the park has been a lifesaver during the pandemic.
Have you been involved with any atlases prior to this one?
This one is my first atlas, but it did inspire me to contribute to the North Carolina atlas during a trip last summer.
What is the best thing about atlasing?
Atlasing puts the focus on the whole bird and its place in the web of life. It helps me remember to slow down and really enjoy watching and listening to birds, and (re)discover what quirky, shy, feisty, fascinating neighbors they are.
What’s our biggest conservation issue?
Conservation’s biggest problem is public policy that prioritizes corporate profits over the public good. Between habitat destruction, pollution, and the climate crisis, human activity is killing birds and other wildlife at terrifying rates. We all contribute to this each time we buy food, get in our car, or even put new tires on a bike, because this destruction is built into our social order.
We’ve built energy and transportation systems dependent on fossil fuels, an agricultural system dependent on big agribusinesses and their poisons (pesticides and herbicides), a whole geography of suburban sprawl and highways instead of walkable towns and public transit. It infuriates me every time I visit North Point SP that there’s a historic trolley station but absolutely no way to get there now without a car! I applaud everyone who bikes to work, plants native shrubs, or becomes vegan, but personal action will not save our beloved birds or their natural world without major policy change. We collectively built the systems killing our planet, and we can build new, better ones, but only through equally collective action to promote sustainable policies, elect responsible leaders, and hold them accountable to deliver. Concretely, we can all support MOS (and other groups) in conservation and advocacy, prioritize conservation when we vote, and encourage our friends and family to as well. As engaged citizens, we can make a much bigger difference than we could individually.
You can take binoculars, a field guide, and what other item?
I’m going to count my phone as my field guide, and pick a snack for a nice long day out!
Who would you go atlasing with?
Lynne Parks. She has a fantastic ear, is wonderfully generous about sharing her knowledge, and is so attentive to birds’ behavior and habits. Baltimore misses you, Lynne!
What bird do you particularly like?
I’m still in love with Merlins. They’re amazing fliers, and their feisty personality often leads to a great show, especially if some crows are foolish enough to bother one!
What bird best reflects your personality?
I’ll say a Hairy Woodpecker—they’re usually quiet and unobtrusive, but can be persistent and loud, too.