I have been fascinated with nature since as early as I can remember. I began birding as a child, learned to bird by ear early, and led Audubon field trips starting at age 15. I studied ornithology intensively in my bachelors program and then worked most of the following decade in field ornithology and wildlife biology in a variety of temperate and tropical New World locales. My interest in bird habitats led to a growing interest in plant communities, and I returned for a masters with a focus more in that area of ecology (Ecosystems Analysis degree). I worked for 14 years as a Vegetation Ecologist with the Washington Natural Heritage Program, with a focus on conservation of native plant communities, and also contributed significantly to bird publications and wildlife habitat literature in the state during that time. In 2007, I moved to New Mexico, and have become rooted now in the Southwest. While living in SE Arizona for a few years, I started Take Flight Birding & Nature Adventures, which is still in operation, currently based out of Santa Fe. I love nature and people and educating folks about nature. My expertise is deepest in the arena of birds and vegetation, but I have picked up a lot along the way about other vertebrates.