As my Great-great-great grandfather Daniel Boone said;
“Nature was here a series of wonders, and a fund of delight”.

MY FORMATIVE YEARS
From my earliest years I have been enthralled by the wonders of nature. As kids, we would ride our bicycles to the outside of town to search the fields for whatever lizards, snakes, insects and other wildlife that we could capture and bring home to my zoo. My interest was especially piqued by my Biology teacher, Joe Medeiros and my Sierra Nevada teacher, Harold Basey. It was on one of the Great Valley Museum’s field trips with Joe that I saw my first Greater Roadrunner in Del Puerto Canyon. Mr. Basey challenged me to get an A in his class, which was a grade he had only given out once or twice in the previous 3 years (and I did). It was because of these two teachers, that I changed my college major to Biology. While at CSU Stanislaus I pursued a concentration in Flowering plants, but Ornithology became my passion. After getting my BS in Biology with a minor in Physical Science, I applied for and was accepted to Cal Poly to work on master’s in Zoology. Unfortunately due to some unexpected challenges, I was unable to pursue that goal.

BIRDING BY EAR, SAY WHAT?
On one of the Ornithology Field Trips we were challenged to seek out the local Audubon Chapters and see what they had to offer. I joined one of the local trips with the San Joaquin Chapter and visited Caswell Memorial State Park. We met outside of the park and walked in to the park. The leader was a quiet, but very friendly person not any older than I was. He introduced himself as David Yee and as we started the walk in, quietly said, “I hear an Olive-sided Flycatcher calling. It’s call is hic-three-beers, let’s see if we can find it.” He promptly called out, “There it is!” Next he comments, “I hear a Western Tanager, let’s find it”. And so it was for the rest of the trip, “I hear a …, let’s find it!” And so, my determination to bird like David, was born. I became obsessed with learning how to identify birds but their calls and songs.

CONNECTING WITH STANISLAUS AUDUBON
Since I did not live in San Joaquin County, David suggested that I get in touch with a teacher from Modesto, Harold Reeve, and see about joining the Stanislaus Audubon Society. I attended several chapter field trips and programs and in addition to meeting Harold, I got to know Eric Caine, Jean Hackamack, Wray Ladine and Tony Leonardini. Harold invited me to join him and his wife, Sharon, to go birding in the county. After attending several chapter programs, I wanted more. I asked Harold if there could be a possibility of participating in the Board meetings as a non-board member. Shortly thereafter in the summer of 1988, I was invited to become an actual Stanislaus Audubon Society Board Member.

CENTRAL VALLEY BIRD CLUB
In early 1995 some of the valley’s most active birders discussed forming a Central Valley bird club to promote birding and to facilitate the social aspect of the activity. In 1997, the club hosted the first ever Central Valley Birding Symposium at the Delta College campus in Stockton. I attended that rainy first event and have participated in every symposium since that time. I was invited to become a Board Member of the CVBC.

About Me
My journey into the natural world began long before I ever boarded a plane to Ecuador. I earned my college degree in biology, a foundation that shaped not only how I see the world, but how I’ve spent my life sharing it with others. For more than 35 years, I worked in education as both a teacher and administrator, guiding students through the wonders of science and the joy of discovery. That same spirit of curiosity has carried me through decades of volunteer work in citizen science and conservation.
For over 35 years, I’ve been deeply involved with the Stanislaus Audubon Society, serving in nearly every board position—including past president—and helping support local conservation, outreach, and community science efforts. I also serve on the board of the Central Valley Bird Club, and for many years I’ve been an active member of the Modesto Camera Club, where I once served as club president. Photography has become one of my favorite ways to document and celebrate the natural world, blending art with field observation.
Today, I continue to stay immersed in the birding community as a Webmaster, StanislausBirds Administrator, eBird Reviewer, and member of the Stanislaus Bird Records Committee. My images have been featured on the Audubon Field Guide, Birds of the World, All About Birds, the Merlin Bird ID App, and numerous other websites—an honor that reflects both my passion for birds and my commitment to sharing their stories.
This travelogue is the culmination of a lifetime spent learning, teaching, exploring, and documenting the wild places that continue to inspire me. It’s a celebration of the birds, landscapes, and people who make these journeys unforgettable—and an invitation to follow along as I chase wonder across continents.

Here are two versions crafted to complement your travelogue—one concise enough for a sidebar, the other more lyrical and evocative for your opening post.

🌿 Short Sidebar Version

About Me
I’m a biologist, educator, and lifelong naturalist with over 35 years of experience in teaching, administration, and citizen science. I’ve served in nearly every leadership role within the Stanislaus Audubon Society, sit on the boards of both the Central Valley Bird Club and the Modesto Camera Club, and currently work as a Webmaster, StanislausBirds Administrator, eBird Reviewer, and member of the Stanislaus Bird Records Committee. My bird photography has been featured on Audubon, Birds of the World, All About Birds, Merlin, and numerous other platforms. This blog brings together my passions for birding, conservation, and storytelling.

✨ Poetic Version for the Opening Post

I have spent my life at the crossroads of science, education, and wonder. With a degree in biology and more than three decades as a teacher and administrator, I’ve guided generations of students through the beauty and complexity of the natural world. Outside the classroom, I’ve devoted over 35 years to citizen science—serving in nearly every role within the Stanislaus Audubon Society, helping shape the Central Valley Bird Club, and finding community among photographers in the Modesto Camera Club.

Today, I continue that work as a Webmaster, StanislausBirds Administrator, eBird Reviewer, and member of the Stanislaus Bird Records Committee. My camera has become both companion and compass, leading me into wetlands, foothills, forests, and far‑off countries. Along the way, my images have found homes on the Audubon Field Guide, Birds of the World, All About Birds, Merlin, and countless other digital field guides.

This travelogue is the next chapter in that lifelong journey—a place where science meets story, where field notes become narrative, and where the birds that have shaped my life take flight once more across the page.

If you’d like, I can also craft a one‑sentence tagline for the top of your blog or a closing signature to use at the end of each post.

Here are two polished pieces you can use immediately—each crafted to match the tone, depth, and reflective style of your travelogue.

🌄 One‑Sentence Tagline for the Top of Your Blog

A lifelong naturalist’s journey through wild places, rare birds, and the stories that connect us to the living world.

🖋️ Closing Signature for the End of Each Post

—Jim Gain, blending a lifetime of science, stewardship, and photography into every step of the journey.