Author: Jim Gain
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COVID-19 Birding – A Therapeutic Walk in Nature
Contact with nature benefits our mood, our psychological well-being, our mental health, and our cognitive functioning. For centuries outdoor enthusiasts have given… READ MORE
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I Tried to Catch the Fog, but I Mist
Merced County 2021 Checklists 3, 4 and 5 2021 Merced County Species-to-Date (as of last checklist)Life List = 178Year List… READ MORE
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Merced County 2021 eBird Checklist #2 – Merced NWR
2021 Merced County Species-to-DateLife List = 178Year List = 76 After a delightful tour around the San Luis NWR –… READ MORE
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The Quest Begins – 1/4/2021
THE FOCUS IS SETPart way through last year’s San Joaquin County Birding Push, I began to consider what I would… READ MORE
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When One Least Leads to Another
The Discovery It was 6:30 am and I found myself, once again, at the southern part of the San Joaquin… READ MORE
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The Annual Christmas Bird Count (CBC)
WHAT IS A CHRISTMAS BIRD COUNT? The Christmas Bird Count (CBC) is a census of birds in the Western Hemisphere,… READ MORE
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Are you a Birder or Bird Photographer?
I had the opportunity to sit and chat last week for an hour with a couple of bird photographers in… READ MORE
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California’s Super Bloom 2019
Upon their return from a conference in Palm Springs, some of my colleagues shared how amazing the current wild flower… READ MORE
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Cassin’s Kingbirds, Lawrence’s Goldfinch and Avian Eponyms
HUNTING FOR PHOTOGRAPHIC DOCUMENTATION The chase began, as they usually do, with a rare bird email report from ebird on… READ MORE
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A Visit from the Gray-mantled Gull of Kamchatka
In French, it is known as the Gray-mantled Gull, Goéland à manteau ardoisé. In Spanish, it is the Kamchatka Gull,… READ MORE
ABOUT ME
Through my lens and prose I hope to instill a greater sense of awe, compassion and inspiration as I discover new creatures, explore interesting habitats, and gain wisdom about the natural world that’s all around us. It is my hope that readers are motivated to learn more about our environment and its inhabitants, and become passionate advocates for conservation.
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. This blog brings together my passions for birding, conservation, and storytelling.
~ Jim Gain
Reflections of the Natural World 