On a very early Monday morning on April 26, 2021, 3 intrepid birders from California’s Central Valley set out to… READ MORE
2021 Merced County Species-to-Date (as of last checklist)Life List = 186Year List = 140 Whereas this title may bring to… READ MORE
2021 Merced County Species-to-Date (as of last checklist)Life List = 183Year List = 122 Seeing a break between storms, I… READ MORE
2021 Merced County Species-to-Date (as of last checklist)Life List = 179Year List = 99 HENDERSON PARK Nestled next to the… READ MORE
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
Merced County 2021 Checklists 3, 4 and 5 2021 Merced County Species-to-Date (as of last checklist)Life List = 178Year List… READ MORE
2021 Merced County Species-to-DateLife List = 178Year List = 76 After a delightful tour around the San Luis NWR –… READ MORE
THE FOCUS IS SETPart way through last year’s San Joaquin County Birding Push, I began to consider what I would… READ MORE
The Discovery It was 6:30 am and I found myself, once again, at the southern part of the San Joaquin… READ MORE
WHAT IS A CHRISTMAS BIRD COUNT? The Christmas Bird Count (CBC) is a census of birds in the Western Hemisphere,… READ MORE
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
