Ty and Ida

Tell me about your life birding together

It's been almost 50 years. We met as freshman in college. I was a music major, and he was a biology conservation major. He got me more interested in birds.

It was funny because on one of our first dates, we went to a music concert. We were walking in the brush before that, and I was sitting at the concert, sitting real still and I could feel ticks crawling on my legs. I went to the mens room and was flicking ticks off, then I went back and listened to the concert. (Laughs)

Advice to new or beginning birders? 

Take your time. We all start at the same point: bird #1. Take your time and enjoy it, and each time you go try to pick up a couple more things. The neat thing about it is not only the birds that you'll see- you'll also see all this other wildlife. It could be flowers coming out, butterflies... As you're concentrating on birds all of God's creation opens up before you. We feel like God speaks to us in many different ways, and one of the ways he does is through his creation. 

I met this lovely couple at the hawk watch platform at Bentsen Rio Grande Valley State Park. We saw the Hook-billed kites together, and enjoyed watching Altamira orioles feeding below us. Our conversations were casually interrupted only by the occasional Gray Hawk flying by, or Northern Beardless Tyrannulet calling in the distance. I loved the fact that both shared as great a passion for one another as they did for birding, and that's all they do together now. Retired and driving around the country in an RV sounds like a great birding life! Thank you both for putting a smile on my face, and sharing your stories with me. I'll see you down the road!