Birding is...

A spiritual opportunity. It can do a lot of healing and growth. I bird so I can have an excuse to go to places like this. it's good for the soul, and the birds are cool too.

What would you share bird people about National Wildlife Refuges?

They are underutilized, which is great for birders, because there's hardly anyone there other than hunters part of the time. When you get there, talk to the wildlife biologist there always ready to talk, they will tell you where the hotspots are.

If you go to a major city on a business trip, there's got to be a refuge within an hour or two from you. Get a car and go there for half a day and you'll have a really good time.

I met Dennis the other day on my second or third trip to find the Thick-billed Vireo, which I ended up not seeing. Some birds you end up never seeing! He wrote a book on National Wildlife Refuges of the West. I wish I could share our whole interview as he had many neat insights into Birding. However, using Siri to write blog posts while driving, and updating and editing them in the car during a downpour in Texas is quite the task! I have 7 or 8 more blog posts on the way- from birders in 8th grade to almost 80!

Internet in Houston tonight...