Having spent nearly all his life in Indianapolis, as well as a few years in Northwest Indiana, Austin has been enamored with birds since he was a kid. From reading the Sibley Guide to Birds for fun as a boy, to caring for a pet conure for 22 years, to building a career in the environmental field, his love for animals has shone through at every stage of his life. He has explored the avian wonders of Florida through numerous family trips to Fort Myers and Tampa/Sarasota over the years, as well as solo trips to the Panhandle, Space Coast, Miami, and the Keys before moving to the Orlando area in late 2024.
His passion for environmental protection and sharing knowledge with the public has led him to volunteer as a bird bander for 10 years, serve as the former chair of Bird Safe Indy with the local Audubon Society chapter in Indianapolis, and lead nature hikes for various festivals and organizations. The thrill of chasing rarities and building his life list, especially when shared with others, brings him great excitement. At the same time, he enjoys birding at a calmer pace to experience the peacefulness of being outdoors, practice living in the moment, and appreciate the subtleties of plumage and unique species behaviors. His curiosity and dedication to accuracy also make him a lifelong student, as he is always refining his identification skills. Other favorite aspects of birding include watching visible migration, such as morning counts, seawatching, and hawkwatching, as well as learning habitat associations.
Austin is currently a private lands biologist, assisting landowners with managing their properties for wildlife habitat and conservation easements in central Florida. In addition to birding, he enjoys wildlife photography and other naturalist pursuits, especially herping, botanizing, foraging, and searching for butterflies.
