Isaiah Clark began birding along the Mississippi River in Minnesota with his father around the age of twelve, receiving early inspiration from his great-uncle, naturalist and horticulturist Thomas Ogren. At the same time, Isaiah was developing an interest in visual art, and many of his earliest birding memories involve sketching birds from photographs and field guides—an early blending of observation, curiosity, and creativity.
As his interest deepened, he began keeping a list, but what captivated him most was the broader context of birds: Why are certain species the way they are? Why are they where they are? How are their circumstances changing? These questions continue to guide his work and curiosity.
Isaiah moved to Michigan for graduate school in 2023, in part to explore these ecological and cultural questions more deeply. He remains fascinated by the relationships between bird behavior, habitat, and landscape change, as well as the meaningful role birds play in community, belonging, and shared experience. Ask him his favorite part of birding and he’ll tell you: the only thing better than adding a lifer is helping someone else get theirs.
Isaiah has volunteered as a bander at Long Point Bird Observatory in Ontario, contributed to the Ann Arbor Breeding Bird Survey, and is an active member of the Washtenaw Bird and Nature Alliance. Whether studying local breeding birds, exploring migration along the Great Lakes, or guiding visitors through the Midwest’s varied habitats, Isaiah brings patience, curiosity, and a deep appreciation for the ways birds connect people to place.
