For John Patten Moss, everything began in 2012 with the sudden appearance of an Eastern Towhee beneath his backyard feeder. He was 15. One glance in his mother’s decades-old field guide—naming it a Rufous-sided Towhee—was all it took to reveal an entire world he hadn’t yet noticed. From that moment on, birds became the driving force in his life.
Like so many who catch the spark, John’s progression was fast and transformative. Within months he was exploring Georgia’s coast through the Department of Natural Resources’ Camp TALON (Teen Adventures Learning Ornithology in Nature). That experience blew the doors wide open: new lifers, new habitats, new mentors, and friendships that would last a lifetime. From then forward, everything—travel, study, work—became intertwined with birds.
Back home in Augusta, John became deeply invested in finding as many species as possible in Richmond County. Fort Gordon, the only local place to hope for specialties like Red-cockaded Woodpecker and Bachman’s Sparrow, sparked something deeper: an awareness of conservation. Seeking these birds locally opened his eyes to the urgency of species decline and the responsibility to protect the places they depend on.
Since then, John has devoted his professional life to restoration ecology across the Southeast. His work has centered on habitat preservation, rare species management, ecosystem restoration, and prescribed fire—always with an emphasis on community-based conservation. He values teaching others about this work just as much as doing it.
John’s birding life has taken him far beyond Georgia. Highlights include a formative 2017 road trip to Southeast Arizona with close friends, hitchhiking to Manú, Perú during a college study abroad, and even unicycling the Pacific Coast in pursuit of birds. A committed lister and “rabid eBirder,” he has volunteered for both species review and hotspot review for several years.
Today, John lives in Augusta, Georgia, with his wife, Derry, and their dog, Siskin. He can often be found birding his favorite local patches or planning his next natural history adventure. As a guide with American Birding Guides, he is excited to share his passion, experience, and enthusiasm—and to help guests create their own lifelong memories in the field.
