New Mexico
Eastern NM
Chris Saenz
Christopher “Chris” Saenz is a Port Aransas local whose passion for birding began just five years ago—but has grown with remarkable speed. After attending a “Birding on the Boardwalk” program one morning, he took one look at a Whooping Crane and a White-faced Ibis through a spotting scope and was instantly hooked. That single experience […]
Stephen Falick
Stephen grew up in Houston, Texas, where his interest in birds began after watching a Red-headed Woodpecker at his grandparents’ feeder. Exploring the green spaces around his childhood neighborhood, he developed a deep appreciation not just for birds, but also for reptiles, invertebrates, and plants. In 2015, his first trip to the Trans-Pecos—originally in search […]
Patrick Maurice
Patrick Maurice was born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia, and graduated from the University of Georgia with a degree in Wildlife Science in 2021. He credits his lifelong passion for birds to his mother—also a birder—who introduced him to the outdoors at an early age. One of Patrick’s earliest birding memories is seeing Georgia’s first […]
David Tønnessen
David began his birding journey in Colorado and has since been fortunate to travel to many corners of North America in pursuit of his passion. No matter where birding takes him, he always returns to the vast wild spaces and rich avifauna of his home state. With its extraordinary diversity of habitats and expansive public […]
David Griffin
David is a biologist and naturalist who has spent nearly two decades studying the flora and fauna of New Mexico. His work spans a remarkable breadth of avian research, including long-term surveys of wintering grassland birds, riparian communities, Bendire’s Thrashers, and extensive raptor monitoring—most notably focused studies on Aplomado Falcons. He has also conducted breeding […]
Jack Parlapiano
Jack’s birding journey began twelve years ago at the Festival of the Cranes at Bosque del Apache, where a day in the field with his grandmother ignited a lifelong passion. Since then, he has grown into a dedicated birder, naturalist, and photographer, exploring every corner of New Mexico to experience the state’s remarkable biodiversity. He […]
Ben Guo
Originally from Illinois, Ben has been birding since the age of ten, when a brilliant Rose-breasted Grosbeak appeared outside his living room window one May afternoon. Soon after, he began attending local Audubon walks to build his bird identification skills, eventually setting the Big Year record in his home county. Ben first moved to the […]
Jodhan Fine
Jodhan Fine is a 22-year-old birder and naturalist. Born and raised in Albuquerque, he lived in New Mexico until moving to Los Angeles in 2021, where he immersed himself in California’s rich birdlife. A nature lover since birth and a birder since 2016, Jodhan loves showing people new places and species and gets just as […]
