Staff |
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Emily Grant is a 4-H County Extension Agent in Gillespie County and our Birding with Extension Program Coordinator. Originally from Springtown, Texas she graduated from Texas A&M University. Emily has dedicated her career to education, first as an agriculture science teacher and now as a county agent who has a passion for the sheep and goat industry. As a county agent, she leads youth education programs in agriculture and natural resources. Given the choice, Emily prefers looking at sheep and goats over birds; however, she learned that she is a good spotter and has grown to enjoy going out with our birders and learning!Favorite local bird: Painted bunny (the first time I saw a painted bunting I thought Mrs. Bader told me it was called a painted bunny and it’s just stuck)Favorite birding spot: Devils River State Natural AreaFavorite local food: Steak |
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Liz Tidwell is a Wildlife Program Specialist with Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service. Originally from Pennsylvania, she has a B.S. from the University of Wyoming and a M.S. from Sul Ross State University, where she studied Montezuma quail in New Mexico. As a Program Specialist, she creates programs to help small acreage landowners manage the resources on their property. While Liz loves birds, she harbors a deep love for javelina aka “potatoes” and will squeal like a little girl whenever she sees one!Favorite local bird: Montezuma quailFavorite birding spot: Cooks sloughFavorite local food: Desserts of any kind…as long as it doesn’t have coconut |
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Rainey Bingham is the Agriculture and Natural Resources Agent for Real County, TX. She develops programs for agricultural producers, 4-H youth, and other members of the community. Rainey grew up in South Texas, and went on to earn her undergraduate degree in Agricultural Science from Texas A&M University, followed by a master’s degree in Agriculture at Angelo State University. Through her educational career, Rainey has worked for AgriLife Extension since 2018, and was an active member of 4-H in both Uvalde and Medina County. She and her family have a ranch in southern Atascosa County where they raise cattle. Rainey began her Birding with Extension adventure at Birding the Border 2023. By joining the team, she hopes to learn more about birds as well as eco- and agritourism operations, so she can better support her county.Favorite local bird: Northern bobwhiteFavorite birding spot: Garner State ParkFavorite local food: Steak fries |
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Dani Miller is currently studying conservation social science as a graduate student in the Serenari Lab at Texas State University. She previously worked as a wildlife biologist at the Stiles Farm Foundation for the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service. She has a B.S. in Wildlife Ecology and a minor in Tourism Management from Texas A&M University and first became interested in birding while working there as an undergraduate assistant for Dr. John Tomeček on his bobwhite quail PhD research in the Rolling Plains. Dani is planning to pursue a career that combines her interests in wildlife conservation, outdoor recreation, and sustainable tourism, with particular focus on developing small-scale recreation experiences that educate visitors, benefit local communities, and encourage the implementation of wildlife habitat management efforts by participating landowners and managers. When not looking up for birds while out in the field, Dani can be found looking down for herps.
Favorite local birds: Green heron, common nighthawkFavorite birding spot: Ozark National Scenic Riverways in southern MissouriFavorite local food: Brisket eggs benny |
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Guides |
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Bryan Calk is a professional birding and nature tour guide for NatureScape Tours. He started birding in his backyard at Fort Clark Springs in south Texas at the age of 10 and never stopped! He was fortunate enough to be helped in his early years by two strongly encouraging mentors, whom he considers his “best birds” of all. After graduating from Texas A&M with a B.S. in Genetics, Bryan worked as an avian biologist on several projects across Texas. He now lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Bryan has led field trips for Rio Grande Valley Birding Festival, Texas Ornithological Society, Western Field Ornithologists, and numerous local Audubon Societies. He is beloved by the Birding with Extension team for his enthusiasm, dedication, and patience! In his free time, Bryan enjoys butterfly watching, learning Odonata identification, searching for herps, and photography. You can find him on Instagram as @pauraque.Favorite local bird: Common pauraqueFavorite birding spot: Santa Ana NWRFavorite local food: Pie |
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Katy Hoskins grew up in the Trans-Pecos regions of Texas on a cattle ranch in the Wylie Mountains. She developed a love for all things wild early in life. She has a B.S. in Rangeland Ecology from Texas A&M and a M.Ed. from Sul Ross State University. She picked up photography as a hobby about ten years ago and is passionate about connecting photographs with wildlife conservation, bird conservation and sustainable ranching practices. She and her husband, Curt, currently ranch south of Sweetwater in Nolan County where they strive to manage for Northern Bobwhite quail and grassland bird habitat.Favorite local bird: Quail – Scaled, Mearns or Gamel’sFavorite birding spot: As much as I love Big Bend NP and Seminole Canyon SP, I must admit the Texas coast has my heart…unless the opportunity to sit in a blind in spring waiting for Lesser Prairie Chickens in the Southern Great Plans presents itself!Favorite local food: Anything with green chili (called “long greens” in my hometown – anything on a menu could be ordered with a “long green” on top) If you’re in Comstock, try J&P Grill, and if in Dell City stop by the Spanish Angel Cafe. |
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Brandon Nooner is a USDA Wildlife Biologist. He is responsible for the BASH Program at Laughlin AFB. Brandon Graduated from Colorado State University with a BS in Wildlife Biology in 2018. He is an avid birder and herper, spending much of his free time traveling with his family to go birding and herping.Favorite local bird: Green kingfisherFavorite birding spot: San Felipe CreekFavorite local food: Mexican of course! Chinto’s is the best local spot |
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Stephanie Bilodeau was born and raised in the great state of Vermont, but she migrated south with the birds shortly after receiving her bachelor’s degree in wildlife biology from the University of Vermont. She moved around for various seasonal jobs before finding her home in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas where she has lived for 8 years now. She spent the first 7 years working as a bird biologist for a non-profit organization and now works for U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as a wildlife biologist for the Lower Rio Grande National Wildlife Refuge.Favorite local bird:Favorite birding spot:Favorite local food: |
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David Tønnessen’s birding passion began at age 6 and has taken him from coast to coast time and again across bot the US and Mexico, and further south in the neotropics, and he loves showing people birds throughout the places he’s travelled. He loves tackling and discussing challenging bird identifications ad runs a column on this topic. He’s fascinated by various layers in ornithology and is currently seeking graduate school.Favorite local bird: Audubon’s orioleFavorite birding spot: Santa Ana NWRFavorite local food: Chicken mole tamales |
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Stephen Falick |
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Birding Buddies |
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Ty Allen is an avid birder and photographer living in North Central Texas. He got hooked on birding at age eight. He’s currently a college sophomore and works as a sales associate at Wild Bird Unlimited. He loves birding the under birded counties of Texas with the goal of filling in the data gap in eBird for those counties. He also enjoys learning bout other wildlife including, but not limited to herps, butterflies, moths, dragonflies, and damselflies.Favorite local bird: Green jayFavorite birding spot: Davis MountainsFavorite local food: Tex-Mex |
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Rose Cooper has enjoyed birding since she was a research assistant with Texas AgriLife Research in Uvalde. Dr. Susan Cooper (no relation) introduced her to her first painted bunting on the Harris Ranch while collecting data on wild turkey nest predation. She graduated from Sul Ross State University with a Bachelor of Science in Animal Science and a Master of Science in Reproductive Physiology where she worked with Blackbuck Antelope. While working with Texas AgriLife, Rose began photographing the local flora for a website used for plant identification and for the Texas Wildlife Association’s Critter Connection magazine for children. She has since expanded her passion for nature photography to include birds, butterflies, dragonflies and anything else that catches her eye. She especially enjoys looking for critters to fill her lens at her family’s place in the Hill Country.Favorite local bird:Favorite birding spot:Favorite local food: |
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Del Rio born and raised, Louisa Stone’s love for nature and the outdoors was impressed upon her by her father who was an avid hunter, fisherman, and gardener. He took her with him often and they watched for deer and other wildlife. But it wasn’t until she moved to Minnesota in the 80s that Louisa started noticing the different birds, particularly the rose breasted grosbeak, and then she was on my way to becoming a passionate birder. Since then she and her husband moved back to Texas after a few years in Tennessee where she saw more birds. So back to Del Rio in the 90s where Louisa could revisit old haunts and favorite birds. She and her husband then moved to Fort Clark Springs for about 15 years in the early 2000s where Louisa fell in love with kiskadees, green jays, painted buntings, and vermillion flycatchers. The trails at Fort Clark Springs and the bird variety there are truly amazing. She looks forward to being a birding buddy and sharing what she knows about the Fort and the birds there. |