About Us

Langley, BC is currently home for Michael, where he and his lovely wife Deb are raising four children.  BC is one of the greatest places in North America for bird watching given its large number of diverse ecosystems which make up this western province. The Greater Vancouver area alone has one of the greatest number of species in the country because it contains ocean, mountains, flood plains, lakes, rivers and forests.

Michael has traveled extensively through North and Central America along with the Caribbean and a sprinkle of Africa thrown in.   Destinations include the southern and western United States, western Canada, Belize, Yucatan Peninsula, Costa Rica, Panama, Domincan Republic and Kenya.

The History

Michael got started birding when his grandpa Jack gave him his first golden field guide and a pair of binoculars at eight years old. Blue Jays and American goldfinch are still burnt into his memory from his days visiting his grandparents in Winnipeg, MB. Things got a little more serious when he attended College in Santa Barbara and his Zoology teacher Richard Armstrong introduced Michael to the concept of the “life list.” Since that semester in 1989, Michael has been traveling the world in search of new and exotic species of birds, the whole while learning more about our feathered neighbors. His current life list includes more than 850 species.

 Photography came about as an organic experience when Michael came across a site that showed that ID’ing was so much easier when you have an image that won’t fly away. This prompted a purchase of a used camera and long lens from a local internet classified site. Five cameras later and a tad more experience (the early pictures prove it) and we have a website. 

The Why

There is a very wise man who suggests that you ask yourself one simple question.  Why do you want to put energy in to what you do? This website was born out of a passion for birding and the need to protect the wild areas of the world that promote healthy diversity and protection of the anchor species of that region. Michael’s goal is to be able to purchase land in and around important bird habitat throughout the world allowing corridors to be built between green spaces which allow for safe transport from one to another. This “Why” will get him and the team one step closer to making these ideas a reality.