Born & raised on a Hobby Farm in rural central MN, I’ve always had a strong bond with nature and experienced a sense of awe and curiosity about Earth’s creatures and plants. Birds have been a special interest for many years, and my partner Kaleb and I began birding in earnest in summer of 2025.

I enjoy nature journaling, as well, and using my birding excursions as inspiration for drawings and paintings. I am a firm believer that we as humans owe it to the plants and animals around us to be good stewards of the land and resources we share with them, and the more that people learn about and witness the natural beauty around us, the more good stewards there will be!

I have a B.S. in Horticulture from UMN and enjoy making my own yard as bird and critter- friendly as possible through sustainable gardening methods and planting native/beneficial species of plants! Spending time with the birds in my yard is perhaps my favorite way to bird, and I keep being surprised by what shows up!

Backyard Bird Count: 84 species (7/31/26)

Latest Lifer: Carolina Wren (7/26/26)

Life List: 204 species

Camera: Sony RX10 IV