A Bit About Me
My first word was “bird!” and since then, my focus has been on the skies. I originated on the East Coast, and did some continent-hopping to South America before making my home around Chicago for seven years. I also spent 7 months living in East Africa. Birds have long been my passion; now, they are my career.
I graduated from Wheaton College (IL) with a B.S. in Interdisciplinary Studies: Biology and Business, with a senior thesis on birds in agroecosystems in Tanzania. I then worked for three and a half years in the Bird Division of the Field Museum in Chicago. In 2021, I moved to Los Angeles, where I researched the historical ecology of breeding birds for a Master’s in Environmental Biology at California State University, Los Angeles.
Now I live in central California, where I am doing doctoral research on Southern Ground-Hornbills, with fieldwork in Mozambique. If interested in my academic pursuits, plenty more is available through my research portfolio website, www.seanclyon.com. Drop me a line or schedule a time to say hi in person through a bird walk at a local park or canyon.
Bird Walks with Me
Observational walks are wonderful ways to expose ourselves to the birds, trees, and landscapes in our local area. Most walks that I conduct are focused on detecting birds by sight and sound, during any season. Though spring and fall migration are known for their flashiness and diversity, interesting local birds are visible at every season. I welcome you to experience in a new way what gems the western United States has to offer. While we go, we can also note interesting trees and wildlife along the way. Let’s experience the joys of birds together.
Mornings are the peak time for bird activity. Though 1-2 hour long walks are the usual, some mornings I am flexible to extend that time. Contact me if you would like to set up a custom or advanced walk.
What are some custom trips like? Check out this 2020 experience from Belize/Guatemala and this summer 2022 trip to Big Bear Lake, California.
Ruddy Turnstone, Arenaria interpres, Rhode Island.
Sandhill Crane, Antigone canadensis, with Canada Geese, Branta canadensis, Goose Pond, Wisconsin.
Piping Plover, Charadrius melodus, Martha’s Vineyard, MA.
Tree Swallow, Tachycineta bicolor, Wisconsin.
Trumpeter Swans, Cygnus buccinator, Horicon Marsh, Wisconsin.