Shameless Self-promotion

The Australian and Brit in me is far too shy to share this….. but I am channeling my inner New Yorker right now … so here’s a fun piece written by Matt Miller – Nature Conservancy communications guru and blogger, author, mammal fan and all round good guy – about me and my mammalwatching.

I caught up with Matt in Idaho last month (trip report coming soon). https://blog.nature.org/science/2019/08/05/one-mans-quest-to-see-the-worlds-mammals/?fbclid=IwAR0NDDqXLAzmDq1_qI0GLEeQLk2iVG_EW_IhraCHFVuuvfrqiTL5-x00kS8

Matt certainly has a way with words and an ability to find the best in people. My daughter just texted me to say – without a hint of irony – “He’s an amazing writer! He made you sound so interesting.” Amazing indeed!

 

Jon

 

12 Comments

  • JoEllen Arnold

    I loved it!!!! Learned a lot more about you and your quest than I did on our Arizona sojourn last year. Onward!

    • Jon Hall

      Thanks JoEllen … I am always surprised when people find my peculiar obsession interesting to be honest so generally try not to talk about it too much… because once I start I am inclined not to stop.

  • Alan Dahl

    I always like reading Matt’s stuff and this article didn’t disappoint.

    Jon, I don’t think you have to worry about sharing your obsession on this forum since you are “preaching to the choir”.

  • Craig Smith

    Grreat story. But how do you afford to travel constantly, Jon? I get one big o/s trip each year, which is great, but could not affrod to do it constantly. Maybe when I’m retired.
    Craig.

    • Jon Hall

      Hi Craig, thanks, I’m pretty fortunate to have a job that allows me ] $ and time to travel but I have always made travel my biggest (some would say only)) priority – other people have furniture, cars and property! Frequent flyer points help (much more opportunity to earn loads of them in the US than Australia) ,as well – these days – as the chance to guide occasional trips and tack wildlife trips onto the back of work travel.

  • Vladimir Dinets

    Learning that Jon went through a birding stage was a big surprise for me 🙂

  • Charles Foley

    “There were all these people, many of them old men walking around with raincoats and binoculars. The place was just full of birders. I knew I needed to do something else.” I had to chuckle at this comment. You should have added that mammal watchers are far more sophisticated, and typically blessed with extraordinary good looks…

    Great piece as usual Matt.

    • Jon Hall

      ha ha Charles .. very true. It was also all the handheld tape recorders I remember… hordes of people walking around muttering things like “2 pigeons and a blackbird” into their little machines.

  • Nabin Baniya

    is it possible to get listed in mammal watching? we are a tour operator in Nepal.

  • Harsh Vardhan

    Dear Jon
    Greetings to you from India, like to see:

    Regards.
    Harsh Vardhan

  • Harsh Vardhan

    I do not know if a link was received by you, I sent you minutes ago, the above ref. does not show it, so I like to convey now — will share the link after I receive an email from you, it is about you and your reveiew of mammal books.
    Regards.
    Harsh Vardhan

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