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
I loved it!!!! Learned a lot more about you and your quest than I did on our Arizona sojourn last year. Onward!
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.
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”.
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.
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.
Learning that Jon went through a birding stage was a big surprise for me 🙂
“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.
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.