Please read my new WBT article about 10 BC Young Birders!


I was asked by Wild Bird Trust (WBT) to do a follow up to their last feature on BC’s Young Birders. See my previous post on that HERE. For this interview I was to write about the next generation of BC’s amazing young birders. I chose 10 young birders under 25yrs that would be featured in a new article for the summer 2021 issue of WBT’s Wingspan magazine.

Take a second to read this below and learn more about these inspiring young birders in the BC Birding Community. The full magazine is mailed out to members and later will be available for free download on their website. You can read the article properly in PDF format HERE

The Young Birders featured are from Tofino, Kelowna and the Metro Vancouver area. They are as follows: Evan Larson, Kalin Ocaña, Liron Gerstman, Cameron Montgomery, James Park, Daniel Graca, Emma Reader-Lee, Viktor Vandereyk, Toby Theriault and Raymond Liu.


Thanks to WBT for asking me to do this and for being so passionate about these amazing youth and for supporting diversity and inclusivity in the birding world. The President of WBT Irwin Oostinde said some inspiring words on decolonizing birding which was really validating to hear from a Canadian Birding Organization. I have attached it below. There is still much work to be done but times are finally, albeit slowly changing.


Thanks also to the youth for taking part and being inspirational human beings. Thank you also to Wild Birds Unlimited for giving the youth a 200$ gift certificate each and to WBT for giving the youth a free membership!.

To learn more about Wild Bird Trust and to become a member please click HERE

Comments

  1. LonelytravellerJuly 14, 2021 at 2:09 PM

    Fantastic article!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Melissa HaftingJuly 14, 2021 at 7:35 PM

      thanks the youth in here are such inspirational people! thanks for reading it.

      Delete
  2. PacificnorthwestkateJuly 14, 2021 at 2:34 PM

    This is A fanastic article Mel!! I follow quite a few of these young birders myself - they are so inspirational and you are instrumental in helping them be the best birders they can be! Thank you Melissa!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Melissa HaftingJuly 14, 2021 at 7:36 PM

      thank you Kate for being such a kind supporter! thanks for following the youth on social media many are accomplished and even award winning photographers and toby is an amazing musician!

      Delete
  3. KenJuly 14, 2021 at 4:54 PM

    Wow, with young birders like this coming along, our future is a bit brighter. First of all a big thank you to Mel for helping get these your naturalists off on the right foot. to these young birders, my hats off to you for so keenly following your passion. Stay with it.

    Note to toby: you want WTPT ? I happen to know "exactly" where you can find them. a two hour drive from vancouver then a 3-4 hour hike ( for you probably 2-3 hr)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Melissa HaftingJuly 14, 2021 at 7:38 PM

      yes so true ken! with youth like this we have a lot of reason to hope! I sure do! thank you for your kind words really means a lot. thanks for your note to toby too she unfortunately couldn't come on our young birder trip when we found WTPT on Ilal Mountain. We were going to search when I was last on the island with her but we ran out of time will have to take her out to find them soon. I see you just got them recently for your big year at flatiron you rock! congrats and thank you for always supporting the young birders of bc!!

      Delete

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