hello ~ bonjour ~ boozhoo ~ shé:kon
about • me
I was born and raised in Anishinaabeg Territory on the beautiful north shore of Gitchi Gumee/Lake Superior. I am a queer human of settler descent with a deep love for Earth and all the beings we share her with. I am an artist, a musician, a self-proclaimed writer, and have recently become a mother. My son inspires me to live in a way that centers joy, creativity, and care for the earth. I currently live in Tiohtià:ke/Montréal.
Connecting with others and trading knowledge brings me great joy. I am so excited to have a space to share my passion for birds with you.
• birds •
My love for birds runs deep. My first bird memory is that of a woodpecker — most likely hairy or downy --in my childhood backyard, visiting the big red pine I used to climb.
I was on the swing just being and blissing out alone outside, as I was lucky enough to do a lot of as a child. A woodpecker landed on the trunk of the tree a few meters away. I was mesmerized by the way it seemingly did not care about my presence at all; I was just another animal in it’s environment.
This feeling was pivotal for me. I was able to observe and admire this creature as it lived it’s natural life. In that moment, all of my attention and wonder were focused on this magical bird clinging to one of my favourite trees. I was enamored.
~ ~ ~
Since then, I have spent much of my adult life focusing on learning as much as I can about these magical, feathered creatures. I’ve been lucky enough to have a lot of hands on bird experience through bird banding and wildlife rehabilitation. I’ve worked as a community science assistant for an ENGO leading guided bird walks and outdoor education programs for youth, conducting bird surveys on backcountry canoe trips, and teaching about important community science initiatives. I currently work as a biologist, mainly studying the impacts of wind farm developments on birds and other wildlife. I have also been privileged to travel to many areas of the world, learning about birds wherever I went.
Through all of this my admiration and respect for birds has only grown, and I hope through your visit here that yours may grow as well.
See below for a list of my “qualifications”.
Winter Wren Sketch, 2025
• history • knowledge •
My “qualifications” are here so you can better understand how my knowledge and views were developed through many years of studying, volunteering, and working.
BSc Biology Lakehead University,
Ontario Master Naturalist Certificate,
Currently Position Junior Biologist- specializing in avian surveys and studies,
Bird Banding- Thunder Cape Bird Observatory- Ontario,
Wildlife Rehabilitation- MARS Wildlife Rescue- Vancouver Island,
Previous NGO Community Science experience focused on the Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas,
Travelling / Birding - Canada, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, New Zealand, Norway, Belize.
This is a personal blog and website, not a scientific journal. I value and acknowledge the extent of knowledge about bird biology and ecology that has come from western science, and the importance of science-based data. This is how I was taught and trained as a biologist, which will reflect in my writing.
I also value other ways of Knowing and Traditional Ecological Knowledge that Indigenous peoples and our ancestors have gathered over thousands of years, living in a respectful harmony with all relations. I hope that through exploration and listening, I can weave other ways of Knowing into this page as well.
