Retired naturalist now living at the North Rim of the Grand Canyon after traveling and volunteering at wildlife refuges, national parks, and state parks across the United States for 7 years.

I photograph anything that catches my attention. I started out as a birder and then became interested in wildflowers while we were volunteering near Death Valley. During a volunteer stint on the Texas Gulf Coast, I was intrigued by the many insects coming to building lights. That opened my eyes to noticing pollinators on wildflowers.

I prefer to take my photographs in situ and I don't collect, especially since many of my photographs are/were taken on National Wildlife Refuges or National Parks/Monuments where collecting (or using callback for birds) is prohibited without obtaining a special permit.

Since I am living year-round at the North Rim, I'm excited to see what I can find during the winter months when the road is closed. (Public access only on foot by hiking or snowshoeing in from the Arizona or North Kaibab Trails with a backcountry permit.) During the spring and summer months, much of my focus is on trying to document wildflowers and pollinators.

My purpose in submitting observations is to add to the growing pool of scientific data, help provide information on what species occur at locations where I am volunteering, and to increase my knowledge of the natural world around me.

It is my wish that all of the content I have contributed to iNaturalist (Observations, Identifications, comments, media, etc.) remain on the site in the event of my death.