Since I was a child I have been interested in wildlife, but not until meeting Apryle was I ever the least bit interested in birding. However, after a summer of Snipe hunting, bird banding at the YMCA of the Rockies, and a move to the birding paradise of Texas I developed an interest. This year after watching The Big Year, my competitiveness further fueled the fire for my new hobby. Though I will never give up running in order to become a serious birder, I now have a new stat to collect each year. Birding has allowed me to better connect with the environment around me and pay closer attention to detail. I have collected several bird species over the last few years, below I have a pictorial list of birds ranging from Peru, Oregon, Ohio, Colorado, Texas, and Washington.