Though I have been fascinated by nature as long as I can remember, my childhood explorations were limited to woods and fields near my Cincinnati home and beaches along Lake Erie and the Florida Gulf Coast where my family travelled for vacations. I would not be fully immersed in a new environment until my wife and I moved to Wilmington, North Carolina, for our medical internship, in 1976.
It was there that I spent much of my free time along the shores and streams of Cape Fear, drawn by its diverse population of marine and wetland birds. Purchasing my first field guide, I documented the majority of my initial lifetime sightings over the course of that year, exploring the varied ecosystems during each season. As a beginning birder, transplanted to a new region of the country, every species seemed to be exotic; of course, as I gained experience, I learned that many of those birds could be found in or near my home town, far from the Atlantic Coast.
Many, if not most, naturalists and birders have had a similar experience. Our fascination with nature receives a boost during a visit or a move to alien territory, unfamiliar landscape that opens our eyes to the diversity of life on this planet. In concert, we learn about many species that we managed to ignore in our past and come to appreciate the interdependence of widely dispersed ecosystems. My year on the Carolina coast ensured that a childhood interest in nature, awaiting nourishment for many years, blossomed into a passion that has greatly enriched the rest of my life.
