The Birds and Wildlife club hosted guest speaker William Young during its meeting on Friday, October 23. The meeting, which saw a turnout of over 20 students, featured Young talking about his travels throughout the world, with photographs of different interesting birds which we had encountered during his expeditions.

The Birds and Wildlife club officers selected Young as the guest speaker due to his extensive experiences with birdwatching.

“In addition to being an expert birdwatcher, Mr. Young gives talks for the Audubon Society of Northern Virginia and has written an interesting book about birds. He has visited every continent on Earth, and has a lot of amazing stories to tell,” Birds and Wildlife founder Ananda Kalukin said.

Kalukin hopes that students gained a newfound appreciation of wildlife through attending the event.

“It’s important to be aware of our environment because of the many threats faced by the environment. It is more important now than ever that people develop a comprehensive knowledge and sincere appreciation of the natural world. In addition, wildlife gives us a new perspective on the world by reminding us that fascinating animals can be found all around us, from above our heads to below our feet.” Kalukin said.

For students interested in observing wildlife, Mr. Young recommends going to wildlife reserves or parks, and getting guidance from more experienced birders.

“We have a lot of watching spots around here [Northern Virginia], like Great Falls or Dyke Marsh. One of the things I would suggest for newer birders is going to weekly excursions where you can receive guidance from more experienced birders and see a wide variety of species, especially at natural parks.” Young said.