Science Moab Moab, UT
Ricky Begaye
Volunteer Manager, Bears Ears Partnership; Moab Butterfly & Bird Count Organizer
andChris Quirin
Natural Resource Specialist, the Utah Bureau of Land Management (BLM); Moab Butterfly & Bird Count Organizer
andHau Truong
Site Manager at Bonderman Field Station at Rio Mesa
A Birder's Guide to Everything— Birds, butterflies, & the local citizen science scene
Program Description
Southeastern Utah isn't just a science hotspot, it's a citizen science hotspot. Want to help collect important scientific data? Let Ricky Begaye, Chris Quirin, and Hau Truong be your guides to the amazing citizen science opportunities through Bears Ears Partnership, Moab and Monticello Bird and Butterfly Counts, and the Bonderman Field Station at Rio Mesa. Then, kick back and enjoy A Birder's Guide to Everything (2013), a feel-good flick featuring a crew of young birders on a quest to prove they've found an extinct species.
Presented At
Science Moab Moab, UT
Film Synopsis
Teenaged birding fanatic David Portnoy takes an epic road trip with his best friends to solidify their place in birding history.
Teenaged birding fanatic David Portnoy (Kodi Smit-McPhee) thinks he's made the discovery of a lifetime. On the eve of his widower father's second wedding, David spots what may just be the extinct Labrador duck. After consulting with a famous local ornithologist, Lawrence Konrad (Ben Kingsley), he and the two other stalwart members of the local Young Birders Society (Michael Chen, Alex Wolff), joined by their headstrong photographer classmate Ellen (Katie Chang), take off on a rollicking, interstate road trip in search of a rare bird and elusive answers to teenage questions large and small.
About the Speaker
Ricky Begaye is no stranger to the Bears Ears region—he grew up on the Navajo Nation Reservation, and has now lived in Monticello for five years. Before joining the Bears Ears Partnership team, Ricky worked as a youth, adult member and crew leader for Canyon Country Youth Corps (CCYC) to improve the health and accessibility of landscapes in the Four Corners region. Most recently, Ricky was the Program Coordinator for CCYC. In his free time, Ricky enjoys a variety of outdoor activities, cooking, and creating art.
Chris began his conservation journey in the New Jersey pine barrens using radio telemetry to study the home range of the eastern pine snake. It has since taken him to Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea in Central Africa, where he helped conduct research on a variety of wildlife including marine turtles, primates, birds, and butterflies. Prior to working for the BLM, Chris worked at Mesa Verde National Park and the Canyon Country Discovery Center in Monticello. He enjoys birding, citizen science, hiking with his dog, and photography.
Hau Truong works with the Bonderman Field Station where he facilitates visitor experiences. He’s previously worked at Capitol Reef National Park before becoming a long time resident of the Rio Mesa Center. Hau enjoys spending time outside, connecting with the plants and animals in the region.