Photo: Bald Eagles, Ron Grimes
Ron Grimes
As a kid I always enjoyed spending time in nature, which led me to major in Biology at the College of William and Mary in the early 1980s. As part of my studies, I took an Ornithology course with Dr. Byrd, a well-respected professor who spearheaded recovery efforts for Bald Eagles and Peregrine Falcons. Science classes generally had labs, and the Ornithology lab consisted primarily of bird watching trips in the Tidewater region of Virginia.
Bald Eagles, Ron Grimes
During one trip, I found myself hiking in the woods around some worn dirt fortifications from the civil war. We were looking for a Bald Eagle’s nest. At the time, the population was low and just beginning to improve after DDT was banned. A pair of adult Bald Eagles finally appeared, and I remember being awed by their size and majesty. I loved how bird watching got me to such a cool place and provided such a great experience.
After graduation I started a family and a career in federal law enforcement. In 2014, as I was nearing retirement, I looked for things I could do to contribute to my community. I became a Virginia certified master naturalist in Fairfax and volunteered for various citizen science and stewardship projects. I found myself drawn to “bird projects” like the Christmas bird count and winter waterfowl count.
During one of those counts, Karl Kikuchi, who at the time was the president of the Audubon Society of Northern Virginia, now the Northern Virginia Bird Alliance (NVBA), asked me if I could help conduct a year-long series of bird counts at a new park being developed by Prince William County. I thought it would be fun and said, “Sure.” That park was the Cockpit Point Civil War Park, part of the Lower Potomac Important Bird Area.
For the next year Phil Silas and I conducted numerous counts at the park. Phil is an excellent birder, and he patiently helped me improve my birding skills. I looked forward to every visit. One day I realized I had come full circle from college as I was hiking in the woods in the park around some worn dirt fortifications from the civil war while taking in some breathtaking views of Bald Eagles.
I decided to devote more time to conservation efforts and joined the Board. I also took up photography a couple of years ago to augment my bird identification skills. I “accidentally” took a couple of photos that turned out surprisingly well. That has led me to spend more effort (and money) trying to get better photos of the birds.
It has been fulfilling to support NVBA as a Board member and treasurer. I fully support our mission to engage all Northern Virginia communities in enjoying, conserving, and restoring nature for the benefit of birds, other wildlife, and people.