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Shirley Shaw, NYSOA's current president, has been birding for 50 years. Read on to find out how an Indigo Bunting got her hooked on birding at a young age and the many ways she has worked for birds and conservation causes both in her local area and statewide for much of her life.
How long have you been a NYSOA member?
“I really don’t know. My association with the Federation of New York State Bird Clubs began in the 1980’s.”
What positions have you held in the organization (and for how long)?
“I co-chaired the annual meetings in 1998 and 2018. I have served on the Board since 2016 and was elected president in 2020.”
What is it about NYSOA that keeps you involved?
“I love getting together with people from across the state, attending field trips, and annual meetings. Beyond my personal enjoyment, NYSOA’s work on conservation efforts and documenting New York’s birds through NYSARC, The Kingbird, and the Breeding Bird Atlas work is absolutely necessary and of utmost importance.”
How long have you been birding? Did you have a particular experience that hooked you on birding?
“50 years.”
Did you have a particular experience that hooked you on birding?
“My mother loved to feed birds but was not a birder. There were certain birds that she really liked and talked about their calls and behavior frequently. One day I was looking at my backyard feeder and noticed that one of those little brown jobs was actually blue. It was an Indigo Bunting. That hooked me!”
What is your favorite place to go birding in NYS?
“It would be hard for me to choose between the Montezuma Wetlands Complex, Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge, and Nations Road IBA near Avon, NY. I also like Chaumont Barrens and Fort Drum.”
Favorite species?
“Common Loon, Snowy Owl, Canada Warbler—I can’t really say”.
Is anyone else in your family a birder as a result of your interest?
“No, but I keep trying to get my husband more interested. He is truly into conservation issues, but field birding is not something he can physically do. My daughter notices birds, but she works in places where people with binoculars are considered spies.”
What do you do for a living?
“I’m a retired educator.”
And any other information that you would like to add would be terrific!
“For over 25 years I was on the Thousand Acre Swamp (Penfield, NY) Preservation Committee of The Nature Conservancy, where I was secretary and field trip organizer for many years. In 2004 I won the Friend of the Land Award from TNC’s Central and Western NY Chapter. In the 1990’s I was quite active in the Rochester Birding Association (RBA) and I was president for two years. I am still an RBA member, but recently I have been most involved with Burroughs Audubon Nature Club (BANC) —as secretary, as vice president, as president, on the program committee, whatever help I can give. BANC was founded in 1913, and it’s still going strong. It owns two lovely properties and requires a lot more work on the part of the governing body than the work involved with an organization that does not own property.”
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