Am I becoming a birder?
I used to laugh at birders—making jokes about their obscenely large telescopic lenses, their neurotic behavior, and their almost obsessive compulsion to identify every bird species they saw. I used to call them “bird nerds,” which, honestly, isn’t that mean—and pretty accurate.
But like most of us, as we get older, our opinions and habits change. Recently, I found myself examining and documenting birds on my own—while hiking, surfing, paddle boarding, and even running. Then my buddy @joshletchworth introduced me to a documentary called Listers by brothers @owen_reiser & @earlyworm_getsthebird , which pulled me in even further.
I wasn’t sure what the hell was happening, but my fascination started to grow. I even bought a pair of vintage binoculars that look like a prop from a Wes Anderson film. I was becoming a birder?
So, recently, I decided to tag along with the folks I used to mock and document the passion they have for birding. And if I’m being honest—I had a fucking blast.
Here’s a few images from a cold November morning at the Orlando Wetlands.
Fourth of July (Georgia)
I slept heavily and periodically throughout the day—not because I was lazy, but because my body needed it. After eight weeks of back-to-back photoshoots spent in the elements, my body said: Quiet down.
Enjoy yourself. Have a beer—maybe two, maybe as many as you can handle until you can’t drink anymore. Not to get drunk, but to enjoy the conversations and the friendships you’ve built, and the ones you find yourself stumbling into.
Have a cigarette—or again, as many as you can handle until you’ve earned yourself cotton mouth, and water no longer quenches your thirst.
No Kings (Orlando, Florida)
No Kings protest in Orlando, Florida on June 14, 2025
Grateful to live in a city that stands up to a president who seemingly wants to use the military to say to people, you should not challenge my policies.
A president who campaigned on promises to lift the working class but has instead cut jobs for federal workers, passed bills that benefit corporations, and put pressure on everyday people to bear the burden of debt, Medicaid, and veteran cuts.
All while throwing himself a birthday party that cost taxpayers tens of millions of dollars, and deporting people—some of whom are here legally—without due process. Make it make sense, America.
