Photo: Jeremiah Oden
BY JEREMIAH ODEN
Tell us a little about yourself. Family? Where do you live and work?
I live in Boone County on a 3-acre, mostly off grid homestead with my wife, Holly, and our four rescue pups. We built our home in 2021 and are absolutely loving it. I work full-time as a survival instructor at Grissom Air Force Base. I’m also a new Kowa Sporting Optics ambassador.
What got you interested in birds and birding?
Like most birders, I assume, I grew up loving nature and being outdoors. In April 2020, I watched Dr. John Fitzpatrick’s lecture on the possible rediscovery of the Ivory-billed Woodpecker, which I had never heard of. Turns out, one of the last known U.S. populations was just down the road from my birthplace in Shreveport, Louisiana. While I was enthralled by the lecture, I stumbled upon an advertisement for Cornell University’s Global Big Day. I downloaded the Merlin Bird ID app, and my first birding experience was on May 9, 2020, during that Big Day event. I was immediately obsessed with birds and birding.
What’s your favorite birding destination, both in Indiana and outside the state?
In Indiana, my affection for sparrows and owls draws me to Goose Pond Fish and Wildlife Area and Kankakee Sands, which truly stand above the rest. However, there are countless amazing spots. The Indiana Dunes region along Lake Michigan is another favorite. Beyond Indiana, the grasslands and mountains of Southeast Arizona are simply stunning.
Any current bird issues or threats you are passionate about?
Something I am passionate about is the loss of habitat for sparrows. I believe grasslands are our most at-risk habitats. I’m eager to join the fight to help conserve and stop destroying these vital habitats, particularly for Baird’s Sparrows.
Do you have any personal birding goals for this year or next?
After a few Indiana Big Years, my overarching goal is to learn everything about North American sparrows as well as to learn ~230 owl species worldwide. I’m also at 695 species in the United States and am aiming to add at least five more to my list this year.
Editor’s Note: Follow Jeremiah’s birding adventures via @majestic_birding and @the_phone_birder.
This Q&A originally ran in the October–November 2024 print edition of The Cardinal.
Tags: meet a member Q&A
