Vicky Burke
I started birdwatching in Massachusetts at the age of 10 and have never stopped! I was fortunate to have many bird mentors in my younger years which led to my ability to participate in citizen science projects at a young age, such as bird banding and Christmas bird counts. I tagged along on many trips to local and regional birding hotspots such as Plum Island, MA. Like many birders, I got heavily into listing and chasing; the thrill of that has never stopped, however…
As an artist, I also like to take time to simply enjoy the beauty of birds. I use my own photographs to paint from – simply as an expression of my appreciation and wonderment towards the birds that I love.
When I moved to Western North Carolina in 1996 I discovered that it was a fantastic area for birding – Henderson County alone can yield over 200 species each year for an active birder. This affords even more opportunity for me to share my passion for birds and the natural world.
One of my greatest joys is coordinating the Mt. Pisgah Hawkwatch off the Blue Ridge Parkway. While observing the migration of up to 14 species of hawks (and up to 10,000 individuals) each Fall is exciting, the most rewarding part is sharing the experience with friends and the general public.
If you see me in the field, come say Hi and tag along!
To see what my art work looks like, here's a link to my Etsy shop and another link to my Website.
https://www.etsy.com/shop/BirdsInTheSand?ref=shop_sugg&page=1#items
https://www.birdsinthesand.com/
Testimonials
"Vicky was great! Patient, knowledgeable and passionate- great day trip"
"Vicky was amazing at finding us birds. She is knowledgeable, friendly and helpful, making sure that everyone in the group saw the bird. There were many ducks there, and Vicky made sure we got to see them all!"
First rate. Our professional guide, Vicky, has over 40 years of ornithology experience and knows all there is to know about the subject. Just as important, she knows how to share her knowledge in an effective and enjoyable manner. Our guide knew the hots spots for spotting birds most of us would have never found. The tour was perfectly paced with well timed rest stops and lunch break.