Jon Feenstra
Raised in the Appalachian ridges of northwestern New Jersey, Jon’s playground was the outdoors. He grew up holding a fishing pole and a pair of binoculars. After college he moved from New Jersey to Los Angeles to complete graduate research in physical chemistry at the California Institute of Technology. There he became active in Southern California birding: leading field trips, writing articles on bird distribution and local issues, and spending time exploring the diverse and bird-rich area. He finished his Ph.D. and decided to make birding his full-time passion. When not traveling the country or the world, Jon lives in urban Los Angeles and works as a free-lance ecological consultant. He volunteers for the Pasadena and Los Angeles Audubon Societies, serves on the board of directors of Western Field Ornithologists, leads most of Southern California’s pelagic trips, and has contributed to several publications on terrestrial and pelagic bird distribution. During any other time he reads widely, supports the local music scene, and plans his next adventure.