Anita Guris

Nikon Birding ProStaff

“Birding, for me, is a love of the ART produced by Mother Nature. My love of art and all things aesthetically pleasing expanded to birds on a long weekend trip over Thanksgiving in 1987, when I traveled with Paul to Maine on my first real birding adventure. Paul pointed out an American Kestrel that had captured a Vole, and took it up to an electrical wire to eat it while we were dining in a restaurant in Newburyport, MA. Paul trained a field scope on the bird, when I saw it magnified at 60 power, well, that lunch with the Kestrel changed my life. I was smitten with the incredible beauty and spectacular agility of this small bird of prey.”

This first glimpse of the addiction that is birding was followed by several chases for rare birds with Paul and friends. Anita has birded in the U.S., Belize, Switzerland, France, Italy, and plans to pursue more tropical birding in Australia in the near future. Birding trips with the addition of a bit of history are Anita's favorite type of adventures, like visiting the Mayan ruins at Caracol.

Anita’s favorite birds are owls and hummingbirds. Saw-whets remind her of the gentle and compassionate nature that she tries to personify. The energy of hummingbirds is reminiscent of Anita’s own, in years past. With 699 species on her life list, she is trying to find a way to make the Ferruginous Pygmy Owl her number 700! Anita also shares Paul’s love of seabirding.

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