ABA: A family affair

On Tuesday's Schoodic Peninsula field trip, I met Kali, Tiny and Richard. What makes them special? They represent three generations of the Furman family. I was stoked to see an 18-year-old, her dad and her grandfather birding together.

Kali and her dad live in St. Maries, Idaho, while Richard calls Huntington, N.Y., home. They met up in Maine to participate in the convention's field trips, workshops and evening activities.



Last week marked Kali's introduction to "organized birding." She's noticed birds while sitting on the deck at home, especially when Richard visits the family's 20 acres and points out the birds, but she's not participated in group birding before this month.

Tiny works as a forester and learned a lot about birds by osmosis on the job, but he credits his dad with creating an interest in birds during his childhood on Long Island. This trip with his dad and his daughter gives Tiny a chance to continue that tradition.



Richard's interest in birds began in his childhood. He's been birding informally all his life, and he said it was his first merit badge as a Boy Scout. He's obviously pleased to share this activity with his son and granddaughter.