Growing up in the rural Keweenaw Peninsula of Michigan, Zach became fascinated by the amazing spectacle of songbird migration as a young birder and has remained a passionate naturalist ever since. Zach earned his Ph.D. at the University of Windsor, Ontario, focusing on the flight-calling behavior and in-flight ecology of migratory songbirds in the Great Lakes region. Zach’s doctoral studies were supported by a Trillium Scholarship from the Government of Ontario. In 2026, Zach will be leading a new project, termed the Keweenaw Bird Observatory, to collect long-term data on bird migration in the Keweenaw. In addition to birding, Zach loves hiking, skiing, canoeing, and plein air painting in wild landscapes.

Joseph Youngman was born in lower Michigan in 1955 and moved to the Keweenaw in 1977. He began participating in the Houghton Christmas Bird Count in 1995 and has been conducting bird research focused on the Keweenaw Peninsula since 1996. His work has resulted in four peer-reviewed publications and several unpublished reports, many of which are available through the CCBC website.

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Joseph’s primary interests include waterbird and raptor migration through the Keweenaw and along Lake Superior. He has a particular fondness for islands and has spent dozens of days on eleven different Lake Superior islands monitoring bird migration. He has served on the CCBC board for many years, where his primary focus continues to be advancing bird research in the region.

Tom Oliver is a wildlife ecologist, educator, and photographer based in Michigan’s Keweenaw Peninsula. He has been a birder for as long as he can remember, with his “spark” bird being the Downy Woodpecker - watched at a suet feeder through his grandfather’s binoculars at his grandparents’ home. His background in wildlife ecology and years of field-based teaching have shaped a strong interest in bird monitoring, natural history, and conservation. Through his photography, he uses birds and landscapes as tools for observation, documentation, and public engagement. As a board member of the Copper Country Bird Club, Tom is committed to supporting education, community science, and thoughtful stewardship of the region’s natural heritage.

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Favorite Copper Country Bird:

Whiskey Jack (Perisoreus canadensis)

Dana studied, taught and did research in mycology and forest pathology at Michigan Tech for over thirty years. He has led many field trips to observe mushrooms, insects, plants, birds and other natural features, held workshops, and done science programs in the local schools. Teaching kids about nature is one of the most wonderful things an instructor can do. Showing a young person something in nature for the very first time, which they may remember for the rest of their lives, is a precious thing. Many children have learned to use binoculars and see their first tree-swallow with him. He shares the joy of nature in his poetry, and sends cards and letters about nature to many pen-pals, especially bird club members.

Amalia Anderson has been a CCBC board member since 2024.  Living in the Keweenaw, she has enjoyed attending CCBC bird walks, retrieving data from the CCBC Motus stations, involvement in local Christmas Bird Counts, and participation in national counts like Project FeederWatch.  In addition to bird watching, she enjoys skiing, canoeing, gardening, and reading.

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Favorite Copper Country Bird:

Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus)

Reece Redeye-Desposito is a 5th-year undergraduate student at Michigan Tech
University studying Wildlife Ecology and Conservation. He has a deep passion for birds
and loves birdwatching, with friends and strangers alike and especially loves to
birdwatch with new birders in order to help nurture their passion. He leads bird walks for
the Copper Country Bird Club and also organized volunteers and compiled data for the
Keweenaw Bay Christmas Bird Count this year. Currently, he is a Teaching Assistant for
the Ornithology course taught at Michigan Tech. He got into birding while in high school
during COVID when his spark bird, a female Rose-breasted Grosbeak came to his
feeder at the beginning of spring migration. He though to himself, “Wow, House Finches
get that big?”, as he had been seeing House Finches all winter at the feeder. He has not
stopped birding since then and hopes to spread the love of birdwatching and bird
conservation as far and wide as he can both in his future career and personal life!

Bill grew up near Grand Haven, Michigan, where early time spent outdoors along the Lake Michigan shoreline and the Grand River fostered a lifelong interest in wildlife and conservation. He earned a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from Michigan Technological University, followed by a master’s degree in biological sciences, and went on to build a 26-year career with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.

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During his tenure with the DNR, Bill served in a variety of roles across the state, including as a district fisheries biologist, gaining broad experience in natural resource management and a deep appreciation for Michigan’s diverse landscapes and conservation challenges. Throughout his career, he has valued community engagement and collaboration as essential parts of effective conservation.

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Bill’s longstanding commitment to protecting Michigan’s wild places continues to guide his involvement with conservation organizations, including his service on the Copper Country Bird Club board, where he brings decades of professional experience in natural resource stewardship.

Phil Quenzi is a Mechanical Engineer with many years of experience designing and building
specialized mobile equipment of many types (one of the smallest ones shown here). He grew
up in the Copper Country at the tail end of the mining era when much of the local land was
owned by the large mining companies and open to the public. As a result, he developed a love
of the outdoors and the birds and animals that live there. He is interested in doing everything
he can to keep as much land open for public use as possible. He is a novice birder and
improving every day.

Favorite Copper Country Bird:

Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus)