I retired after teaching at Temple University for 10 years. Prior to that I was a consultant and trainer in various technology related fields for my own firms for approximately 25 years. Since being a university professor introduces more time into your life than being a consultant, it became practical to actively pursue birding and nature interests.
Early on, I discovered seeing birds is quite different from identifying birds which necessitated the purchase of a camera to document observations and later locate birds in field guide. Photography slowly became as much of a hobby as birding, and traveling proved how beautiful cities, parks, gardens, forests, etc. could be with, or without, a bird in the picture.
Bird watching and photography have taken me to many locations in the United States, with numerous trips to Trinidad & Tobago, United Kingdom, Canada, Lesser Antilles, and Costa Rica.