Meet Cynthia Cestkowski
Birds have fascinated me for many years. After retiring in 2018 from federal government IT management, I started birding in earnest. I took the Beginning Bird class from the Denver Audubon Society, and it was invaluable. I joined DFO and have attended many field trips, and DFO’s offerings of group trips for all skill levels has greatly enhanced my journey. I became a volunteer steward for the Aurora Open Space and Natural Resources (OSNR) group, and I now lead the OSNR bird counts at various parks and open spaces in Aurora.
The Aurora Reservoir is my home patch, but the area offers many other productive birding spots including Red-tailed Hawk Park, Piney Creek Trail, and the Ponderosa Preserve. The trips I lead explore a variety of habitats, including prairie grasslands, riparian, and wetlands. I try to ensure that everyone in the group is watching, listening and learning, while taking in the beauty that only Colorado has to offer. I am enthusiastic about sharing my knowledge and, since there is always more to learn, improving my own skills. I welcome anybody with even a passing interest in birds to join my trips!
Meet Ryan Corda
I’ve been birding since March 2024 and have been in love with it ever since! I don't think there's a habitat I haven’t enjoyed exploring, nor a style of birding I haven’t loved doing, so I hope to explore a bit of everything in the trips I lead. I’m excited to get out into the field with fellow birders and expand our knowledge and appreciation of birds together!
If I'm not out birding, you could probably find me rock climbing, walking my dog, or at the movies (the first two of which are almost certainly involving some passive birding, anyway).