Local bird watching company takes flight

Editor's note: M & M Birding represents a new birding company comprised of local spouses Morgan and Martyn Drabik-Hamshare, who recently informed people about their passion for birding. SANDUSKY — Sandusky residents Morgan and Martyn Drabik-Hamshare are ready to lead individuals and small groups on bird watching tours during the spring bird migration around Sandusky Bay with their new company, M & M Birding. Bird watching, otherwise known as birding, is a way of life for this married couple — and they're thrilled about living in a region known as the Warbler Capital of the World. Since 2015, the couple has led tours in the U.S. and in South Africa where they met while completing their graduate degrees in biology. Their world bird lists include more than 900 species, and more than 200 of those species they witnessed for the first time together. The couple has guided for Lakeside Chautauqua and for Black Swamp Bird Observatory's Biggest Week in American Birding. Further, they are active members of the Firelands Audubon Society. A birding tour with M & M Birding includes an overview of bird activity in the area; a binocular tutorial, if applicable; location and identification of bird species at local birding hotspots; and keeping a sharable record of the bird species and numbers on eBird. Data from these bird tours is submitted to various biological databases to improve their knowledge of the natural world. The couple also keeps the tours upbeat and fun, as their passion for nature and the outdoors is hard to hide. M & M Birding is the only year-round bird watching tour operator in the area. Interested people and groups can book tours directly on their website, mandmbirding.com. To set up a private tour, people can email mandmbirding@gmail.com or call 419-271-6671. Come to bird identification class Partnering with the Firelands Audubon Society, M & M Birding will provide a free bird identification class at 6 p.m on Monday, April 20 at the Roger Johnson Nature Center within Osborn MetroPark, 3910 E. Perkins Ave., Huron. Then, on April 25, interested class participants can join M & M Birding for a birding tour at a discounted rate at 7 a.m. at Pipe Creek Wildlife Area. People can email firelandsaudubon@gmail.com for the registration information.