Amanda has had a keen interest in wildlife and nature since childhood, but was formally introduced to the world of birding through an ornithology course in Algonquin Provincial Park, which led to a Bachelor’s degree in Zoology and Biological Anthropology, the pursuit of a federal bird banding permit, and Breeding Bird Atlas and point count work that spanned from the coastal salt marshes of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia to the boreal-tundra transition zone of northern Manitoba. Travel for work and pleasure has since brought her to South Africa, The Gambia, Peru, Panama and Spain amongst others. Closer to her home base in Toronto, Amanda has explored swaths of Canada and the USA by car, and has educated and guided visitors to Algonquin and another of Canada’s most famous parks, Point Pelee. An artist at heart, creative pursuits including illustration, photography, music and graphic design keep her busy in what spare time isn’t spent in search of birds and other wildlife.