Q & A: Mike Perlmutter
Mike Perlmutter self portrait
Mike Perlmutter is Audubon California’s Bay Area Conservation Coordinator. When he’s not leading a bird count, he is just as likely to be coordinating Bay Area chapters on a conservation project or conducting outreach for Audubon California at a local event. He’s a pretty busy guy, but we managed to catch him long enough for a few questions:
What drew you to Audubon, and how long have you been working here?
I’ve been working for Audubon since June 2007. I was really drawn to Audubon California’s mission of conserving and restoring wildlife habitat and the flora and fauna that call it home. It’s also imperative that we connect people with nature in order to convey its beauty and utility as well as the necessity of conservation.
What’s your favorite bird?
It’s so hard to pick favorites. I love watching Brown Pelicans soar low over the ocean, and they are incredibly fun to watch fishing, as they dive straight down into the water. I also love watching Ravens as they tumble through the air and as they orient to and navigate new urban habitats. They make some incredible sounds, including clicking and hollow knocking sounds that sound like knocks on hollow wood.
Where is your favorite place to go birding?
I love bringing my binoculars everywhere in the field. Spring migration in New England forests is pretty inspiring, but my favorite landscapes are Californian – beaches and bays, mountains and deserts.
Does your background (educational and otherwise) relate to conservation and birds? Or is it something you came to later on, unexpectedly?
I have educational and work experience in ecology and environmental studies which relates well to conservation. Since I was young, I’ve been interested in stewarding the environment. My first conservation action and victory was probably convincing my family to recycle when I was in high school. Before coming to Audubon I worked in the field on ecological restoration and environmental education projects.
Tell us about something that you're working on at the moment.
Audubon California is partnering with the US Fish and Wildlife Service to initiate tidal restoration on Tubbs Island, part of the wetlands that make up the San Pablo Bay National Wildlife Refuge. I’m working on setting up a monitoring protocol to measure the success of our restoration actions on improving habitat for wetland birds and plants.
Besides birding, what's your favorite thing to do when you're not working?
I love playing saxophone and currently perform with a few bands in the San Francisco Bay Area. I also love botanizing, cooking, and food fermentation.
What do you want Californians to know about birding and/or the state's environment that they don't already?
California with its huge expanse and varied climates and geology is a state of eco-superlatives. The state contains globally significant ecological resources and has numerous distinctions such as containing the world’s oldest, tallest, and largest trees. Californians have much to celebrate, and much to safeguard.
What’s your best field guide? And what’s your favorite non-birding book?
I often use Sibley’s field guide to the birds of Western North America when I’m out in the field. My latest favorite novelist is Italo Calvino (for the urban nature lover, I’d recommend reading “Marcovaldo”). As for non-fiction I love the writings and philosophy of Sandor Ellix Katz, author of “The Wild Fermentation Book” and “The Revolution Will Not Be Microwaved.”
