Photo courtesy of Jordan JuranekÂ
For this Volunteer Spotlights we’re chatting with someone who truly does it all: Jordan Juranek (she/her). As a member of our NextGen Council, Jordan has supported Birds Connect Seattle through everything from field trips to Wingspan game nights. We’re so lucky to have her in our flock, and excited to highlight a little bit about her.Â
How long have you been involved with volunteering at Birds Connect Seattle?
I’ve been volunteering on the NextGen Council since 2024. I first learned about Birds Connect Seattle in 2020 through family friends who are birders and volunteers, and the first event I attended was the Neighborhood Bird Outing (NBO) at Union Bay Natural Area . Until joining this NBO, I had no idea a birding paradise of this magnitude was located in Seattle! Attending this bird outing, and NextGen walks, was what inspired me to get into birding and eventually start volunteering with Birds Connect Seattle. Since joining the council, I’ve gotten to lead NBOs, field trips, Wingspan Board Game Nights, and other social events. My favorite is definitely our Field Trips. I love to have extended time to bird watch and get to know a small group, and explore a new birding area in depth.
Whats a favorite NextGen story?
One of my favorite NextGen stories is our “Owl Prowl” to Seward Park in June 2025. We had around 50 people come out to enjoy Seward Park at dusk, and look for owls. We were not anticipating such a high turn out, and were so surprised! We had such amazing luck, and saw a family of Barred Owls just a few minutes into our walk. It was such a cool experience to share with the group, and has sparked a great enjoyment of “Owl Prowl” events for our NextGen Council (more coming this year!).
What do you love about birding and if you have one, your favorite bird?
If you’ve been to one of my NBOs or Field Trips, you may know my favorite bird (that is also featured on my favorite hat) – the Wood Duck! When I first started birding, my family friend took me to Juanita Bay Park – and I was struck by the beautiful colors of the male and female Wood Ducks. It’s become one of my favorite places to bird, in part because of the frequent Wood Duck sightings there. As I’ve gotten more experience birding these past 6 years, my favorite part of birding now is working on my bird sound identification skills, and it is something I really enjoy teaching others on our NBOs and Field Trips. I love volunteering with Birds Connect Seattle and Next Gen, and all the friends I’ve made along the way – and I hope to meet you all at a future event!
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