Volunteer Spotlight – Mary Kay Sexton

By Marissa Pensirikul

Background
Mary Kay grew up in Texas with a big love for the outdoors and nature. She holds a degree in Aquatic Biology and a Teaching Certificate from Texas State University. Her interests in birding didn’t take flight until attending university where she started noticing the different birds on campus. During this time, she traveled on a friend’s trip to Port Aransas and immediately was in awe of the coastal birds that dotted the shoreline. This inspired her to pursue learning about the birds of Texas and the importance of getting outside.
Nine years ago, Mary Kay retired from teaching middle school science and started volunteering for Travis Audubon. Since then, she has volunteered for numerous events including banquets, family days, and youth programs.

Involvement with Travis Audubon
After retiring from teaching, Mary Kay continued to make a difference with kids and the environment. She participated in the Blair Woods youth education program which focused on bringing a classroom approach to the outdoors. The program encouraged students to receive education on wildlife and plants while learning at the Blair Woods Nature Preserve. This project was in partnership with Travis Audubon and Norman Elementary to bring environmental awareness, conservation, and scientific knowledge to connect kids with nature.
When asked if volunteering has taught Mary Kay anything about herself, she joyfully responded, “reaffirms that I really love nature and kids!” Mary Kay loves getting people excited over nature and loves to share nature with others. She goes on to describe herself as a social birder – one to appreciate birds as is, not pining to check off a list, nor chase a rare bird, but rather enjoy chatting with others about birds. Speaking of, her favorite bird is the scissor-tailed flycatcher.

Is there anything you wish you knew when initially considering volunteering?
Mary Kay emphasized that “birding skills don’t need to be ‘good enough’ to participate in birding activities.” She reassured herself that it is okay to not know everything about birds to attend an event and wants others to know all skill levels are welcome. She explained the value of getting mentored or asking to be an assistant when going on birding trips.

What advice would you give someone new to birding?
“Take classes, take classes, take classes, then go birding!” Mary Kay reiterated the phrase because not only are those courses for becoming a better birder, but as a chance opportunity to meet new people and new friends to surround yourself with in nature.

A special thank you to Fred Webster and Ed Kutac for their teachings.