About Our Speaker: Mike Stewart’s interest in birds began in 2002 when a pair of Blue Jays nested outside his kitchen window, leading to 20 years of birding across the eastern U.S. and Texas. After retiring from the Army in 2019, Mike pursued his passion for ornithology at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, where he completed his M.S. in Biology studying Gray Hawks. He now lives in Alice, Texas, with his wife, Yvette, and their Green-cheeked Conure, Greenlee. In January 2022, Mike began his Ph.D. studies at Texas A&M University-Kingsville, where his current research focuses on Gray Hawk habitat selection, range establishment, population growth rates, and identifying additional suitable habitats.