Welcome to the newest member of our team, Nick Minnich. Nick is joining us as a seasonal Coastal Conservation Technician in High Island. Nick is originally from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. He was most recently on Buldir Island with Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge monitoring seabirds. Prior to that, Nick was on Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge working with the albatross. He has also spent extended periods of time in Panama/Costa Rica and Cape May. Nick is a huge bird guy and is excited to be down at High Island! Read on to learn more about him.
1. What is your favorite bird?
Of all the species that I’ve been fortunate enough to work with, two have really stood out. The Laysan Albatross / Mōlī / Goonie Bird and the Whiskered Auklet are my two favorites. Monitoring a colony throughout its entire breeding season, observing both beauty and heartache at every level – it’s hard not to fall in love with them.
2. What are you most excited about in your new role?
I’ve been wanting to visit the High Island sanctuaries for a long time so I could see the warblers dripping from the trees in the spring (big fan of The Big Year as a kid). I’m pretty stoked to see all the cool new birds! Also, I didn’t have a shower at my last job so that’s pretty cool, too.
3. Who is someone you admire, and why?
My mom is definitely the GOAT of birding. She’s been birding since she was a kid and is definitely the reason why I have an affinity for birds. She’s always supported me in every endeavor I’ve ever pursued, whether it be playing the clarinet, wanting to wear a fedora to middle school, playing soccer, or working on back to back remote islands so I can play with seabirds. She’s my best friend and I literally tell everyone that.
4. If you could travel anywhere, where would you go?
I really want to see Shoebills and a Secretarybird so the obvious choice is Tanzania or maybe Uganda. I’m also really itching to work on an island in the subantarctic, maybe Marion Island so I can look at chunky petrels and goonies again.
5. What would you sing at karaoke night?
Since I’m answering this question, I really hope that a karaoke night is in the works. Coincidentally, my top three choices are also the top three greatest songs of all time: Brandy, Looking Glass; Escape, Rupert Holmes (the piña colada song); Come a Little Bit Closer, Jay and the Americans. Honorable Mention: anything by Creed, and I’ll Make a Man out of You from Mulan.
6. If you could only eat one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Philly Cheesesteak from Dalessandro’s (in Philly) with cheese whiz, ketchup, and sweet peppers.
7. What are your hobbies?
I like taking long walks on the beach, going to trivia nights, killing it at karaoke, and talking to strangers. I talk a lot.
8. If you could go back in time, what year would you travel to?
If I could avoid getting super sick and gross, I think it would be pretty wicked to go back to the 12th or 13th century in medieval England. Just a bunch of goobers running around in armor and minstrels singing and telling stories and whatnot. It would be neat to go to a tournament and eat a ham. Runner-up answer is 2012 so I can tell my younger self to stop wearing fedoras.
9. What’s your favorite cuisine or dish?
Big fan of canned tuna. Sometimes when I’m in the field, I’ll get fancy and bring barbecue sauce.
10. Who would you want to play you in a movie of your life?
It would probably have to be Henry Cavill, Brad Pitt, Ryan Gosling, Michael B. Jordan or Zac Efron. Not sure who would make the final cut, as I’m sure they’d all be desperate to play me.
Please join us in welcoming Nick to the team, and be sure to introduce yourself if you see him on the coast!
Houston AuduBlog 