Meet the Experts

Marsha Pearson

Marsha Pearson is a former wild bird store owner. After almost ten years in business, the franchisor of her store opted to sue her, rather than find an amicable way to handle issues in the relationship. Lacking the where with all to fight them in court, she was forced to close her store.

Marsha’s wealth of knowledge, especially in the marketing arena, is considerable. She knows the ins and outs of owning a wild bird store and understands the complexities of making a business succeed, especially in today’s tough economy. There are so many decisions to make and “hats to wear”. It’s impossible to be all things at once.

As a life long bird enthusiast, Marsha freely shares her knowledge and is excited to be able to help you grow your business.

Susan M. Hays

Susan Hays wears two hats. She is executive director of the Wild Bird Feeding Industry, a trade association, and the Wild Bird Feeding Industry Research Foundation. The Wild Bird Feeding Industry is THE trade association for the wild bird and backyard wildlife feeding industry. Members include the packagers and processors of the seeds, suets, and nectars consumed by wild birds and backyard wildlife, the manufacturers of bird feeders and backyard accessories, as well as wild bird specialty stores and other retailers. We include an Associate Member category for the industries which support our Members, such as packaging manufacturers and transportation companies.

Since its beginning in 1984, WBFI has evolved to meet the needs of the membership and the industry. The most recent addition to the WBFI member benefits is the WBFI Quality Standards Program launched in July 2006. This program is available only to WBFI members and includes a unique logo for packaging, print and website applications. Participants in the WBFI Quality Standards Program can be either Supporters or Participants. A complete list of current enrollees in the WBFI Quality Standards Program is available on the Quality Standards Page.

Thank you, Sue, for sharing your insight and perspectives with us!
Please visit the WBFI website for additional information.<

Mike Dupuy

Mike Dupuy is a falconry/bird of prey expert and professional public speaker and bird strike expert. Mike passionately pursues falconry as a sport, a profession, and a metaphor for universal human aspirations.

A seasoned, in-demand public speaker, Mike captures the imagination of diverse audiences through his unique infotainment style, which features personal anecdotes and live animal demonstrations. He invites his audiences to open up and ask questions, to re-focus on their dreams and to follow their own passions, whatever they may be.

Mike believes that people who witness the beauty of birds of prey and the 4,000-year-old interaction between a falconer and a bird of prey often discover their own connections to the natural world.

In his personal appearances throughout Washington, D.C., Maryland, Virginia, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and across America, Mike has inspired thousands to get off the couch and experience life firsthand.

Please visit Mike’s website for more information about program offerings.

John C. Robinson

John C. Robinson, author of Birding For Everyone, Encouraging People of Color to Become Birdwatchers, has worked as a wildlife biologist and
professional ornithologist for nearly 30 years, including stints at two federal conservation agencies—the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture and U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service—and has led bird watching tours all over the world.

An environmental advocate, John’s mission is to encourage all people, especially minorities, to learn about the natural world. Deeply concerned
about the lack of participation by minorities in outdoor recreation activities, John works with non-profit organizations to increase minority
interest in bird watching in hopes that involvement will give people a reason to protect the environment through nature conservation in the
future.

Childhood exposure to classics like Jack London’s White Fang and Call of the Wild sparked John’s interest in nature at an early age. In 1982 he
earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Fisheries and Wildlife Biology from Iowa State University and was chosen as an undergraduate teaching
assistant for the ornithology lab course.

Please visit John’s website, On My Mountain, to learn more about John.

Dave Dittmar – The “Compost Junkie”

Compost junkie Dave has a honors bachelor of science degree from the University of Guelph. He also has a diploma in landscape construction and design from Humber College. Dave has worked in the professional landscape industry in Ontario for approximately 8 years. In 2009, he became a certified Organic Land Care Professional by the Society of Organic Urban Landcare (SOUL).

Dave has been involved in the field of agriculture for the past 5 years, including an internship at Everdale, an organic farm and sustainable learning center.

Dave spends his spare time gardening, composting, and reading. He is on his life-long quest to help people live healthier lives by educating them about soils, the growth of nutrient-dense food, and, of course, composting.

Dave is committed to the health of our planet. Please VISIT HIS WEBSITE for great materials and information.

Lee Hopwood

 Join Our Team!

We are currently building our list of guest expert writers and editors. Would you like to be a part of Wild Bird Marketing? Please contact us and let’s talk!

Maybe you just have an idea for a story? We’d love to hear it!