Ethan Brown

Joined: May 12, 2019 Last Active: Mar 28, 2024 iNaturalist

I'm a 21-year-old birder, moth-er, and amateur entomologist. I became interested in birds when I was 9. The next year I did a "Big Year" and saw 147 species. I have done a Big Year ever year since. My best year I had 260. My life list is 301, not bad for pretty much being limited to northwest Illinois and the eastern edge of Iowa. I also volunteer at Sand Bluff Bird Observatory where I'm a net-checker and I'm learning to band birds under the supervision of the master bander. Some of the coolest birds I had the opportunity to band where two Sharp-shinned Hawks, and a Northern Saw-whet Owl that was originally banded in Stevens Point, WI two years earlier.
About eight years ago I heard about this thing called mothing, so I turned on my porch light to see if anything would come in. A few nights and several jars full of moths later I was hooked! The next year I got a black light and set up a light sheet, I now have two sheets with a variety of lights that I like to set up any night it's not windy or raining. I also have a moderately sizes insect collection of mostly Moths and Beetles. I started about seven years ago just collecting the "really cool" species, and now that has evolved into a quest to collect, document and identify all of the species the occur in my backyard. So far I have Identified over 450 species of moths in my backyard, unfortunately not all of them have been posted to iNat yet. I have also been fortunate this year to be able to join an entomologist from the Chicago Field Museum on his survey trips in my area.
If you ever want to talk about moths, mothing, other insects, or birds feel free to message me.

View All