Meet Our Walk Leaders
The Headlands Birding Festival birding walk guides are experienced local birders who know the best spots to see migrating species along Lake Erie. Look for their light blue shirts labeled “Volunteer” as they lead guided walks through Headlands Beach, the Mentor Marsh area, and beyond. Each guide brings years of birding experience and a deep passion for helping participants spot and identify birds throughout the festival – learn more about them below.
If you are interested in being a walk leader for the festival, please fill out this application.
Abigail Mossbruger
I’ve worked as a naturalist at Lake Metroparks for five years, where I discovered birding through my colleagues and have had many birding adventures since! I have honed my skills and continue to learn with each outing. I enjoy many outdoor activities and bringing the natural world to the community. There’s always something to see and discover in nature, so let’s get out there and go birding!
My spark bird was a Red-tailed Hawk, and my favorite birding spot is anywhere I can hear a Wood Thrush singing.
Amanda Hoffman
I grew up here in Lake County, but became a tour guide in Alaska on a wildlife excursion where I fell in love with birds! My husband and I were both laid off during COVID, so we started birding like it was our full-time jobs. Over the last 6 years, we’ve traveled the country in search of our feathered friends, but recently settled back in Mentor. It’s been a pleasure to become part of the birding community here!
My spark bird was seeing an Arctic tern in AK when I was a tour guide. Their migration journey is incredible!
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Andrew France
I am a Northeast Ohio native who has done most of my birding on and near the lakefront, but I have also traveled to Minnesota, Florida, Arizona, different parts of Ohio, and other exciting destinations to bird! I have birded for nearly 9 years and greatly enjoy all facets of this rewarding way of life.
My favorite bird is the Snowy Owl, and my favorite birding location is Howard Marsh Metropark.
Bill Sedivy
I have been traveling and birdwatching in the U.S. and Central America for more than 40 years. Born and raised in Geauga County, OH, I have guided river trips and birding tours in the U.S. and Costa Rica for nearly three decades. A former journalist, I’ve also worked hard in non-profit conservation management and as a ranger for the US Forest Service. Since my retirement in 2015, I have been leading birding tours in Costa Rica for Aventuras El Ceibo in Turrialba.
My favorite birding location is Headland Dunes State Nature Preserve – my spark bird was the Eastern Towhee.
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Blackbrook Audubon Society
Blackbrook Audubon is the local chapter of the National Audubon Society covering Lake, Geauga, and Ashtabula counties in Ohio. We promote conservation and restoration of ecosystems with emphasis on birds and habitat through education and advocacy. We hold monthly speaker programs from September through May with a picnic in June. Birders of all skill levels are welcome at any of our walks and field trips.
Please see www.blackbrookaudubon.org for more details.
Connor Fox
I am the founder of FoxC Birding, a Southwest Ohio–based guiding service focused on helping birders of all levels sharpen their skills in the field. A passionate and dedicated birder of over 20 years, I completed an ambitious goal of observing over 600 species across just six trips in the lower 48 during 2024. When not birding, I manage a Wild Birds Unlimited in West Chester and Springboro, Ohio. I also enjoy spending time with my wife, cat, and backyard birds.
Anytime I get the chance to bird in SE Arizona, I am a happy guy.
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Debbi Schuster
I started birding with my father as a child. He built bird feeders for anyone who wanted one. Family vacations always had a field guide in the car. Since that beginning, I have acquired a life list of 1234 birds nationally and internationally. I enjoy sharing my love for birds and wildlife with everyone. I especially love getting new birders out into the field to make new discoveries.
My favorite birding locations are Wake Robin Trail, Headlands SP, The Rookery, from my kayak at Headwaters, LaDue Reservoir, and Mosquito SP.
Jim Cihula
I was born and raised in Northeast Ohio, and I credit my love of nature – animals, insects, and birds (most importantly) – to my mom, who shared the same passion. I’m primarily a local birder, though I venture out of the area occasionally. My camera often joins me in the field, and I’ll admit I can sometimes take a better picture of a bird than identify it. I’m relatively new to birding (about 4 years), but now I at least know that a seagull is not a real bird.
My favorite bird is an Eastern Bluebird.
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Josh Sebrasky
As far back as I can remember, I have loved the trees and the rivers and the open air, but only just this last year have I fallen completely in love with birds, going from 20 to close to 200 species since last spring. I volunteer with Blackbrook Audubon Society and CMNH, and host a variety of nature-related programs at a local library. You can find me on my days off barefoot in the woods, sketching/journaling about what I’m observing, or just staring at lichen or the motion of light on water.
Every bird is a spark bird, but the biggest spark has been the Northern Flicker. Favorite locations are Headlands Dunes SP and Mentor Marsh.
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Josh Yoder
I am 26 and live close to Millersburg, Ohio, in Holmes County. I have been birding hard-core since the fall of 2019, but have had an interest in birds since I was 12. I do most of my birding in what is called the Bobolink area, which consists of 12 counties in North-central Ohio. I do venture outside there quite a bit, especially in the fall when I do a lot of lakewatching in Lake County and also some in Erie County.
My favorite bird is a Gyrfalcon, and my favorite place to go birding is Conesville Coal Lands in Coshocton County.
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Megan Hart
I began my love of birds with a visit to a banding station in 2011. After that first day, I decided to change my trajectory in my education to focus on ornithology. This led me to work along streams in Tennessee with Louisiana Waterthrush, slogging through salt marshes with Seaside Sparrows, conducting point counts in Connecticut, and restoring grassland habitat in Kentucky. I’m currently the biologist for Lake Metroparks, and I am continuing my conservation work here in Lake County.
My spark bird was a Yellow-billed Cuckoo, which was the first bird I ever banded.
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Queer Birders of Cuyahoga County
Birding outings and events for the queer community in Cuyahoga County!
Our favorite birding location is Cleveland Lakefront Nature Preserve.
Renell Roebuck
I have lived in and birded in Ohio since 2006. In 2018, I began Nature Journaling my experiences with nature. On most of my pages, you’ll find a bird list.
I was connected to birds through my grandparents’ bird feeders growing up.
Robert Hoffman
Like many, I started birding during COVID when I was laid off from my job. Growing up in Seattle, I had always been into nature, but never really thought much about birds. Once I started noticing how many different types of birds were even around my very urban apartment in Seattle, I became fascinated and a tad bit obsessed. Now my wife and I live here in Mentor, and it’s been a blast seeing all of the eastern species!
If I have to pick a favorite bird, I’d go with the humble Golden-crowned Sparrow. My spark bird was a Western Tanager.
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Sarah Preston
I am a bird-obsessed traveler and educator who seeks out new species and wild places, yet finds equal joy birding close to home. Passionate about helping others learn, I guide with a collaborative, educational approach—teaching not just what a bird is, but how to identify it. A lifelong nature lover turned chemistry instructor, I deepened my passion by taking an ornithology course and now share my passion through guiding and community birding experiences.
My favorite birding location is Headlands Beach State Park. My spark bird is a Blackburnian Warbler.
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Suzy Horvath
I’m an avid birdwatcher with a passion for conservation and community science. I began bird watching in 2020, and it has been my primary hobby ever since. I volunteer with Lights Out Cleveland and the annual Ohio Crane Count. Bird watching has brought me immeasurable joy. I’ve met many kind people and observed countless cool bird species (and rescued some too!). I love enlightening people to the wonders of nature and am excited to co-lead at the Headlands Birding Festival again this year!
My favorite bird is the Common Loon, my favorite birding location is Chagrin River Park, and my spark bird is the Prothonotary Warbler.
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Tony Gazso
I began birding in 2014 while working as a Discovery Guide for the Central Park Conservancy, where I co-led bird walks in partnership with the NYC Bird Alliance (formerly NYC Audubon). After spending a season working for the National Park Service in St. Louis, I returned home to Northeast Ohio, where I began working for Lake Metroparks. Since becoming the birding programs coordinator, I’ve pushed to make our programs more accessible to new birders, as well as young birders.
I have 2 spark birds: Grackle (as a kid, it was the first bird I saw that got me interested in birds) and American Pipit (Uncommon in Central Park, I found this bird while co-leading a bird walk, much to the excitement of the NYC Bird Alliance walk leader).
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Vinny Horvath
My love of birdwatching began in 2020. Since then, I have traveled to various U.S. states as well as Canada for the sole purpose of birdwatching. I am an active board member of Blackbrook Audubon Society, where I lead/co-lead monthly birdwatching field trips. I am also an active volunteer with Lights Out Cleveland through the OBCI and Cleveland Metroparks. I’m thrilled to be leading hikes again for the Headlands Birding Festival!
My favorite bird is a Common Loon.
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Will Cihula
I’m a young birder and bird photographer and have been birding since 2022. I’ve always been fascinated by migration and the science behind it, and I especially enjoy migratory passerines like warblers and kinglets. When I’m not watching birds, I’m photographing them. This year, I entered the Audubon Photography Awards and helped build the Headlands Birding Festival website. I mostly stick to local birding since travelling is difficult due to school.
My favorite bird is the Cedar Waxwing, my favorite birding hotspot is Headlands Beach State Park, and my spark bird is the Rose-breasted Grosbeak.
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