Meet the Guides!

Guides in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas 

Tiffany Kersten - Owner / Guide   

Based in Mission - Guides in the Rio Grande Valley: Starr, Hidalgo, and Cameron Counties 

A Wisconsin native, Tiffany Kersten chased her career all over the country after graduating from Northland College with a degree in Wildlife Ecology in 2010. After teaching about raptor migration in Cape May, New Jersey, monitoring shorebirds on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, and banding honeycreepers on the Big Island of Hawaii, a stint with the US Fish & Wildlife Service led her to South Texas, where she later managed a nature center, before a rather tumultuous set of events led her to pursue an unintentional Lower 48 Big Year in 2021, ultimately breaking the record with 726 species, and founding Nature Ninja Birding Tours immediately following. Tiffany has been connecting people to nature through the joy of birding since 2006. 

What's in a name? Click here to learn the history of Nature Ninja Birding Tours. 

Evan Farese  

Based in Brownsville - Guides in the Rio Grande Valley: Starr, Hidalgo, and Cameron Counties 

Evan moved to South Texas to study raptors. Originally from California, he first came down to help with a study of the nesting ecology of White-tailed Hawks, and is now pursuing a master's degree at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. His study focuses on the diet of the urban and suburban population of Gray Hawks, and aims to uncover what these birds are finding to eat in these environments. Evan has participated in a number of field jobs prior to moving to South Texas. Highlights include working with Golden-cheeked Warblers in central Texas, Capuchin Monkeys in Costa Rica, Greater Sage-Grouse in California, and counting migrating raptors in Montana. He also worked for two years as an outdoor educator in Glacier National Park in Montana. 

Evan is excited to share his birding experience with visitors to the Rio Grande Valley through guiding. Helping people see new birds and have new experiences is hugely rewarding to him, and he looks forward to every opportunity he gets to make that happen.  

Javi Gonzalez 

Based on South Padre Island  - Guides in the Rio Grande Valley: Cameron County 

Javi is the full-time Naturalist Educator at South Padre Island Birding & Nature Center, and guides on his days off - typically Sundays and Mondays. He grew up in the Rio Grande Valley and has developed a special interested in the ecology of the region, especially along the coastal Laguna Madre. He enjoys bringing awareness and education to the local community, and introducing visiting birders to the amazing birds that the Rio Grande Valley has to offer. Additionally, he enjoys creating and preserving native habitat for birds. Javi mainly guides in Cameron County, with a special love for South Padre Island and coastal birding. On his tours, you'll likely learn a bit about the local history and culture, as well as a wealth of knowledge about the birds. 

Stephanie Lopez

Based in Mission - Guides in the Rio Grande Valley: Hidalgo County 

Stephanie is a Rio Grande Valley native who fell into the whirlwind of birding during a bird walk at the National Butterfly Center in 2015. Since then, she has immersed herself in the conservation of Tamaulipan Thornscrub, our native South Texas habitat. Through her guiding, she seeks to spark curiosity and appreciation for the natural world among everyone she meets, and delights in sharing her knowledge of the region's birds, butterflies, and plants. On a tour with Stephanie, you will explore and appreciate the diverse wonders of the Rio Grande Valley. 

Stephanie is available for private half day Bird & Nature Tours, half day Butterfly Tours, and is a co-leader for our Texas Birding Retreats in McAllen. 

Ryan Rodriguez 

Based in McAllen - Guides in the Rio Grande Valley: Starr, Hidalgo, and Cameron Counties

Ryan is a seventeen-year-old birder who has been interested in the outdoors and birds for as long as he can remember. He spends a lot of his free time atop the Bentsen State Park hawk tower volunteering for the seasonal hawk count, and running around the Rio Grande Valley looking for shorebirds, ducks, and any form of visible migration. Don't let his age fool you - he is an astoundingly great birder! Ryan also excels at the identification of butterflies, dragonflies, and reptiles, making him an exceptionally great option for clients who are interested in "everything". Ryan is excited to share the beautiful birds and natural areas of the Rio Grande Valley and enjoys showing people new birds more than any other element that birding has to offer. 

Guides for Coastal Texas

Susan Foster   

Based in Rockport - Guides in the Corpus Christi / Rockport / Port Aransas area 

Susan retired from teaching in order to become a bird guide, and spends most of her time in pursuit of all things birds! She spent 30 years as a resident of Laredo, Texas, enjoying the unique avifauna of the border region. In the past two decades, she has led tours for the Rio Grande Valley Birding Festival, Laredo Birding Festival, Rockport HummerBird Festival, Texas Ornithological Society, and many others. She was a founding member of Monte Mucho Audubon Society, and is currently secretary of the Aransas Bird & Nature Club, as well as a regional director for Texas Ornithological Society. Susan currently lives on the coast in Rockport, Texas. 

Susan is available for private day guiding in the Corpus Christi and Rockport areas. If your target is Whooping Crane - she's your gal! 

Janice Travis  

Based in Kingsville - Guides in the Corpus Christi / Rockport area 

Janice began her passion for nature at a young age with curious exploration of her Michigan backyard and nearby woodland. She always had a variety of field guides to study wildflowers, birds, reptiles, rocks and insects. Janice discovered her true passion for birding in an undergraduate ornithology class at Eastern University in Pennsylvania; she went on to complete her Master's Degree in Biology with a concentration in ecology at University of North Florida. She married a United States Marine, which gave her the opportunity to live and bird across the United States. She has also taken advantage of opportunities to bird new places like Japan, Belize, and Panama. Janice is currently the Tour Supervisor and a bird and nature tour guide at King Ranch in Kingsville, Texas. 

Janice is available for private day guiding in the Corpus Christi and Rockport areas and assists with Texas Birding Retreats in the Rio Grande Valley as well. 

Guides in Central Texas

Jennifer Bristol  

Based in Austin - Guides in the Austin area 

Jennifer is the author of Parking Lot Birding: A Fun Guide to Discovering Birds in Texas and Cemetery Birding: An Unexpected Guide to Discovering Birds in Texas. Passionate about telling the story of nature, she travels the state speaking about birds and conservation.  

As the former director the Texas Children in Nature Network, she developed a grassroots movement around the need to better connect children and families with nature. She has been a park ranger, business owner, marketing executive, and has worked in the film industry. Jennifer resides in Austin with her husband, five charismatic dogs, and three horses. 

Jennifer is available for private day guiding in the Austin area, including target trips for Golden-cheeked Warbler and Black-capped Vireos (seasonal).