Volunteer Spotlight: Bill Rowe
If you haven’t met Bill Rowe personally, you’ve probably seen his name – a lot! In fact, Bill might just be the most popular guy in St. Louis Audubon right now. As the author of the Bird of the Week series, Bill brings insight and joy to over 5,000 homes each and every week. And, if you participate in any of the birding field trips, chances are you’ll run into him on the trail, since Bill has been a field trip leader for over 13 years.
Bill was born in St. Louis but spent most of his youth in Brandenburg, KY, which he considers his hometown. That’s where he began birding, along with mentors in nearby Louisville. Bill came back to St. Louis and spent three years as a boarding student at Thomas Jefferson School and then, after college, was hired there as a teacher. Over the years Bill taught primarily math, classical Greek, and Italian (impressionante!). Bill even spent twenty years as the school’s Admission Director followed by eleven years as Head of School. After four more years of post-retirement work in other schools, Bill retired “for real” in 2015.
Bill recounts some of the highlights over the years including teaching adult birding classes at the Missouri Botanical Garden (for thirty years!), while also leading private birding tours to many parts of North America including Texas, California, Colorado, Florida, New England, and more. He was elected to the Missouri Bird Records Committee in 1995 and still serves as Secretary.
Along the way, Bill has kept up an interest in other animal life and the natural world in general. St. Louis Audubon has become one of his primary volunteer activities, first as a field trip leader and now as a Board member (since 2018), currently serving as the VP of Education. When asked about his hope for the future of the organization Bill commented “My colleagues are great to work with, and I look forward to the organization’s future as a primary force in bringing an awareness of nature and conservation to as many people as possible.”
Bill has certainly been a catalyst for the organization in doing just that. His son, Matt, who is also a bird walk leader shared “My dad helped get me into birding when I was a kid, and to this day he continues to impress with his knowledge and patience in the field. He always finds a way to describe what you’re seeing in a way that makes sense, and his enjoyment is evident when you hear him speak.”
We thank you, Bill, for your tireless efforts, vast experience, and years of commitment to connecting the community to nature through education and conservation!
