What do you do for a living?

As director of the Predatory Bird Research Group at UC–Santa Cruz, I research peregrine falcons and involve "citizen scientists" in falcon research.

What would you be doing if you weren't doing that?

If I hit the lotto, I would do exactly the same thing.

What do you do in your free time?

I train and fly falcons in the sport of falconry.

What brought you to Santa Cruz?

UC–Santa Cruz in 1971.

What's your favorite street?

Walnut.

Name something you're excited about.

Celebrating the 28th anniversary of my marriage and writing a book on my adventures with hawks, falcons and eagles.

Name a pet peeve.

The city's failure to build a dedicated eastern access route to UCSC.

What are you reading?

Annals of the Former World by John McPhee.

What's the most important thing you've learned in the last three years?

That Margaret Mead was right when she said, "Never doubt that a few thoughtful, committed people can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."

Recent personal food trend?

Eating from the periphery of the grocery store and avoiding processed foods.

Send a letter to the editor about this story.