We are local conservationists committed to ensuring a future for birds in North America’s Driftless Area.
Board of Directors
Craig Thompson, President
Craig started working for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources when gas was 96 cents per gallon. Now retired, much of his career focused on migratory bird conservation. During that time, he also developed what is best characterized as a clinical obsession with tropical birds. His favorite “neotrop” is the Yellow-billed Cuckoo, a beautiful, secretive bird that breeds in the Driftless and winters in the dry forests of the Paraguayan Chaco.
Mike O’Brien, Secretary
Mike retired from a career as a physician in 2020. Since then, he has been active with various volunteer groups conducting prairie and woodland restoration in the La Crosse area, and of course, birding. The Driftless Birds organization provides a way for Mike to give back and help the birds in this area in a meaningful way. Mike’s favorite bird to see is the Scarlet Tanager. His favorite bird to hear is the Wood Thrush.
Peg Zappen, Treasurer
Retired librarian. Retired shelter worker. Loves birds. Loves cats. Peg’s favorite bird to hear is veery but she is grateful for any thrush or winter wren.
Ruth Nissen
Ruth started working in the natural resource management field the year of the bicentennial with a summer position on the Mark Twain National Wildlife Refuge in Missouri. That was followed by a temporary position at Horicon National Wildlife Refuge (running an airboat in a Canada Goose Dispersal Project- where she met her husband). The following year he was offered a permanent position with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service at Muscatatuck NWR, Indiana one month before they were married. The next stop was Missisquoi NWR in Vermont on Lake Champlain, then Ruby Lake NWR, Nevada (2.5 hours from town in winter), Horicon NWR, Wisconsin and finally The Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge-La Crosse District. Along the way Ruth worked for USFWS Research, Ruby Lake NWR and Wisconsin DNR- Private Lands and WDR -Mississippi River team. Ruth’s favorite bird is a prairie chicken as some of her favorite memories involve sitting in a blind watching them with various people.
Casey Bryan
Casey is a natural resource professional with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, where she works within the National Wildlife Refuge System program which happily enables her bird-related habits). She and her husband spend much of their free time roaming the outdoors with their two kids, gently indoctrinating them into the wonderfully addictive world of birding. Her favorite resident bird is the black-capped chickadee, whose curious antics and cheerful call she considers the closest thing to a year-round feathery friend. Each spring, she eagerly awaits the return of her favorite neotropical migrants, the gray catbird and the red-eyed vireo.
For information contact: board@driftlessbirds.org
Driftless Birds Collaborators
Dr. Nick Bayly
Ryan Brady
Kirk Olson
Nathan Roth
