Nature Blog Network

My name is Nate, alternately Nathan if you’re not into the whole brevity thing, or N8, if you prefer it alphanumerics (get used to it, that’s how all our names will be written in the future).  My regular gig, not unlike Wren’s, involves working at a large research university in science education, but mine is the University of North Carolina, and I live in Chapel Hill with my wife, who, it should be pointed out, is an uncommonly patient partner when dealing with my obsessions, both birding and blogging.  But I digress…

I’m primarily a birder, and I have been for as long as I can remember, but I’m not averse to herps and plants and bugs and whatever else crosses my path either.  It’s how I grew up, the child of teachers who instilled in me an inclination to learn and, especially, to enjoy the outdoors.  It’s not an unusual sentiment among members of this Nature Blog Network, I’m sure, and one I consider myself especially fortunate to have experienced.

As for web presence, I first rode this web dragon (floggered the blogger? confessed to the wordpress? you guys still there?) following a trip a couple summers ago to Costa Rica.  While preparing for that neotrop fantasy I was online a lot, checking out birds I wanted to see and places we were going.  Basically things we all do in advance of an exciting trip.  In doing so, my google searches often took me to blogs about birds, about nature, about all sorts of things I was interested in.  I ended up spending nearly two days visiting as many nature blogs as I could find, especially those on the comprehensive list kept by 10,000 Birds.  This was my entrance into the world of nature blogging and, figuring I had something to add to the conversation, I started The Drinking Bird, and I’ve been writing there for about a year and a half.

I readily admit that I am not as hip to the trappings of blog culture as my esteemed colleagues.  I pretty much just grip it and rip it as far as my own blog goes.  And that’s kind of why I’m here.  There are lots of us out there who are perhaps somewhat intimidated and maybe a little uninformed of the cool things you can do to promote your blog.  I’m both, by the way, and I look forward to sitting at the knees of the masters to make my blog and yours that much more prominent, and by extension, make a statement as to the weight of the whole nature blogging niche.

Other then that I’ll be up to my elbows in the NBN to pull out blogs from communities within the community, where I’ll try to get everyone a little exposure on this stage (that starts on Tuesday), and keeping tabs on the carnival scene so that you can get involved in those that fit your interests (and you should if you don’t, carnivals are a blast).

I’m really excited for this opportunity, not only to work with outstanding bloggers like Mike, John and Wren here but especially you all out there.  Because it really can’t be said enough, thanks for joining us!