Rodney Johnson was fortunate to grow up on a very productive hay farm in the lower Pocono region of Pennsylvania. This area is located  on the line of northern breeders and southern breeders. This is where it all began for him as a birder. Rod acknowledges that he didn’t have great optics, nor did he know a single birder yet! He knew a lot of bird watchers, mostly his family. He was fortunate to spend countless hours working in the fields of his family farm where he got to know birds up close and personal. Birding from his tractor seat became his original birding platform.

Eventually, Rod met Larry Rymon, a professor at East Stroudsburg University.    Rod helped as a volunteer during those early stages of the Osprey reintroduction project in the Poconos and Delaware River area. Several years later, he decided to go to East Stroudsburg University and work as Larry’s assistant in the Environmental Studies program.
After leaving ESU, he worked as a naturalist and contract wildlife biologist for many entities. At the same time, Rodney led trips for Golden Eagle Bird Club, several Audubon chapters in multiple states, New Jersey Audubon, and Wild Birds Unlimited.  He continued to led trips for many years wherever he lived including Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York and even Costa Rica working for OTS in the rainforest.

Rodney has done the world series of birding 15 times in the whole state category , including 13 as a captain of The Western Strays, Overdue Ospreys and finally the Diving Dabblers. After a 13 year “retirement” (for whatever crazy reason), Rod and his longtime teammate, Mark Boyd, decided to do it again! This time, they have decided to not complete the whole state, but to slow down, have fun and enjoy it by entering the Cape Island Cup category this time around.

When Rodney is birding, he often looks at other flora and fauna. When he is not birding or exploring other facets of nature, he is likely gardening , playing percussion with bands, or playing one of his other instruments...there is a probable chance a good craft beer is involved depending on the mission!