Jackson Free Press

As a child, if David Ringer wasn't able to identity a bird, he would rush to the many books his mother had about birds and flip through them. As far back as he can remember, the Ohio native has always had a deep passion for the natural world.

Ringer, the Mississippi River Initiative communications coordinator for the Audubon Society, is the speaker for the "History is Lunch" series at the Mississippi Department of Archives and History Aug. 25, where he will discuss the history of bird populations in Mississippi and the impact of the BP oil disaster.

"(Bird conservation) is important for our own survival as well, because we are all very much connected to the natural world and the ecosystems that support birds," Ringer says. "That's why I think Audubon's mission is a good fit for me because Audubon's take is that birds are indicators of the environment that supports all of us."

When he was a teenager, Ringer moved to Missouri where he volunteered with the local Audubon society and further developed his knowledge about birds. After graduating from LeTourne University in 2005, Ringer worked for SIL International, a nonprofit that studies minority languages throughout the world. Last year, he began his position with the Mississippi River Initiative, a regional conservation program through the national Audubon Society.

"Now, one of my hobbies, ... birds and wildlife, is something I get to do professionally, which is great," Ringer says.

As communications coordinator, Ringer is responsible for overseeing media relations, website development and writing press releases. Recently, he has been heavily involved with the Gulf oil disaster in the Gulf, working with the media and coordinating volunteer efforts.

Ringer, 26, says that even though there aren't as many birds completely covered in oil, the long-term effects on wildlife are still unknown. Ringer has been working an average of 80 hours per week, spending half of that time on the Gulf Coast. When he's not working, Ringer maintains birdstack.com, a bird-watching and sharing website he created with a friend from college.

Ringer, who lives in Vicksburg, says he is enjoying life in Mississippi, and is fascinated by the Mississippi River and the region surrounding it.

"It's really one of the greatest landscapes on the continent. ... It seems like a really wild landscape when it's really right in our own backyards," he says.

To learn more about Mississippi birds or how to get involved with the Audubon Society listen to Ringer's presentation Wednesday, Aug. 25, at the "History is Lunch," series at the Mississippi Department of Archives and History, or visit ms.audubon.org. "History is Lunch" is at noon. Bring a lunch; coffee and water are provided; free.