My interest in nature began at a very young age, when I would capture any insect unlucky enough to stumble into our apartment and study them for hours. When I was eight, my family moved to our current address, and there was a large plot of unused land just across the road. It was my first experience with wilderness. The grass was long and untamed, and my imagination filled it with all sorts of wonderful creatures from snakes to wild deer. From November to January in each year, little egrets would flock here and stalk about with their heads held high.