Clayton Leopold grew up in a small rural community just outside of Victoria, Texas. In his youth, wildlife and birds were a major focus, spending many hours on the back porch watching the bird feeders. Clayton graduated college in 2012 from Texas A&M Galveston with two degrees, Marine Fisheries and Marine Biology. In 2013 he was formally introduced to birding by a close friend. Since then, Clayton has volunteered for several birding festivals and events, leading tours around the Galveston area. Clayton enjoys birding most areas of the state, but has a soft spot for West Texas, making multiple trips a year. Clayton and his wife Linsey have two young kids, Laiken Maxine and Cassin Clayton, both of which have a love for the outdoors. “The joy of birding is about appreciating the challenge of identification, peace of being in nature, and comradery of fellow birders.”