Authors
Jacqueline Emery’s interest in birding began in 2019 when a spunky tufted titmouse caught her eye in Central Park. Soon after, she began photographing birds and other wildlife in and around NYC. Her fascination with owling took flight when observing and photographing Barry the barred owl, who lived in Central Park from October 2020 through August 2021.
Jacqueline’s work has been published by the New York Times and other news organizations. She is passionate about wildlife conservation and volunteers with the NYC Plover Project, a nonprofit organization committed to protecting piping plovers that nest on city beaches.
When she is not with the birds, Jacqueline teaches literature and chairs the English Department at SUNY Old Westbury on Long Island. Her book, Recovering Native American Writings in the Boarding School Press (University of Nebraska Press, 2017), won the 2018 Popular Cultural Association Ray & Pat Browne Award for Best Edited Collection in Popular Culture and American Culture and was named a Choice Outstanding Academic Title for 2018.
David Lei started photographing birds and wildlife in 2018 with his first African safari. That safari ignited a new passion that David brought back with him to the parks, rivers, and beaches in and around New York. David’s spark bird as he took up birding was the snowy owl, and he was finally able to see his first when one improbably visited Central Park in early 2021. Today, he is best known for his long exposure night-time photographs of owls in urban environments.
David’s work has been published by the New York Times and other news organizations. He is a proud supporter of the New York City Audubon, the Wild Bird Fund, the NYC Plover Project, and other local organizations focused on the welfare of birds.
When he is not with the birds, David makes real estate investments globally on behalf of endowments, foundations, pension plans, and other institutional investors. David has also taught a real estate course at Baruch College, City University of New York.