Meet the authors of

Ornitherapy:

For Your Mind, Body, and Soul

Holly Merker

Holly is a breast cancer survivor who credits Ornitherapy in helping save her life. Holly used mindful birdwatching —Ornitherapy — in concert with conventional treatments, restoring and maintaining good health, both mentally and physically. While undergoing treatment, Holly spent time watching birds in order to detach from the emotional and physical crisis that comes with a cancer diagnosis. Watching birds grounded and inspired her, and gave her a renewed perspective on life and survival. She believes that anyone can benefit from Ornitherapy if they are open to it, and she’s made it her life mission to bring attention to recognition of the therapeutic benefits of birding.

Holly has a background in art therapy, but today employs birds and nature to achieve the same result for of mental, physical, and emotional wellness in her work as a Mindful Birding leader and certified Nature and Forest Therapy Guide (ANFT).

She has been a birding instructor and professional guide National Audubon, the American Birding Association, Red Knot Outfitters, Hillstar Nature, and many others. Focused on bird distributions and populations, Holly serves as Pennsylvania’s “state coordinator” for Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s eBird and has been the Chair and a two-term Voting Member of the Pennsylvania Ornithological Records Committee.

A strong believer in giving back to her community and ultimately to birds, Holly serves or has served on the Boards of Directors for: Hawk Mountain Sanctuary, Pennsylvania Society for Ornithology, the Delaware Ornithological Society, Delaware Valley Ornithological Club (DVOC), and is a Founding Member and Co-Chair of the annual Frontiers in Ornithology: A Symposium for Youth. She is passionate about connecting the next generation to birds and nature, as well as fostering conservation leaders through youth development and birding programs. One of her favorite projects has been helping run a bird club at the elementary school near her home. Holly spends any extra time she can find studying anything with wings, contributing to citizen science, exploring new music, antiquing, and spending time with her friends and family. She currently resides in the Philadelphia suburbs.

Richard Crossley

Richard Crossley is an internationally acclaimed birder, photographer, and award winning author of ‘The Crossley ID Guide’ series. Born in Yorkshire, Richard first visited Cape May, NJ after graduating with a B.S.C. in Environmental Sciences. He moved there in 1991 after falling in love with the birding and town.

After 20 years of hiding in the business world while raising his family. Richard created a number of personal initiatives and challenges to move birding and conservation forward in America. After co-authoring The Shorebird Guide, Richard created The Crossley ID Guide series. Richard also believes that understanding the big picture of nature leads to a more interesting and healthier mental outlook for all of us (hence Ornitherapy).

Richard is also co-founder of the global birding initiative Pledge to Fledge, Race4Birds and The Cape May Young Birders Club. He has contributed to most major birding publications, is frequently heard on radio and is a highly sought-after public speaker. He served on the board of directors at Hawk Mountain Sanctuary. He firmly believes that everyone is a closet-birder; it’s time to bring everybody out and into nature for a healthier mind and a healthier way to live.

Sophie Crossley

Sophie Crossley started her writing career early with a publication in Ranger Rick Magazine at 11 years old, and continued on to pursue a degree in Communication Studies and Marketing from The College of New Jersey.

Her first published book is Ornitherapy: For Your Mind, Body, and Soul, although she previously contributed to The Crossley ID Guide: Waterfowl. An avid nature and wellness enthusiast, Sophie completed her Freediving Instructor Trainer Course in Thailand in 2020. She aspires to cultivate better wellbeing and environmental consciousness through practices such as Ornitherapy, freediving, and mindfulness.

When not in the ocean, Sophie can be found writing for her blog (sophiecrossley.co.uk), practicing yoga, learning something new, or planning her next global adventure.