CCB Friends & Partners, Linda & Bob Cole

Dedicated birders and wildlife enthusiasts

Linda Cole, holding a bald eagle chick

When Bob & Linda Cole met Mitchell Byrd years ago at a natural history weekend in Wintergreen Virginia, they had no idea how much their lives would be enriched by a long standing friendship, a wealth of one-on-one experiences with the region’s most endangered bird species, or their unyielding support for the Center for Conservation Biology.

Virginians by birth, both Bob & Linda take a genuine interest in local wildlife species. Their home is embellished with a personal collection of furnishings and decor that brings nature indoors. A distinct appreciation and admiration for wildlife is conveyed through shell-collection filled lamps, large potted plants, and mammalian and avian mounted specimens throughout the house.

One prominently displayed possession is a framed photo of Linda cradling a bald eagle chick that epitomizes the Coles' connection to the environment and CCB's conservation research. That photo marked the occasion when the Coles went with Mitchell to watch former CCB graduate student, Catherine Markham, climb a tree into a bald eagle nest to bring the nestlings gently to the ground for banding. Bob and Linda can share endless tales of their outings to accompany Mitchell and other CCB researchers to local study sites, or to simply seek-out species new to their life-lists. Their unique relationship with Mitchell has enabled them to support conservation in the state of Virginia in a very personal way. Linda credits Mitchell and CCB for increasing her and Bob's interest in wildlife, especially avian species and their habitats. The Coles are always quick to offer their heartfelt thanks to Mitchell, Bryan Watts and the others at CCB for enriching their lives through the experiences they are asked to share.

Bob & Linda Cole (center left & center right) with Mitchell Byrd (far right) and other CCB researchers banding red-cockaded woodpeckers at Piney Grove Nature Preserve (TNC) in Virginia.

In addition to the positive personal relationships with people like the Coles, the mission of CCB has always benefited from the cooperation of individual citizens as much as environmental organizations and agencies we also work with. Since the early 1990's, CCB has sustained itself without direct operating funds from the university or state. The staff is supported through research grants while all of our operating expenses have been provided through private funds. These small contracts and private contributions make it possible for CCB to educate the next generation of conservation scientists and to discover new ways of overcoming the challenges faced by our most sensitive species.