Robert Straub came to Mexico to witness the famed Veracruz River of Raptors® migration in October, 1997, for a 3 month stay and has been there ever since. Currently, in Xalapa, Veracruz, he is the owner of an optics and birding store called Aveoptica (www.aveoptica.com), perhaps the only one of its kind in Mexico. AveOptica is the Authorized Distributor in Mexico of Vortex Optics, Eagle Optics, and Kowa Sporting Optics. Beginning in 1997, he worked for Pronatura Veracruz, including 4 years as the coordinator of their Tourism for Conservation program.  He was also a birding tours guide. Robert is the author of the Site Guide to the Birds of Veracruz, published by Pronatura Veracruz; a comprehensive guide to the best birding sites in the state. Robert studied biology at the University of Delaware and worked for many years with birds as a field researcher in western United States. Robert has been the field trip coordinator for the local birding club of Xalapa (COAX) since its founding in 2003.