Michael Ayling Receives the 2025 Scottie Johnson Spirit Award

Photo by Sebastian Hagan.

Michael Ayling was presented with the 2025 Scottie Johnson Spirit Award at the Birds Georgia Holiday Party and Annual Meeting on December 7, 2025.

​With 71 hours of volunteer service in 2025, Mike gave his time, talent, and heart to our mission. A member of the Birds Georgia Photographers Network, Mike consistently showcases the beauty of Georgia’s birds and their unique habitats. His commitment extends far beyond the lens. Since 2023, Mike has been a driving force behind Project Safe Flight at the Drew Charter School, spearheading monitoring and meeting with teachers and staff to raise awareness about bird-building collisions and prevention. 

About the Scottie Johnson Spirit Award: ​In 2018, Birds Georgia lost an incredibly dedicated volunteer and dear friend, Ms. Eleanor Scott Johnson. Scottie, as her family and friends called her, was an avid birder and long-time volunteer for Birds Georgia. There wasn’t a task that Scottie wasn’t up for, whether that was giving educational presentations, walking a Project Safe Flight route, certifying wildlife sanctuaries, or writing the Ask Chippy column. Scottie always raised her hand to help us out. She was a nurse, a mother, a Master Birder, and a wonderful human being with an amazing spirit. Although we lost Scottie to cancer in 2018, we continue to celebrate her spirit, kindness, and perseverance annually by honoring an outstanding volunteer with the Scottie Johnson Spirit Award.