Ron Smith is a nationally known bird carver with collectors in 40 states. In 33 years he has carved over 1000 birds in the realistic style using the media of basswood and oils. He is also one of the contributing writers for the Valley Morning Star's nature column and has edited Valley Land Fund Photo Contest Books III and IV. For two years he has been chairman of the McAllen Texas Tropics Nature Festival. Smith and his wife Sharron spend the winters in Pharr and the summers in their 70-acre woods on a branch of the Thunder Bay River in northern Michigan.