Back to Birding

Join Patrick and Luke as they fangirl over one of their childhood heroes, Peter Kaestner. Peter holds the world record for having seen the highest number of bird species in the world, with a grand total of over 10,000 (there's only about 11,000!). His birding adventures come with a truckload of unfathomable experiences and achievements, and his life is a testament to the awe-inspiring beauty and complexity of the natural world. Peter's childlike wonder abounds, even late in life, as he still marvels over each species.Trophies are not the only thing setting Peter apart, rather, his relentless commitment to conservation, community, and education make him one of a kind. He has contributed to various research projects and conservation efforts, helping to monitor populations and advocate for the protection of endangered species (including the one he discovered!). His enthusiasm is contagious, his knowledge boundless, and his dedication unwavering.We can't wait to hear what you most enjoyed from this episode. It was an honor, to say the least, to have Peter join us. Thank you for listening!Reach out for anything at backtobirding@gmail.comCundinamarca Antpitta - eBirdPeter Kaestner - eBirdPlease leave a rating wherever you're streaming!

Join Luke and David as they dive deep into the wonders of Lesser Antillean birds and island life. This episode was recorded prior to the recent split of House Wren, and David provides some incredible insight into the reality of the House Wren "subspecies", as well as his opinions on other splits of Lesser Antillean endemics. David's invaluable photo and audio documentation of these island endemics have been leaned on heavily during the species revision process.This episode is a hair more fast-paced than usual, so buckle up and enjoy the ride!Reach out for anything at backtobirding@gmail.comMeet the Caribbean's Six New Avian Endemics! – BirdsCaribbeanDavid Hollie - eBirdTrip Reports: eBird, Cloud BirdersPlease leave a rating wherever you're streaming!

David Hollie discusses endemic birds of the Lesser Antilles after his experiences targeting them in summer of 2o23. Enjoy! Photos by of David Hollie and Luke Thompson (Northern House Wren).Photo Gallery: Lesser Antilles with David Hollie, Part 1 Photos (Pixieset)Trip Reports: eBird, Cloud BirdersFeel free to contact us at backtobirding@gmail.com!

Listen in as Patrick describes in detail the remainder of his trip to Utah; diving into the unique oddities of Greater Sage-Grouse research, the inquisitive tactics of Pinyon Jay research, and the extraordinary birds which can be found above tree line. Enjoy!Reach out with anything at backtobirding@gmail.comBACK TO BIRDING EPISODE 10 by Back to Birding (pixieset.com)https://youtu.be/Sh5EOGeP540?si=jHFTjivPk-PPlxz1 Greater Sage-Grouse lekPlease leave a rating wherever you're streaming!

Join Patrick and Luke for a slightly unconventional episode as they discuss their most recent adventures... some more exhilarating than expected. The first half of the episode dives into Luke's unfortunate emergency flight home from guiding in Panama, and the second half covers the first few birds of Patrick's recent trip to Utah. Part 2 coming promptly. Enjoy! Reach out with anything at backtobirding@gmail.comPlease leave a rating wherever you're streaming!

In this episode, Luke interviews Ken Behrens from Naturally Adventurous about birding and his experiences traveling the world. Ken is a Tropical Birding guide, Naturally Adventurous co-host, author of multiple books, and ecotourism consultant, among other things. His podcast and website are linked below.Naturally Adventurous: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/naturally-adventurous/id1525204132Ken's website:https://www.ken-behrens.com/As always, feel free to contact us at backtobirding@gmail.com.

Patrick and Luke discuss birds from their recent travels. We apologize for the long hiatus from uploads, we've been busy with exam season. We should be back to our regularly scheduled program now. Bohemian Waxwing recording by Skyler Bol: https://xeno-canto.org/877076.Contact us at backtobirding@gmail.com

Contact us at backtobirding@gmail.comPhoto gallery: BACK TO BIRDING EPISODE 6 by Back to Birding (pixieset.com) Luke's Panama tour: https://taralokafoundation.smugmug.com/Birding-in-Panama/n-DBbHWBPatrick's trip report: https://ebird.org/tripreport/197684 Luke's trip report: https://ebird.org/tripreport/197354

Contact us at backtobirding@gmail.comPhoto gallery: BACK TO BIRDING EPISODE 5 by Back to Birding (pixieset.com) Luke's Panama tour: https://taralokafoundation.smugmug.com/Birding-in-Panama/n-DBbHWB

Patrick and Luke dive into their most recent birding outings, including amazing experiences with Christmas Bird Counts (CBC's) and their efforts casually birding. Contact us at backtobirding@gmail.comPhoto gallery: BACK TO BIRDING EPISODE 4 by Back to Birding (pixieset.com)Luke's Panama tour: https://taralokafoundation.smugmug.com/Birding-in-Panama/n-DBbHWB

Patrick and Luke discuss the wonder of birding at Baylor High School in Chattanooga, Tennessee, splits, lumps, and much more!Contact us at backtobirding@gmail.comPhoto gallery: BACK TO BIRDING EPISODE 3 by Back to Birding (pixieset.com) Luke's Panama tour: https://taralokafoundation.smugmug.com/Birding-in-Panama/n-DBbHWB

Patrick and Luke discuss recent birding (including Tennessee's first Ancient Murrelet and Luke's run down to Alabama), local birding hotspots, and more!Contact us at backtobirding@gmail.comPhoto gallery: https://backtobirding.pixieset.com/backtobirdingepisode2/Luke's Panama tour: https://taralokafoundation.smugmug.com/Birding-in-Panama/n-DBbHWB

Patrick and Luke introduce themselves and discuss why they bird, nemesis birds, favorite memories while birding, and more!Episode photo gallery: https://backtobirding.pixieset.com/backtobirdingepisode1/Luke's Panama tour: https://taralokafoundation.smugmug.com/Birding-in-Panama/n-DBbHWBContact us at ldtbirds37@gmail.com or patrickhiggs04@gmail.com