"For the Birds" began airing on KUMD in Duluth, MN, in May, 1986, and is the longest continually-running radio program about birds in the U.S. Hundreds more episodes are available for free at http://www.lauraerickson.com/radio/.
The Laura Erickson's For the Birds podcast is an absolute gem for bird enthusiasts and nature lovers alike. Hosted by the knowledgeable and compassionate Laura Erickson, this podcast provides a perfect balance of education, personal anecdotes, and thought-provoking discussions in less than 10 minutes per episode. With each episode, listeners are treated to a wealth of information about birds, their behavior, and the environment they inhabit.
One of the best aspects of this podcast is Laura Erickson's ability to seamlessly incorporate her personal observations with macro knowledge and issues related to birds. Her anecdotes are not only heartwarming but also shed light on the intricacies of bird life. Additionally, Laura's ability to provide valuable insights into our impact on birds and advocate for a compassionate life beyond just bird-watching sets this podcast apart. The episodes strike the perfect balance between being educational, reflective, and entertaining.
With regards to drawbacks, there are very few to be found in The Laura Erickson's For the Birds podcast. Some listeners may find that the relatively short duration of each episode leaves them wanting more. However, it is worth noting that this brevity is what makes this podcast so accessible and easy to consume without overwhelming listeners with information.
In conclusion, The Laura Erickson's For the Birds podcast is a must-listen for anyone interested in birds or nature conservation. Laura Erickson's expertise shines through in every episode as she imparts her vast knowledge while sharing personal stories that resonate with listeners. This podcast showcases both thoughtful reflection and lightheartedness in its approach to exploring bird behavior and addressing important environmental issues. Whether you're a seasoned birder or new to the world of birds, this podcast will undoubtedly leave you feeling inspired and more connected with the natural world around you.
Laura thinks the sudden surge in Red-headed Woodpeckers in her neck of the woods may be due to emerald ash borer and the sudden surge in dead ash trees.
In many ways birds are superior to us humans, and also luckier. This is exactly the kind of program that has inspired some people to call Laura the "Dr. Ruth of Ornithology." The accompanying blog post has a lot of worthwhile photos listeners might want to see.
This bird of machismo and contradiction keeps scientists guessing.
Laura doesn't like the idea of bucket lists, but she does have a wish list.
Laura's trip to Florida's Dry Tortugas was a wonderful success.
Laura and her birding buddy Bernie went to Chamber's Grove last Wednesday to see the annual visit by hundreds of American White Pelicans.
Laura reflects on this year's Earth Day compared to the first Earth Day in 1970.
Laura talks about taking photos through window glass.
Laura leaves next Friday for a birding tour of Florida's Dry Tortugas.
Laura was ready with her camera to capture an exciting interaction between a Common Merganser and a northern pike.
Laura claims she's done thinking about the number of birds on her many bird lists.
The longstanding sponsors of "For the Birds" have updates: Billionaire Earth Angel is embarking on a new project to prove people were banding birds 45,000 years ago, and Jim Baker just added a new, secret ingredient to his already perfect Baker's Blue Jay Blend.
Of the seven species of woodpeckers on Cuba's official checklist, one is almost definitely extinct and one has appeared in the country only as an extremely rare vagrant. Laura saw all five of the others on her February visit to Cuba.
Seeing Bee Hummingbirds in Cuba last month filled Laura with joy.
During this bird flu outbreak experts are cautioning people to leave bird carcasses where they are, even though functionally illiterate eagles, dogs, and other creatures have been infected by these carcasses. Laura made a decision about how she will handle this situation if a carcass turns up in her yard.
Every spring it's important to make sure our feeders are safe for birds. During this bird flu outbreak, this is more important than ever.
Famous migration patterns of swallows and cranes is scary this year, as wild and domesticated birds are still dying of highly pathogenic avian influenza and humans are getting infected, but we're losing the very forces that usually manage these crises.
Laura is bewitched by Cuban Todies.
Laura's hearing loss has grown worse since the pandemic, but suddenly things are looking up!!
The morning after she got home from Cuba, Laura and her husband set out for East Lansing, Michigan, so she could see a chickadee in the same area where she saw her first exactly 50 years ago. The blogpost corresponding to this segment is much longer, with lots of photos.
Elon Musk is hoping to set up a launching and landing area for his SpaceX Starships in a very vulnerable, important area.
Laura and Russ had a "Three Owl Morning" on Superb Owl Sunday.
Laura tells the true story of a baby Pine Siskin.
Laura's feeders are buzzing with the "Miss Congenialities" of the finch family.
STOP feeding ducks! Feeding other birds may be fine, depending on where you live.
Knowing when and when not to intervene when an owl seems distressed is not straightforward.
For a while in the 90s, Laura had two licensed education birds, a nighthawk and a Blue Jay, both lovable but entirely different. They inspired this story, written in 2020.
Laura's stayed healthy while birding in Central and South America, Europe, and Africa thanks to the World Health Organization, the Centers for Disease Control, and the National Institutes of Health.
BB the banded Pileated Woodpecker still visits Laura's yard now and then.
Jimmy Carter did not fail us. We failed him. (I used Lang Elliott's recording of a Brown Thrasher, the state bird of Georgia, for this program.)
Northern owls are staging an irruption this year, many of them physically stressed. Birders can't help but want to see them. If birders stick together and stay on the road, most owls can handle birders and photographers.
Laura has lots of plans to celebrate her "Year of the Chickadee."
It took Laura 67 days from receiving her first pair of binoculars to her going out to find her first bird. How did she spend that time?
Fifty years ago, Laura was abysmally ignorant about birds. And then--a miracle!
Humans aren't the only creatures who have a need to nurture and help others. (This program's transcript is the second half of the linked blogpost.)
More evidence that Laura's fifth grade teacher was the very best.
Reports of BB's demise were premature. When that happens to human beings, it can sometimes change history.
The banded Pileated Woodpecker who has been visiting Laura's yard for the past four years disappeared after a Cooper's Hawk was hunting in the vicinity. Laura expected the worst. But spoiler alert: he turned up again on Friday the thirteenth. While he was here, Laura recorded a video of him, which is the drumming sound at the beginning and ending of this program.
Laura remembers her fifth grade teacher, who taught her, via Rodgers and Hammerstein's original stage musical *The Sound of Music*, that real heroes stand up against cruel regimes even when there is no way to stop it.
General facts about albatrosses and good news about a very special one.
Laura remembers three Thanksgivings of the past, and how a Pileated Woodpecker keeps those memories alive.
Every environmental organization down in the Gulf during the BP oil disaster had to abide by a 5-year moratorium on ALL of their eye-witness information except as BP allowed. National Audubon did way more than honor BP's rules--they publicly parroted all of BP's false claims minimizing how bad the disaster was.
At the time of the BP oil spill, Laura thought some important organizations were complying with BP more than they should have. Now, as she explains, she realizes that most of them weren't cowardly.
Who can we trust after a major disaster?
Laura visited one of the four rehab centers allowed to treat birds oiled in the Deepwater Horizon spill.
Laura talks about the extremely low-tech and ineffective way BP tried to protect beaches and islands after the spill, and the even worse way they approached cleanup. There are many photos and a video on the accompanying blog post at (https://lauraerickson.substack.com/p/getting-away-with-murder-part-2)