Looking at Birds: A Birding Podcast

My guest is Derek Sallmann, one half of the sibling-duo behind Badgerland Birding, a popular YouTube channel with a focus on birding, bird-feeding and nature in general. They recently launched a new birding podcast: The Badgerland Birding podcast. You can also find Derek and his brother Ryan, out and around Wisconsin, leading birding tours.For more from Derek and Badgerland Birding, check out the following:Blog - http://badgerlandbirding.wordpress.comYouTube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/@BadgerlandBirdingPodcast - https://open.spotify.com/show/7wtoWCxAaj0dvQuXq2nxYD?si=e9365264ac694f5fTheir YouTube Episode on the Grenada Dove -https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqEQkzqRugcChapters00:00 - Intro00:57 - Derek's Recent “First of the Year” Birding06:54 - How Derek Became Interested in Birding10:39 - Derek's Earliest memory of a Bird11:33 - Derek's Memorable Encounter with a Bird: Grenada Dove14:06 - Bird of the Episode: Snowy Owl25:02 - How the Badgerland Birding YouTube Channel Began33:58 - Derek Shares about the new Badgerland Birding Podcast38:04 - Derek Shares One Last Thing 38:44 - OutroFor pictures of the Snowy Owl taken by Derek and Ryan, please check out @lookingatbirdspodcast on Instagram. Thank you for listening!

My guest is Jon Dunn, lead author of the Field Guide to the Birds of North America by National Geographic, most recently the 7th edition in 2017, and a Tour Guide for WINGS, who has had a passion for birds most of his life. He's led a few trips at this year's Rio Grande Valley Birding Festival and I'm happy he was able to join us for this episode. Chapters00:00 - Introduction00:33 - Jon's Recent Birding02:40 - Some of Jon's WINGS' Trips04:35 - How Jon Joined WINGS05:18 - Some of Jon's Upcoming Trips06:12 - Birding in Idaho07:16 - How Jon became Interested in Birds08:11 - Earliest Memory of a Bird (Stellar's Jay)09:18 - One of Jon's Memorable Encounter with a Bird 12:44 - Bird of the Episode: Clapper Rail20:02 - Jon & The Field Guide to the Birds of North America by National Geographic22:30 - Bringing Visual Representations of Birds to the Pages26:30 - Jon & Peterson's Guide to Warblers28:34 - Connecticut Warblers that Walk?32:46 - Jon & the AOS Checklist Committee 37:50 - Before We Go39:33 - OutroFor pictures of the Clapper Rail, please checkout the podcast's Instagram: @lookingatbirdspodcastThank you for listening,  I hope you enjoy the holidays and have a happy new year!

For this episode, I recorded interviews with visitors that stopped by my table at the Birders Bazaar of the Rio Grande Valley Birding Festival. In addition to those interviews, a returning guest, Victor Lawrence, spoke with us about the Kookaburra. I hope you enjoy the episode!Chapters00:00 - Intro00:33 - Welcome to the RGVBF01:04 - Janine from Harlingen08:06 - Jessenia from McAllen10:15 - Cathy from Palm View12:55 - Jeff from Edinburgh16:43 - Keri from Port Isabel21:01 - Scottie from Harlingen24:16 - Ivan from Victoria, Mx28:32 - Susan from Harlingen30:46 - Bird of the Episode: Kookaburra w/Victor43:42 - OutroFor pictures of the Kookaburras and some of the other birds discussed this episode, please check out @lookingatbirdspodcast on Instagram.Thank you for listening!

My guest is Genevieve O'Gorman, a bird lover who runs her own Chicken Rescue right here in Tucson, where we are recording this episode, so you might hear a few roosters and hens in the background. She previously volunteered at the Chicken Run Rescue in Minneapolis, Minnesota, where she received her first chicken. She also worked with chickens and other farm animals at the Bluebird Gap Farm in Hampton, Virginia, where among other responsibilities, they made chicken sweaters for those without feathers. If you have any chicken-related questions, you can reach out to Genevieve via her email:  genevieveogorman@gmail.com Chapters00:00 - Intro01:26 - Some of the Birds that Visit the Rescue02:09 - Genevieve's Background with Birds05:44 - Bird of the Episode: Chicken32:06 - How Genevieve Started her Rescue37:48 - Typical day @ The Rescue 43:26 - What Care looks like for Chickens47:37 - Before We Go48:16 - OutroFor pictures of some of the chickens discussed on the podcast, please check out @lookingatbirdspodcast on Instagram. Thank you for listening!

My guest is Robert Gallardo, a California native who moved to Honduras in 1993 for the Peace Corps and then stayed for the tropical birds. He is now considered the country's leading authority on both birds and butterflies. He leads tours for Naturalist Journeys and Fauna Ventures to Panama, Honduras, Costa Rica and Trinidad & Tobago. Robert is the current President of the Pro Nature Honduras Foundation, a small non-profit which promotes nature-based sustainable tourism and environmental education. He is also the co-founder of the Honduran Ornithological Society. He has authored two editions of the "Guide to the Birds of Honduras." Along with his most recent book: "Guide to the Butterflies of Honduras.” For more information on some of the tours Robert leads, you can check out:https://www.naturalistjourneys.com/https://faunaventures.com/For more information about both of his books, you can check out the following article:https://blog.naturalistjourneys.com/2022/07/29/butterfly-guide-book/For pictures of some of the birds discussed in the episode, please check out the podcast's Instagram: @lookingatbirdspodcastChapters00:00 - Intro01:17 - Recent Birding Trip to the Sky Islands02:18 - Birding background05:43 - Memorable Encounter with Snowy Cotingas09:21 - Bird of the Episode: Ocellated Quail20:34 - Guide to the Birds of Honduras (Not a Field Guide)25:45 - Before we Go26:29 - OutroThank you for Listening!

My guest is Peg Abbott, she is the owner and lead guide of Naturalist Journeys, LLC. Peg has been designing, guiding, and organizing natural history tours for more than 35 years; working for the National Audubon Society and other organizations before launching Naturalist Journeys in 1998. Her work has taken her all over the world, from Alaska to Africa and many other locations. She has conducted research on several bird and mammal species and keeps a close interest in Yellowstone and Mexican Wolf reintroduction projects. After 20 years in and around the Yellowstone area, Peg made the move to the wonderful birding location of Portal, AZ, where she currently resides.For more on Naturalist Journeys:Website - https://www.naturalistjourneys.com/Instagram - @naturalistjourneysChapters00:00 - Intro00:34 - Peg's Recent Trip to Bhutan04:08 - Peg's Birding Background05:31- Peg's Earliest Memory of a Bird06:23 - Some of Peg's Memorable Encounters with Birds09:16 - Bird of the Episode: Elegant Trogon28:48 - A Bit about Naturalist Journeys40:40 - Ideas for Picking Your First Birding Trip43:29 - What Keeps Peg Going After so Many Years44:41 - One of Peg's Favorite Domestic Birding Locations48:15 - One Last Thing from Peg and her Next Birding Trip 50:03 - OutroEared Quetzal Call Credit: Derik Bowen, XC567245. Accessible at www.xeno-canto.org/567245.For pictures of some of the birds discussed on the podcast, including the Elegant Trogon, please check out the podcast's Instagram: @lookingatbirdspodcast Thank you for listening!

My guest is Arjan Dwarshuis, an avid birder, professional guide, writer and conservationist. A name you are probably most familiar with for the Guinness World Record he set in 2016, by observing 6852 bird species across 41 countries in a single year. Not too long ago, his book about this big year, The (Big) Year That Flew By, was translated from Dutch into English, and made available to a broader audience. He also hosts his own podcast focused on birdwatching – De Vogelspotcast. Today he's here all the way from the Netherlands, for the Southeast Arizona Birding Festival. For more on Arjan:Check out his website: https://arjandwarshuis.com/Check out his Instagram: @arjandwarshuisCheck out his podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/de-vogelspotcast/id1557876333Credit for Great Bittern Call: Ulf Elman, XC798475. Accessible at www.xeno-canto.org/798475.Credit for American Bittern Call: Harry Lehto, XC233158. Accessible at www.xeno-canto.org/233158.Chapters00:00 - Intro00:34 - Arjan's Recent Birding @ Pena Blanca Lake & Canyon03:43 - How Arjan got into Birding11:36 - Sharing birding with Young People14:10 - Arjan and Rarities16:28 - Birding since the Big Year19:14 - What Arjan goes birding with21:36 - Memorable Encounter with a Bird23:40 - Bird of the Episode: Great Bittern31:22 - Arjan's Recently-translated Book about his Big Year35:38- Arjan's Upcoming Children's Book40:45 - What Arjan is up to This Fall44:04 - OutroFor pictures of some of the birds discussed on the podcast, check out @lookingatbirdspodcast on Instagram.Thank you for listening!

My guest is Phil Chaon,  a life-long naturalist with a background in botany and wildlife biology. Phil has taken field work jobs all over the world and now leads trips for Lindblad Expeditions focused on birds, wildlife and photography. In addition to guiding, Phil works as an audio analyst, training AI systems to categorize bird songs and he also co-authored Habitats of the World and the forthcoming Habitats of North America. For some of Phil's Photography, check out his Instagram @uropsalisFor more on Phil's upcoming expeditions, check out: https://www.expeditions.com/about/expedition-team/philip-chaon/And finally, for pictures of some of the birds discussed on the podcast, check out @lookingatbirdspodcast on Instagram.Chapters00:00 - Intro00:34 - Phil's Recent Field Trip to Saguaro National Park03:46 - Phil's Birding Background 11:53 - Bird of the Episode: Pinyon Jay22:44 - Phil's Field Work - Coffee Farm in Kenya30:00 - Phil's Field Work: El Dorado National Forest w/ California Spotted Owls35:00 - Phil's Field Work: Papua New Guinea w/ White-shouldered Fairy Wrens41:03 - Co-authoring Habitats of the World48:25 - Phil's Next Book49:13 - OutroThank you for listening!

This is my second time at the Southeast Arizona Birding Festival and similar to my other festival episodes, I interviewed birders visiting the Nature Expo. We talked about some of their memorable birding experiences as well as their experience at the festival. Chapters00:00 - Intro00:47 - DJ from Tucson05:48 - Lindsey from Tucson09:27 - Eileen from Green Valley11:51 - Mary Beth from Tucson15:12 - Marta from Tucson18:17 - Kate from North Dakota24:02 - OutroThank you for listening!For pictures of some of the birds discussed on the podcast, please check out @lookingatbirdspodcast on Instagram.

Today my guest is a familiar one, Jeff Babson, you might remember him from a number of previous episodes, namely 7, 16, 22, 23 and 42, all of which I encourage you to check out, if you haven't already listened to them. Jeff is an all-around naturalist who currently works for the Pima County Department of Natural Resources, Parks and Recreation, as the county's Wildlife Viewing Program Specialist. He also runs his own eco-tour and environmental education company, called Sky Island Tours. You will often find Jeff leading walks that focus on birds, insects and plants. Next week, he'll also be leading a trip at the upcoming Southeast Arizona Birding Festival to Cienega Creek. This is the last episode in the series about backyard birds and native plants. This one will be a little different, as Jeff's background is not in horticulture, although he is quite familiar with these plants where they naturally occur in the southwest. For more on the Southeast Arizona Birding Festival, please check out their website:https://tucsonaudubon.org/festival/For some pictures of the Northern Mockingbird, please checkout the podcast's Instagram: @lookingatbirdspodcastChapters00:00 - Intro01:15 - Jeff's Recent Southwest Wings Trip04:04 - Bird of the Episode: Northern Mockingbird18:24 - Native Plant: Desert Hackberry25:21 - Native Plant: Desert Mistletoe32:41- Jeff's Southeast Arizona Birding Festival Experience41:26 - Upcoming Events that Jeff is Involved With43:26 - OutroThank you for listening!

My guest is Frank Mead, an Arizona native who's spent the last 10 years in the horticulture industry. Some of his experiences include working in the Conservation Core, a branch of Americore, where he helped to build trails in national parks and cooperated with fire crews during fire season. While he doesn't have a formal background in birding, his older sister is an avid birder and has taken him along for many birding outings. Conveniently, right before the backyard bird segment began, a nearby Northern Cardinal began calling!I apologize for all the cicadas in the background, as their sounds come and go throughout the episode. Chapters0:00 - Intro00:59 - Some of the Birds that Visit Green Things01:36 - Frank's Background with Birds05:07 - Bird of the Episode: Northern Cardinal8:53 - Native Plant: Desert Ironwood / Olneya Tesota16:11 - Canyon Hackberry / Cletus Reticulate22:22 - Yellow Bells / Tacoma Sans29:33 - About Green Things31:28- About Poinsettias33:08 -  Frank's Role at Green Things34:25 - Upcoming Classes @ Green Things35:43 - OutroFor more about Green Things, please check out:Their website: https://greenthingsaz.com/ Their Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GreenThingsAZTheir Instagram: @greenthingsnursery For pictures of the Northern Cardinal and some of the native plants discussed, please check out the podcast's Instagram: @lookingatbirdspodcastThank you for listening!

Today my guest is Abby Wing, an owner, designer and builder here at Rozet Nursery. Abby spent 17 years in the San Francisco Bay area before moving out here to Tucson, there she pursued formal education, including her California Naturalist Certification, and acquired experience working with a number of gardeners, herbalists and contractors. Here at the nursery, Abby specializes in sustainable design, medicinal and edible plants, rock work, custom pots and gardens for children. She's joining us today for our second episode focused on backyard birds and native plants that might attract them. For more about what's going on at Rozet Nursery, please checkout their Instagram: @rozetnursery For some pictures of the plants we discussed, a few nursery visitors and the Gila Woodpecker, please check out the podcast's Instagram: @lookingatbirdspodcast Chapters00:00 - Intro00:34 - Rozet Nursery Avian Visitors02:59 - Abby's Background with Birds05:49 - Bird of the Episode: Gila Woodpecker11:33 - Native Plants: Saguaro, Blue Palm & Yuccas14:05 - Tip: Water Drainage Test20:02 - Next plant: Brahea Armada / Mexican Blue Palm20:38 - Tip: Deep Watering24:17 - Native Plants = Velvet Mesquite + Blue Palo Verde27:14 - Tip: Planting Proximity29:03 - Tip: Mulching33:15 - Native Plants: Yuccas 34:14 - A bit about Rozet Nursery40:43 - Upcoming events at Rozet Nursery43:03 - OutroThank you for listening!

My guest is Kendall Kroesen, the Community Outreach Coordinator for Mission Garden, who you might remember from Episode 39. With a Ph.D. in Cultural Anthropology he participated in a number of archaeological and conservation projects. In the early 2000s, he left social science and joined the Tucson Audubon society, where he created the Urban Bird Habitat Program and was involved with rural habitat restoration. He's joining us today to kick-off a little summer series focused on backyard birds and native plants that might attract them.  For more about what's going on at Mission Garden, please check out:https://www.missiongarden.org/eventsFor some pictures of some of the birds and plants we discussed during this episode, please checkout the podcast's Instagram: @lookingatbirdspodcast Chapters00:00 - Intro00:34 - Mission Garden Summer Visitors01:57 - Bird of the Episode: Abert's Towhee12:30 - Native Plant Segment: Mid-story Shrubs26:28 - Gardening Tip: Leaf Litter28:23 - Native Plant Habitat Considerations and Structural Diversity31:23 - Upcoming Mission Garden Events34:47 - OutroThank you for listening!

Today my guest is Jennie MacFarland, a returning guest from Episode 6, a nearly life-long Arizonan that loves exploring different habitats in Southeast Arizona. She currently works as a Conservation Biologist for the Tucson Audubon Society and coordinates the Important Bird Areas Program and other bird survey conservation projects. Jennie organizes several large-scale community science efforts in Southeast Arizona each year, including the Elegant Trogon surveys of five Sky Island mountain ranges.This is the second episode of two that focuses on the Tucson Birdathon, through the eyes of a local team, the Wrenagades. This episode, we'll talk about how the Birdathon went this year, getting into the details of the route, some of the highlights and trends. More on the Desert Purple Martin Project (Including some videos of them!)https://tucsonaudubon.org/purplemartin/More information on the 2023 Southeast Arizona Birding Festival (Aug. 9-13, 2023)https://tucsonaudubon.org/festival/Chapters00:00 - Intro00:34 - Recent Elegant Trogon Survey03:26 - 2023 Birdathon Recap18:54 - Trends from the Birdathon20:36 - Things that went well & Things that didn't23:40 - Curve-billed Thrasher in the Background23:47 - Bird of the Episode33:31 - Southeast Arizona Bird Festival34:39 - Desert Purple Martin Request38:03 - OutroThank you for listening!Please checkout the podcast's Instagram - @lookingatbirdspodcast -  for some pictures of some of the birds discussed on the podcast. 

Today my guest is Sara Pike, a birder of 30 years and currently a Tour Manager for WINGS birdwatching Tours, she manages 20+ domestic tours in the US along with Guyana and even a sub-antarctic New Zealand cruise. Before WINGS, Sara worked with the Tucson Audubon for 11 years, where she was involved with retail, operations, marketing and even helped launch the Southeast Arizona Birding Festival. Today, she still volunteers with them and helps with the annual Tucson Bird Count. This is the first episode of two that focuses on the Tucson Birdathon, through the eyes of a local team, the Wrenagades. This episode, we'll talk about what a birdathon it is, and how this team will approach it this year. This episode was recording before the actual birdathon, and the next episode will be with another team member and will be recorded right after the birdathon. Chapters00:00 - Intro0:34 - Recent Birding4:09 - Birding Background6:13 - What is a Birdathon? 9:02 - Memorable Birdathon experience10:48 - The Wrenagades16:21 - Some of their Birdathon Stops20:45 - Some Avian Regulars they Hope to See21:25 - Bird of the Episode: Elf Owl21:57 - Add Elf Owl call30:17 - OutroThank you for listening!Please checkout the podcast's Instagram - @lookingatbirdspodcast -  for some pictures of the Elf Owl and some of the birds that were around Tucson Audubon's Mason Center where this episode was recorded.

My guest is a familiar one, Nic Grant, you might remember him from Episode 20. He is a Marine Science Instructor and Aquarist at the Catalina Island Marine Institute. Although Nic's educational background in the biological sciences might be unrelated to birds, his growing up in Cape May, New Jersey sure is. Birding a variety of habitats throughout the year and witnessing the massive fall migrations, allowed him to build a solid foundation for his interest in birds. Since this is our second time together, the episode will focus less on Nic's birding background and more on the birds here at Catalina Island.Chapters0:00 - Intro0:36 - Nic's Recent Encounter with a Brandt's Cormorant 3:06 - Ways that Birds Adapt to Living on Catalina Island8:59 - Ways that Birds Adapt to Living on Other Islands9:34 - "Rules" that Organisms Follow on Islands13:00 - The Hawaiian Honeycreeper Adaptations15:30 - Possible Future Avian Adaptations on Catalina Island17:07 - San Clemente Spotted Towhee Adaptations20:31 - Island Loggerhead Shrike Adaptations25:40 - Bird of the Episode: Belted Kingfisher39:24 - OutroPlease check out the podcast's Instagram - @lookingatbirdspodcast and thank you for listening!

My guest is Isabelle Zapata, the Learning Center Coordinator at the Free Flight Exotic Bird Sanctuary where we recorded this episode. She leads youth education programs where she enjoys sharing her passion for studying avian behavior and companion parrot husbandry. Outside of her role here, she continues to work with children as a public-school music teacher.You will hear a number of exotic birds in the background and you can look forward to pictures of some of them on the podcast's Instagram - @lookingatbirdspodcast soon.One change that has occurred since the recording of this episode is that the Free Flight Exotic Bird Sanctuary is once again open to the public! Please check out their website for more information - https://www.freeflightbirds.org/ And for more about some of the great things going on there, check out their Instagram - @freeflightbirds.Chapters00:00 - Intro00:57 - What birds might we hear in the background?01:32 - Isabelle's Background with Birds04:27 - Bird of the Episode: Blue and Gold Macaw14:57 - How New Birds Come to Free Flight17:01 - Re-socializing New Birds20:04 - Differences between Staff & Visitors Interacting with Birds21:34 - Importance of Keeping Birds in the Friend Zone24:18 - Things that Contribute to Free Flight being a Good Habitat28:02 - Types and Characteristics of Parrots29:48 - More about the Parrots at Free Flight 33:38 - Info for Potential Adopters41:46 - A Little More about Free Flight43:04 - OutroThank you for listening!

For this episode, similar to my other festival episodes, I interviewed birders visiting the festival. We talked about some of their memorable birding experiences as well as their experience at the festival. The first interviews were recorded indoors and the rest were recorded outdoors. In the background, you will hear an occasional airplane and also some exotic birds from a nearby table run by the Free Flight Bird Sanctuary, that I actually was able to visit on another day and that interview will be the next episode (44). Chapters00:00 - Intro00:43 - David from Greenville, TX05:37 - Luke from Orange County, CA10:18 - Wendy from New Orleans, LA12:52 - David from Nebraska 16:45 - Robert from San Diego, CA20:16 - Felicia from San Diego, CA23:56 - Anitra from San Diego, CA27:24 - Greg from Lynchburg, VA31:25 - Author & Illustrator Margaret Harmon35:35 - OutroThank you for listening!

This is the final part of the 3-part series and focuses on the eggs of our avian friends. My returning guest is Kathe Anderson ( Episode 27), who is a lifelong-learner and sharer, of anything bird-related. She frequently leads field trips in the Phoenix-area and at wildlife festivals across Arizona. She participates in local survey programs and Christmas Bird Counts, along with authoring articles for local Audubon Society newsletters. Kathe also presents at festivals, like the Southeast Arizona Birding Festival, where we first met and she also presented on eggs. Chapters00:00 - Intro01:13 - Recent Bird Count Experience07:36 - Introduction to Avian Eggs08:55 - Parts of an Egg09:51 - The Journey of an Egg14:37 - The Shell15:52 - Egg Shapes17:02 - When Does an Egg Hatch?19:16 - Egg Fragments after Hatching20:24 - Eggs and the Surrounding Environment21:11 - Relationship between Nests and Eggs25:19 - Birds that Lay Eggs in Others' Nests26:29 - Egg Size and Bird Size27:52 - The Egg Rule29:05 - The Phalarope's Eggs32:08 - Brown-headed Cowbirds & Their Many Eggs35:33 - Nest Parasites Outside the US36:49 - Maintaining Egg Temperatures39:02 - Summary of Egg Segment39:33 - Bird of the Episode: Gambel's Quail51:26 - OutroVerde Valley Birding and Nature Festival 2023 https://verderiver.org/birding-festival/For pictures, please check out the Podcast's Instagram: @lookingatbirdspodcastTo look at birds while you listen to the podcast, please check out the Podcast's YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@lookingatbirdsThank you for listening!

This is part 2  of a 3-part series covering avian mating behaviors, their nests and finally their eggs. Today my guest is Karen Vandergrift, who you might remember from Episode 8 and Episode 30. Certified as a Master Naturalist in both California and Arizona, with experience as a docent on Alcatraz Island, at the Arizona Sonora Desert Museum and most recently at the Laboratory of Tree ring research at the University of Arizona. Karen also leads birding field trips for the Tucson Audubon Society. Time Stamps00:00 - Intro01:10 - Karen's Recent Trip to Uruguay04:32 - Introduction to Nests06:55 - Cup Nests17:25 - Spherical Nests24:22 - Ground Nests28:40 - Underground / Burrowing Nests30:45 - Platform Nests33:36 - Cavity Nests39:26 - Floating Nests42:25 - Pendant Nests46:26 - Crevice / Ledge Nests49:10 - "Oddball" Nests53:46 - Bird of the Episode: Rufous Hornero60:54 - OutroFor pictures, please check out the Podcast's Instagram: @lookingatbirdspodcastTo look at birds while you listen to the podcast, please check out the Podcast's YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@lookingatbirdsThank you for listening!

This is part 1 of a 3-part series covering avian mating behaviors, nesting behaviors and finally their eggs. Today my guest is Jeff Babson, you might remember him from a number of other episodes, namely 7, 16, 22 and 23, all of which I encourage you to check out, if you haven't already listened to them. Jeff is an all-around naturalist who currently works for the Pima County Department of Natural Resources, Parks and Recreation, as the county's Wildlife Viewing Program Specialist. He also runs his own eco-tour and environmental education company, called Sky Island Tours. You will often find Jeff leading walks that focus on birds, insects and plants. You can join Jeff on a Bird Walk at El Rio on the 1st Tuesday of every month. Pima County Environmental Education and Interpretive Programshttps://webcms.pima.gov/cms/one.aspx?portalId=169&pageId=32567Southwest Wingshttps://www.swwings.org/Time Stamps00:00 - Intro01:14 - Recent Birding at El Rio02:38 - Spring-time Avian Visitors04:04 - Curve-billed Thrasher in the Background04:21 - Jeff's Time in the Bahamas06:26 - How James Bond got his Name07:19 - Clapper Rails, Key West Quail Doves and White-crowned Pigeons10:53 - Tips for Visiting the Bahamas for Birding12:32 - Book: A Guide to The Birds of the North Andros Island15:04 - Bird of the Episode: Great Lizard Cuckoo25:55 - Focus of the Episode: Avian Mating Behaviors26:07 - Hummingbirds and Promiscuity29:07 - Hermit Hummingbirds are a Little Different31:37 - House Finches and Monogamy33:33 - Tree Swallows and Extra Pair Copulations34:36 - Cooper's hawks and Long-term Pair Bonds38:41 - Harris's Hawks and Cooperative Breeding41:08 - Summary41:46 - Upcoming Birds Walks with Jeff and Southwest Wings 43:03 - OutroPlease check out the podcast's Instagram @lookingatbirdspodcast

My guest is Kendall Kroesen, the Community Outreach Coordinator for Mission Garden. With a Ph.D. in Cultural Anthropology he participated in a number of archaeological and conservation projects. In the early 2000s, he left social science and joined the Tucson Audubon society, where he created the Urban Bird Habitat Program and was involved with rural habitat restoration. These days you are most likely to find him working with plants or looking at birds. Timestamps00:00 - Intro00:29 - Birds this Morning and Recent Birding05:31 - Kendall's Birding Background12:10 - Bird of the Episode: Verdin22:52 - Verdin's Call23:18 - More about Mission Garden28:20 - Upcoming Events at Mission Garden30:48 - How Kendall got into this Role 34:15 - A Typical Day at the Garden39:17 - A Little More about Mission Garden41:53 - OutroCheck out the links below for more on Mission Garden:Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/missiongarden/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/missiongardentucson/Website: https://www.missiongarden.orgAddress: 946 W Mission Ln, Tucson, AZ 85745 Hours: Wednesday to Saturday8am - 2pm (October to March)8am - Noon (April to September)For pictures of some of the birds discussed on the podcast, please check out @lookingatbirdspodcast on Instagram.

My guest is Kristi Dranginis, the founder of Bird Mentor and an avid bird lover who enjoys sharing her love for birds with others. She has banded terns on Great Gull island and  hummingbirds at Mesa Verde National Park. Kristi also presented, and led field trips at, a number of birding festivals. Timestamps00:00 - Intro00:35 - Kristi's Birding Background19:22 - Bird of the Episode: Blue Jay35:48 - Bird Mentor56:52 - OutroTo connect with Kristi and learn more about Bird Mentor, please visit https://birdmentor.comFor pictures of some of the birds discussed on the podcast, please check out @lookingatbirdspodcast on Instagram.

My guest is Tom Brown, owner of Focus on Feathers, an organization that coordinated photography-based birding tours in the past, but now focuses on marketing Tom's photography. He has led birding field trips in Mexico and across the United States. You might have seen some of his photography in various tourism-focused publications and maybe even his weekly column on Ten Thousand Birds, a few years ago. Tom talks about his background in birding, how he got into photography, his year birding around the world and he also shares about the Western Screech Owl.Timestamps00:00 - Intro00:35 - Tom's birding background06:14 - Focus on Feathers07:20 - Birding in Mexico13:00 - Bird of the Episode: Western Screech Owl23:15 - Western Screech Owl call23:54 - Tom's year birding around the world41:44 - OutroFor more about Tom and his photography, please check out: https://www.focusonfeathers.comFor pictures of some of the birds discussed on the podcast, please check out @lookingatbirdspodcast on Instagram. 

My guest is Jen Hajj, the Events and Membership Coordinator for the San Diego Audubon who also coordinates the San Diego Bird Festival which will take place February 22nd - 26th, 2023. She tells us about her background in birding, some of her experiences with the Swainson's Hawk, her music and finally more about the upcoming San Diego Bird Festival. Time Stamps00:34 - Jen's background in birding08:34 - Bird of the Episode: Swainson's Hawk17:08 - San Diego Bird FestivalMore About the San Diego Bird Festival https://www.sandiegoaudubon.org/birding/san-diego-bird-festival/For more about Jen Hajj, you can check out her website - www.jenhajj.comIf you'd like to check out her music, here are a few of her songs:Watching Hawks in Borrego Valley - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qhvY4tNmt7I&t=250sWe Wish You a Merry Christmas Bird Count - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HWAZ31YaIUgThe Raptor Bird Song - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MzLpqzX5ifEIf you happen to be a coordinator of another birding festival, here is a great resource to connect with other coordinators, including Jen - https://www.facebook.com/groups/1827623683997283 As always, if you'd like to see pictures of some of the birds discussed on the podcast, please check out @lookingatbirdspodcast on Instagram.

This is the last episode from my time in the Rio Grande Valley. My guest is Ruth Hoyt, a Texas Master Naturalist and Certified Interpretive Guide who loves photography. I signed up for a bird photography field trip at Laguna Seca and that's how I met Ruth. After a morning of bird photography with Ruth, we decided to record the interview. We recorded it a few hours later in the Birding Bazaar on the last day of the festival - where booths were being dismantled in the background. I apologize for all the noise, but hope you enjoy the interview. For some pictures of the Green Jay, please checkout @lookingatbirdspodcast on Instagram.For more from Ruth (and a look at that picture she mentioned with the oriole) please check out:Website - www.ruthhoyt.comInstagram - @ruthhoytphotoTime Stamps00:35 - Ruth's background with birds13:56 - Bird of the Episode: Green Jay19:51 - Green Jay call20:54 - More about Ruth's work

My guest is Javier De Leon, a Park Superintendent who has been at Estero Llano Grande for the last 8 years and other local nature centers for the last 17 years. He tells us about how get into birding, his role as Park Superintendent, more about the park and also a resident that many come to see - the Common Pauraque. For more on Estero Llano Grande, please check out:Website - https://tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/estero-llano-grande Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/esterollanoTime Stamps01:30 - Javier's Birding Background11:09 - Bird of the Episode: Common Pauraque23:23 - What is the World Birding Center?26:42 - More about Estero Llano Grande35:10 - More about Javier's role as Park SuperintendentFor pictures of some of the birds discussed on the podcast, please check out @lookingatbirdspodcast on Instagram.

My guest is John Brush, the resident Urban Ecologist and Park Naturalist at Quinta Mazatlan in McAllen, Texas. He provides environmental education to visitors and grows native plants to rewild and enhance the park. He tells us about how became interested in birds, got into this role and also shares about the Clay-colored Thrush, a bird that I was fortunate to see on my way out of the park, after the interview. Time Stamps00:35 - John's background in birding.06:18 - Bird of the Episode: Clay-colored Thrush14:48 - More about Quinta MazatlanThis is the second episode that I'm adding chapter markers to, hope some of you find them useful!For pictures of birds discussed on the podcast (and some plants from this episode) please check out @lookingatbirdspodcast on Instagram.

For this episode, I recorded 3 smaller interviews at the Rio Grande Valley Birding Festival, in the Birders Bazaar. My first guest is Victor Lawrence, an educator and falconer, with Wildlife Revealed and Sky Kings Falconry. He tells us a little about falconry and his love for birds. My next guest is Dorian Anderson, a guide, photographer and avid birder who some of you might know for his almost 18,000 mile birding trip by bicycle, across the United States back in 2014. While we don't talk about that, I do ask him a few questions about how he got into birding. My final guest is Sue Griffin, Chair of the Rio Grande Valley Birding Festival and the Education Director of the Arroyo Colorado Audubon Society. She tells us about her birding background, some of the birds people come to the Rio Grande Valley to see, including the bird of the episode - the Great Kiskadee. For more on the festival, please checkout www.rgvbf.org. Time Stamps1:19 - Victor Lawrence11:08 - Dorian Anderson17:33 - Sue Griffin21:27 - Bird of the Episode: The Great Kiskadee25:58 - Info about RGVBFFor pictures of birds discussed on the podcast, please check out @lookingatbirdspodcast on Instagram. 

For this episode, I have two guests: Andrew Core, an avid birder who frequents the El Rio Preserve and Jay Grodman, the Natural Resources Supervisor for the Town of Marana, who will tell us more about the preserve, its origins, and explain the lack of water you might've noticed if you've visited recently. As a result of the this decrease in water, there wasn't as much bird activity in the background, but you will hear a few friends. For more information on the preserve, please check out: https://www.maranaaz.gov/elrioAnd if you'd like to see some pictures of birds discussed on the podcast, please check out @lookingatbirdspodcast on Instagram. I apologize for the one-day delay in the release of this episode, but I just got back from my first visit to the Rio Grande Valley Bird Festival, so I was unable to release it on Sunday like I usually do. In the coming weeks, you can look forward to some great content from the festival and some guests I met around the Rio Grande Valley area. 

My guest is a familiar one, from Episode 8, Karen Vandergrift. This episode, she talks about her ranch in Uruguay, birding around there and the bird of the episode is the Raven. She tells us about the Common Raven and Chihuahuan Raven, while delving into some cultural perceptions of these birds and how those perceptions are connected to actual traits they possess. While cicadas can be heard during portions of this episode, they do quiet down long enough to hear some of the nearby birds. For photos of some of the birds from each episode, please check out @lookingatbirdspodcast on Instagram. 

My guest is Rick Taylor, author of the recently-released Birds of Arizona field guide and one of my favorite pocketable field guides - Birds of Southeastern Arizona. Rick tells us about how he became interested in birds, what went into making this field guide, along with a deeper dive into some of the new features, like the range maps. The bird of the episode is the Eared Quetzal, a bird that he reported the first sighting of, in the United States, 45 years ago, to the day (10/15/77). We go on numerous tangents, discussing a number of different birds. In the background, you'll hear a variety of hummingbirds and the occasional Acorn Woodpecker. For more information on Birds of Arizona, please visit https://www.rwmorse.comFor pictures of some of the birds discussed on the podcast, please visit @lookingatbirdspodcast on Instagram.

My guest is Alyce Bender, a Wildside Nature Tour Leader, Contributing Writer to the Journal of Wildlife Photography and a Tamron Ambassador that has photographed birds all over the world. She talks about birding in Japan, wildlife photography, one of her favorite owls in Arizona - the Western Burrowing Owl and then the bird of the episode: the Whooping Crane. Learn more about Alyce @ https://www.abenderphotography.com Check out her photography on Instagram @abenderphoto

My guest is Kathe Anderson. She frequently leads field trips in the Phoenix-area and at wildlife festivals across the state. She participates in multiple local survey programs and Christmas Bird Counts, along with authoring articles for local Audubon Society newsletters. We talk about some of her experiences on field trips, counts and she tells us about the Rock Pigeon. For some pictures of Rock Pigeons, please checkout the podcast's Instagram - @lookingatbirdspodcastDuring the episode, Kathe references these two books, both great places to learn more about pigeons:A Pocket Guide to Pigeon Watching: Getting to Know the World's Most Misunderstood Bird by Rosemary MoscoPigeons: The Fascinating Saga of the Most Revered and Reviled Bird by Andrew Blechman

My guest is Jeff Ryan, an author, adventurer, photographer and historian, who joins us virtually, all the way from Portland, Maine. He recently released his new book on September 1st – This Land was Saved for You and Me, which we'll talk about during the episode, along with some of his wildlife encounters on the Appalachian Trail and he'll also tell us about the Common Tern.•For more about Jeff, his new book and his other books, please visit his website - www.jeffryanauthor.com Please also check out @lookingatbirdspodcast on Instagram for pictures of some of the birds mentioned in each episode. 

For this episode, I have 8 guests! I tried something a little different and brought my setup to the Nature Expo at the Southeast Arizona Birding Festival. I asked each guest to share  a memorable birding experience and how they got into birding. 

For this episode, my guest is Luke Safford, the Director of Engagement and Education for the Tucson Audubon Society. He coordinates the Southeast Arizona Birding Festival each year, is involved with the Tucson Valley Christmas Bird Count and also leads a number of field trips. Luke tells us about his role at the Tucson Audubon Society, planning the Southeast Arizona Birding Festival, and finally, about a bird commonly seen at the Sweetwater Wetlands: the Common Gallinule. While the cicadas are still out, they weren't as loud this time around. I hope you enjoy the new intro and outro music!If you're in Tucson this weekend, stop by and see me at the Southeast Arizona Birding Festival, I'll be there on Saturday (8/13/22).

This is the conclusion of a 2-part special focusing on avian predators and their prey, in the southwest. This episode focuses on predators, and returning as my guest is Jeff Babson;  as an all-around naturalist, he had plenty to share on the topic of avian predators. Listen in as we talk about predators, their unique tools, and how they adapt to survive and thrive in the hot summer months. The featured bird of this episode is one you might have seen near your home, especially if you have feeders, the opportunistic Cooper's Hawk. You can look forward to the release of the next episode right before the Southeast Arizona Birding Festival!

This is part 1 of a 2-part special focusing on avian predators and their prey, in the southwest. This episode focuses on prey, and returning as my guest is Jeff Babson;  as an all-around naturalist, he had plenty to share on the topic of avian prey. Listen in as we talk about what birds eat and how their prey survive and thrive in the hot summer months. The featured bird of this episode is one you are likely familiar with, the Mourning Dove, and hopefully you learn something new about them, just like I did!

My guest is Daniel Klem Jr., a professor of Biology and Sarkis Acopian Professor of Ornithology and Conservation Biology at Muhlenberg College. After dedicating the last 48 years of his life to avian window collisions, he is widely-recognized as the foremost authority on the subject; he has recently released a book on the topic - Solid Air, The Invisible Killer: Saving Billions of Birds from Windows. Dan tells us about his book, about becoming a professor, some wonderful observations of birds, including the American Woodcock. For more about Dan, please visit his website - danielklemjr.org While you can find his book on Amazon, please support his publisher by purchasing directly from them at - solidairbook.com 

For the 20th episode of the podcast, I traveled to Catalina Island and interviewed Nic Grant, a Marine Science Instructor and Aquarist at the Catalina Island Marine Institute. Nic talks about his experience birding in Cape May, about working in the aviary of the Philadelphia Zoo and also tells us about the Great Blue Heron, a few of which happen to be nesting not far from where we recorded! 

Julian Faughn, from the Raptor Free Flight Program at the Arizona Sonora Desert Museum, joins us to talk about his experiences working with raptors and also tells us about the Harris Hawk. During this episode, you'll hear, frequently, from a nearby Ferruginous Hawk as well as a visiting Common Raven. Pictures of Harris Hawks from the Raptor Free Flight Show can be found on Instagram - @lookingatbirdspodcast

This episode's guest is Amanda Timmerman, the Collection Specialist for the Raptor Free Flight Program at the Arizona Sonora Desert Museum. She'll tell us about working with a variety of raptors, and the bird of the episode, the Black-throated Magpie Jay. Pictures of this beautiful bird will be on Instagram - @lookingatbirdspodcast

For this episode Dan Weisz returns and we talk about Christmas Bird Counts, my participation in one for the first time, as well as one of the birds we saw, the Western Bluebird. Please check out the podcast's Instagram @lookingatbirdspodcast

The podcast returns to the interview format with a familiar guest: Jeff Babson! We talk about the effects of the recent increased rainfall in Southwest Arizona, we also talk about birding this season, with the many new visitors it brings. Jeff tells us all about Wild Turkeys, how their population rebounded and how they might have found their way onto our Thanksgiving dinner tables. Please check out the podcast's Instagram @lookingatbirdspodcast

This is a collection of recommendations from my guests on episodes 2-8, in addition to some recommendations from myself. Recommendations include items that will increase your knowledge of birding, your ability to identify birds and your comfort level. 

This episode is a collection of bird identification tips shared by my guests over the course of the first 8 episodes along with a few tips from myself. For birders looking to pick up their first field guide, I've included a comparison between the West Coast versions of the National Geographic and Sibley field guides. The new content was recorded at a few different locations and if you listen closely, you'll hear some Grey Gnatcatchers, European Starlings and Red-winged Blackbirds.

This episode is a collection of advice for new birders, shared by my guests, from the first 8 episodes along with a few tidbits from myself. 

My guest Brian Nicholas, an avid birder from the Northeast Coast who participates in the Tucson Bird Count and leads birds walks. Brian tells us all about the Historic Canoa Ranch, why you shouldn't approach a Northern Goshawk's nest and the joys of having a backyard bird habitat. As a bonus, around the 30-minute mark, a Brown-crested Flycatcher makes a cameo "appearance."

My guest Julie Michael has an educational background in geography and volunteer experience at Sabino Canyon, the Patton Center for Hummingbirds and leading birding field trips. Julie tells us how the local geography attracts and accommodates a variety of migrant and local birds. She talks about mindfulness while birding, looking for Buff-collared Nightjars and shopping for native plants at a big box store. Julie also tells us about the Curve-billed Thrasher and her grape encounter with one.

This is the 2nd and last episode in Texas where I spoke with Katie Christman, an Educational Specialist at Dogwood Canyon Audubon Center. She tells us about her experiences with the American Kestrel they have on campus along with her desire to help people have positive experiences out in nature.