Bird Banter

The Bird Banter Podcast Episode #51 with Lane Epps and Corrie Fulsom-O'Keefe

Lane Epps and Corrie Fulsom-O’Keefe Episode Podcast notes

On the Bird Banter Podcast Episode #51 I talk with two women who have maintained and nourished a long-time and long-distance birding relationship.  They actually used a recent episode of this podcast to help plan a birding trip to the Lower Rio Grande Valley, and interestingly on that podcast two of my best birding buddies and I talk about our trip.  I hope you enjoy the episode.

Lane works with the Back to Nature Wildlife Refuge, and here is a link to their website.  http://www.btnwildlife.org/

Here is a link to the Brookline Birding Club website  https://www.brooklinebirdclub.org/  This is the club that hosted the bird walk in the Boston Gardens where Land and Corrie first birded together.

Here is a link to the Bombay Hook NWR site mentioned in the episode  https://www.fws.gov/refuge/Bombay_Hook/

Until next time, good birding and good day!

 

The Bird Banter Podcast Episode #50 with Nathanael Swecker

In The Bird Banter Podcast Episode #50 Nathanael Swecker and I talk about his extensive experiences birding on the huge military post in Tacoma, Joint Base Lewis McChord, about his bird banding at the Morse Preserve, his work with the Tahoma Audubon Society where he is serving at the current president, and about his experience as an openly gay birder.  He is an exceptionally engaging and articulate guest, and I think you'll enjoy his story. 

You will find more details about this episode on the associated blog post on BirdBanter.com 

Enjoy. 

 

The Bird Banter Podcast Episode #49: Home from Texas

I got home from Texas this week, the next day chased and found a lingering Siberian Accentor in Cowlitz County for a new Washington State bird to me, and now sit down to reminisce about the trip to the Lower Rio Grande Valley in Texas.  I talk briefly about my time with Ken and Bruce, but mostly about stretching myself, leading a trip of 11 people to the valley, far outside my past trip-leading experience and off my home turf.  It worked out pretty well. I had fun and I think the others did too. We saw some cool birds, new places, and everyone got through it without undue stress or major problems.  
You can read more about the trip on the Birdbanter.com blog, or on the trip report on the ABC Birding Club website.

Thanks for listening.

Good birding. Good day!

The Bird Banter Podcast Episode #48 with Mary Gustafson

I’ve been in the LRGV now for almost 2 weeks, and am starting to feel like I can find my way around. I am also starting to meet some of the local birders, and today was able to meet with Mary Gustafson.  I

learned that Mary and I have at least one thing in common. Ken Brown was helpful to us in our earlier birding days. When Mary was at UPS Ken often took her out locally birding. You can hear Ken's birding story in episode #2. 

Mary is a top national birder, and has lived in the Lower RGV for about 15 years. She has been a trip guide here, has a long resume as an ornithologist working around the country and abroad, and was really fun to meet and talk with today.

She mentions that she worked at the National Bird Banding Center, and here is a link to their website. https://www.usgs.gov/centers/pwrc/science/bird-banding-laboratory?qt-science_center_objects=0#qt-science_center_objects

She mentions Peter Pyle’s two tome book used by bird banders and museum curators for bird ID, aging, etc. Here is a link to that on amazon. https://www.amazon.com/Identification-Guide-North-American-Birds/dp/0961894024  This is part 1, part 2 is easy to find also. 

Here is the web site for the National Butterfly Center. https://www.nationalbutterflycenter.org/

Be sure to check out BirdBanter.com blog for more info, photos, etc. 

Follow @birdbanter on Facebook and  @birdbanter on twitter.  My error on the podcast, I changed my twitter handle from @dredpullen to @birdbanter. 

Good birding.  Good day!

 

The Bird Banter Podcast Episode #47 with Ryan and Victor Rodriguez

On episode #47 I talk with Ryan Rodriguez at his Dad, at the office of his Dad and primary birding chauffeur Victor Rodriguez.  Ryan learned to read at age 4 by studying the Sibley Guide to the Birds of North America for a full summer. He is an avid birder, Young Birder of the Year contest participant, and a wonderful guest on the Bird Banter Podcast. Enjoy. 

Check out the associated Bird Banter Blog Post for more information and photos of and about Ryan. 

Please leave comments, reviews, and contact me on the Bird Banter website contact page if you have suggestions for additional guests or topics. 

Good Birding and Good Day!

The Bird Banter Podcast Episode #46 from South Texas with Ken and Bruce

We record Episode #46 after our 8th consecutive long day of birding in the lower Rio Grande Valley of south Texas, and Ken and Bruce were gracious enough to talk with me about our time here.  To learn more about Ken and Bruce's birding story and our times birding together check out two of my earliest episodes @2 with Ken Brown and #3 with Bruce LaBar.  I think you'll enjoy both of them. 

During this episode we explored much of the valley, and it is far too much for podcast notes to discuss here. Check out the Bird Banter blog at http://birdbanter.com/index.php/category/thebirdbanterpodcastblog/ for a more thourough report. 

Here is a link to the World Birding Center site: http://www.theworldbirdingcenter.com/

Please leave a review and rating on whatever platform you get your podcast feed from, and until next time.

Good birding. Good day!

The Bird Banter Podcast Episode #45 with Annie Meyer

On The Bird Banter Podcast Episode #45 I talk with Annie Meyer. I first met Annie when she was a pre-teen birder, and we talk about her birding story, her birding and research experiences, and conservation issues regarding birds. She has wonderful stories to tell.  I had a great time talking with Annie. Enjoy. 

You can reach out to Annie Meyer @anniemeyer on Facebook on Instagram @Annie_Meyer 

The website for Third Millennium Alliance in Equador, preserving corridors for wildlife is http://tmalliance.org/

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/silent-skies-billions-of-north-american-birds-have-vanished/ Is a link to the Science article we talked about. 

Here is the Third Millenium Facebook page.  https://www.facebook.com/tmalliance/  

We also discussed Land Trusts. Here is a link to the Washington Association of Land Trusts https://walandtrusts.org/

Here is a link to a photo of and info about the bird we discussed, the Hoatzin.  https://neotropical.birds.cornell.edu/Species-Account/nb/species/hoatzi1/overview

Until next time, Good birding.  Good day!

 

The Bird Banter Podcast Episode #44 with Clarice Clark and Jerry Broadus

On The Bird Banter Podcast Episode #44 Clarice Clark and Jerry Broadus, Tacoma area birders and volunteer conservation and ornithology researchers talk about their life experiences in these fields.  They have really walked the walk in terms of putting their efforts, resources and time to further their passion for  helping understand and safe birds and bird habitat.  Here are some links to topics they discussed to learn more.

First here is a link to our ABC Birding Club website and the article on the presentation  by Jerry and Clarice. http://abcbirding.com/saving-hawaiis-birds-june-2019-presentation-by-abcs-intrepid-bird-banders-clarice-clark-and-jerry-broadus/

This is information about the Duck Stamp program and a way to buy yours online. https://www.fws.gov/birds/get-involved/duck-stamp.php

This is the website of the Friends of Willipa Bay who run the festival we talked about on the episode.  https://friendsofwillaparefuge.org/

This is the site of the Nisqually NWR  https://www.fws.gov/refuge/Billy_Frank_Jr_Nisqually/

This is more information about the issues Jerry and Clarice faced in their recent work in Hawaii. https://dlnr.hawaii.gov/blog/2020/01/07/nr20-004/

Last this is the site of Duck’s Unlimited. You know an old and powerful organization when they have a great url like this.  https://www.ducks.org/

Until next time. Good birding. Good day. 

 

The Bird Banter Podcast Episode #43: 2019 the Year in Review

In this episode, after most of 2019 as the inaugural year of The Bird Banter Podcast, with 53 episodes, some brief and unnumbered, I look back at the guests I've talked with, the fun I've had, and feel happy with the year in the rear view mirror.  Enjoy. 

Here are some links to things discussed in this episode:

http://thespeckledhatchback.blogspot.com/  Dorian Anderson's current website and his Biking for the Birds 2014 Big Year Blog http://bikingforbirds.blogspot.com/

You can find Christian Hagenlacher's book and website here: http://www.thebirdingproject.com/falconfreeway

Here is the Alvaro's Adventures Facebook page:  https://www.facebook.com/alvarosadventures

Here is a link to Rob Porters Songbirding Podcast Website:  https://songbirding.com/

Dr. Geoffrey Hill's website has his birding blog and a link to his professional website to learn more about his research on speciation:  https://www.ornithologistsblog.com/

To learn about John Pushcock's Attu tours and other tours check his website here: http://www.zbirdtours.com/

You can find Sharon Stiteler, aka Birdchick here for her podcast: http://www.birdchick.com/

Be sure to check my blog at http://birdbanter.com/index.php/category/thebirdbanterpodcastblog/

were you can find more info about the podcast, blog posts related to most episodes, and more.

Until next time.  Good birding.  Good day!

 

 

 

The Bird Banter Episode #42 with non-birder son Brett from Cambodia

In this episode I talk with my son Brett.  I'm visiting Brett in SE Asia, with visits to Chiang Mai, Thailand, and Phnom Penh, Cambodia.  We talk about his travel and experiences in SE Asia, about birding in these two areas, and have a father-son talk about issues we have observed in these areas.  I hope you enjoy. 

Here is a reference about where the plastic in our oceans comes from.  90% comes from just 10 rivers, 8 of which are in Asia. https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2018/06/90-of-plastic-polluting-our-oceans-comes-from-just-10-rivers/

Here is a reference about bicycle training in Chiang Mai  https://www.tropicalmba.com/chiang-mai-is-a-great-place-for-a-winter-cycling-training-camp/

Thanks for listening, and until next time. Good birding. Good day!