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Bird Watchers, Birders, Nature Lovers should hear the Bird Banter Podcast. Hear Birders talk about birdwatching, or birding for the more passionate. Hear their birding stories, about bird watching experiences, about birding research, birding travel, and birdwatching anecdotes. It’s fun, conversational and tries to be a birding ambassador to improve the world one birder at a time.
Episodes
Wednesday Sep 25, 2019
Wednesday Sep 25, 2019
In this episode I talk with Mike Resch about his quest to see at least half of the species of bird on the state checklist of each of the lower 48 states plus the District of Columbia. A daunting task, and he is nearly there. A wild story. Check it out. Note the thumbnail of this episode is a screenshot of the state lists diagram on Mike Resch's eBird profile. Note all the red and orange!
Here is a link to Mike's blog: http://statebirding.blogspot.com/
Here is a link to Blair Bernson's blog, the mutual friend of Mike and me who is on a different 50-state quest. https://blairbirding.com/ Be sure to check out episode #18 with Blair Bernson.
Be sure to look for more information on the Bird Banter website: http://birdbanter.com/index.php/blog/
Until next time, Good birding. Good day!
Wednesday Sep 11, 2019
Wednesday Sep 11, 2019
In this episode I looked back at the first 10 episodes of The Bird Banter Podcast. I've learned a lot, had fun, and think I've gotten better at many aspects of hosting this podcast. I've certainly had fun, talked with birders I's never have met without the podcast, and have had generlly positive feedback. Please leave a rating and comments on this episode and about the podcast in general either on the Apple Podcast store, Spotify, Stitchder or whereever you get your podcast feeds. Alternatively check out Bird Banter on Facebook or Twitter, or go to my blog at http://birdbanter.com/index.php/blog/ where you can leave comments.
Some of my best birding buddies and coolest guests were on the first 10 episodes, and I tried to take parts I think you'll enjoy as hte basis of this episode.
Good birding and good day!
Tuesday Sep 03, 2019
Tuesday Sep 03, 2019
On this episode I talk with John Patten Moss, a young birder from Georgia, who is also a unicycle enthusiast. John plans to do a big year in 2020, all while human powered and traveling on his touring UNICYCLE! Unbelievable? Listen and hear about his plans, his birding story and more.
Here is a link to his website where he plans to have a blog chronicaling his trip and his big year.
https://2020thevision.blogspot.com/
If this sounds somewhat like Dorian Anderson's 2014 Biking for Birds big year, listen to hear some of the unique challenges facing a unicyclist on the road. Here is a link to The Bird Banter Podcast Episode #5 with Dorian Anderson where we talk about his big year, and below that a link to Dorian's blog about that year.
http://bikingforbirds.blogspot.com/
For bikers planning a road trip here is a link to the "Warm Showers" app John mentions on the episode.
Until next time, good birding, and good day!
Wednesday Aug 28, 2019
Wednesday Aug 28, 2019
In The Bird Banter Podcast Episode #30 with Peter Wimberger we meet on site at the Slater Museum of Natural History at the University of Puget Sound. This was a new experience for me, getting out of my studio and doing a recording at the site we are discussing. It led to good inspiration and energy and I hope you find it enjoyable.
The Slater Museum has a website linked here where you can look at many of the specimens as photographs, and the Slater Museum Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/SlaterMuseum/ has information on all of their events.
I discuss in the introduction the new book Oceanic Birds of the World a Photo Guide by Howell and Zufelt. You can find it at https://smile.amazon.com/Oceanic-Birds-World-Photo-Guide-ebook/dp/B07V7ZSYLR/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2S34OP03KW0IB&keywords=oceanic+birds+of+the+world+a+photo+guide&qid=1567025183&s=gateway&sprefix=oceanic+birds+of+the+world%2Caps%2C217&sr=8-1
Be sure to check out my blog post about this episode at Birdbanter.com
I'll also have additional photos and information on the Bird Banter Facebook page.
Until next time. Good Birding. Good day!
Tuesday Aug 20, 2019
Tuesday Aug 20, 2019
In this episode Christian and I talk about his recent trip to Attu, the eastern most island off Alaska that is still a part of the U.S. and therefore the American Birding Association Area, as well as his recent guiding experience and his time at the Hog Island National Audubon Camp as a counselor. He also talks about the process of writing his soon-to-be-released book Falcon Freeway.
You can buy his new book at http://www.thebirdingproject.com/falconfreeway Hurry to get a signed copy by preordering now.
Here is info about the Hog Island NAS camp. https://hogisland.audubon.org/
Read more at the Bird Banter Blog. http://birdbanter.com/index.php/blog/
Good birding. Good day!
Wednesday Aug 14, 2019
Wednesday Aug 14, 2019
In this episode I go solo, and talk about things I'm learning as I take the Cornell University online course: Ornithology: Comprehensive Bird Biology. You can find about it here: https://academy.allaboutbirds.org
I talk about bird anatomy and physiology, and try to focus on aspects of their structure and function that I find especially interesting.
Check out the accompanying blog post at http://birdbanter.com/index.php/blog/
Also leave feedback at my facebook page @birdbanterpodcast
Until next time. Good birding. Good day!
Tuesday Aug 06, 2019
Tuesday Aug 06, 2019
In this episode I talk with the McQuades, a birding couple who are on their 5th consecutive big year in the lower 48 states, and this is their 4th consecutive year of >600 species in the lower 48. We talk about their birding stories, birding as a couple, birding while working full time, birding on what they call the last ABA birding frontier, the Gulf of Mexico, where they bird at speeds of >50 mph using radar to find the widespread birds, and how social media has enhanced their efforts and experiences.
Check out my post on birdbanter.com where I will leave more detailed information, but here are a few links about topics discussed.
https://www.facebook.com/david.mcquade.96
https://www.facebook.com/david.mcquade.96
Dorian Anderson's blog from his bicycle big year. http://bikingforbirds.blogspot.com/
Christian Hagenlocher's The Birding Project page: http://www.thebirdingproject.
Laura Keene's blog site https://birdtherock.com/tag/laura-keene/
Blair Bernson's blog with details of many of his 50 state saga: https://blairbirding.com
Olaf Danielson's Big Year Blog: http://olafsbigyear.blogspot.com/
John Weigel's 2019 Big Year blog https://birdingyear.com/back-in-the-game/
Good Birding and Good Day!
Tuesday Jul 30, 2019
Tuesday Jul 30, 2019
In Episode #26 my guest Tim Larson makes a strong case for the use of poison to eradicate mice from the Farallone Islands off the coast of California. Rodent infestation of bird breeding islands is a huge issue. Seabirds are facing incredible pressure on their populations from overfishing, global warming, and other issues without solutions that have been proven to work. Rodent eradication can work, but is controversial because of the use of poisons with short-term effects on other animals than the intended rodents. Still Tim makes a case that their use is effective, proven and more humane than allowing them to continue to prey on birds who evolved to breed on islands where there were no mammalian predators. I hope you find the episode informative. Please leave a review or leave additional comments on the BirdBanter blog post related to the episode.
Here is a link to the Facebook page about the project. https://www.facebook.com/Farallones-House-Mouse-Eradication-Project-534040270353530/?modal=admin_todo_tour
Here is a link to an article about the successful project on the island where Tim worked and mentioned early in the episode. https://blog.nature.org/science/2015/12/15/miracle-palmyra-rats-birds-recovery-restoration-invasive-species-hawaii-nature-wildlife/?fbclid=IwAR0iIyQeuskChvJiokAEw9B7ImDNAZvJIidVbOBto8_DAYkl1zj8kXTEoQ4
Here is a link to a video about rodent eradication. https://www.nbcnews.com/feature/on-assignment/assignment-paradise-lost-found-n572216?fbclid=IwAR1FoCNxOaSVDxpGPAv1U2jZXWCa2fTiChaP7k740Bpcp-9RsN9Uy_Muv_M
Here is the mailing address of NOAA Tim mentioned as a place to send letters in support of the project.
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
1401 Constitution Avenue NW, Room 5128
Washington, DC 20230
Until next time.
Good birding. Good day!
Tuesday Jul 23, 2019
Tuesday Jul 23, 2019
In The Bird Banter Podcast Episode #25 with Dr. John Fitchen we talk about the simlarities in our early lives, and then get into John's birding story. He started later than some birders, but when he got going, he hit is hard. Attu, a record breaking county big year, and now a memoir. Enjoy.
You can buy Dr. Fitchen's book Life through the lens of a Doctor-Birder: A Memoir on Amazon, or on you can get a 10% discount at this link using the code "banter": https://aerbook.com/store/fitchen
We talked a bit about the role of military physicians in early American ornithology, and you can read about this online at
https://www.jstor.org/stable/44442753?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents
Be sure to check out the blog post enhancing this episode at http://birdbanter.com/index.php/blog
Until next time. Good birding. Good day!
Wednesday Jul 17, 2019
Wednesday Jul 17, 2019
On The Bird Banter Podcast Episode #24 Ed and Nick talk about Nick's recent Alaska trip, his 2019 "self-found" or "no chase" Connecticut big year where he is doing a big year where he does not chase birds found by others, rather looks for his own bird sightings. We also talk about his role in leading trips for the Connecticut Audubon, including an upcoming trip to sub-Saharan Africa, using NEXRAD to monitor migration, and of course his birding story.
Nick has a blog, Shorebirder.com https://www.shorebirder.com/
Here is a link to a resource for pelagic trips out of Cape Cod. https://www.brooklinebirdclub.org/pelagic-trips-2/
Here is a link to the eBird primer on using radar to follow migration. https://ebird.org/news/radar
Here is the site Nick recommends for access to radar data http://weather.rap.ucar.edu/radar/
-Nick suggests the following settings.