Bird Banter

The Bird Banter Podcast #177 with Larry Schwitters and Diane Yorgason-Quinn

On this episode Diane Yorgason-Quinn (see Episode #20) and Larry Schwitters talk about their work with Vaux's Swifts and the Vaux Happening Project. Larry got his start in swift research hiking to and looking for Black Swifts at over 100 waterfalls (thing very remote) in Washington State (and Oregon and CA).  From there he helped preserve the Wagner Schoolhouse in Monroe, WA.  From there he continued to start the Vaux Happening Project which documents roosting Vaux's Swifts at many old chimney roosts throughout the western U.S.  and Mexico.  

Enjoy. To learn more check out the associated blog post on BirdBanter.com  

The Bird Banter Podcast #175 with Jacob Miller

On this episode I talk with Jacob Miller, a young Washington birding friend who has just completed his freshman year at Washington State University. Jacob shares his experiences as a first year university student, talks about birding in a new county and part of the state, big days and developing new birding friends, as well as starting a birding club at WSU.  Enjoy.

We talk about Liam Hutcheson's WA big year, hear about it on episode #168. 

To hear more about nocturnal bird calls in Washington, check out Episode #118 with Jim Danzenbaker. 

Read more on the Bird Banter Podcast Blog post. 

Thanks for listening. Until next time, good birding and good day!

The Bird Banter Podcast #174 with Cin-Ty Lee and Andrew Birch

On this episode I talk with the authors of the new identification field guide to Empidonax flycatchers and Pewees as well as the book on Myarchus flycatchers and Kingbirds, Cin-Ty Lee and Andrew Birch. We talk about their longtime birding friendship, their birding stories, and the new books.  

Check out the books at your favorite book resource.  Field Guide to North American Flycatchers: Empidonax and Pewees and Kingbirds and Myiarchus.

Read more and see a book review on the BirdBanter.com blog. 

The Bird Banter Podcast #173 with Mollee Brown

Mollee Brown is my guest on this episode and we talk about her Nighthawk Agency, which provides business solutions for the birding industry.  We also talk about her work as a bird guide, her birding story, and the trip she is leading for Hillstar Nature to the the Chocó region of Colombia that I'll be taking next winter.  

Check out Nighthawk Agency here. The trip to Chocó here, and The Birding Coop here. 

The learn more about the topics discussed see the blog post on BirdBanter.com. 

 

The Bird Banter Podcast #172 with Joshua Covill

On this episode I talk with Josh Covill, a Montana birder who leads birding tours in Montana as well as in Central and South America.  Josh was the guide on my recent trip to the Santa Marta area of Colombia, and is a fabulous birder and really nice guy. Enjoy. 

Find Josh for a Montana Tour at Glacier Birding.

Joshua's page at Hillstar Nature Tours. 

See the blog post on BirdBanter.com for lots more related info and links. 

Thanks for listening. Until next time, good birding and good day!

The Bird Banter Podcast #171 with Courtney Ellis

On this episode I talk with a relative newcomer to birding, Courtney Ellis. Courtney began birding during the pandemic, and has become a birding enthusiast and ambassador.  Check out her podcast The Thing with Feathers, as well as her soon to be released book Looking Up: A Birders Guide to Hope Through Grief.

We talked about my episode #148 with Holly Merker where you can hear about Ornitherapy and the Mindful Birding Network. 

To read more about the things we talked about check out the blog post on BirdBanter.com. 

Thanks for listening. Until next time, good birding and good day!

 

The Bird Banter Podcast #170 with Holly Garrod

On this episode I talk with Holly Garrod, an accomplished birder, bird bander and conservationist about her work on bird banding networks with Birds Caribbean, and about the MOTUS network progress in the Caribbean.  Her energy is fabulous, and her knowledge and expertise wonderful. I think you'll enjoy hearing her story. 

Check out Birds Caribbean here. 

See the Caribbean Birding Trail information here. 

Learn about the MOTUS network and the Caribbean MOTUS systems at these links. 

Here is info on the 2023 Caribbean Global Big Day efforts.  

Read more about Holly and the topics we discussed on the Bird Banter Blog Post. 

Thank for listening.  Until next time, good birding and good day!

The Bird Banter Podcast #169 Ed's Winter Trip

Well, after a long break for a fabulous winter trip, the podcast is back with Ed talking about his trip to Florida, Colombia and Costa Rica. 

The Colombia trip was run by Hillstar Nature Tours and led by Joshus Covill.

The Proaves Organization is worth checking out, and here is their article about the possible new species of antpita. 

To see photos, more detailed narrative, and other cool stuff about the trip check out the Bird Banter blog post about the trip. 

 

The Bird Banter Podcast #168 with Liam Hutcheson

On this episode I talk with Liam Hutcheson, sho just finished his record breaking Washington State big year.  We talk about his big year, highlights, misses and people.  Also about his birding story.  While talking with Liam I marveled at how interconnected our birding community is, and how helpful birders are to each other.  Pervious guests on the show who helped in one way or another with Liam's birding and his big year include:

Bill Tweit episode #8

Shep Thorpe episode #9

Ryan Rodriguez episode #47

Ken Brown #2, Bruce LaBar #3 and I were with Liam on a trip in early 2023 with Jacob Miller to the southeast corner of WA to see winter specialties. 

For more details check out the BirdBanter.com blog post about this episode. 

Until next time, good birding!

The Bird Banter Podcast #167 with Marco Valtriani

Birding is not the first thing many think about when considering a trip to Italy, but as birders, it is always a consideration.  On this episode I talk with Marco Valtriani, a guide with the Birding In Italy group of bird guides.  As you can inagine a lot of their business is taking visitors from the U.S. and other far away countries out for a birding break from their other tourist activities in Italy.  

We talk about where and when to find birds in Italy, how to best use the services of his birding tour group, the hopeful fact that the killing of birds for food has markedly diminished, the natural park system of the country, and lots more.  

I also talk a bit about Christmas Bird Counts, how you can find one, and my experiences with CBCs.  

Thanks for listening. As always, check out the blog associated with this episode on the Bird Banter website.  

Good birding.