Bird Banter

The Bird Banter Podcast Episode #12 with Michael Carmody

In Episode#12 host Ed Pullen has longtime Mexico and worldwide tour guide and operator Michael Carmody as his guest. Michael is currently leading a Legacy Tours birding trip in Morocco, and Ed along with Bruce Labar from episode #3 are tour participants.  Michael talks about his 30 years of experience as a tour guide and operator in Mexico and around the world.  

Here is a link to the Legacy Tours website where you can check out which of Michael's tours you want to go on next. https://legacy-tours.com/

This is the summary from the Legacy Tours website for the trip to Morocco:

‘A Birder’s Introduction’ enjoys evening stays in Casablanca, Marrakech, Agadir, Atlas Mountains, Sahara Desert, and Anti-Atlas Mountains.  Likely birds include Northern Bald Ibis, Barbary Partridge, Spotted Sandgrouse, Pharaoh Eagle-Owl, Egyptian Nightjar, Levaillant’s Woodpecker, Maghreb Magpie, African Blue Tit, Greater Hoopoe-Lark, Desert Wheatear, Atlas Flycatcher, and Trumpeter Finch.

Look for photos and updates from the tour on my instagram page @dredpullen as well as my facebook page @birdbanterpodcast  

Good Birding. Good day!

The Bird Banter Podcast Episode #11 with Birdchick -Sharon Stitler

In episode #11 the Birdchick, Sharon Stitler is my guest.  Her podcast was the first podcast I ever listened to and she has a really good podcast. She is quite a character as you will see if you visit her web site Birdchick.com

In this episode I try a new segment where I play a birdsong recording from my Sibley app and the guest talks about what they hear.  This is designed not as a "stump the guest" but as an opportunity for birders to discuss how they listen to bird sounds, and what goes into identifying the species making the song or call.  Sharon rocked this part, check it out. 

Leave a review and rating if you are able on your podcast feed location, and if you like check out my blog, Birdbanter.com to find more related details and other birding relate content. I'll post a video of the hormone crazed DUsky Grouse we talked about on this episode on the blog site. 

Birdchick is an expert at digiscoping, where birders take photos through their optics, usually a spotting scope, using a phone camera or other camera.  Here is a link to her YouTube series on digiscoping.  https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLj80lDyA_RDDt_vJIPE40sY0u-wjaGziY

Here is a link to the company web site that makes the PhoneSkope adapter Sharon uses. https://www.phoneskope.com/

Until next time birders. Good birding!  Good day!

 

The Bird Banter Podcast Episode #10 with John Sterling

In The Bird Banter Podcast Episode #10 host Ed Pullen and John Sterling talk about John's remarkable birding career, and especially his recent participation in the Longzhou Bird Race in southern China.  Oh, I neglected to mention that John Sterling is the #1 lister in California, with a remarkable 636 species on eBird.  Enjoy.

Here is a link to Don Roberson's website Who Was Who in California Birding 1965-1989  http://creagrus.home.montereybay.com/CAwhoswho.html

Here is John Sterlings website

www.sterlingbirds.com/about%20SWB.html  It's worth a visit just to see his bird photography.  

He is on Facebook where you can follow his adventures.  

You can read related blog posts at BirdBanter.com

http://birdbanter.com/index.php/blog/

Please subscribe to The Bird Banter Podcast, and give a rating and leave a review whereever you get your podcast feed. 

Until next time, Good Birding!  Good Day!

The Bird Banter Podcast Episode #9 with Shep Thorpe

In The Bird Banter Podcast Episode #9 with Shep Thorpe host Ed Pullen and Shep talk about the upcoming Washington Ornithologic Society Annual Conference in Moses Lake, WA as well as Shep’s involvement with WOS, his weekly birding walks at the Billy Frank NWR, and Shep’s experience as a WOS field trip leader. 

Washington Ornithologic Society Website.  http://wos.org/

WOS 2019 Annual Conference Signup Page  http://wos.org/annual-conference/current-year/                                                                      

Billy Frank Jr. NWR  https://www.fws.gov/refuge/billy_frank_jr_nisqually/

Tahoma Audubon Society  https://www.tahomaaudubon.org/

WA Birder Website  http://www.wabirder.com/

http://abcbirding.com   http://abcbirding.com/

Shep talked about trying to see 300 species in a year in Washington.  Here is a recipe for  seeing 300 species in a year in WA focused around going on most of the ABC Birding field trips plus a few specialty trips.  https://drive.google.com/file/d/1MXjDic4rF2eNbhg33_Y0lJ1WKR_Vj0c5/view

Find me @dredpullen of @birdbanter on Facebook, or @dredpullen on Instagram and Twitter 

Find a blog post with more information on topics discussed on this podcast at BirdBanter.com  http://birdbanter.com  

Be sure to subscribe to The Bird Banter Podcast on iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, or Spotify

Until next time, Good Birding! Good Day!

The Bird Banter Podcast Episode #8 with Bill Tweit

The Bird Banter Podcast Episode #8 with Bill Tweit

In this episode host Ed Pullen talks with Bill Tweit about his birding experiences, especially with Westport Seabirds, and how it came to have the longest continuous database of pelagic seabirds in the world.  Bill is a great birder, first rate scientist, and wonderful story teller.  Enjoy the episode.

Be sure to subscribe to The Bird Banter Podcast on the iTunes store, Google Play Store, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever you get your RSS feeds. 

Leave a ***** rating and a review on the site you get The Bird Banter Podcast, and until next time,  Good birding, and Good Day!

Annotated links to things discussed in the podcast:

On the bird banter website you can see photos from the Westport Seabirds Pelagic Trip discussed in this episode as well as read an account of the trip.  http://birdbanter.com/index.php/2019/03/17/westport-seabirds-pelagic-trip-3-16-2019-a-three-albatross-day/ 

Go to the website of Westport Seabirds to schedule your Washington Pelagic Trip, to look at historical sightings or to learn about pelagic birding off the Washington coast.    http://westportseabirds.com/

Here is a place to look at the undersea topography off Gray’s Harbor, WA, i.e. Gray’s Canyon and the continental shelf areas discussed by Bill in the podcast.  Map of the ocean floor off WA coast  https://deepseacoraldata.noaa.gov/habitat-reports/grays-canyon

This site discussed the current population and population trends for Short-tailed Albatross  Current data on STAL population  https://abcbirds.org/bird/short-tailed-albatross/

Here is information about the AIS tracking system for boats at sea.   https://www.navcen.uscg.gov/?pageName=aismain 

Here is a site talking about techniques for setting long lines to reduce albatross entrapment  https://wsg.washington.edu/award-winning-researchers-find-methods-to-reduce-seabird-bycatch-in-west-coast-longline-fisheries/

Photo of adult with golden nape plumage Bill talks about on the podcast:   https://www.fws.gov/oregonfwo/articles.cfm?id=149489452

A link to an online version of the 1909 Status of Washington Birds by Dawson & Bowles  https://www.gutenberg.org/files/46764/46764-h/46764-h.htm

https://www.gutenberg.org/files/46764/46764-h/46764-h.htm 

Here is a link to the ABC Birding Club website, the group mentioned by Bill and Ed near the end of the episode.  Ed is the webmaster of the site.  http://abcbirding.com

Check out the blog post with photos from the pelagic trip discussed here:  http://birdbanter.com/index.php/2019/03/17/westport-seabirds-pelagic-trip-3-16-2019-a-three-albatross-day/

The Bird Banter Podast Episode #7 with Ben Lizdas

Podcast Notes TBBP #7

In this episode The Bird Banter Podcast host Ed Pullen has Ben Lizdas, world renowned expert on birding optics, and a well known and avid birder as the guest.  Listeners should learn lots about optics and enjoy the bird banter.

Find additional information at the Bird Banter Website http://birdbanter.com

Find Ed Pullen @dredpullen on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter

Find Ben Lizdas @RedstartBirding or @ben.lizdas on Facebook or at the Redstart Birding website https://redstartbirding.com/

Birding Festivals mentioned on today’s episode:

San Diego Bird Festival https://www.sandiegoaudubon.org/events/bird-festival

Space Coast Birding and Wildlife Festival https://scbwf.org/

Rio Grand Bird Festival https://www.rgvbf.org/

Katchemac Bay Shorebird Festival, Homer, Alaska http://kachemakshorebird.org/

New River Birding and Nature Festival, Fayetteville County, West Virginia  https://www.birding-wv.com/

Champions of the Flyway Festival in Israel  http://www.champions-of-the-flyway.com/

 

 

 

The Bird Banter Podcast Episode #6 Ed Takes Ken Birding

In this episode The Bird Banter Host Ed Pullen discusses a recent birding trip to Southern California, where he takes his mentor and longtime birding friend Ken Brown (guest on The Bird Banter Podcast Episode #2) to try to find Ken some SoCal ABA lifers. 

Follow The Bird Banter Podcast on the iTunes Store.  Here is a link to Episode #2 with Ken Brown who I went on the birding trip that is the topic of todays episode. https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-bird-banter-podcast-episode-2-with-ken-brown/id1450449001?i=1000429362011&mt=2

Follow @dredpullen on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.  Check out The Bird Banter website http://birdbanter.com

Link to the National Audubon Society Page about the Salton Sea  https://www.audubon.org/important-bird-areas/salton-sea

Link to a Bird Watcher’s Digest article on birding Anza Borrego Desert State Park https://www.birdwatchersdigest.com/bwdsite/explore/regions/southwest/california/anza-borrego-desert-state-park-california.php

Link to the recent San Diego Birding Festival webpage  http://www.cvent.com/events/san-diego-bird-festival/event-summary-f13df7d70cc2428a84786ad5d7bc6a6b.aspx

An article about the Bolsa Chica Wetlands birding   https://www.allaboutbirds.org/birds-in-the-burbs-bolsa-chica-ecological-reserve/

Link by Sea and Sage Audubon discussing the San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary.  http://www.seaandsageaudubon.org/BirdInfo/birdinfoparksoc.htm

Correction:  The Lehman mentioned in the podcast as being at the San Diego Pelagic as a leader should be Paul Lehnam, not John Lehman.  My appologies for the mistake. 

Good birding.  Good day. 

The Bird Banter Podcast Episode #5 with Dorian Anderson

In episode #5 my guest Dorian Anderson discushis ses his Biking for the Birds 2014 Big Year, as well as his birding life before and after the big year.  He is a fascinating person, and a great podcast guest.  Enjoy.  

Follow The Bird Banter Podcast on the iTunes Podcast store, Google Play, Stitcher, Spotify or on my website http:/birdbanter.com where you can watch directly.

Here are links to resources mentioned in the podcast

^{Link to Biking for the Birds  http://bikingforbirds.blogspot.com/}

^{Dorian Anderson Photography  http://bikingforbirds.blogspot.com/}

^{Dorian’s current blog:  http://thespeckledhatchback.blogspot.com/}

^{The tour company Dorian is working with http://alvarosadventures.com} 

^{The National Audubon Society program to develop local birding guides in developing countries  https://www.audubon.org/news/audubon-trained-tour-guides-and-community-science}

^{Bio of Dorian’s early years birding mentor Robert Ridgely  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_S._Ridgely} 

^{The Route of Dorian’s Big Year from his blog site, see the details at his Biking for the Birds blog site link above.}  

 

^{Thanks for listening.  Good birding.  Good day.} 

The Bird Banter Podast Episode #4 with Christian Hagenlocher

Episode #4 of The Bird Banter Podcast with Christian Hagenlocher

Christian Hagenlocher is well known in the birding community after his 2016 ABA Big Year where, documented on his blog at The Birding Project http://www.thebirdingproject.com/

Christian has a book coming out in May 2019 at The Biggest Week in Birding Festival at Magee Marsh, where he is speaking and will be a trip leader.  

I think you'll find his birding story fascinating and enjoyable. Please leave a review and rating on your favorite podcast feed site. 

You can find The Bird Banter Podcast on the iTunes Store https://birdbanter.podbean.com/feed.xml

or at Google Play, Spotify, or Stitcher.

Follow @birdbanter on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/Bird-Banter-2335327946695629

@dredpullen on twitter

@dredpullen on instagram

Links to sites mentioned in the today's podcst

The Birding Project   http://www.thebirdingproject.com/

John Weigel's 2019 ABA Big Year Blog  https://birdingyear.com

2019 Attu Birding Tour  http://www.zbirdtours.com/attu-alaska-spring-migration-may-22-june-8-2019/

Mountains to Sea Birding for Teens  http://hogisland.audubon.org/programs/mountains-sea-birding-teens

Biking for Birds - Blog about Dorian Anderson's biking big year.  http://bikingforbirds.blogspot.com/

Olaf Danielson's Big Year (2016) Blog  http://olafsbigyear.blogspot.com/

Sorry to any expecting to hear about my Kenya Trip with James Bradley, as that interview fell through at the last minute. Maybe another time. 

See you soon with another episode.  Good birding.  Good day. 

 

The Bird Banter Podcast #3 with Bruce LaBar

The Bird Banter Podcast Episode #3 with Bruce LaBar

In this episode I talk with Bruce LaBar.  Bruce has the #1 lifelist of bird species seen in Washington State at 452 and in Pierce County 285. Lest you think Bruce is easing off he is currently the #1 eBird lister in both areas for 2019 too! 

You can find Bruce LaBar on facebook @brucelabar or Instagram @tacomabruce

Links to resources mentioned in the podcast.

Westport Seabirds is the longest running database of pelagic trip sightings in the world.  Bruce is a regular spotter on these trips. 

Bruce is at the spotting scope in this 1982 photo from Dan Roberson's Website on the history of California Birding.  

Shearwater Journeys is Debbie Love Shearwater's Pelagic Birding Company that runs out of Monterey Bay and other northern California ports.  I believe she may be stopping leading these trips soon if not already. 

Follow:

Bird Banter on Facebook

Instagram @dredpullen

Twitter @dredpullen

and subscribe to The Bird Banter Podcast on the iTunes store, Google Play, Stitcher or Spotify.  

Be sure to listen next episode to hear James Bradley's story. It will be good, so be sure to subscribe so you don't miss it.  Until next time, good birding!