Allerton Park Bird Club Podcast

Nate and Evan sit down with Sparky Stensaas, founder and director of Friends of Sax Zim Bog, to talk about the upcoming Tiny Bird Art Auction.

The auction starts Thursday, January 25th and ends Sunday, January 28th.

The auction can be found at https://saxzim.org/events/2023-tiny-bird-art/

Thank you for supporting the Friends of Sax Zim Bog

Today Evan and Nate sit down a go birding with Andrew Farnsworth. Andrew Farnsworth is currently a Senior Research Associate in the Center for Avian Population Studies at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Andrew began birding at age 5 and quickly developed his long-standing fascinations with bird migration. His current research efforts advance the use and application of rapidly expanding technologies to study bird movements across scales including weather surveillance radar, audio and video recording and monitoring tools, citizen science datasets, and machine learning techniques. Andrew received his BS in Natural Resources from Cornell, MS in Zoology from Clemson University, and PhD in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from Cornell University. He lives in New York, NY with his wife Patricia and two daughters Aja and Elle.

We  begin by discussing birds we are seeing as well as highlights from the Piatt County CBC.

In our attempt to help out the AOC, we throw out new names for Swainson's Warbler.

A majority of this show is spent discussing BirdCast. Andrew has been with BirdCast since the beginning. We discuss its origins, functionality, accuracy and future. Additionally we chat about citizen science datasets, dangers, and responsibility.

https://birdcast.info/

This week with sit down with Colin Dobson to discuss birds, birdings and his new book Field Guide to Hotspots and Birds in Illinois

An avid Illinois birder, Colin has seen over 385 species of birds over the past decade in IL. He has earned 6 Illinois Big Years. Colin recently authored a book about hotspots and birds in Illinois, Field Guide to Hotspots and Birds in Illinois and also co-authored a book about birding in Illinois, A Guide to Finding Birds Along the Illinois River Flyway. He is an experienced bird photographer and has a rare gift for spotting and identifying birds. He recently graduated from the University of Illinois and is now a Master’s Student at Arkansas State University.

Colin has gained significant experience in the past few years by leading other birders on trips to spots throughout Illinois and traveling all over the United States. Those who have participated would unanimously agree that Colin has the knowledge, preparation, and personality to make any trip an engaging and pleasurable experience.

Colin is now offering to share his unique skills and knowledge with others through private guided group and or individual tours to help others see and enjoy all the birds Illinois and beyond has to offer!

We begin the show discussing birds we are seeing and long eared owls. We also throw out ID tips and new name possibilities for the Baird's Sandpiper.

Colin can talk for hours about birds, but we focus today on his record breaking Big Days in 2023 and his new book. We also talk about upcoming tours he will be leading with his birding company Scissortail Adventures.

Colins new book can be found here:
https://www.amazon.com/Field-Guide-Hotspots-Birds-Illinois-ebook/dp/B0C8DHMMWB

Information on the tours Colin will be leading can be found here:
http://www.scissortailadventures.com/

Nate & Evan are glad to be back in the studio! 

In this episode they preview what is to come in 2024. 

Every episode they will be discussing possible names for birds.

They share their travels for 2023 and plans for 2024. 

Join in as they prepare for the best year in birding podcast to come. 

Today, Evan and Nate go birding with Tyler Funk & Bob Dolgan.

Birding patches, or hot spots, often have a specific area that has a name. Montrose has the Magic Hedge. Champaign/Urbana has the Magic Bridge. Out here in rural Illinois we have the Magic Stump.

What is the magic stump? Is it actually magical? Do bird magically appear? Well, kind of.....

Today with sit down with discoverer/founder/head wizard Tyler Funk to discuss the Magic Stump. Where is it located? What species of birds have been seen there? How is the relationship with the landowner?

We are joined by Bob Dolgan to discuss his upcoming feature film about the Magic Stump. You may be familiar with some of Bob's other films about the Chicago Piping Plovers, Monty and Rose. Bob discusses some of his vision for The Magic Stump and its impact as a story. 

Also, we are having out annual fundraiser with Prairie Melody Bird Seed, so a portion of all seed bought from them using our link will help go to support The Allerton Park Birdclub.

Happy listening and Happy Birding

USEFUL LINKS

Prairie Melody Bird Seed fundraiser - https://www.prairiemelodybirdseed.com/fundraising

Magic Stump Trailer - https://vimeo.com/648362113

This Week In Birding - https://www.twibchicago.com/

Monty & Rose Documentary - https://www.montyandrose.net/

Magic Stump Location (approximate) - https://goo.gl/maps/XXq6xHGBT38YZDCn7

Migration, Migration, Migration! 

Today Evan and Nate sit down with the Winter Finch Forecaster Tyler Hoar to discuss what birds might be visiting us this winter from the North.

First, Evan discusses the results of the recent Illinois Big Sit competition. Who knew that a birding competition could be filled with so much friendly competition, rivalry, and a dramatic finish! 

If you remember last year, Tyler gave us an amazing forecast of an irruption year and absolutely nailed it. We have Evening Grosbeaks, Redpolls, and Crossbills all winter here in Illinois. 

Today, Tyler discusses first his methodology that went into this year's forecast. He then explains some of the environmental factors that are affecting the birds migration. Finally he talks finches.

Which finches, if any might make it to Illinois? Could this be a year of the echo flight? 

While the winters may be long, this episode might give you hope of what is to come! 

Nate and Evan sit down with Annette Prince this week to discuss the Chicago Bird Collision Monitors (CBCM) and also the newly passed Bird Safe Buildings Act.

Annette Prince has been involved with CBCM since 2003 and the director since 2005. She guides us through the history and mission of this great group. What does a normal morning look like walking around the downtown area searching for injured or deceased birds? What causes these birds to get drawn into the Chicago area during migration? What happens to the birds? Has a bird ever taken an Uber or Public Transit???

We also discuss the newly passed Bird Safe Buildings Act. What buildings will that affect in Illinois and what changes will need to be made? Does that mean we will have to change all the windows in our house?

We really enjoyed sitting down with Annette and learning about the CBCM organization and how they helped to make Illinois a a safer place for birds.

BIO

Annette Prince has worked on local and national conservation projects as well as wildlife education and rehabilitation programs over the last thirty years. She joined the grass-roots project - Chicago Bird Collision Monitors - eighteen years ago and became its director in 2005 helping to advance its mission to rescue, educate and advocate for the protection of birds impacted by the dangers they face in urban areas. Annette has served on the board of the Chicago Audubon Society for seventeen years.  She heads the Bird Friendly Chicago initiative to promote bird-friendly building design in Chicago.

Annette is an avid bird watcher who has traveled to all 50 states, Canada, Mexico and Central America to enjoy birds and their natural habitats.

Useful Links

www.birdmonitors.net

https://www.facebook.com/ChicagoBirdCollisionMonitors/

Today Nate and Evan sit down with Aerin Tedesco to talk everything BIG (in Evan's Monster Truck announcer voice).

It's the beginning of migration, so we discuss early migrants at the top of the show. What are we seeing currently.

First we discuss Aerin's county big year. Recently Aerin smashed the Champaign County big year record. Not only smashed it, but crushed it in 5 months. We sit down with her and talk about that adventure and see where she is at now. We also take bets on where she will be by the end of 2021.

The second part of the BIG episode, is talking about the Big Sit. The Big Sit is a competition benefiting the Illinois Ornithological society where teams of 5 sit in a 20 foot circle to count as many species of birds as they can. Aerin gives us information how to enter a team and if you can't participate, please feel free to donate.

USEFUL LINKS

If you want to donate to The Spotting Owlympians click here
https://pages.donately.com/illinoisornithologicalsociety/fundraiser/the-spotting-owlympians?fbclid=IwAR3P8Ej8yvcX_dSwaTsDJMVblSpbvVtB6Q5CHg-hEnsrxenAHuuF8sQkdeQ

If you want to enter a team, click here

http://www.illinoisbirds.org/

Nate and Evan head back to the studio for the beginning of season 2 with a spring recap. Life has been busy for them lately, but they are happy to talk birds.

Over the winter Nate played a very elaborate and lengthy prank on Evan. He goes over the harrowing details of this plot.

Evan talks about his trip to Florida and all the amazing birds he saw. 

Then they finish up with talking birds in Illinois. 

Looking forward to another great season of the Allerton Park Bird Club.

Today, Evan & Nate go birding with Erik Bruhnke

Like most birders, Evan and Nate often times discuss what it would be like to not have professional jobs and be able to spend all of our time birding. We wanted to sit down with someone that has taken their passion for birding and made it his career.

We first crossed path with Erik at the Sax Zim Bog trip when he was explaining ID tips for the Hoary Redpoll. His knowledge of birds and bird songs was impressive, to say the least.

Erik sits down with us today to tell us about the life of a bird tour leader. What does it take to become a bird tour leader? Where are the amazing places you get to travel to do your job? What are some of the challenges?

If you have ever thought about taking your birding from a hobby to a career, or are just interested in hearing about the life of a bird tour leader, give this episode a listen.

BIO

Erik Bruhnke has loved birds since he was a child looking at chickadees. He graduated from Northland College in Ashland, WI with a Natural Resources degree in 2008 and taught field ornithology at Northland College for three semesters. For several years after graduating, his springs and summers were spent conducting bird surveys through northern forests, vast prairies, and western mountains. He worked as an interpreter for six fall seasons at Hawk Ridge Bird Observatory in Duluth, Minnesota; counted migrating raptors at the Corpus Christi HawkWatch in Texas in 2015; and was the 2016, 2017, and 2018 hawk counter at the Cape May Hawkwatch in New Jersey. Last fall he worked at the Cape May Hawkwatch as an interpreter, connecting people with the spectacle of migration and raptor identification. Erik’s wildlife photography has won national awards, and his writings have been featured among birding magazines. Erik is a birding tour guide for Victor Emanuel Nature Tours as well as his own business, Naturally Avian. In addition to birding Erik spends his time cooking, baking, and hiking.

Useful Links

www.ventbird.com

www.naturallyavian.com