Back to Birding

By Luke Thompson and Patrick HigginsScience Leisure Hobbies Nature

Back to Birding episodes

January 03, 2025Peter Kaestner's Breathtaking Life of Birding (Shipwrecks? Cannibals?)
Join Patrick and Luke as they fangirl over one of their childhood heroes, Peter Kaestner. Peter holds the world record for having seen the highest number of bird species in the world, with a grand total of over 10,000 (there's only about 11,000!). His birding adventures come with a truckload of unfathomable experiences and achievements, and his life is a testament to the awe-inspiring beauty and complexity of the natural world. Peter’s childlike wonder abounds, even late in life, as he still marvels over each species.
Trophies are not the only thing setting Peter apart, rather, his relentless commitment to conservation, community, and education make him one of a kind. He has contributed to various research projects and conservation efforts, helping to monitor populations and advocate for the protection of endangered species (including the one he discovered!). His enthusiasm is contagious, his knowledge boundless, and his dedication unwavering.
We can't wait to hear what you most enjoyed from this episode. It was an honor, to say the least, to have Peter join us. Thank you for listening!
Reach out for anything at [email protected]
Cundinamarca Antpitta - eBird
Peter Kaestner - eBird
Please leave a rating wherever you're streaming!
1 hr 9 min
December 27, 2024David Hollie on the Lesser Antilles and its endemic birds, Part 2
Join Luke and David as they dive deep into the wonders of Lesser Antillean birds and island life. This episode was recorded prior to the recent split of House Wren, and David provides some incredible insight into the reality of the House Wren "subspecies", as well as his opinions on other splits of Lesser Antillean endemics. David's invaluable photo and audio documentation of these island endemics have been leaned on heavily during the species revision process.
This episode is a hair more fast-paced than usual, so buckle up and enjoy the ride!
Reach out for anything at [email protected]
Meet the Caribbean’s Six New Avian Endemics! – BirdsCaribbean
David Hollie - eBird
Trip Reports: eBird, Cloud Birders
Please leave a rating wherever you're streaming!
51 min
August 20, 2024 David Hollie on the Lesser Antilles and its endemic birds, Part 1
David Hollie discusses endemic birds of the Lesser Antilles after his experiences targeting them in summer of 2o23. Enjoy! Photos by of David Hollie and Luke Thompson (Northern House Wren).
Photo Gallery: Lesser Antilles with David Hollie, Part 1 Photos (Pixieset)
Trip Reports: eBird, Cloud Birders
Feel free to contact us at [email protected]!
1 hr 3 min
July 21, 2024Using heavy metal to catch grouse!! UTAH Pt. 2
Listen in as Patrick describes in detail the remainder of his trip to Utah; diving into the unique oddities of Greater Sage-Grouse research, the inquisitive tactics of Pinyon Jay research, and the extraordinary birds which can be found above tree line. Enjoy!
Reach out with anything at [email protected]
BACK TO BIRDING EPISODE 10 by Back to Birding (pixieset.com)
https://youtu.be/Sh5EOGeP540?si=jHFTjivPk-PPlxz1 Greater Sage-Grouse lek
Please leave a rating wherever you're streaming!
54 min
June 20, 2024 Emergency flight back from Panama?! And UTAH Pt. 1
Join Patrick and Luke for a slightly unconventional episode as they discuss their most recent adventures... some more exhilarating than expected. The first half of the episode dives into Luke's unfortunate emergency flight home from guiding in Panama, and the second half covers the first few birds of Patrick's recent trip to Utah. Part 2 coming promptly. Enjoy!
Reach out with anything at [email protected]
Please leave a rating wherever you're streaming!
59 min
May 16, 2024 Ken Behrens from Naturally Adventurous on birds, travel, and life
In this episode, Luke interviews Ken Behrens from Naturally Adventurous about birding and his experiences traveling the world. Ken is a Tropical Birding guide, Naturally Adventurous co-host, author of multiple books, and ecotourism consultant, among other things. His podcast and website are linked below.
Naturally Adventurous: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/naturally-adventurous/id1525204132
Ken's website:https://www.ken-behrens.com/
As always, feel free to contact us at [email protected].
1 hr 1 min
April 29, 2024 A trip to Maine and a trip to Texas!
Patrick and Luke discuss birds from their recent travels. We apologize for the long hiatus from uploads, we've been busy with exam season. We should be back to our regularly scheduled program now.
Bohemian Waxwing recording by Skyler Bol: https://xeno-canto.org/877076.
Contact us at [email protected]
1 hr 3 min
March 01, 2024 Unforgettable birding during the COLDEST WEEK of winter!
Contact us at [email protected]
Photo gallery: BACK TO BIRDING EPISODE 6 by Back to Birding (pixieset.com)
Luke's Panama tour: https://taralokafoundation.smugmug.com/Birding-in-Panama/n-DBbHWB
Patrick's trip report: https://ebird.org/tripreport/197684
Luke's trip report: https://ebird.org/tripreport/197354
56 min
February 08, 2024 Birding over winter break!
Contact us at [email protected]
Photo gallery: BACK TO BIRDING EPISODE 5 by Back to Birding (pixieset.com)
Luke's Panama tour: https://taralokafoundation.smugmug.com/Birding-in-Panama/n-DBbHWB
59 min
January 05, 2024 Christmas Bird Count success! First county records, weird birds, and much more
Patrick and Luke dive into their most recent birding outings, including amazing experiences with Christmas Bird Counts (CBC's) and their efforts casually birding.
Contact us at [email protected]
Photo gallery: BACK TO BIRDING EPISODE 4 by Back to Birding (pixieset.com)
Luke's Panama tour: https://taralokafoundation.smugmug.com/Birding-in-Panama/n-DBbHWB
48 min