Bird Banter

On The Bird Banter Podcast Episode #35 Dr. Valdez and I talk about her birding story, and especially about her research in the Peruvian Amazon.  Her project in the Madre de Díos (Mother of God) mountains in southeastern Peru is documenting the amazing biodiversity there, working with local youth to provide paying jobs, increase environmental awareness and provide valuable data on the bird and other species diversity there.  A correction to the introduction, CECCOT is in the Tambopata region, not the city of Tambopata. It is near the city of Puerto Maldonado. Volunteer opportunities are available, and you can check them out at the Facebook page of @CECCOT (Centre de Educacíon, Ciencia y Conservacíon Tambopata)  Their website is also very informative.  

My blog post at http://birdbanter.com/index.php/2019/10/14/dr-ursula-valdez-and-the-bird-banter-podcast-episode-35/ has lots more detail and links to issues like illegal gold mining and her falcon research. 

Enjoy.  Good birging.  Good day. 

On The Bird Banter Podcast Episode #34 I talk birding with Brad Waggoner.  Brad is a top Washington birder, and an especially avid Kitsap and Clallam County birder.  He is the chairperson of the Washington Rare Birds committee, and one of the most respected Washington birders. Enjoy.

Here is a link to the Washington Rare Birds committee page on the WOS website:  http://wos.org/records/

Here is a link to Brad’s eBird list from 2 weeks ago when he had 99 species just in the town of Neah Bay:  https://ebird.org/pnw/view/checklist/S60044350 

Brad doesn’t make a profile on eBird public, but snooping around eBird shows his as a leader on these lists on an easy perusal:

Kitsap County, WA   #1 298 species

Clallam County, WA  #4 (really #3) 299 species

Washington State tie for #3 443 species

Be sure to follow @BirdBanter on Facebook, the Bird Banter blog at http://birdbanter.com/

Thanks to Ryan Merrill for the photo of the Blackburnian Warbler used for the thumbnail photo on this episode. This bird was found by Ryan and Brad on a recent trip to Neah Bay. 

Be sure to subscribe to The Bird Banter Podcast so you can find each new episode or any of the prior episodes. 

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!

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!

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. 

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-bird-banter-podcast-episode-5-with-dorian-anderson/id1450449001?i=1000430710312

http://bikingforbirds.blogspot.com/

For bikers planning a road trip here is a link to the "Warm Showers" app John mentions on the episode. 

https://www.warmshowers.org/

Until next time, good birding, and good day!

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!

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!

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.  

Also leave feedback at my facebook page @birdbanterpodcast

Until next time. Good birding. Good day!

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!

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

Until next time.