The Birding Life Podcast Network

In this episode we highlight a birding event that has been growing into something very special, the Bitou Birding Festival in Plettenberg Bay.

The festival runs from 23 to 30 October and brings together great birding, beautiful habitats, conservation, community and a slightly different way of experiencing birds, summed up perfectly in this year’s theme: Slow Down. Look Up. Reconnect.

My guest today is Stephan van Wyk, the person behind the festival. We’re going to chat about how the festival started, why Bitou is such a special birding area, what makes this event different, and what visitors can look forward to this year.

Visit our online store to get your birding related merchandise at great prices https://www.thebirdinglife.com/online-store

Intro and outro music by Tony ZA https://soundcloud.com/tonyofficialza

Links from show:

Website https://www.bitou.birdingfestival.co.za/

Wildlife photography gives us an incredible opportunity to connect people with the natural world, but where do we draw the line between capturing a moment and interfering with it?

In this special panel discussion, we explore the often complicated subject of wildlife photography ethics across mammals, birds, reptiles and other wildlife.

Joined by Dr Stephanie Klarmann, Devon Kerr and Marik Kilian, we unpack topics including disturbance, handling, call playback, captive wildlife, ethical field practices, permits, research, rescue situations and the growing pressure to create increasingly dramatic content for social media.

Ethics are not always completely black and white. Context matters, species respond differently, and there are legitimate circumstances where intervention or handling may be necessary. But there are also moments when getting the photograph simply should not come first.

This conversation asks an important question for every wildlife photographer and content creator: at what point is the shot no longer worth taking?

The views shared by our panellists reflect their own professional experience and perspectives and are intended to encourage thoughtful, responsible discussion around how we photograph and interact with wildlife.

Visit our online store to get your birding related merchandise at great prices https://www.thebirdinglife.com/online-store

Intro and outro music by Tony ZA https://soundcloud.com/tonyofficialza

Links from show:

Marik Kilian - https://www.instagram.com/wildmarik/

Dr Stephanie Klaarman - https://www.instagram.com/bloodlionsofficial/ & https://www.instagram.com/youthforlions/

Devon Kerr - https://www.instagram.com/zoologic.za/ & https://www.instagram.com/actnaturallyy/

Today's episode is going to be a little bit different. Normally, I have a guest joining me on the podcast, but today I've decided to do something that I've actually been putting off for quite some time, and that is recording a solo episode!

I must admit, I'm a little bit nervous about doing this, so please be kind! But I thought this would be a great opportunity to share something that I'm really passionate about, and that is local birding.

I've written quite a bit about this recently in my Daily Birder articles, but I thought it would be nice to have a bit of a relaxed conversation about it here on the podcast. I want to share some of my own experiences, how my approach to birding my local area has changed over the years, and some of the things I've learned along the way.

Although I'll obviously be drawing on my own experiences as a South African birder, I want to make sure that what we chat about today is useful to birders wherever you are in the world.

And really, the main idea I want to explore today is quite simple. You don't necessarily need to travel further to improve your birding. Sometimes you just need to get to know the places close to home a little bit better.

Visit our online store to get your birding related merchandise at great prices https://www.thebirdinglife.com/online-store

Intro and outro music by Tony ZA https://soundcloud.com/tonyofficialza

Juan van den Heever is a wildlife photographer, birder and conservationist who has made quite a name for himself in the world of wildlife photography. Having been named a runner-up in the prestigious Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition and had one of his photographs featured on the cover of a David Attenborough book, Juan has already achieved some incredible milestones in his career. But his journey doesn’t stop behind the camera!

Juan has recently moved into the world of Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs), taking his passion for the natural world into the field of conservation and environmental management. In this episode of the SnA Youth Birders podcast, we chat about his journey so far, his experiences as a wildlife photographer, and what it’s like to have your work recognised on the international stage. We also explore his move into EIAs and what this career path looks like for young people passionate about the environment. There’s plenty to unpack in this episode, from photography and conservation to finding your place in the world of wildlife — so settle in and enjoy!

Spring Fling Challenge Link: https://www.birdlasser.com/private/events/lyl2026

Socials:

Instagram-

Juan: https://www.instagram.com/juanvandenheever_photography/

SnA Youth Birders: @SA_Youthbirders

Tristan: @tspurway.wildlife

Youtube-

Tristan: https://www.youtube.com/@spurofthewild?sub_confirmation=1

Website-

Tristan: tspurwaywildlife.com

Visit our online store to get your birding related merchandise at great prices https://www.thebirdinglife.com/online-store

Intro and outro music by Tony ZA https://soundcloud.com/tonyofficialza

Links from show:

In this episode of The Birding Life Podcast, I sit down with Barry Forbes for a conversation about sound recording and the way it can completely change how we experience birds.

Rather than a formal interview, this episode is a relaxed discussion about Barry’s journey into birding, how he became interested in recording bird sounds, and what he has learnt along the way.

We chat about how sound recording can improve your ability to recognise and remember bird calls, how it encourages you to slow down in the field, and how it can change the way you approach birding altogether. Barry also shares some of the lessons he learnt during the Big Year of African Sound workshop, including mistakes he was making before, practical recording tips, and some of the things that helped improve his recordings.

We also look at recording with a phone compared with using a dedicated recorder and microphone, Barry’s editing process, some of his favourite recordings, and moments where sound recording has helped him discover something new about a bird.

Of course, we also touch on the Big Year of African Sound and the incredible role it has played in getting more birders across Africa to start recording and contributing bird sounds.

Whether you already record bird sounds or you have only ever thought about giving it a try, this episode is really about learning to listen a little more closely and discovering how much more there is to hear when we are out birding.

Visit our online store to get your birding related merchandise at great prices https://www.thebirdinglife.com/online-store

Intro and outro music by Tony ZA https://soundcloud.com/tonyofficialza

Links from show:

Big Year of African Sound Website http://www.africansounds.org/

Barry's eBird profile https://ebird.org/profile/MzU3MzQ5Ng

Adam's eBird profile https://ebird.org/profile/MzI1MzIzOA

With the chaos of putting together the final bits and pieces for the YWP Exhibition later this month, Gabby found time for a quick catch-up with a familiar face to the Birding Life, Joshua Winter.

It’s been a busy year for Josh too. While there may have been fewer wildlife trips than usual, he’s spent plenty of time in the field, gaining hands-on experience working with wild animals in the Waterberg and on the outskirts of Johannesburg as he continues his journey into veterinary science.

In this episode, Josh shares some of the wildlife work he’s been involved in, what happens behind the scenes when working with wild animals, the experiences that have stood out most, and how getting closer to the practical side of wildlife conservation has changed the way he sees the natural world.

We also catch up on his recent trip to Mapungubwe, talk birding, photography and life in the field, and hear his advice for young people dreaming of following a similar path into veterinary science

Visit our online store to get your birding related merchandise at great prices https://www.thebirdinglife.com/online-store

Intro and outro music by Tony ZA https://soundcloud.com/tonyofficialza

In this week's episode we are going back to a project that we first spoke about right at the beginning of the year, the Big Year of African Sounds.

The idea behind the project is simple, but incredibly important. Africa has some of the most remarkable birdlife in the world, but when it comes to sound recordings, many of our species are still poorly represented in major sound libraries.

So this year, birders across the continent have been encouraged to get out into the field, press record, and help build a much stronger library of African bird sounds.

And a lot has happened since we first spoke about the project.

The number of recordings coming in has been impressive, training events have taken place across the year, including a recent event at Zaagkuilsdrift, and changes to Merlin and eBird have made it much easier for ordinary birders to get their recordings into the system.

But we are not at the end of the year yet.

So today I am joined again by John Kinghorn, Avitourism Manager at BirdLife South Africa, to look at how the Big Year of African Sounds has gone so far, what they have learned, where the gaps still are, and what birders can still do during these final few months of 2026.

Visit our online store to get your birding related merchandise at great prices https://www.thebirdinglife.com/online-store

Intro and outro music by Tony ZA https://soundcloud.com/tonyofficialza

Links from show:

Big Year of African Sound website http://www.africansounds.org/

Tristan is the host of the SnA Youth Birders podcast and forms a core part of the Admin team of the SnA Youth Birders group itself. He is a rising star on the social media front and aims to be a bird show host and a conservation personality one day.

He is an experienced birder with many years under the belt- guiding both privately and for Birdlife South Africa. He is well known for his exceptional bird call ID skills and his love of having a million different hobbies going on at once. Tristan recently visited Uganda and has been sharing some of his stories and posts across his social media-platform. We run through beginner bird call ID, what to expect on the bird front with the crazy El Nino coming and what camera to choose on a budget. There are loads of things he talks about in this episode so be prepared to be entertained.

Spring Fling Challenge Link: https://www.birdlasser.com/private/events/lyl2026

Socials:

Instagram-

Mikeli: @mikeli_bass_photography

SnA Youth Birders: @SA_Youthbirders

Tristan: @tspurway.wildlife

Youtube-

Tristan: https://www.youtube.com/@spurofthewild?sub_confirmation=1

Website-

Tristan: tspurwaywildlife.com

Visit our online store to get your birding related merchandise at great prices

Intro and outro music by Tony ZA https://soundcloud.com/tonyofficialza

If you are a birder from KwaZulu Natal, you will probably know Mount Moreland. During summer, an estimated three million Barn Swallows gather there to roost in the reedbeds, creating one of the great birding spectacles in the province. But Mount Moreland is also an important wetland supporting a much wider range of wildlife.

What makes the story even more interesting is that this enormous concentration of birds sits right next to King Shaka International Airport.

That creates an unusual challenge. How do we better understand the movements of millions of birds around a busy airport, protect those birds, and at the same time reduce the risk of bird strikes?

That is where the King Shaka Bird Radar Project comes in.

My guests today are Matthew Wilkinson, an MSc candidate at the University of KwaZulu Natal, and Dr Cameron Cormac, a postdoctoral researcher at UKZN. Together with the wider research team, they are studying how birds use the airspace around the airport and how technology can help us understand those movements in far greater detail.

The radar can detect bird movement, altitude, size categories, whether birds are moving individually or in flocks, and it stores huge amounts of information that researchers can begin to use to understand patterns over time.

So today we are going to talk about Mount Moreland, Barn Swallows, bird strikes, radar, artificial intelligence, infrastructure, and what this technology could eventually mean not only for King Shaka, but potentially for airports and bird conservation much further afield.

Matthew and Cameron, welcome to The Birding Life Podcast.

Visit our online store to get your birding related merchandise at great prices https://www.thebirdinglife.com/online-store

Intro and outro music by Tony ZA https://soundcloud.com/tonyofficialza

What happens when three young scientists with a shared fascination for the natural world come together? You get ZooLogic ZA.

In this episode, Gabby sits down with Devon, Ross and Strijdom to talk wildlife, science, conservation and the curiosity that keeps pulling them deeper into the natural world. From rhino research and snake handling to insects, butterflies and the stories hidden in the ecosystems around us, the conversation explores their individual journeys as well as what brought ZooLogic together.

It’s a fun, fascinating conversation with three young people proving that science doesn’t have to stay behind laboratory doors. Sometimes it’s muddy, unpredictable, slightly chaotic and right out there in the wild.

Visit our online store to get your birding related merchandise at great prices https://www.thebirdinglife.com/online-store

Intro and outro music by Tony ZA https://soundcloud.com/tonyofficialza

Links from show: