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We’re excited to share our third annual “Gratitude for Birds” special—an episode shaped by the voices and heartfelt reflections of our own community. Through voices from around the world, we explore how practicing gratitude can deepen our mindful birding experiences and support our overall feelings of wellbeing.

We invited our listeners and members of the Mindful Birding Network to share gratitude for birds, and now, we’re delighted to pass the microphone to them. 

You will hear from Dave Edson, Karen , Krista Haenen, Arax Seghman, Ryan, Joy R., George Armistead, Freya McGregor, Susan J. Preston, Pam Zicca, Bruce, and Emily.

Holly Thomas reads Mary Oliver’s poem Red Bird, and for our Joy of Birdsong segment, Holly Merker shares songs of an iconic red bird, the Northern Cardinal 

Intro music: “Inspired by Nature” by PlayAgain
Intro Birdsong & Clips throughout : Western Meadowlark
Outro music: “Inspired by Nature” by PlayAgain
Outro Birdsong: Eastern Meadowlark
Mindful Birding Network Website
Instagram: @mindfulbirdingnetwork
Produced by Co-hosts Holly Merker and Holly Thomas

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There are times when we cannot get outdoors but our wellbeing can surely benefit from the sounds of a natural landscape. Especially so when we can connect to the birds around us by immersing ourselves in the sounds of our own neighborhoods or yards. 

In this episode we sit down with Casey Halverson and Scott Whittle, creators and project leads for Terra, a monitoring device that brings live listening experiences of the outdoors, indoors, as they share how we can use Terra to help birds, and other wildlife, as well as ourselves. 

In our Joy of Birdsong segment, Chris Benesh returns to share a recording of a Stygian Owl, right in time for Halloween. 

Intro music: “Inspired by Nature” by PlayAgain
Intro Birdsong & Clips throughout : Western Meadowlark
Outro music: “Inspired by Nature” by PlayAgain
Outro Birdsong: Eastern Meadowlark
Mindful Birding Network Website
Instagram: @mindfulbirdingnetwork
Produced by Co-hosts Holly Merker and Holly Thomas

[email protected]

In this episode, we spend time chatting about deepening our connections to birds through Mindful Birding experiences and how engaging our senses can enhance our experiences and feelings of connections. 

We cover a variety of subjects, including some key take-aways from a New York Times article published in August that asserts that time spent in nature can boost your attention span. 

In our Joy of Birdsong segment, we showcase the music of a singing Blackburnian Warbler recorded by special guest Wil Hershberger, on behalf of the Schoodic Institute’s Birds of Acadia Sound library. 

Additional links:

Practical Applications of Grounding to Support Health, Glover, K., 2022

Wil Hershberger's Song of Insects 

Seth Benz : https://schoodicinstitute.org/team/seth-benz/

Schoodic Notes Blog: https://schoodicnotes.blog/author/schoodicnotes/

Intro music: “Inspired by Nature” by PlayAgain
Intro Birdsong & Clips throughout : Western Meadowlark
Outro music: “Inspired by Nature” by PlayAgain
Outro Birdsong: Eastern Meadowlark
Mindful Birding Network Website
Instagram: @mindfulbirdingnetwork
Produced by Co-hosts Holly Merker and Holly Thomas

[email protected]

In this 30th episode of the Mindful Birdng Podcast, we bring you Part II of Mindful Birding and Nature Journaling. We chat with Cheryl Fallstead, current president of the Mesilla Valley Audubon in Las Cruces New Mexico and learn the ways in which she personally has come to find joy and personal growth through Nature Journaling, and how this has been incorporated into the programming of Mesilla Valley Audubon. In our conversation, Cheryl talks about the Wild Wonder Foundation and the upcoming virtual conference open to all.

In the Science Segment, Holly Thomas overviews research and papers focusing on the wellness and learning benefits of Nature Journaling centering on these two papers:

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/14729679.2024.2425933

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13504622.2024.2405901

Thanks to all of you who shared feedback from our previous episodes. We invite you to reach out to us if there’s a topic you are interested in hearing more about, or want to share your takeaways from the Mindful Birding Podcast.

Intro music: “Inspired by Nature” by PlayAgain
Intro Birdsong & Clips throughout : Western Meadowlark
Outro music: “Inspired by Nature” by PlayAgain
Outro Birdsong: Eastern Meadowlark
Mindful Birding Network Website
Instagram: @mindfulbirdingnetwork
Produced by Co-hosts Holly Merker and Holly Thomas

[email protected]

In the next two episodes of the Mindful Birding podcast, we’ll be highlighting Nature Journaling as a Mindful Birding practice, sharing how incorporating this style of reflection as a mindfulness tool can enhance our experiences. 

 In this episode, we spend time with the highly creative Maine artist Rebekah Lowell, who is also an award-winning author, birder and avid nature journalist who teaches nature journaling to wide audiences of people. Rebekah is a survivor of domestic who found solace, peace, and joy through birds and nature. In this episode, we learn more about her work, process, and how you can get started with your own nature journaling practice.

In the episode, Rebekah talks about some of her illustrations and paintings, and you can view them on our website here

Holly Thomas reads the poem The Summer Day by American poet, Mary Oliver.

Holly Merker transports us into a soundscape of an eastern forest in July for the Joy of Birdsong.

Links and References from this episode:

Rebekah's Website

Instagram - Rebekah Lowell

FREE "PAINT A YELLOW WARBLER" TUTORIAL by Rebekah Lowell 

WILD WONDER CONFERENCE 

Artist Michael Boardman

Amy Tan's The Backyard Bird Chronicals

Intro music: “Inspired by Nature” by PlayAgain
Intro Birdsong & Clips throughout : Western Meadowlark
Outro music: “Inspired by Nature” by PlayAgain
Outro Birdsong: Eastern Meadowlark
Mindful Birding Network Website
Instagram: @mindfulbirdingnetwork
Produced by Co-hosts Holly Merker and Holly Thomas

[email protected]

In this episode we’re offering something a bit different from our typical podcasts. And this may change when or how you might listen to this episode.

Holly Merker offers an 11 minute forest guided imagery experience, and Holly Thomas offers a 22 minute Yoga Nidra experience with  birds. 

Natural soundscapes and bird soundtracks in this episode recorded by Holly & Holly. Holly Merker shares soundtracks from Acadia National Park in Maine and eastern Pennsylvania, and Holly Thomas shares soundscapes from northern California. 

Intro music: “Inspired by Nature” by PlayAgain
Intro Birdsong & Clips throughout : Western Meadowlark
Outro music: “Inspired by Nature” by PlayAgain
Outro Birdsong: Eastern Meadowlark
Mindful Birding Network Website
Instagram: @mindfulbirdingnetwork
Produced by Co-hosts Holly Merker and Holly Thomas

[email protected]

In this episode, we recap the Nature and Health Conference held in Houston, Texas by the Nature and Health Alliance, and share our takeaways of inspiration, learning, and activation propeling the initiatives of nature -based health initiatives within the frame of Mindful Birding.

We discuss the work of Dr. Nalini Nadkarni, and an international award-winning and inspirational documentary featuring experiences of her life called Between Earth and Sky  

We learned from some inspiring leaders in the field of nature prescriptions and therapeutic outdoor experiences, including (and there are many more!):

Campus Nature Rx Network 

Nature Can Heal

Parks Rx

Dr. Jennifer Roberts

Boyznthewood 

Cj Goulding

Jaime Gonzalez

REI Cooperative Action Fund

Blue Sky Funders Forum

 We refer to these previous podcast episodes: 

Episode 20: Mindful Birding for Mental Health & Self-Compassion: Good Birds, Good Birders, and FOMO : https://www.buzzsprout.com/2148646/episodes/15961485

Episode 9: Prescriptive Nature  https://www.buzzsprout.com/2148646/episodes/13874210

In our "Mindful Birding Nerding" Science Segment, Holly Thomas shares a study examining the power of outdoor MBSR practice, and explores the power of story woven in, posing prompts for you to consider in your own practice.

 For the Joy of Birdsong, Holly Merker shares an audio clip of chorus of the American Robin recorded in Pennsylvania. 

Intro music: “Inspired by Nature” by PlayAgain
Intro Birdsong & Clips throughout : Western Meadowlark
Outro music: “Inspired by Nature” by PlayAgain
Outro Birdsong: Eastern Meadowlark
Mindful Birding Network Website
Instagram: @mindfulbirdingnetwork
Produced by Co-hosts Holly Merker and Holly Thomas

[email protected]

In this episode, we explore the question: if we combine both music created by people with the music of birds, can this amplify the wellness benefits of both of them? 

We interview Diane Arkenstone, an internationally acclaimed musician and bird lover, who shares her music with the world to inspire a soothing meditation and healing, especially in her latest release elevating the songs of birds as her vocalists within. Diane shares how nature and nature's music, healed the heart complications she suffered since childhood, and how birds have been a beacon of healing light throughout her life.

Listen to Diane's latest release during our Joy of Birdsong segment and fill yourself with the meditative power of birdsong. 

 You can learn more about Diane’s work on her website 

And follow her work here:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DianeArkenstoneMusic

Twitter: https://twitter.com/dianearkenstone

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/diane.arkenstone/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@dianearkenstone 

 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/7tACdDgcOW9HHM1Z4T3L29

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/DianearkenstoneMusi

Intro music: “Inspired by Nature” by PlayAgain
Intro Birdsong & Clips throughout : Western Meadowlark
Outro music: “Inspired by Nature” by PlayAgain
Outro Birdsong: Eastern Meadowlark
Mindful Birding Network Website
Instagram: @mindfulbirdingnetwork
Produced by Co-hosts Holly Merker and Holly Thomas

[email protected]

Can Mindful Birding pair with bird photography? In this episode of the Mindful Birding Podcast, we interview photographer, designer, award-winning author, and mindfulness meditation practitioner, Susan Preston, addressing what might be a controversial topic: Is it possible to practice mindfulness through the camera lens? 

We learn more about Susan's inspiration by the birds as they translate through her lens, as she shares about some of the language surrounding bird photography and frustrations encountered. She also reads from her award-winning book Bosque Winter Wings

The Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge in San Antonio offers the backdrop to much of our conversation as well Susan's book and the soundscape to the Joy of Birdsong segment. 

Intro music: “Inspired by Nature” by PlayAgain
Intro Birdsong & Clips throughout : Western Meadowlark
Outro music: “Inspired by Nature” by PlayAgain
Outro Birdsong: Eastern Meadowlark
Mindful Birding Network Website
Instagram: @mindfulbirdingnetwork
Produced by Co-hosts Holly Merker and Holly Thomas

[email protected]

In this episode, we dive into the idea that by leaning into joy through wild birds, we can help offset a negativity bias that researchers suggest we are innately wired towards.  We consider how shifting our attention onto birds may empower change to our mental states and might even alter our brain structures in a positive way. 

 In the Mindful Birding Nerding Science segment, Dr. Holly Thomas shares how generating positive emotions through birding can help offset negative feelings, perhaps recalibrating our negativity bias, and she explores how the work of Dr. Rick Hanson can transcend into Mindful Birding – by noticing positive experiences we have with birds and leaning into them.

 In our Joy of birdsong segment, Holly Thomas shares the sounds of one of her backyard vocalists, a Greater Roadrunner.  

 Looking to find community through Mindful Birding? Check out the Mindful Birding Network's global Events page and join the network

Intro music: “Inspired by Nature” by PlayAgain
Intro Birdsong & Clips throughout : Western Meadowlark
Outro music: “Inspired by Nature” by PlayAgain
Outro Birdsong: Eastern Meadowlark
Mindful Birding Network Website
Instagram: @mindfulbirdingnetwork
Produced by Co-hosts Holly Merker and Holly Thomas