Whether you are testing the Merlin Sound ID app or have mastered the app, got a new recorded, shotgun mic for your phone and have annoyed all your family asking them to be quiet while you record... you might have some burning questions. Like, is sound ID enough to report a bird? Can I get better at recording? What do I do if Merlin gets a bird wrong? In this Minisode, we explore these scenarios and more!

Please remember we would love to hear from you, let us know what you think about the podcast here or which topics you will love -> [email protected]

Listen to the full episode here:

Drew Weber coordinates the Merlin project at the Cornell Lab, as well as some web development for eBird and Macaulay Library. He enjoys expanding Merlin Bird ID to include new regions and new features to help users identify birds, whether it's their first bird or their life list is over 5,000. He has been birding since he was a kid and loves anything with birding and technology, he combines these two things every day. @drewweber on Twitter.

Download Merlin Bird ID App here - > https://merlin.allaboutbirds.org/download/

Learn all about AI-powered Sound ID here
Learn how to record and submit your bird recordings to the Macaulay Library.
Smartphone recording tips. 

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It's a dream come true – there's finally an app for identifying bird sounds. In the next episode of The Warblers podcast, we’ll explore the Merlin Bird ID app’s new Sound ID feature and how artificial intelligence is redefining birding. We talk with Drew Weber and Jody Allair and go deep into the implications and opportunities that this technology will bring for birds, and new as well as experienced birders. 

Drew Weber coordinates the Merlin project at the Cornell Lab, as well as some web development for eBird and Macaulay Library. He enjoys expanding Merlin Bird ID to include new regions and new features to help users identify birds, whether it's their first bird or their life list is over 5,000. He has been birding since he was a kid and loves anything with birding and technology, he combines these two things every day. @drewweber on Twitter.

Jody Allair is an avid birder and naturalist who enjoys sharing his enthusiasm for the natural world. He is the Director of Community Engagement at Birds Canada and has written numerous articles on birds, birding and connecting with nature. You can find him on Twitter and Instagram at @JodyAllair.

Please remember we would love to hear from you, let us know what you think about the podcast here or which topics you will love -> [email protected]

Download Merlin Bird ID App here - > https://merlin.allaboutbirds.org/download/

Learn all about AI powered Sound ID here 
Learn how to record and submit your bird recordings to the Macaulay Library.
Smartphone recording tips. 

Andrea Gress studied Renewable Resource Management at the University of Saskatchewan. She pivoted towards birds, after an internship in South Africa. Upon returning, she worked with Piping Plovers in Saskatchewan and now coordinates the Ontario Piping Plover Conservation Program for Birds Canada. Follow her work at @ontarioplovers

Andrés Jiménez is a Costa Rican wildlife biologist with a keen interest in snakes, frogs, birds and how human relationships are interconnected with the living world. He studied Tropical Biology in Costa Rica and has a Masters in Environmental Problem Solving from York University. He is Birds Canada's Urban Program Coordinator and you can follow him at @andresjimo 

Support the show

We talked to Natasha Barlow a couple of weeks ago about Bird Gardens. she provided bonus information to help you attract specific species, birds you might not know you wanted or could attract to your garden. If you haven't had a chance, check out the full episode.

Full episode: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1784269/8970575

Please remember we would love to hear from you, let us know what you think about the podcast here or which topics you will love -> [email protected]

Natasha Barlow is a biologist living in Ontario and is Birds Canada's Boreal Conservation Project Specialist. She, Gregor Beck, and Kevin Kavanagh, were the creative team behind the creation of www.birdgardens.ca, a web-based tool that will help you help birds by making it easy for you to design and plant a great garden for birds. Connect with her on Twitter and Instagram @nlynnbarlow and @natashalbarlow

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It often feels like we've been engaged in a battle with our lawns; we cut, mow, trim, drown and poison them to achieve that lush poster green look. We believe that yards, birds and landowners will find more happiness with a naturalized space. This paradigm shift will provide an opportunity for enjoyment, reflection and conservation - rather than work and sterile spaces. Many North American bird species are in decline due to habitat loss and degradation, among other global threats. In this episode, Natasha Barlow and Kevin Kavanagh teach you how to do things differently.

Natasha Barlow is a biologist living in Ontario and is Birds Canada's Boreal Conservation Project Specialist. She, Gregor Beck, and Kevin Kavanagh, were the creative team behind the creation of www.birdgardens.ca, a web-based tool that will help you help birds by making it easy for you to design and plant a great garden for birds. Connect with her on Twitter and Instagram @nlynnbarlow and @natashalbarlow

Kevin Kavanagh is a Ecologist and Master Gardener with 40 years of experience in conservation supporting the expansion of protected areas, he is the gardening brains behind www.birdgardens.ca - connect with him on Twitter @scgardens

Start gardening for birds, now with Birds Canada => www.birdgardens.ca
Wild Birds Unlimited is a proud supporter of this initiative.

Please remember we would love to hear from you, let us know what you think about the podcast here or which topics you will love -> [email protected]
                     
Andrea Gress studied Renewable Resource Management at the University of Saskatchewan. She pivoted towards birds, after an internship in South Africa. Upon returning, she worked with Piping Plovers in Saskatchewan and now coordinates the Ontario Piping Plover Conservation Program for Birds Canada. Follow her work at @ontarioplovers

Andrés Jiménez is a Costa Rican wildlife biologist with a keen interest in snakes, frogs, birds and how human relationships are interconnected with the living world. He studied Tropical Biology in Costa Rica and has a Masters in Environmental Problem Solving from York University. He is Birds Canada's Urban Program Coordinator and you can follow him at @andresjimo (edited) 

Support the show

We speak with Julian Victor, a wildlife Filmmaker from Toronto who has worked on projects for National Geographic, as well as with legendary wildlife filmmakers Dereck and Beverly Joubert. He was one of the presenters for the first-ever Black Birders Week in 2020 and currently creates nature segments for Breakfast Television, one of Canada’s most popular TV shows. We explore how he got to be a rising wildlife filmmaking star and the risks of presenting pristine images of nature and birds; highlighting the importance of letting humans creep into bird images and documentaries.

Julian Victor is a wildlife Filmmaker from Toronto. He currently works for Canada’s top morning show Breakfast Television. He is always on the lookout for diverse conservation stories to raise awareness of our natural world and its inhabitants and how to preserve them. Follow him: @jv_wild

 https://www.julianvictor.com/
 
See his work: https://vimeo.com/518875283

Check out The Toronto Bird Celebration 2021 Urban Bird Photography 101 workshop with Ankur Khurana

Review Birds Canada’s blog on ethical photography, TIPS FOR GREAT PHOTOS THAT DO GOOD FOR BIRDS by the young BC photographer Liron Gerstman 

Andrea Gress studied Renewable Resource Management at the University of Saskatchewan. She pivoted towards birds, after an internship in South Africa. Upon returning, she worked with Piping Plovers in Saskatchewan and now coordinates the Ontario Piping Plover Conservation Program for Birds Canada.  Follow her work at @ontarioplovers

Andrés Jiménez is a Costa Rican wildlife biologist with a keen interest in snakes, frogs, birds and how human relationships are interconnected with the living world. He studied Tropical Biology in Costa Rica and has a Masters in Environmental Problem Solving from York University. He is Birds Canada's Urban Program Coordinator and you can follow him at @andresjimo

Support the show

The iconic Canadian snowbird. Find out surprising facts about our beautiful Common Loons (Gavia immer) and how they are faring in Canada. We speak with Kathy Jones and Kristin Bianchini to explore the fascinating and fragile world of the Common Loon and the role volunteer scientists play in our understanding of their complex lives.

Join the Canadian Lake Loon Survey visiting: www.birdscanada.org/loon

More on Loons: https://www.birdscanada.org/fantastic-loons-and-where-to-find-them/

Kathy Jones (link to full bio: Our Staff | Birds Canada | Oiseaux Canada): Kathy is the Coordinator of Birds Canada’s Canadian Lakes Loon Survey, the Volunteer Manager for Ontario Programs and is based out of Port Rowan, ON.

Kristin Bianchini: Kristin Bianchini has a Ph.D. in Toxicology from the University of Saskatchewan. For the past two years, Kristin worked as a Postdoctoral Researcher with Birds Canada, where she completed the research on Common Loons.

Andrea Gress studied Renewable Resource Management at the University of Saskatchewan. She pivoted towards birds, after an internship in South Africa. Upon returning, she worked with Piping Plovers in Saskatchewan and now coordinates the Ontario Piping Plover Conservation Program for Birds Canada.  Follow her work at @ontarioplovers

Andrés Jiménez is a Costa Rican wildlife biologist with a keen interest in snakes, frogs, birds and how human relationships are interconnected with the living world. He studied Tropical Biology in Costa Rica and has a Masters in Environmental Problem Solving from York University. He is Birds Canada's Urban Program Coordinator and you can follow him at @andresjimo

Support the show

"Challenging" - learn more about this understatement in the world of Ferruginous Hawk (Buteo regalis) research with Janet Ng. In our inaugural episode, we explore many angles of this exciting conservation work from the up and down fortunes of this species to the personal toll on an intrepid researcher.

Janet Ng, Ph.D., is a species at risk biologist who has worked on a variety of species and landscapes around Canada. Her work is focused on wildlife-habitat relationships and how human development, climate change, and their combined effects can potentially impact species at risk.

Janet is on Twitter: @janetngbio and LinkdIn.

BirdWatch Canada article:  A hawk-eyed look at a Threatened prairie predator by Janet Ng

Andrea Gress studied Renewable Resource Management at the University of Saskatchewan. She pivoted towards birds, after an internship in South Africa. Upon returning, she worked with Piping Plovers in Saskatchewan and now coordinates the Ontario Piping Plover Conservation Program for Birds Canada.  Follow her work at @ontarioplovers

Andrés Jiménez is a Costa Rican wildlife biologist with a keen interest in snakes, frogs, birds and how human relationships are interconnected with the living world. He studied Tropical Biology in Costa Rica and has a Masters in Environmental Problem Solving from York University. He is Birds Canada's Urban Program Coordinator and you can follow him at @andresjimo

Support the show

The Warblers is brought to you by Birds Canada, it is where bird talk takes flight. In this short introductory episode, you will meet our hosts Andrea Gress and Andres Jimenez. Both have international conservation experience in addition to their current work for Canada's wild birds. Andrea has been travelling across southwestern Ontario monitoring Piping Plover nests to ensure their breeding success. Andres is in the middle of hosting 30 events for the Toronto Bird Celebration connecting people and birds in Toronto and across Canada. Get to know the hosts, find out what to expect, where to find the podcast, and why we need a Birds Canada podcast.