Learn about Yellow-faced Honeyeater migrations through the Blue Mountains and beyond, with experienced birdwatcher Carol Probets.

Carol Probets’ 25-year career as a birding guide began in 1994 when she decided to turn her passion into a job teaching beginners birdwatching classes. Since then she has introduced hundreds of people to birdwatching and guided countless Australian and international birders around the Blue Mountains, Capertee Valley and throughout NSW. Now semi-retired, she works freelance doing bird surveys and still can’t believe her luck getting paid to go birding. Carol is also a past President and current Vice-President of Blue Mountains Bird Observers and co-ordinates the annual honeyeater migration counts. Apart from birds, she is interested in all aspects of natural history and loves bushwalking, photography and good coffee.

Links:

* Carol on Twitter - @carolprobets

* Carol’s blog - lyreades.wordpress.com

* Blue Mountains Bird Observers - bmbo.org.au

* Birdlife Australia - Yellow-faced Honeyeater - www.birdlife.org.au/bird-profile/yellow-faced-honeyeater

Let's connect:

* Website - weekendbirder.com

* Instagram - @weekend.birder

* Facebook - @weekend.birder

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Discover the shorebirds that live on Australian beaches, such as the Red-capped Plover. Dr Kristal Kostaglou shares her research, including how parents communicate with their chicks.

Dr Kristal Kostaglou is a birdwatcher and environmental scientist. She is passionate about filling knowledge gaps to improve the conservation of Australian animals and their habitats. Kristal completed her Bachelor of Environmental Science (Wildlife and Conservation Biology) at Deakin University. She then went on to complete an Honours and PhD in the novel phenomenon of shorebird embryonic vocalisations… or in other words, chicks calling from within the egg before they hatch.

Links:

* Kristal on Twitter - @_Kristal_K

* Kristal on LinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/kristal-kostoglou

* ABC News - Bar-tailed godwit flies 13,500km from Alaska to Tasmania - www.abc.net.au/news/2022-10-27/bar-tailed-godwit-breaking-world-record-longest-nonstop-flight/10158374801583748

* Birdlife Australia - Shorebirds Resources - https://birdlife.org.au/projects/shorebirds/counter-resources

* Museums Victoria - National Field Guide apps - https://museumsvictoria.com.au/apps/national-field-guide-apps/ 

Let's connect:

* Website - weekendbirder.com

* Instagram - @weekend.birder

* Facebook - @weekend.birder

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Learn more about wetland birds and how to birdwatch in this type of environment. Peter Murphy also shares his love of the Edithvale-Seaford Wetlands in Melbourne.

Peter Murphy was born and bred on the Mornington Peninsula. While he always had a love of animals and nature, his passion for birdwatching is quite new. Peter has a special affection for Edithvale-Seaford Wetlands. He is here to share his knowledge about birdwatching in this part of the world and how volunteering can help you level up your skills.

Links:

* Friends of Edithvale-Seaford Wetlands website - edithvale-seaford-wetlands.org

* Friends of Edithvale-Seaford Wetlands on Facebook - @edithvaleseafordwetlands

* Birdlife Australia - Branches and Special Interest Groups - birdlife.org.au/who-we-are/branches-and-locations

Let's connect:

* Website - weekendbirder.com

* Instagram - @weekend.birder

* Facebook - @weekend.birder

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Explore Sydney through birdwatching and art. Amy and Stephanie from the Sydney Bird Club are here to chat about their favourite birdwatching places, including the Centennial Parklands.

Sydney Bird Club was founded by Stephanie Chambers and Amy Ranck to help people discover the magical world of Australian birds. With a Sydney-centric focus, they take casual bird-watchers through the steps to become full blown twitchers, with plenty of stops along the way for a pint. Tune in to hear them talk about Centennial Parklands, the Channel-billed Cuckoo, and how art and science and connected.

Links:

* Sydney Bird Club website - www.sydneybirdclub.com

* Sydney Bird Club on Facebook - @sydneybirdclub

* Sydney Bird Club on Instagram - @sydenybirdclub

* Outer Island - www.outerisland.com.au

* ABC What the Duck podcast - Become the Cuckoo - www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/what-the-duck/becomethecuckoo/13954908

* Birdlife Australia - Channel-billed Cuckoo - www.birdlife.org.au/bird-profile/channel-billed-cuckoo

* Birdlife Australia - White-faced Heron - www.birdlife.org.au/bird-profile/white-faced-heron

* Bird calls were recorded by Marc Anderson and licensed from www.wildambience.com

Let's connect:

* Website - weekendbirder.com

* Instagram - @weekend.birder

* Facebook - @weekend.birder

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The Powerful Owl is Australia’s largest owl. Scientist Nick Bradsworth explains how to identify them, what they eat, where they live and the importance of their nests in tree hollows.

Nick Bradsworth is a PhD Candidate in Urban Ecology at Deakin University. His research has focussed on addressing a major scientific knowledge gap - the movement pathways and habitat available to the Powerful Owl. The Powerful Owl is Australia’s largest owl, with a wingspan of up to 1.4m. Nick is here to share his knowledge about this incredible bird and to how ensure that it can thrive in the wild.

Links:

* Nick’s research and photography - linktr.ee/nick.bradsworth

* Nick on Twitter - @bradsey

* Nick’s GPS movement videos on Twitter - https://twitter.com/bradsey/status/1288698333347885058

* Birdlife Australia - Powerful Owl Project - https://birdlife.org.au/projects/urban-birds/powerful-owl-project-pow

* Birdlife Australia - Nockturnal Birds Booklet - https://birdlife.org.au/documents/Nocturnal_birds_reduced.pdf

Let's connect:

* Website - weekendbirder.com

* Instagram - @weekend.birder

* Facebook - @weekend.birder

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Discover the secrets of the Tawny Frogmouth, one of Australia’s most loved birds. Dr Marian Weaving shares their fascinating features, quirky behaviours and how we can help them thrive in the wild.

🎧 All links here - https://www.weekendbirder.com/podcast/09-tawny-frogmouths-with-marian

🎵 Tawny Frogmouth recording by Marc Anderson - licenced from https://wildambience.com

📸 Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/weekend.birder

🦆 More at - https://www.weekendbirder.com

Bird illustration: Tawny Frogmouth

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BirdLife Australia’s Sean Dooley explains how to join the Aussie Bird Count. This is the largest citizen science program in Australia, and all you need is 20 minutes outside.

Sean Dooley is the National Public Affairs Manager for BirdLife Australia, author of The Big Twitch, and former holder of the Australian Big Year twitching record. For many years, Sean and his team have been working tirelessly to ensure that birds are protected and loved by Australians. That's why he is affectionately known as 'the Birdman' and we reckon he’s a national treasure.

Links:

* Aussie Bird Count - aussiebirdcount.org.au

* Sean on Twitter - @Twitchathon

* Birdlife Australia on Facebook - @BirdlifeAustralia

* Birdlife Australia on Instagram - @BirdlifeOz

* Birdlife Australia on Twitter - @BirdlifeOz

* The Big Twitch by Sean Dooley - www.allenandunwin.com/browse/book/Sean-Dooley-Big-Twitch-9781741145281

* Cooking with Baz by Sean Dooley - www.allenandunwin.com/browse/book/Sean-Dooley-Cooking-with-Baz-9781741752731

Let's connect:

* Website - weekendbirder.com

* Instagram - @weekend.birder

* Facebook - @weekend.birder

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Australian Little Brown Birds can be really difficult to identify when birdwatching. Ricki Coughlan has got your back, with advice about how to use ‘bird topography’ to figure out the species.

Ricki Coughlan is a bird guide and nature educator with a particular interest in the behaviour and ecology of the Acanthizids - “Little Brown Birds”. She runs courses and workshops for birders and nature lovers and facilitates the occasional citizen science project, including the Boat Harbour Shorebird Study Group. Ricki studied Ornithology at Charles Sturt University, has been a Warden at BirdLife Australia Broome Bird Observatory and an avian consultant for a number of NSW Coastal Councils.

Links:

* Ricki's website - aussiewild.com.au

* Ricki on Facebook - @ricki.coughlan

* Ricki on Instagram - @aussie_wild_australian_birding

* Ricki on Twitter - @RickiCoughlan

* Book - Compact Australian Bird Guide - www.publish.csiro.au/book/7916/

* Book - Where Song Began - www.timlow.com/where-song-began/

* Book - Birds of Eucalypt Forests and Woodlands: Ecology, Conservation, Management (1985) - by Alan Keast, Hugh Ford and Denis Saunders and Harry Recher

Let's connect:

* Website - weekendbirder.com

* Instagram - @weekend.birder

* Facebook - @weekend.birder

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Why do magpies swoop? How complicated is their language? Learn about the interesting world of Australian Magpies with Dr Mandy Ridley.

Mandy Ridley is an Avian Ecologist and Associate Professor of the School of Biological Sciences at The University of Western Australia. Mandy's research on birds began at Cambridge University in the UK, where she completed her PhD on the evolution of birds' cooperative breeding behaviours. This research involved living in the Kalahari Desert for for at least six months of the year... for ten years! She even raised her first son there. In 2012, Mandy moved to Perth and began studying Western Australian Magpies. In total, Mandy has been conducting avian research for over 24 years and she still loves it!

Links:

* Babbler Research (Mandy's website) - www.babbler-research.com

* Mandy on Twitter - @mandy_ridley

* BirdLife Australia - Australian Magpie - birdlife.org.au/bird-profiles/australian-magpie/

* Australian Magpie recording by Eddy Smith (XC747690) - xeno-canto.org

Let's connect:

* Website - weekendbirder.com

* Instagram - @weekend.birder

* Facebook - @weekend.birder

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Learn how to use a pair of binoculars to zoom in on the birds around you. Anthony Overs is an experienced birdwatcher and has some great advice for you.

Anthony Over's childhood love of wildlife led to an Environmental Management degree. In his spare time, he is an active member of the Canberra Ornithologists Group. Anthony has been running their 'Birdwatching for Beginners' trips since 2006 and gets enormous satisfaction from teaching others. So he is the right person for the job to teach us how to choose and use binoculars (one of birdwatching's greatest tools).

Links:

* Binocular how-to guides - https://www.weekendbirder.com/guides/birdwatching-gear

* Canberra Ornithologists Group - www.canberrabirds.org.au

* Anthony's website - eclecticantics.com/2021/01/29/birdwatching-for-beginners/

Let's connect:

* Website - weekendbirder.com

* Instagram - @weekend.birder

* Facebook - @weekend.birder

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