Hannah and Erik Go Birding

In the Pacific Northwest, we often see a lot of shorebirds as vagrants in the fall.  We search for a recurring Sharp-tailed Sandpiper at Fernhill Wetlands, talk about the increase in WhatsApp usage in the birding community, and why sewage wetlands make a great recreational location for many types of users! Tim Appleton from Global Birding kicks off our show talking about the upcoming Global Bird W...

We periodically see news reports of "hundreds and thousands of dead birds falling from the sky"...but why does that happen?  Scott Carleton, the Migratory Bird Chief for the USFWS Southwest Region helped us understand why mass mortality events happen and what you can do to help birds. For the main story skip to 5:00 Show Notes Backyard Birding Game USFWS Climate Change Website Hundreds o...

There's leaves crunching underfoot and fog in the air...that means school is just about in session!  However, in 2020 many students are returning to a virtual classroom, which means more time spent in front of a computer and less time outside.   So listen in and learn how you can mesh school and birding! For the main story skip to: 11:10 Show notes The Birding Co-op Oswald West State Park Cur...

Hannah and Erik have spent the last few months working on a secret project with a handful of other young birders whose goals are to offer affordable travel experiences, benefit communities and non-profit partners, and build a supportive, inclusive community.   This episode is a bit different than all of our other episodes... we did not go on an adventure or talk specifically about birds with anyon...

Due to extenuating circumstances, the Southeast Arizona Birding Festival was brought to the world virtually!  Hannah and Erik checked out several of the events - and even presented one. Listen in to see what we learned and what we thought of the festival.  Hopefully next year, we can actually go to Tucson! Show notes Voodoo Ranger IPA Great Texas Birding Classic Thick-billed Longspur new name Sout...

Awww the ocean.  Cool sea breezes, the sticky salt spray, and oodles of birds.  Hannah and Erik went on another pelagic - this time out of Westport, WA - to see what is out there.  Not only did they have a phenomenal time with the crew, they were also able to see 4 lifers! Show notes Westport Seabirds Virtual Southeast Arizona Birding Festival LOGE Hotels website eBird hotspot Pelagic List 1 Pelag...

So...we know we talk about eBird a lot, but after a recent chain of emails with our local reviewer we asked him if he would be willing to answer some of our burning questions.  Adrian Hinkle has been a reviewer for a few years and gave us some great insight into the behind-the-scenes of those emails you may receive asking for more details about your sightings. Show notes Southeast Arizona Birding...

Sage Thrasher, Brewer's Sparrow, Least Flycatcher, and more had us heading to Central and Eastern Oregon and the fantastic birding spot that is Malheur National Wildlife Refuge.  Also, we end with a wrap-up of Season 2 and the answers from last season's secret question! Show notes Bird Names for Birds movement: #birdnamesforbirds is one of the hashtags being used to collate the discussio...

From May 31st to June 5th, 2020, we celebrated the inaugural Black Birders Week.  It was a week-long online event celebrating Black nature enthusiasts to increase the visibility of Black birders.   Tykee James, the government affairs coordinator with the National Audubon Society, is one of the co-organizers and joined us to talk about Black Birders Week and more! Show notes Tykee James: Instagram...

The worldwide spring migration of birds is a great time for to educate and inspire new birders, count migrating species, and come together to appreciate birds.  Each year, on the second Saturday in May eBird hosts the Global Big Day and Environment for the Americas hosts their World Migratory Bird Day to do just that.  Listen in to find out more about these events and how you can participate!  Als...

In this episode, Hannah and Erik review a beautifully written and illustrated book sent to them about Turtle Dove migration and their recent adventure along a nearby logging road.  From European Turtle Doves on paper, to Ruby-crowned Kinglets along a road, timber greatly impacts our lives as birders and citizens of the world, listen in to find out more about how to recreate in these landscapes. Sh...

Well, the Champions of the Flyway didn't end up exactly as we expected due to COVID-19.  INSTEAD Hannah's team, the Women in Steppe, decided to invite all women to join in which formed the FIRST Global Women's Big Day.  Listen in to see how it went. Also, we asked several participants from other Champions of the Flyway teams and the Global Women's Big Day to send us a shout-out...

The first-ever Citizen Science Day was held in 2016 and the citizen science teams at Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County and California Academy of Sciences dreamed up a fun way to capitalize on their home cities’ friendly rivalry and hold a citizen science event around urban biodiversity. That was the first City Nature Challenge, a friendly competition between Los Angeles and San Francisc...

Ahhhh…SoCal. The sun, surf, beer, and parakeets?!  Hannah and Erik head back to Southern California for the San Diego Bird Festival where they bike around Mission Bay, do a few Women Who Bird Socials, and then head out to the desert for a few lifers.  Not only is it a fun and intimate festival, there is lots to see and do, put this festival on your birding bucket list!  Show notes McMenamins Brewe...

"I love puffins. They are small, round gothic birds, and their babies are called pufflings." ~ Caitlin Moran Tufted Puffins are whimsical birds found along the West Coast of the United States from Central California up through Alaska - but for how much longer?  Hannah and Erik speak with three people who all have the same goal: fill in the knowledge gaps and promote conservation of Tufte...

Part field guide, part travel book, Must-See Birds of the Pacific Northwest  is full of great information for birders, nature enthusiasts, and travelers. Hannah and Erik chat with author, Sarah Swanson, about the book she wrote with her husband, Max Smith.  This book has facts and life history about 85 birds you might see in the Pacific Northwest, including specific places to see them, and has 8 w...

Oh San Diego... the sun, the surf, the birds.  It's really a great break from the dreary, Pacific Northwest winter.  Hannah and Erik explore a few of the best hotspots in the county including: Cabrillo National Monument, Tecolote Canyon, and Mission Bay.  And then head up to Disneyland and find some of the happiest birds on earth! BTW, we forgot to mention which city had the most listeners fo...

Hannah and Erik join the San Diego Audubon Society's Dune Defenders to rid the landscape of a nasty plant, Puncturevine, in an effort to restore and protect habitat for the local subspecies of Least Tern, the California Least Tern.  Megan Flaherty, the San Diego Audubon Society's Restoration Manager, tells us what they are doing to protect this species and more! Show notes San Diego Audu...

It's the end of 2019!  Hannah and Erik are here to tell you about Cowboy Pigeons, loss of bird life, and bird-friendly legislation.  Erik details his adventures in the first few Christmas Bird Counts of the year! Show notes: American Bird Conservancy Glass Standards for Safety 3 Billion Birds Lost Las Vegas Cowboy Pigeons Have Been Relieved of Their Hats! “Birds have hats on, bro” video (can’...

Hannah and Erik know a number of incredible guides, some of whom are women.  While at the Rio Grande Valley Birding Festival, they met up with a few women guides who have diverse backgrounds and experiences to learn their perspectives on guiding and the changes that have occurred since they began. Also, Hannah and Erik give you a taste of birding "pump up" songs and discuss some of the b...

Another year, another Rio Grande Valley Birding Festival in the books!  Hannah and Erik had an awesome time birding the RGV, seeing friends, and chasing birds.  The festival field trips took them all over the valley from Falcon State Park to South Padre Island. The RGV is such an incredibly special part of the United States, it’s the only place to see Green Jays, Great Kiskadees, Plain Chachalcas,...

Here it is, the much-anticipated final leg of Hannah and Erik’s Grand ScandinAVIAN Adventure!  In this episode, they get off the cruise ship and travel all over the home of the world’s oldest continuous monarchy, Denmark.  The landscapes are beautiful, the birds are plentiful, and the food is delicious. Listen in to learn about the amazing Wadden Sea; Odense, the birthplace of Hans Christian Ander...

On the second leg of their Grand ScandinAVIAN Adventure, Hannah and Erik enjoy a leisurely cruise around the Baltic States and Scandinavia aboard the Norwegian Cruise Line Getaway.  We visited ports in Germany, Estonia, Russia, Finland, and Sweden.  Some offered good birding spots...and others required a bit more work.  We had a beer in every port, toured historic churches, palaces, and a walled c...

Have you ever thought about birding around Sweden?  On this first leg of the "Grand Scandin avian Adventure" (get it...avian?), Hannah and Erik spent a week birding around southern Sweden and then bring you the highlights!  They see lots of common birds, migrants, and even an irruptive species!  Sweden has beautiful landscapes, interesting birds, and friendly people - it was truly a grea...

Hannah and Erik live out a birding dream by braving another pelagic birding trip... this time with famed Shearwater Journeys!  While in central California, they tour local hotspots to add a few California lifers to their list and find some great celebratory beers. Show Notes North America Has Lost Nearly 3 Billion Birds Dead in the Water: Popular Pesticides Harm NY Wildlife Seven Simple Actions to...