Weekend Birder (Kirsty Costa)

Discover what’s to come in Season 1 of Weekend Birder. In this podcast, you will hear birdwatching stories and advice from people of all experience levels.

You will discover how to identify birds, where to go birdwatching, how to use equipment and lots of fun facts. Episodes are short so that you can get out there and try out your new skills and knowledge. 

Kirsty Costa is a teacher, science communicator and conservationist. During the week, she leads education strategy for a science-based conservation organisation. On the weekends, you will find her hanging out in nature with her friends and family. Kirsty believes that birdwatching is for everyone - anyone of any age can go birdwatching, no matter where they live.

Let's connect:

* Website - weekendbirder.com

* Instagram - @weekend.birder

* Facebook - @weekend.birder

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Start to notice the birds around you. This episode is about how to birdwatch by recognising the birds that live in your local area, including the King Parrot that lives in Wombolano Park in Melbourne.

Merrilyn Smith has always loved nature and been curious about the world around her. After her career as a teacher and health educator was complete, she discovered her love of birdwatching after listening to the birds in her garden. Her adventures have taken her around the world and she now volunteers in a range of conservation groups, including being a 'friend' of her local bushland reserve.

Links:

* Wombalano Park - www.maroondah.vic.gov.au/Explore/Parks-and-playgrounds/Parks-and-Facilities/Wombolano-Park

* Victorian Wader Study Group - www.vwsg.org.au

* Field Naturalists Club of Victoria - www.fncv.org.au

* eBird - ebird.org

* Pizzey & Knight Birds of Australia app (PK birds) on Android - https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=au.com.pkbirds&hl=en_AU

* Pizzey & Knight Birds of Australia app (PK birds) on Apple - https://apps.apple.com/au/app/pizzey-and-knight-birds-of-aus/id714625973

* The Australian Bird Guide (book) by Peter Monkhurst et al - publish.csiro.au/book/6520/

* King Parrot recording by Marc Anderson, licenced from wildambience.com

Let's connect:

* Website - weekendbirder.com

* Instagram - @weekend.birder

* Facebook - @weekend.birder

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Learn how to use a pair of binoculars to zoom in on the birds around you. This episode is about how to use binoculars and some of the birds you might see in Canberra.

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:

* 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

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Understand and appreciate the magpies that live around you. This episode is all about magpies and their behaviour, with a focus on a subspecies that lives in Perth and other parts of Western Australia.

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

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hear about the Peregrine Falcons that live Melbourne’s CBD. This episode is about Peregrine Falcons - how to identify them, what they eat, where they live and how a community comes together to watch the birds that live at the top of a tall building in the heart of Melbourne.

As a wildlife ecologist Dr Victor Hurley has conducted studies on a wide range of animals in many different environments. Victor is a Fire Ecologist and a Planning Officer in Emergency Incident Management Teams for Forest Fire Management Victoria. He is a founding member of the Victorian Peregrine Falcon Project and one of the caretakers of the Peregrine Falcons that live at 367 Collins Street in the centre of Melbourne.

Links:

* 367 Collins Falcon Watchers Facebook group - @367collinsfalcons

* Birdlife Australia - Victorian Peregrine Falcon Project - https://birdlife.org.au/locations/barg/vpp

Let's connect:

* Website - weekendbirder.com

* Instagram - @weekend.birder

* Facebook - @weekend.birder

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Meet the author of 101 Australian Birds. This episode is about why some birds look different through the seasons, how to pack for a birding adventure and the art of lazy birdwatching.

Georgia Angus is an author and illustrator based in Naarm/Melbourne, living and working on the lands of the Wurundjeri people. Her first book '100 Australian Birds' was published in 2021. This book offers an introduction to birdwatching through illustrations, ecological information and anecdotal notes. Georgia wrote her book based on her own experiences as a budding birdwatcher, helping other beginners in their journey to learn more about some of Australia’s unique animals.

Links:

* 100 Australian Birds by Georgia Angus - www.hardiegrant.com/au/publishing/bookfinder/book/100-australian-birds-by-georgia-angus/9781741177220

* Georgia on Instagram - @georgia_angus

Let's connect:

* Website - weekendbirder.com

* Instagram - @weekend.birder

* Facebook - @weekend.birder

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Find out about the Superb Fairywrens that live in Royal Park. This episode is about how to watch and identify Superb Fairywrens, and the importance of the Royal Park habitat in Melbourne.

Dr Holly Kirk is an urban ecologist working in the Interdisciplinary Conservation Science Group at RMIT University. Holly’s research investigates how animals move around their environment and how we can use this knowledge to improve things for both people and nature in cities. She works on several projects that aim to make sure nature is being remembered when we design urban places. Holly loves spending time in nature, and is never happier than when helping other people find things to be excited about in their local parks, gardens or yards. 

Links:

* Superb City Wrens - www.superbcitywrens.com

* Holly on Facebook - @holly.kirk

* Holly on Twitter - @HollyKirk

* Holly on Instagram - @ilex06

* Holly on LinkedIn - www.linkedin.com/in/holly-kirk-498443190/

* ICON Science - www.icon-science.org

* Friends of Royal Park Facebook group - www.facebook.com/groups/159966894096868/

Let's connect:

* Website - weekendbirder.com

* Instagram - @weekend.birder

* Facebook - @weekend.birder

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Identify little brown birds using 'bird topography'.

This episode is about how to identify common little brown birds by looking at their body parts, and the joys of birdwatching in Royal National Park in Sydney.

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

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Use the Aussie Bird Count to practice your skills. This episode is about how to participate in BirdLife Australia’s Aussie Bird Count and the joy of Rainbow Lorikeets.

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

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Discover the secrets of one of Australia's most loved birds. This episode is about Tawny Frogmouths - how to identify them, what they eat, where they live and how people are working together to ensure they thrive in Australia.

Dr Marian Weaving worked in the community sector for 20+ years. Entering her 40s, she decided to change tracks and follow her passion for the natural world. A Diploma in Natural Resource Management changed her life. This led to an Environmental Science degree... and then Honours... and a PhD on Tawny Frogmouths. She went on to teach at Monash University and share her love of nature with her students. Marian has loved every part of her birding journey, even the difficult bits. She has recently moved to New Zealand, where she plans on continuing her committment to conservation.

Links:

* Marian's research - www.researchgate.net/profile/M-Weaving

Let's connect:

* Website - weekendbirder.com

* Instagram - @weekend.birder

* Facebook - @weekend.birder

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Learn about Australia’s largest owl. This episode is all about Powerful Owls - how to identify them, what they eat (giant possums!), where they live and the importance of 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

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Explore Sydney through birdwatching and art. This episode is about the Sydney Bird Club birdwatching group, Centennial Parklands and ways to enjoy birdwatching through journalling and art.

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

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Enjoy birdwatching in a wetlands environment. This episode is wetland birds, how to birdwatch in this type of environment and the importance 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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Get to know some of Australia’s beach-nesting shorebirds. This episode is about the birds that fly across the world each year to enjoy Summer on the shores of Australia's beaches and wetlands.

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

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Journey with honeyeaters as they move around Australia. This episode is about how Yellow-faced Honeyeaters travel through the Blue Mountains in New South Wales as part of their yearly migration.

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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Embrace your inner 'bird nerd' with the host of Bird Emergency. This episode is about birds' relationships with plants, the joy of watching birds and having a conservation mindset.

Grant Williams is the host of the Bird Emergency podcast. All his life he has been intensely interested in the birds around him. Studying horticulture and accounting seemed a perfect entre to the world of podcasting. His podcast and live streams feature researchers, conservationists and other bird-loving advocates. Grant gets to meet some of the heroes of bird conservation, while having fun learning about some of the most vulnerable threatened bird in the world. He continues to be an advocate for the birds under pressure from habitat reduction, pollution, pesticides, poaching, trafficking, smuggling and the loss of biodiversity due to climate change.

Links:

* Bird Emergency podcast - thebirdemergency.com/podcast 

* Bird Emergency live streams - thebirdemergency.com/live 

* Grant on Twitter - @birdemergency

* Grant on Masotodon - @birdemergency

* Book - The Slater Field Guide to Australian Birds - buy at your favourite local bookstore or via Google

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

* App - Morcombe's Birds of Australia - Apple or Android

Let's connect:

* Website - weekendbirder.com

* Instagram - @weekend.birder

* Facebook - @weekend.birder

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Learn about one of Australia's iconic bird species. This episode is about the Superb Lyrebirds that live in the Dandenong Ranges National Park in Melbourne.

Dr Alex Maisey has spent his life with lyrebirds. He started his volunteering life as a child with the Sherbrooke Lyrebird Study Group, a group he now leads as an adult. Alex has a long commitment to local forest restoration and conservation. He is a postdoctoral researcher in ecology at La Trobe University and his PhD research topic was the ecosystem engineering role of lyrebirds in Victoria’s central highlands. He has also undertaken research about the impact of Australia's Black Summer on lyrebirds and the value of 'natural capital' (e.g. soil, water, animals, plants and fungi) on farms across Tasmania, Victoria and New South Wales.

Links:

* Sherbrooke Lyrebird Study Group on Facebook - @SherbrookeLyrebirdStudyGroup

* Alex on Twitter - @alexmaisey

* Alex's research with La Trobe University - scholars.latrobe.edu.au/amaisey

* Alex's articles on The Conservation website - theconversation.com/profiles/alex-maisey-1115735/articles

* Birdlife Australia - Superb Lyrebird - birdlife.org.au/bird-profile/superb-lyrebird

Let's connect:

* Website - weekendbirder.com

* Instagram - @weekend.birder

* Facebook - @weekend.birder

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Find out why female birds often look different to males. This episode is about the appearance and behaviours of female birds, and the best times of the day to go birdwatching.

Dr Vicky Austin is interested in bird behaviour and how birds interact with each other and their environment. She is particularly fascinated by the vocalisations of female birds. Vicky’s PhD at Western Sydney University focused on the vocalisations of female Superb Lyrebirds (such as mimicry) and how females use these sounds to protect themselves and their chicks. Vicky reckons that vocalisations of female birds are just as spectacular as males and she’s here to share what she knows.

Links:

* Vicky on Twitter - @avianbehaviour

* Animal Ecology Lab - www.animalecologylab.org/victoria-austin.html

* Lyrebird Lab - www.lyrebirdlab.org

* xeno-canto (bird sound recordings) - xeno-canto.org

* Macaulay Library - www.macaulaylibrary.org

Let's connect:

* Website - weekendbirder.com

* Instagram - @weekend.birder

* Facebook - @weekend.birder

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Get tips for talking about birdwatching with other people. This episode gives you advice about communicating about bird science, sharing your stories and embracing your birder identity.

Jen Martin worked as a field ecologist before founding the University of Melbourne's 'Science Communication Teaching Program', which teaches scientists across all disciplines to be engaging and effective communicators. She also practises what she preaches: she’s been talking about science weekly on 3RRR radio for 18 years, hosts podcasts (including Let’s Talk SciComm), MCs events, teaches as part of the Homeward Bound Faculty, writes for a variety of publications, was named the 2019 Unsung Hero of Australian Science Communication. Jen’s first popular science book, ‘Why am I like this? The science behind your weirdest thoughts and habits’ was published in 2022.

Links:

* Jen's linktr.ee (links to social media accounts and projects) - linktr.ee/scidocmartin

* Jen's blog - blogs.unimelb.edu.au/science-communication/#tab1428

* Let's Talk SciComm podcast - blogs.unimelb.edu.au/science-communication/blog-posts/podcast/ 

* Field Guide to the Birds of Australia by Graeme Pizzey and Frank Knight - www.harpercollins.com.au/9780732291938/the-field-guide-to-the-birds-of-australia-9th-edition/

* Pizzey and Knight's 'Birds of Australia' app - www.gibbonmm.com.au/Portal.aspx

Let's connect:

* Website - weekendbirder.com

* Instagram - @weekend.birder

* Facebook - @weekend.birder

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Explore an Australian river and the birds that live there. This episode is about the birds of the Werribee River in Victoria, including the White-faced Heron and Crested Shriketit.

John Forrester joined the Werribee River Association after moving to Werribee in the 1980s. He was appointed as the Werribee Riverkeeper in 2013 and his role is speak up for the river using action, advocacy and education. One of John’s responsibilities is to conduct bird surveys where revegetation has been undertaken in order to see if bird numbers have increased.  

Charlotte Williamson grew up in a small farming community, surrounded by woodlands and wildlife, and with many pets. This love of nature has stayed with her, and she has been fortunate to move into a career that involves working in the great outdoors. Charlotte has been teaching environmental education programs for fifteen years and is the Werribee River Association’s Education Manager.

Links:

* Werribee River Association website - www.werribeeriver.org.au

* Werribee River Association on Facebook - @werribeeriverkeeper

* Werribee River Association on Instagram - @werribee_river_association

* One Earth - Australasia’s Realms (Bioregions) - www.oneearth.org/realms/australasia

* Australian Government - Australia’s Bioregions - www.dcceew.gov.au/environment/land/nrs/science/ibra

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

* 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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Discover the songs of Australian birds. This episode is about why birds make sounds and how to tune your ear into songbirds found in Adelaide and around Australia.

Nicholas Bishop has worked in the zoo world for 20+ years, specialising in birds and animal behaviour. He has combined his background as an actor/singer with academic pursuits in performance arts, applied ornithology and wildlife management. As the Animal Behaviour and Creative Programs Manager at Zoos South Australia, Nicholas supports the animal training and storytelling programs at Adelaide Zoo and Monarto Safari Park. These programs focus on positive, innovative and engaging approaches to connecting people with nature and saving species from extinction.

Links:

* Nicholas on Facebook - @nicholas.j.bishop1

* Zoos South Australia - www.zoossa.com.au

* Birds in Backyards Top 40 Bird Songs - www.birdsinbackyards.net/birds/featured/Top-40-Bird-Songs

* Where Song Began - wheresongbegan.com

* Songs of Disappearance - songsofdisappearance.com

Let's connect:

* Website - weekendbirder.com

* Instagram - @weekend.birder

* Facebook - @weekend.birder

>> Recordings of the Grey Butcherbird and Grey Strikethrush were uploaded by Nick Talbot on Xeno-canto - xeno-canto.org

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Be a good mate to wild birds and other birdwatchers. This episode is about some of the basic ethical practices you should be mindful of when birdwatching.

Golo Maurer has been involved in ecological research and conservation for about 20 years. He has enjoyed a broad career in ornithological research and has contributed to scientific and conservation projects on six continents. He has also taught at the University of Birmingham and at Charles Sturt University. As BirdLife Australia’s Citizen Science Program Leader, Golo supports volunteers and the broader community to become more involved in bird conservation projects.

Links:

* Ethical Birdwatching Guidelines poster - www.networkbirdlife.org/home/birdlife-australias-ethical-birdwatching-guidelines-updated-and-ready-for-summer

* Golo’s research - www.researchgate.net/profile/Golo-Maurer-2

* Birddata - birdata.birdlife.org.au

* BirdLife Australia on Facebook - @BirdlifeAustralia

* BirdLife Australia on Instagram - @BirdlifeOz

* BirdLife Australia on Twitter - @BirdlifeOz

Let's connect:

* Website - weekendbirder.com

* Instagram - @weekend.birder

* Facebook - @weekend.birder

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Identify common Australian waterbirds. This episode is about darters, teals, grebes and other birds found at Birdsland Reserve in Melbourne.

A photo of a Blue Banded Bee that Kathie Thomas took in Spring 2009 led her on a path of discovery. She’s learnt lots of things since that day and can now name almost every bird in the region she lives in, and identify it by its call too. Apart from improving her skills in photography she’s learnt so much more about the environment in which she lives, exploring it constantly. She walks and drives to many places simply for the pleasure of photography and gets excited when she discovers a ‘new’ bird or something she’s not seen before.

Links:

* Kathie’s website - dandenong-ranges-photography.com.au

* Kathie’s books - dandenong-ranges-photography.com.au/wordsonbirds2

* Kathie’s Birdslands Reserve posters - dandenong-ranges-photography.com.au/birdsland-bird-posters/

* Kathie on Instagram - @dandenong_ranges_photos

* Birds of Australia Facebook group - www.facebook.com/groups/birdsofaustralia

* Women Birders Australia Facebook group - www.facebook.com/groups/905341489849373

* Birds of the Western Treatment Plant Facebook group - www.facebook.com/groups/1042398663326186

* iNaturalist - www.inaturalist.org

Let's connect:

* Website - weekendbirder.com

* Instagram - @weekend.birder

* Facebook - @weekend.birder

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Look at birds through the lens of a camera.This episode is about the basics of bird photography and some of the birds you might see in Tasmania.

Coreena Vieth is a professional nature-based tour guide and talented wildlife photographer. For the past 15 years, she has extended her love of birdwatching into a love of bird photography. Coreena runs Shutterbug Walkabouts with her husband, a company that offers enriching photography and travel experiences in Tasmania. She shares her knowledge and skills so that other people can also capture awe-inspiring photos.

Links:

* Coreena's website (Shutterbug Walkabouts) - www.shutterbugwalkabouts.com.au

* Shutterbug Walkabouts on Facebook - @shutterbugwalkabouts

* Coreena on Instagram - @cviethphoto

* Shutterbug Walkabouts on Instagram - @shutterbugwalkabouts

* Crap Bird Photography Facebook group - www.facebook.com/groups/1516554791932973/

* BirdLife Australia - BirdLife Photography - birdlifephotography.org.au

Let's connect:

* Website - weekendbirder.com

* Instagram - @weekend.birder

* Facebook - @weekend.birder

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Celebrate the birds and environments around you. This episode is about urban birds, conservation optimism and Banyule Flats in Melbourne.

Jacinta Humphrey is a PhD Student with the Research Centre for Future Landscapes at La Trobe University. Her research focuses on the impacts of urban development on the birds that share our suburbs. Jacinta is passionate about creating and maintaining habitat for wildlife in our cities, and hopes that her work will contribute to a greener, more biodiverse future.

Links:

* Jacinta's research - scholars.latrobe.edu.au/j2humphrey

* Jacinta on Twitter - @HumphreyJE_

* Jacinta on Instagram - @jacintahumphrey

* Jacinta on LinkedIn - www.linkedin.com/in/jacinta-humphrey-phdcandidate/

* Aussie Bird Count app - aussiebirdcount.org.au/resources/

* Banyule City Council - Banyule Flats Reserve - www.banyule.vic.gov.au/Events-activities/Parks-and-reserves/Banyule-Flats-Reserve

* Recording of an Eastern Spinebill was shared by Marc Anderson and licensed from www.wildambience.com

Let's connect:

* Website - weekendbirder.com

* Instagram - @weekend.birder

* Facebook - @weekend.birder

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Discover a corner of Brisbane that is home to the Mistletoe Bird. This episode is about the Oxley Creek Common in Brisbane, how Mistletoe Birds like to wipe their bottoms and the importance of listening to bird calls.

Hugh Possingham has devoted his life to stopping habitat loss around the world. He completed a PhD in Mathematics and Ecology at Oxford University in the UK and this led to a career in universities in the USA and Australia. He has mainly worked as a university professor and is currently at the University of Queensland. He also served two years at Chief Scientist of Queensland and four years as Chief Scientist of the Nature Conservancy. Hugh has over 1000 peer-reviewed scientific publications and his list of achievements goes on and on. Amongst all of this, he still likes to go birding at Oxley Creek Common in Brisbane.

Links:

* Hugh’s research - scholar.google.com.au/citations?hl=en&user=uJIoXbYAAAAJ

* Hugh on Twitter - @HugePossum

* Hugh on LinkedIn - www.linkedin.com/in/hugh-possingham-75b7b713/

* Hugh’s Wikipedia page - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hugh_Possingham

* Friends of Oxley Creek Common - www.friendsofoxleycreekcommon.org/

* Oxley Creek Common eBird entries - ebird.org/hotspot/L967148

* Xeno-canto website - xeno-canto.org

* 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

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Become a ‘bird noticer’ and watch the bush birds around you. This episode is about watching bush birds like the White-browed Scrubwren, White-winged Chough and Spotted Pardalote.

Bridget Farmer is originally from Northern Ireland. She initially visited Australia to friends but fell in love with the country (and a certain Australian man) and stayed longer than expected. She lives in country Victoria with her husband, two young sons, a whole flock of chickens and a studio rabbit. Bridget is a printmaker and her work celebrates Australia’s birdlife and her chooks. She has written and illustrated two children’s books… and there are more on the way. 

Links:

* Bridget’s website - https://bridgetfarmerprintmaker.com/

* Bridget on Facebook - @bridgetfarmerprintmaker

* Bridget on Instagram - @bridgetfarmerprintmaker

* Bridget on TikTok - @bridgetfarmerprintmaker

* Deception by helpers in cooperatively breeding White-winged Choughs and its experimental manipulation – link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s002650050386

* 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

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Marvel at the architecture and artistry of bird nests. This episode is about bird nests, art and how to establish a birdbath in your garden.

Zora Verona is an emerging and interdisciplinary artist who explores the complexity of bird’s nests through sculpture. Her work intersects visual art, environmental philosophy, avian science and natural history. What drives Zora Verona to document, create and communicate is her legacy as well as the trajectory of loss of habitat, ecosystems and species. Her art awakens people’s understanding that every bird species is worthy of our wonder, awe and our protection.

Links:

* Zora Verona's website - zoraverona.com.au

* Zora Verona on Facebook - @zora.verona

* Zora Verona on Instagram - @zoraverona

* ABC Australia - Are birds artists? - www.abc.net.au/news/2017-01-05/the-question-whether-animals-are-artists-inspires-exhibition/8162870

* The Conversation - Plastic found in lining UK seabird nests on a worrying scale - theconversation.com/plastic-found-lining-uk-seabird-nests-on-a-worrying-scale-142118

Let's connect:

* Website - weekendbirder.com

* Instagram - @weekend.birder

* Facebook - @weekend.birder

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Find out about a beautiful and endangered cockatoo. This episode is about cockatoos and how scientists and community are working together to protect the South-eastern Red-tailed Black-cockatoo.

Richard Hill is a conservation biologist who works on threatened birds and mammals. He shifted to Casterton with his family to study the region's endangered Red-tailed Black Cockatoo, and he's never looked back. Richard’s work involves understanding and mitigating key threats to the south-eastern Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo and Brolga, as well as working on a number of threatened small and medium-sized mammals.

Links:

* Red-tailed Black-cockatoo Recovery Project - www.redtail.com.au

* South eastern Red tailed Black Cockatoo Recovery Project on Facebook - @SERTBCRecoveryProject

* SWIFFT - Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo - www.swifft.net.au/cb_pages/sp_red-tailed_black-cockatoo

Let's connect:

* Website - weekendbirder.com

* Instagram - @weekend.birder

* Facebook - @weekend.birder

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Learn about the unique birds found in farmland and waterways. This episode is about bitterns, snipes, rails, crakes and other sneaky Australian waterbirds.

Matt Herring has been captivated by threatened and cryptic waterbirds for 25 years. His research on brolgas began in the late 1990s and he quickly realised the importance of farmers as wetland custodians. This has guided his studies ever since and soon he’ll work on his 1000th farm in the Murray-Darling Basin. Over the past decade, he has led the Bitterns in Rice Project, completing his PhD and developing incentive programs that marry food production and conservation through the co-management of water. Matt is also tackling conservation of the endangered and near-mythical Australian Painted-snipe. 

Links:

* Matt’s website - www.murraywildlife.com.au

* Bitterns in Rice website - www.bitternsinrice.com.au

* Matt on Twitter - @Matt_HerringOz

* Tracking Australian Painted-snipe on Twitter - @TrackingAPSnipe

* Tracking Australian Painted-snipe on Facebook - www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100087380940581

* Bitterns in Rice Project on Facebook - www.facebook.com/bitternsinriceproject

* Xeno-canto website - xeno-canto.org

Let's connect:

* Website - weekendbirder.com

* Instagram - @weekend.birder

* Facebook - @weekend.birder

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hear about how the birds along the Merri Creek change with the seasons. This episode is about the Australasian Pipit, Eurasian Skylark and other birds that live along the Merri Merri (Merri Creek).

Ann McGregor started birding as a child at her family’s weekender in the Dandenong Ranges. She still enjoys watching long-term favourites such as the Eastern Spinebill and Golden Whistler, but also spends time birding around Australia and overseas, always on the lookout for unfamiliar species. Ann has co-ordinated the Friends of Merri Creek bird surveys since they began in 2008 and is here to share her experience with you.

Links:

* Friends of Merri Creek website - www.friendsofmerricreek.org.au/

* Friends of Merri Creek on Facebook - @FriendsofMerriCreek

* Friends of Merri Creek on Instagram - @friendsofmerricreek

* BirdLife Australia - Australasian Pipit - www.birdsinbackyards.net/species/Anthus-novaeseelandiae

* BirdLife Australia website - Eurasian Skylark - www.birdsinbackyards.net/species/Alauda-arvensis

* 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

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Learn how to identify the five Australian ravens and crows. This episode is about the ravens and crows that call Australia home as well as an update on last year’s Aussie Bird Count.

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:

* Sean’s Ravens and Crows video - www.facebook.com/watch/?v=389278423289946

* Sean’s article about Ravens and Crows in Australian Birdlife magazine (March 2012) - www.calameo.com/read/0041078958b2f7e992bd6

* Birds in Backyards - Australian Raven - www.birdsinbackyards.net/species/Corvus-coronoides

* Birds in Backyards - Forest Raven - www.birdsinbackyards.net/species/Corvus-tasmanicus

* Birds in Backyards - Little Raven - www.birdsinbackyards.net/species/Corvus-mellori

* Birds in Backyards - Little Crow - www.birdsinbackyards.net/species/Corvus-bennetti

* Birds in Backyards - Torresian Crow - www.birdsinbackyards.net/species/Corvus-orru

* Sean on Twitter - @Twitchathon

* BirdLife Australia on Facebook - @BirdlifeAustralia

* BirdLife Australia on Instagram - @BirdlifeOz

* BirdLife Australia on Twitter - @BirdlifeOz

* Tracking Australian Painted-snipe on Twitter - @TrackingAPSnipe

* Tracking Australian Painted-snipe on Facebook - www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100087380940581

* 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

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Discover how an award-winning bird photographer maintains her ethical approach. This episode is about ethical bird photography and the Mallee Emu-wren.

Kim Wormald is an ethical wildlife photographer with a deep love of, and respect, for nature. Kim’s images have received national and international awards, including Gold Medals and a coveted FIAP Blue Badge. She was a finalist for three consecutive years in Australian Geographic National Photographer of the Year and listed in the International Who’s Who of Nature Photographers. Kim loves knowing that her framed prints bring joy to fellow nature-lovers , and that her images are widely used for conservation purposes.

Links:

* Kim’s website - www.lirralirra.com

* Kim on Facebook - @KimWormaldLirralirra/

* BirdLife Australia - Mallee Emu-wren - https://birdlife.org.au/bird-profiles/mallee-emu-wren/

Let's connect:

* Website - weekendbirder.com

* Instagram - @weekend.birder

* Facebook - @weekend.birder

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Use technology to identify and record the birds you see, and find new places to visit. This episode is about using eBird and Merlin whilst birdwatching, and a fantastic wetlands just outside of Adelaide.

Lareen Newman has been observing birds since she was 10 years old, starting with the birds in her childhood garden in England. In the mid-1980s she participated in some of England’s first Big Garden Birdwatch sessions, writing down what she saw on a paper checklist that got posted to a collection centre. Lareen has been a ‘bird noticer’ in Australia for over 30 years. She takes her binoculars and birdbook on local walks and holidays, and her birdwatching has been taken to a new level since she discovered eBird.

Links:

* eBird website - ebird.org

* eBird Mobile app - ebird.org/about/ebird-mobile/

* Merlin Bird ID app - merlin.allaboutbirds.org

* Morecombe’s Birds of Australia app - www.mydigitalearth.com/apps/info/ea3592b7-5d59-492f-b652-3568c7a37f47

* Pizzey and Knight Birds of Australia app - www.gibbonmm.com.au/tour/PKBA_Android.aspx

* Birds SA website - birdssa.asn.au

* Birds SA on Facebook - www.facebook.com/1899SAOA/

* Women Birders Australia on Facebook - www.facebook.com/groups/womenbirdersaustralia/

* Lareen’s business website - www.tappingintoserenity.com

* Recording of Plumed Whistling Ducks was uploaded by Nigel Jackett on xeno-canto.org

Let's connect:

* Website - weekendbirder.com

* Instagram - @weekend.birder

* Facebook - @weekend.birder

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Grow your knowledge about Australia’s two largest waterbirds. This episode is about Brolgas, Sarus Cranes and the Crane Count held each year in the Atherton Tablelands.

Edward Bell has worked and volunteered across a wide variety of conservation projects, including surveying parrots in the Caribbean and assisting in microbat research on three continents. His interest in birds developed with his arrival in Australia in 2019. He is the coordinator for the Crane Count on behalf of Birdlife Northern Queensland, which has been monitoring Sarus Crane numbers with citizen scientists for over twenty years. He is also currently studying a Bachelor of Science in Zoology and Ecology at James Cook University in Cairns.

Links:

* BirdLife Northern Queensland - Crane Count - www.birdlifenq.org/crane-project

* BirdLife Northern Queensland on Facebook - @BirdLifeNQ

* Australian Crane Network - Introducing Australian and New Guinea Cranes - www.ozcranes.net/species/

* 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

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Create a safe haven for birds in your area. This episode is about how to attract birds to your garden, balcony or nature strip.

Tom Hunt is an ecologist on the Wild Deserts project, with work focusing on birds, plants, habitat restoration and wildlife conservation. Growing up surrounded by bushland and birds in the Adelaide Hills, Tom has been a keen nature lover for as long as he can remember. The career he’s made out of that passion that has taken him to every corner of Australia to work on conservation projects. He also tries to sneak in as much extra birdwatching as he can both at home and in the field.

Links:

* Tom on Twitter - @moth_nut

* Tom on Instagram - @moth_nut

* Wild Deserts Project - nsw.edu.au/research/ecosystem/our-research/wild-deserts

* ABC interview with Tom - How to Attract Native Birds to Your Garden - abc.net.au/everyday/how-to-attract-native-birds-to-your-backyard/100005282

* Birdlife Australia - Birds in Backyards - Gardening for Birds - birdsinbackyards.net/Your-Garden-How-make-it-safe-haven-birds/Gardening-Birds

* Birdlife Australia - Birds in Backyards - Nest Box Plans - birdsinbackyards.net/Nest-Box-Plans

* Darryl Jones books about feeding birds - unsw.press/authors/darryl-jones/

* Safe Cats Safe Wildlife - safecat.org.au

* 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

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hear the story of a man who challenged himself to photograph 600 birds in one year. This episode is about adventuring around Australia, endemic and vagrant birds, and how to plan your own Big Year.

Charuka Abhayawickrama had a successful career in IT over 25 years. On his 45th birthday, he walked away from all his businesses and discovered a love of wildlife photography. When the pandemic hit, Charuka turned his attention to birds and in 2022 ended up doing an accidental Big Year. He ended up breaking the Australian record for number of birds photographed in one year. And he almost beat the Australian birdwatching Big Year record, seeing 773 bird species in total. Charuka is now a patron of many wildlife conservation projects that are close to his heart, both in Australia and Asia.

Links:

* Charuka on Facebook - @charuka.abhayawickrama

* Charuka on Instagram - @charuka.photography

* Charuka on LinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/charuka-abhayawickrama-3443611/

* Charuka's Big Year website - australianbigyear.com

* Charuka's photography website - charuka.com

* Australian Geographic interview with Charuka - www.australiangeographic.com.au/topics/wildlife/2023/02/charukas-big-year/

* White-throated Grasswren recording by Joshua Bergmark (XC577277) - xeno-canto.org

Let's connect:

* Website - weekendbirder.com

* Instagram - @weekend.birder

* Facebook - @weekend.birder

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Learn the calls of four different types of pardalotes. This episode is about the Forty-spotted Pardalote, Red-browed Pardalote, Striated Pardalote and Spotted Pardalote.

Birdwatching isn’t just about watching, it’s about listening too. Tune Your Ear episodes are designed to help you get to know bird calls. You will hear guest insights and recordings from birds around Australia.

Links:

* Episode 20 - Songbirds with Nicholas - weekendbirder.com/episodes/20-songbirds-with-nicholas

* Episode 26 - Bushbirds with Bridget - weekendbirder.com/episodes/26-bush-birds-with-bridget

* Forty-spotted Pardalote recording by Barry Edmonston (XC794625) - xeno-canto.org/species/Pardalotus-quadragintus

* Red-browed Pardalote recording by Eddy Smith (XC744046) - xeno-canto.org/species/Pardalotus-rubricatus

* Striated Pardalote recording by Eddy Smith (XC750215) - xeno-canto.org/species/Pardalotus-striatus

* Striated Pardalote recording by Marc Anderson was licensed from www.wildambience.com

* Birds in Backyards - Top 40 Bird Songs - birdsinbackyards.net/birds/featured/Top-40-Bird-Songs

Let's connect:

* Website - weekendbirder.com

* Instagram - @weekend.birder

* Facebook - @weekend.birder

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Listen to the calls of Australia's seven lorikeets. This episode is about the Little Lorikeet, Musk Lorikeet, Purple-crowned Lorikeet, Red-collared Lorikeet, Scaly-breasted Lorikeet and the Varied Lorikeet (phew).

Birdwatching isn’t just about watching, it’s about listening too. Tune Your Ear episodes are designed to help you get to know bird calls. You will hear guest insights and recordings from birds around Australia.

Links:

* Episode 27 - Red-tailed Black Cockatoos with Richard - weekendbirder.com/episodes/28-red-tailed-black-cockatoos-with-richard

* Episode 8 - Aussie Bird Count with Sean - weekendbirder.com/episodes/08-aussie-bird-count-with-sean

* Little Lorikeet recording by Greg McLachlan (XC372859) - xeno-canto.org/species/Parvipsitta-pusilla

* Musk Lorikeet recording by Marc Anderson was licensed from wildambience.com

* Purple-crowned Lorikeet recording by Marc Anderson was licensed from wildambience.com

* Red-collared Lorikeet recording by Tobias Sheppard (XC507827) - xeno-canto.org/species/Trichoglossus-rubritorquis

* Scaly-breasted Lorikeet recording by Henk Krajenbrink (XC170701) - xeno-canto.org/species/Trichoglossus-chlorolepidotus

* Varied Lorikeet recording by Phil Gregory (XC287809) - xeno-canto.org/species/Psitteuteles-versicolor

Let's connect:

* Website - weekendbirder.com

* Instagram - @weekend.birder

* Facebook - @weekend.birder

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Become familiar with the calls of Australia's nine whistlers. This episode is about the Gilbert's Whistler, Golden Whistler, Grey Whistler, Mangrove Golden Whistler, Olive Whistler, Red-Lored Whistler, Rufous Whistler, Western Whistler and White-breasted Whistler.

Birdwatching isn’t just about watching, it’s about listening too. Tune Your Ear episodes are designed to help you get to know bird calls. You will hear guest insights and recordings from birds around Australia.

Links:

* Gilbert's Whistler recording by Marc Anderson (XC689149) - xeno-canto.org/species/Pachycephala-inornata

* Golden Whistler recording by Craig Robertson (XC766524) - xeno-canto.org/species/Pachycephala-pectoralis

* Grey Whistler recording by Phil Gregory (XC208148) - xeno-canto.org/species/Pachycephala-simplex

* Mangrove Golden Whistler recording by Todd Mark (XC246713) - xeno-canto.org/species/Pachycephala-melanura

* Olive Whistler recording by Marc Anderson (XC201322) - xeno-canto.org/species/Pachycephala-olivacea

* Rufuous Whistler recording by Khristos Nizamis (XC593350) - xeno-canto.org/species/Pachycephala-rufiventris

* Red-lored Whistler recording by Niels Poul Dreyer (XC40769) - xeno-canto.org/species/Pachycephala-rufogularis

* Western Whistler recording by Marc Anderson (XC382793) - xeno-canto.org/species/Pachycephala-fuliginosa

* White-breasted Whistler recording by Nigel Jackett (XC239864) - xeno-canto.org/species/Pachycephala-lanioides

* Marc Anderson's recordings were licensed from wildambience.com

* Book - Where Song Began by Tim Low - timlow.com/where-song-began

Let's connect:

* Website - weekendbirder.com

* Instagram - @weekend.birder

* Facebook - @weekend.birder

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Get to know the peculiar sounds of some of Australia's wetland birds. This episode is about the Buff-banded Rail, Chestnut Rail, Lewin's Rail, Australian Spotted Crake, Baillon's Crake, Red-necked Crake, Spotless Crake and White-browed Crake.

Birdwatching isn’t just about watching, it’s about listening too. Tune Your Ear episodes are designed to help you get to know bird calls. You will hear guest insights and recordings from birds around Australia.

Links:

* Buff-banded Rail recording by Greg McLachlan (XC442303) - xeno-canto.org/species/Hypotaenidia-philippensis

* Buff-banded Rail recording by Richard Boon (XC512703) - xeno-canto.org/species/Hypotaenidia-philippensis

* Chestnut Rail recording by Bram Demeulemeester (XC410635) - xeno-canto.org/species/Eulabeornis-castaneoventris

* Lewin's Rail recording by Ramit Singal (XC495636) - xeno-canto.org/species/Lewinia-pectoralis

* Australian Spotted Crake recording by Richard Boon (XC783360) - xeno-canto.org/species/Porzana-fluminea

* Baillon's Crake by Dan Lane (XC466563) - xeno-canto.org/species/Zapornia-pusilla

* Red-necked Crake recording by Phil Gregory (XC346424) - xeno-canto.org/species/Rallina-tricolor

* Spotless Crake recording by John Graff (XC166674) - xeno-canto.org/species/Zapornia-tabuensis

* Spotless Crake recording by Nigel Jackett (XC127745) - xeno-canto.org/species/Zapornia-tabuensis

* White-browed Crake recording by Marc Anderson licensed from wildambience.com

* Marc Anderson's recordings were licensed from wildambience.com

Let's connect:

* Website - weekendbirder.com

* Instagram - @weekend.birder

* Facebook - @weekend.birder

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Listen out for the melodic calls of Australia's common honeyeaters. This episode is about the Eastern Spinebill, New Holland Honeyeater, Noisy Miner, Yellow-faced Honeyeater, White-plumed Honeyeater, Red Wattlebird, Little Wattlebird and Brown Honeyeater.

Birdwatching isn’t just about watching, it’s about listening too. Tune Your Ear episodes are designed to help you get to know bird calls. You will hear guest insights and recordings from birds around Australia.

Links:

* Eastern Spinebill recording by Ramit Singal (XC567413) - xeno-canto.org/species/Acanthorhynchus-tenuirostris

* Eastern Spinebill recording by Marc Anderson (XC340221) - xeno-canto.org/species/Phylidonyris-novaehollandiae

* New Holland Honeyeater recording by Marc Anderson (XC172248) - xeno-canto.org/species/Phylidonyris-novaehollandiae

* Noisy Miner Honeyeater recording by David Vander Pluym (XC387136) - xeno-canto.org/species/Manorina-melanocephala

* Yellow-faced Honeyeater recording by Greg McLachlan (XC361497) - xeno-canto.org/species/Caligavis-chrysops

* White-plumed Honeyeater recording by Henk Krajenbrink (XC241047) - xeno-canto.org/species/Ptilotula-penicillata

* Red Wattlebird recording by Catherine Clover (XC505693) - xeno-canto.org/species/Anthochaera-carunculata

* Little Wattlebird recording by Jeremy Hegge (XC168208) - xeno-canto.org/species/Anthochaera-chrysoptera

* Brown Honeyeater recording by Colin Trainor (XC131086) - xeno-canto.org/species/Lichmera-indistincta

* Marc Anderson's recordings were licensed from wildambience.com

Let's connect:

* Website - weekendbirder.com

* Instagram - @weekend.birder

* Facebook - @weekend.birder

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Be inspired by good news stories from WWF-Australia. This episode is about Grey Fantails and how people are working together as part of bird conservation.

Darren Grover is the Head of Healthy Land and Seascapes at WWF-Australia. He is an ecologist by trade and has nearly 20 years' experience in species conservation, environmental impact assessment, land management, and policy development. Darren and his team work with universities, government, other organisations, community and First Nations people to improve the conservation status of animals like the Carnaby’s Black Cockatoo, Gouldian Finch and Shy Albatatross. Darren is most at home in the bush and he's an avid birdwatcher and bushwalker.

Links:

* Darren on Twitter - @DarrenGroverWWF

* WWF-Australia - website - wwf.org.au

* WWF-Australia - Artificial Nests Aim to Increase Shy Albatross Breeding Success - wwf.org.au/news/2017/artificial-nests-aim-to-increase-shy-albatross-breeding-success/

* WWF-Australia - Gouldian Finch - https://wwf.org.au/what-we-do/species/gouldian-finch/

* WWF-Australia - Hope for the Glossy Black Cockatoo - wwf.org.au/blogs/hope-for-the-glossy-black-cockatoo/

Let's connect:

* Website - weekendbirder.com

* Instagram - @weekend.birder

* Facebook - @weekend.birder

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Weekend Birder is back for Season 2! Here’s a preview of what’s to come.

In this Australian podcast, you will hear stories and advice from birdwatchers of all experience levels. Explore a range of topics, from identifying birds to finding good birdwatching spots. Available on your podcast app.

Kirsty Costa is a teacher, science communicator and conservationist. During the week, she leads strategy for a science-based conservation organisation. On the weekends, you will find her hanging out in nature with her friends and family. Kirsty believes that birdwatching is for everyone - anyone of any age and ability can go birdwatching, no matter where they live.

Let's connect:

* Website - weekendbirder.com

* Instagram - @weekend.birder

* Facebook - @weekend.birder

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Discover the link between birdwatching and mental health. This episode is about what happens in your brain when you birdwatch, and the science of mindfulness.

Dr Luke Smith is a clinical neuropsychologist who has a passion for mindfulness. He works privately within the community and has provided mindfulness training for a range of organisations. Luke is also employed as a mindfulness consultant and educator at Monash University with the Monash Centre for Consciousness and Contemplative Studies. He has grown up with a love of the Australian bush, an environment in which he finds mindfulness is naturally cultivated.

Links:

* Luke's website - smithneuropsychology.com

* Monash Centre for Consciousness and Contemplative Studies - website - monash.edu/consciousness-contemplative-studies

* Monash Centre for Consciousness and Contemplative Studies - Twitter/X - @Monash_M3CS

* Kings College research - Smartphone-based ecological momentary assessment reveals mental health benefits of birdlife - nature.com/articles/s41598-022-20207-6

Let's connect:

* Website - weekendbirder.com

* Instagram - @weekend.birder

* Facebook - @weekend.birder

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Delve into the weird and wonderful world of Australian cuckoos. This episode is about the talents of the Horsfield’s Bronze Cuckoo and how it tricks other birds into raising its babies.

Cassandra Taylor is a PhD candidate at the Australian National University, where she studies behavioural ecology and evolution. Her study system focuses on evolutionary defences hosts evolve in response to brood parasitism, particularly around nests and nest building. Outside of her studies she enjoys birdwatching, reading and hiking.

Claire Taylor is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the University of Melbourne. Her research focuses broadly on how mother birds invest in their offspring, particularly in their eggs and nests. She loves spending time at her field site in Canberra watching superb fairy-wrens go about their everyday lives and trying to uncover the secrets about their breeding and interactions with their brood parasites, the Horsfield’s Bronze Cuckoo.

Links:

* Claire’s website - clairejtaylor.com

* Claire on Twitter/X - @clairejtaylor

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

* Fan-tailed Cuckoo recording by Ramit Singal (XC501658) - xeno-canto.org/species/Cacomantis-flabelliformis

* Horsfield’s Bronze Cuckoo recording by Marc Anderson (XC336260) - xeno-canto.org/species/Chrysococcyx-basalis

* Marc Anderson's recording was licensed from wildambience.com

Let's connect:

* Website - weekendbirder.com

* Instagram - @weekend.birder

* Facebook - @weekend.birder

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Explore the relationship between birds and trees. And how awesome Rainbow Bee-eaters are. This episode is about how birds and trees rely on each other, the Rainbow Bee-eater and what’s happening in Sydney.

Stephanie Chambers and their partner Amy Ranck founded Sydney Bird Club to help people discover the magical world of Australian birds. With a Sydney-centric focus, they take casual birdwatchers through the steps to become full blown twitchers, with plenty of stops along the way for a pint. Their design business, Outer Island, inspires people to think about and appreciate the planet while simultaneously transporting them out of their everyday environment.

Links:

* Outer Island website - outerisland.com.au

* Outer Island on Facebook - @outerislandgoods

* Outer Island on Instagram - @outer.island

* Sydney Bird Club website - sydneybirdclub.com

* Sydney Bird Club on Facebook - @sydneybirdclub

* Sydney Bird Club on Instagram - @sydneybirdclub

* Bird Week exhibition website - birdweekaustralia.com

* Bird Week exhibition on Facebook - @BirdWeekExhibition

* Bird Week exhibition on Instagram - @birdweekaustralia

* Rainbow- Bee-eater call was 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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Laugh along with comedian Geraldine Hickey and she explores the funny side of birdwatching. This episode is about powerful birdwatching moments and keeping a secret about Orange-bellied Parrots.

Geraldine Hickey is a talented Australian comedian, winner of the Melbourne Comedy Festival Award for Most Outstanding Show 2021. She is also known for radio appearances and her podcast special ‘Things Are Going Well’ on the ABC. Geraldine has appeared on TV shows like ‘The Project’, ‘Tonightly with Tom Ballard’, ‘Have You Been Paying Attention?’, ‘Hughesy We Have a Problem’ and ‘Thank God You’re Here’. Geraldine also stars as Dr Stephanie Huddleston in the TV show ‘Metro Sexual’. She is also keen bird photographer and publishes a calendar each year.

Links:

* Geraldine on Facebook - @geraldinehickeycomedian

* Geraldine on Instagram - @geraldinehickey

* Geraldine on Twitter/X - @geraldinehickey

* Geraldine's newsletter - https://arep.co/m/geraldine-hickey

* Geraldine's bird calendar - https://geraldinehickey.bigcartel.com/

* BirdLife Australia's Aussie Bird Count - aussiebirdcount.org.au

Let's connect:

* Website - weekendbirder.com

* Instagram - @weekend.birder

* Facebook - @weekend.birder

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Delight in the joy of birdwatching at Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne. This episode is about mindful birding, the Nankeen Night Heron and other birds you might see in the heart of Melbourne.

Watching David Attenborough at aged seven, Liz Hackett thinks that it was inevitable that she would grow up loving nature. From volunteering, to working for a conservation not-for-profit and to becoming a birder in her late thirties, it’s been a wonderful journey for Liz. She dedicates her Friends of the Royal Botanic Gardens bird walks to her darling husband Paul, who she lost in 2019. As a birding tour guide, he shared his passion and knowledge of birds with Liz. And, in return, she is passing on that love and knowledge to others.

Links:

* Friends of Royal Botanic Gardens website - rbgfriendsmelbourne.org

* Friends of Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne on Facebook - @friendsrbgmelb

* Friends of Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne on Instagram - @friendsroyalbotanicgardensmelb

* Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria website - www.rbg.vic.gov.au

* eBird list for Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne - ebird.org/hotspot/L919153

* Australasian Darter call was recorded by Marc Anderson and licensed from www.wildambience.com

* Mindful Birding Network website - themindfulbirdingnetwork.com

* Liz and Kirsty's BirdLife Australia article - Mindful Birding: a bird a day - birdlife.org.au/news/mindful-birding/

* Research - Birdsongs alleviate anxiety and paranoia in healthy participants - www.nature.com/articles/s41598-022-20841-0

Let's connect:

* Website - weekendbirder.com

* Instagram - @weekend.birder

* Facebook - @weekend.birder

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Learn how to identify Australia’s huge variety of robins. This episode is about red and pink-coloured robins, noisy robins, rare robins and birdwatching on the Limestone Coast.

Hugh Possingham is currently the co-chief councillor of The Biodiversity Council and Vice-President of BirdLife Australia. He has devoted his life to stopping habitat loss around the world. He completed a PhD in Mathematics and Ecology at Oxford University in the UK and this led to a career in universities in the USA and Australia. He has mainly worked as a university professor and is currently at the University of Queensland. He also served two years at Chief Scientist of Queensland and four years as Chief Scientist of the Nature Conservancy. Hugh has over 1000 peer-reviewed scientific publications and his list of achievements goes on and on. Amongst all of this, he likes to go birding at Oxley Creek Common in Brisbane.

Links:

* Hugh on Twitter/X - @hugepossum

* Hugh on Instagram - @hugepossum

* Hugh on LinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/hugh-possingham-75b7b713/

* Hugh on Wikipedia - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hugh_Possingham

* Hugh's research on Google Scholar - scholar.google.com.au/citations?hl=en&user=uJIoXbYAAAAJ

* Biodiversity Council - biodiversitycouncil.org.au

* BirdLife Australia - birdlife.org.au

* Rose Robin recording by Geoffrey Monchaux (XC510778) - xeno-canto.org

* Southern Scrub Robin recording is by Greg McLachlan (XC336504) - xeno-canto.org

Let's connect:

* Website - weekendbirder.com

* Instagram - @weekend.birder

* Facebook - @weekend.birder

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Meet the author of Australia’s first complete beginners' field guide to urban birds. This episode is about the birds found in cities and towns (including the Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike), birdwatching in Kuala Lumpur and Wallace’s Line.

Darryl Jones is a writer, speaker, researcher and mentor. Professor Emeritus in ecology from Griffith University. He has more than 30-years experience in urban ecology, with a particular interest in the way people interact with birds. His major scientific research has been on bird feeding, summarised in two popular science books: The Birds at My Table (2018) and Feeding the Birds at Your Table (2019). His latest book ‘Getting to Know the Birds in Your Neighbourhood’ opens the door to understanding the habits and behaviours of your suburb’s feathered locals.

Links:

* Darryl’s website and books - darryljonesnature.com

* Darryl on Facebook - @Thebirdsatmytable

* Darryl on Instagram - @thebirdsatmytable

* Darryl on Twitter/X - @MagpiejonesD

* The Conversation - Wild bird feeding surged worldwide during lockdowns - https://bit.ly/wildbirdfeeding

* The Guardian - Australians are always told ‘don’t feed the birds’ - https://bit.ly/feedbirdsproperly

* Friends of Bukit Kiara (reserve in Kuala Lumpur) - fobk.org

* Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike call was 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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Be delighted by some of the world’s most charismatic birds. This episode is about birds that have fun personalities and have a large impact on their environment, like the Victoria’s Riflebird, Paleated Woodpecker and Burrowing Owl.

Georgia Angus is an author and illustrator based in Naarm/Melbourne, living and working on the lands of the Wurundjeri people. Her first book '100 Australian Birds' was published in 2021. This book offers an introduction to birdwatching through illustrations, ecological information and anecdotal notes. Georgia wrote her book based on her own experiences as a budding birdwatcher, helping other beginners in their journey to learn more about some of Australia’s unique animals. Since then, she’s published a beginner’s guide to insects, and this year has come out with a third book called ‘Birds with Personality’.

Links:

* Georgia’s website - www.georgiaangus.com.au

* Georgia on Instagram - @georgia_angus

* Victoria’s Riflebird recording by Marc Anderson (XC816157) - xeno-canto.org and licenced from www.wildambience.com

* Pileated Woodpecker recording by Jim Berry (XC723795) - xeno-canto.org

* Burrowing Owl recording by Manuel Grosselet (XC535647) - xeno-canto.org

Let's connect:

* Website - weekendbirder.com

* Instagram - @weekend.birder

* Facebook - @weekend.birder

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Marvel at the diverse range of shorebirds that hang out in Australia each year. This episode is about watching and identifying shorebirds, including sandpipers and the Bar-tailed Godwit.

Jeremy Ringma is a Shorebird Project Coordinator at BirdLife Australia. His work involves collecting shorebird survey data in order to assess population trends and support conservation efforts. He also runs workshops to help the community become citizen scientists. Jeremy grew up in Brisbane, where he completed his undergraduate studies and PhD on Australian predator threatened mammals. He started ‘birding’ properly in his early twenties after being interested in wildlife as a kid.

>> Sign up to the Monthly Letter to win monthly giveaways - weekendbirder.com/monthly-letter

Links:

* BirdLife Australia - Migratory Shorebirds - birdlife.org.au/programs/migratory-shorebirds/

* BirdLife Australia - Migratory Shorebird Identification Booklet - www.birdsaustralia.com.au/documents/Shorebird_ID_Booklet_V3

* BirdLife WA website - birdlife.org.au/groups/birdlife-wa/

* BirdLife WA on Facebook - @birdlifewa

* BirdLife WA on Instagram - @birdlifewa

* Bar-tailed Godwit recording by Seth Bueadrealt (XC836475) - xeno-canto.org

* Bar-tailed Godwit recording by Nigel Jackett (XC) - xeno-canto.org

Let's connect:

* Website - weekendbirder.com

* Instagram - @weekend.birder

* Facebook - @weekend.birder

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Celebrate the community effort that is preventing a little parrot from going extinct. This episode is about the Orange-bellied Parrot and contains stories that will give you hope about the future of birds.

Dr Jenny Gray is the Chief Executive Officer of Zoos Victoria, charged with the operation of the Melbourne Zoo, Healesville Sanctuary, Kyabram Fauna Park and Werribee Open Range Zoo. Over the last decade Zoos Victoria has transformed into a Zoo Based Conservation Organisation, committed to fighting extinction and creating a future rich in wildlife. Jenny has a wide range of public and private sector experience having worked in transportation, airlines and banking, before moving into the zoo industry in South Africa, then Australia. She is the Deputy Chancellor at Victoria University and serves on the Board of the Biodiversity Council.

Links:

* Zoos Victoria Orange-bellied Parrot videos on YouTube - youtube.com/@ZoosVictoria

* Zoos Victoria website - zoo.org.au

* Zoos Victoria on Facebook - @zoosvictoria

* Zoos Victoria on Instagram - @zoosvictoria

* Zoos Victoria on TikTok - @zoosvictoria

* Zoos Victoria on Threads - @zoosvictoria

* Zoos Victoria on Twitter/X - @ZoosVictoria

* Crested Bellbird recording was 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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Learn how to identify common Australian birds of prey. This episode is a general introduction to falcons, hawks, eagles, kites, harriers and osprey.

Stephen Debus been interested in birds, and especially raptors, since childhood. He’s had a long association with the University of New England (Armidale, NSW) as a research fellow and honorary research associate on various woodland birds. Stephen is also an ecological consultant, doing fauna surveys and assessments for government and industry. Since 2017 he has been working for NSW Local Land Services, surveying and monitoring the nests of threatened raptors on the NSW Northern Tablelands. Stephen has written numerous field guides on raptors and monographs on the eagles and falcons.

Links:

* Raptors of Northern NSW on Facebook - www.facebook.com/groups/653339721737939/

* BirdLife Australia Raptor Group - ausraptorgroup.org

* Whistling Kite recording was recorded by Marc Anderson and licensed from www.wildambience.com

Stephen's books:

* Birds of Prey Australia - publish.csiro.au/book/7863

* Australian Birds of Prey in Flight - publish.csiro.au/book/7792

* Australian Falcons - publish.csiro.au/book/8058

* Australasian Eagles and Eagle-like Birds - publish.csiro.au/book/7664

Let's connect:

* Website - weekendbirder.com

* Instagram - @weekend.birder

* Facebook - @weekend.birder

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Adventure to new birding spots in the nation’s capital. This episode is about where to go birdwatching in Canberra and the delights of the Superb Parrot.

Olivia Congdon is an amateur bird photographer and nature lover. She works as a science writer for a leading Australian university. She grew up in country New South Wales, lived in Tasmania while studying zoology and journalism, but now calls Canberra home. Canberra is known as the Bush Capital and is a haven for a great range of birdlife.

Links:

* Olivia on Instagram - @burgeoning.birder

* Olivia on Twitter/X - @liv_congdon

* Science at Australian National University - www.science.anu.edu.au

* Canberra Ornithologists Group - canberrabirds.org.au

* Places to Birdwatch in Australia (including Canberra) - weekendbirder.com/places/

* Superb Parrot recording is by Greg McLachlan (XC317999) - xeno-canto.org

Let's connect:

* Website - weekendbirder.com

* Instagram - @weekend.birder

* Facebook - @weekend.birder

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Get to know the host of Death by Birding and his love of Australian owls. This episode is about the Rufous Owl, the Southern Boobook and the joys of sharing birdwatching with others.

Cesar Puechmarin is a veterinary student and wildlife nurse from Mount Glorious in Queensland. He is an award winning wildlife photographer, specialising in 35mm film. His photography has been praised by Sir David Attenborough and has been printed in publications such as Australian Geographic Magazine. Cesar is also the founder of Blue Shroom Studios, a nature filmmaking and scicomm group. Credits include ‘Owls on the Line’ (a short film about the plight to save the Powerful Owl, which screened at festivals internationally), and the YouTube series ‘Pobblebonks and Kundagungans’ (about Australia's frogs). Cesar’s television appearances include Animal Planet's ‘Snake Boss’ and the WildBear production ‘Wildlife ER’. In more recent times, he has started the unconventional bird-watching podcast ‘Death by Birding’.

Links:

* Death by Birding on Instagram - @death_by_birding

* Death by Birding on TikTok - @death_by_birding

* Death by Birding website - www.deathbybirding.com

* Cesar’s website and photos - cesaronsafari.com

* Cesar on Instagram - @cesar_on_safari

* Recordings of the Rufous Owl and Southern Boobook Owl are 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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Get the lowdown on the world’s smallest penguin. This episode is about the interesting world of the Little Penguins that live on Phillip Island.

Paula Wasiak has worked at the Phillip Island Nature Parks since 2009. Primarily, she coordinates and conducts field data collection, supporting projects aimed at future-proofing penguin survival and unlocking the mysteries of the oceans. She also works with other seabirds when the needs arise. Paula completed her Bachelor of Science Honours looking at the role of calcium in the reproductive biology of Little Penguins. Named a Superstar of STEM in 2023/24, Paula loves sharing her knowledge with different audiences, from community groups to students, and occasionally on the radio and telly.

Links:

* Paula on Instagram - @paula_wasiak

* Paula on TikTok - @paul.penguin

* Paula on Threads - @paula_wasiak

* Paula on Twitter/X - @paulawasiak

* Paula’s Superstars of STEM profile - scienceandtechnologyaustralia.org.au/profile/paula-wasiak/

* Phillip Island Nature Parks website and socials - penguins.org.au

* Penguin Foundation website and socials - penguinfoundation.org.au

* Fire-retardant native plants used to protect Phillip Island’s Little Penguins - abc.net.au/news/2023-12-19/little-penguins-phillip-island-bushfire-heat-stress-conservation/103227806

* Little Penguin recording by Rob van Bemmelen (XC198156) - xeno-canto.org

* Short-tailed Shearwater recording by Nick Talbot (XC177452) - xeno-canto.org

Let's connect:

* Website - weekendbirder.com

* Instagram - @weekend.birder

* Facebook - @weekend.birder

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Discover some Darwin birdwatching hot spots and a local community campaign to protect shorebirds. This episode is about where to go birding in the Top End, Red Knot seabirds and the Lee Point campaign.

Dr Amanda Lilleyman loves the Top End environment and the Territory lifestyle. She came to Darwin from the Central Coast of NSW to study migratory shorebirds. Amanda established the BirdLife Top End branch in Darwin in 2018 (along with a team of enthusiastic birders) and then kicked off the Our Top End Birds campaign, where the community voted the Bush Stone-curlew as the top bird of the Top End. Amanda supports ongoing shorebird monitoring and protection in Darwin, and runs community events such as the inaugural Darwin-Garramilla Shorebird Festival.

Links:

* Amanda on Instagram - @drbird_amandalilleyman

* Amanda on TikTok - @drbird_amandalilleyman

* Amanda on Twitter/X - @dr_lilleyman

* Darwin-Garramilla Shorebird Festival - shorebirdfestival.com.au

* Places to Birdwatch in Australia - weekendbirder.com/places

* Weekend Birder Local Big Year 2024 - weekendbirder.com/local-big-year-2024

* White-lined Honeyeater recording by Marc Anderson, licenced from wildambience.com

* Red Knot recording by Mats Olsen (XC5917422) - xeno-canto.org

Let's connect:

* Website - weekendbirder.com

* Instagram - @weekend.birder

* Facebook - @weekend.birder

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Learn how to identify a range of Australian thornbills. This episode is about those tricky Little Brown Birds that live in our gardens, parks and local reserves, and also contains a refresher on how to use binoculars.

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. She is also author of the book 'Little Brown Birds in the Sydney Region'. 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:

* Aussie Wild (Ricki's website) - https://aussiewild.com.au

* Ricki's book - Little Brown Birds of the Sydney Region - aussiewild.com.au/little-brown-birds-of-the-sydney-region/

* Ricki on Facebook - www.facebook.com/ricki.coughlan

* Ricki on Instagram - @aussie_wild_australian_birding

* Ricki on Twitter - @RickiCoughlan

* Guardian Australia - Birdwatching Changes the Way You Look at the World by Georgia Angus - theguardian.com/australia-news/2024/jan/07/birdwatching-changes-the-way-you-look-at-the-world-it-truly-is-the-gateway-drug-to-environmental-awareness

* Bird call recordings are by Marc Anderson, licenced from wildambience.com

Let's connect:

* Website - weekendbirder.com

* Instagram - @weekend.birder

* Facebook - @weekend.birder

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Meet a teenager birdwatcher who loves conservation and photography. This episode is about connecting with birds during childhood, youth leadership and Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoos.

Luke Eaton has always had a passion for animals. His love of birds started when he was very young and when he was three years old he would spend hours with his family researching the birds he saw. From a young age, Luke has also contributed to conservation campaigns for endangered Victorian birds such as the Orange Bellied Parrot and the Plains-wanderer. If he had to narrow it down, his favourite bird would be the Red-Tailed Black Cockatoo. He considers it a birdwatching highlight to have seen one in the wild.

Links:

* Luke on Instagram - @l.eaton.photo

* Book - Know Your Birds by Louise Egerton - goodreads.com/book/show/105538598-know-your-birds

* Birdwatching Events - weekendbirder.com/events

* Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo recording is by Marc Anderson, licenced from wildambience.com

Let's connect:

* Website - weekendbirder.com

* Instagram - @weekend.birder

* Facebook - @weekend.birder

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Adventure to an island in southern Australia that is home to rare birds. This episode is about the Bruny Island Bird Festival, the Forty-spotted Pardalote and the Swift Parrot.

Ella Roles grew up camping and bird watching with her dad, and didn't realise how much she was absorbing. When she studied outdoor education at Latrobe University, she started to realise that she could turn guiding and birdwatching into a career! Ella has taken people on walks and hikes all across Victoria and Tasmania, and has worked predominantly as a hiking guide in Freycinet National Park in Tasmania. She loves to hike, mountain bike, slackline and climb - activities that are in environments where she gets to see lots of birds! Ella is the Festival Coordinator for the 2024 Bruny Island Bird Festival and wants to tell you all about it.

Links:

* Bruny Island Bird Festival website - brunybirdfestival.org

* Bruny Island Bird Festival on Facebook - @brunybirdfestival

* Bruny Island Bird Festival on Instagram - @brunybirdfestival

* Bruny Island Bird Festival on Twitter/X - @birdbruny

* Forty-spotted Pardalote recording is by Pieter de Groot Boersma on xeno-canto website - xeno-canto.org/species/Pardalotus-quadragintus

* Swift Parrot recording is by Ramit Singal on xeno-canto website - xeno-canto.org/species/Lathamus-discolor

Let's connect:

* Website - weekendbirder.com

* Instagram - @weekend.birder

* Facebook - @weekend.birder

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Gain a new appreciation for the Australian White Ibis, the Little Corella and the Long-billed Corella. This episode is about the birds that live around us in our cities and towns.

Dr John Martin is a senior ecologist in the Wildlife Services branch of Ecosure, an author, and a science communicator. Through inspiring community appreciation of and connection with nature, John aims to enhance the prospects for co-existence between wildlife and humans. John joined Ecosure in 2023, he has previously worked at Taronga Conservation Society and the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney where he researched wildlife ecology, including flying-foxes.

Links:

* Big City Birds website - spotteron.com/bigcitybirds/info

* Big City Birds on Facebook - @cockatoowingtags

* Big City Birds on Instagram - @bigcitybirds

* Big City Birds on Twitter/X - @bigcitybirds

* John on Instagram - @wingtags

* John on Twitter/X - @wingtags

* How to Identify Corellas - weekendbirder.com/how-to-guides/how-to-identify-corellas

* Bird recordings are by Marc Anderson, licenced from wildambience.com

* Red Parka store - redparka.com.au

Let's connect:

* Website - weekendbirder.com

* Instagram - @weekend.birder

* Facebook - @weekend.birder

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Embark on a journey to northern Australia with Paralympian Richard Cordukes. This episode is about the Western Bowerbird, Gouldian Finch and birdwatching in a wheelchair.

Richard Cordukes is a distinguished Paralympic athlete and advocate renowned for his unwavering commitment to inclusion. Despite becoming a quadriplegic in 1976, Richard swiftly immersed himself in wheelchair sports and representing New South Wales at the National Wheelchair Games just a year later. His illustrious athletic career saw him break records and secure silver and bronze medals at the 1988 Seoul Paralympics. Richard's tireless advocacy for accessibility and equality earned him accolades such as the Life Membership of Wheelchair Sports NSW in 2011 and Australian Sports Medal in 2000. And, for over 30 years, Richard has also been a birdwatcher.

Links:

* Richard Cordukes entry on Wikipedia - wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Cordukes

* ABC short film featuring Richard - youtu.be/EZ7pwsotxBM?si=ywhbhCkAQogDqetK

* Western Bowerbird recording is by Marc Anderson, licenced from wildambience.com

Let's connect:

* Website - weekendbirder.com

* Instagram - @weekend.birder

* Facebook - @weekend.birder

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Get inspired by the projects that are helping urban birds to thrive. This episode is about designing new bird habitats, an unexpected cassowary in your kitchen and the joy of seeing a Purple-crowned Lorikeet in a KFC car park.

Dr. Kylie Soanes is a scientist on a mission to save nature in our cities and towns. Her research brings together the fields of urban ecology and biodiversity conservation to ask ‘How can we make cities better places for wildlife?’ A leading expert in her field, she collaborates with councils, community groups, engineers and architects to make real change for wildlife in urban environments. Her projects often explore novel approaches to nature conservation, include building rope bridges to help gliding possums cross roads, 3D-printing nesting hollows for powerful owls, and adding floating wetlands to busy city rivers.

Links:

* Kylie’s website - kyliesoanes.com

* Kylie on Instagram - @drkyliesoanes

* Kylie on TikTok - @drkyliesoanes

* Kylie on Twitter/X - @kyliesoanes

* Floating wetlands project - melbourne.vic.gov.au/building-and-development/shaping-the-city/city-projects/Pages/birrarung-trial-floating-wetlands.aspx

* Powerful Owl project - sustainablecampus.unimelb.edu.au/biodiversity/powerful-owl-nest

* Purple-crowned Lorikeet recording is by Marc Anderson, licenced from wildambience.com

Let's connect:

* Website - weekendbirder.com

* Instagram - @weekend.birder

* Facebook - @weekend.birder

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Take a walk along Australia's stunning coastline to meet the birds that call the beach their home. This episode is about curlews, plovers, gulls, terns and oystercatchers.

Bridget Farmer is originally from Northern Ireland. She initially visited Australia to friends but fell in love with the country (and a certain Australian man) and stayed longer than expected. She lives in country Victoria with her husband, two young sons, a whole flock of chickens and a studio rabbit. Bridget is a printmaker and her work celebrates Australia’s birdlife and her chooks. She has written and illustrated three children’s books… and there are more on the way.

Links:

* Bridget's website - bridgetfarmerprintmaker.com

* Bridget on Facebook - @bridgetfarmerprintmaker

* Bridget on Instagram - @bridgetfarmerprintmaker

* Bridget on TikTok - @bridgetfarmerprintmaker

* BirdLife Australia - Gluepot Reserve - gluepot.org

* Eastern Curlew recording is by Nigel Jacket (XC233203) - xeno-canto.org

Let's connect:

* Website - weekendbirder.com

* Instagram - @weekend.birder

* Facebook - @weekend.birder

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Enjoy the simple pleasures of watching birds through an apartment window. This episode is about Black-faced Cuckooshrikes, pardalotes and the joys of birdwatching at home.

Christine Parrott works in a non-birding career and appreciates birds on the side, although many times she wishes it was the other way around! As an adult birdwatching convert, she is still full of enthusiasm for all birds, even the common ones. During the first Victorian COVID lockdown she used all the extra bird observation time to turn appreciation into a side hustle, producing illustrations of local birds.

Links:

* Christine’s website - redbubble.com/shop/ap/155663307

* Christine on Instagram - @pforparrot

* Bird recordings are by Marc Anderson, licenced from wildambience.com

Let's connect:

* Website - weekendbirder.com

* Instagram - @weekend.birder

* Facebook - @weekend.birder

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Discover the delights of one of Australia’s most popular birds. This episode is all about the Swift Parrot, the 2023 Australian Bird of the Year.

Beau Meney has always been fascinated by wildlife and wild places, but his affinity with birds started at the age of ten when he first laid eyes on an enormous Wedge-tailed Eagle nest. Passionate about ecology and conservation, Beau later completed undergraduate studies and an Honours degree where he investigated egg predation among open-cup nesting woodland birds within fragmented Box-Ironbark forests. Now as NSW Woodland Bird Project Coordinator at BirdLife Australia, Beau works to conserve some of Australia’s most threatened birds, including one species very close to his heart – the Swift Parrot.

Links:

* Join the campaign for stronger nature laws - birdlife.org.au/campaign/nature-laws/

* Participate in the Swift Parrot Search - birdlife.org.au/swift-parrot

* Report an incidental Swift Parrot sighting using Birdata (under ‘General Birdata Survey’) - birdata.birdlife.org.au/record-survey#tab=program

or email swiftparrot@birdlife.org.au

* Report a Regent Honeyeater sighting (as soon as you see one) - birdlife.org.au/what-to-do-if-you-see-a-regent-honeyeater/

* Beau on Instagram - @naturepriority_au

* BirdLife Australia on Instagram - @BirdlifeOz

* BirdLife Australia on Facebook - @BirdlifeAustralia

* BirdLife Australia on Twitter - @BirdlifeOz

* Swift Parrot recording by Ramit Singal (XC502302) - https://xeno-canto.org/502302

* Swift Parrot recording by Vicki Powys (XC30641) - https://xeno-canto.org/30641

Let's connect:

* Website - weekendbirder.com

* Instagram - @weekend.birder

* Facebook - @weekend.birder

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Explore the intricate world of bird feathers. This episode is about feather colour and structure, and the nesting habits of waterfowl.

Freia Noss is a lifelong birder and bushwalker, living and working on Dharug and Gundungurra land in the Blue Mountains. During the week she works on re-vegetation projects on rural properties in Australia. In her free time, she enjoys making artworks of the beautiful native Australian flora and fauna she encounters. Freia has degrees in both art theory and environmental science, and studied conservation biology in the Peruvian Amazon, with a focus on bird and butterfly biodiversity. Her art practice has become an important a way for her to re-connect with the environment after a long day in the office.

Links:

* Freia on Instagram - @wollemiwatercolours

* Freia on Facebook - @wollemiwatercolours

* Freia on TikTok - @wollemiwatercolours

* Blue Mountain Bird Observers - bmbo.org.au

* Weekend Birder Google Map - maps.app.goo.gl/9wQj2i6nsekRp2bH8

Let's connect:

* Website - weekendbirder.com

* Instagram - @weekend.birder

* Facebook - @weekend.birder

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Gain new insights into birds, traditional knowledge and ecology. This episode is about the health of Country, life in the Otways and the Fan-tailed Cuckoo.

Dr Jack Pascoe is a Yuin man living on Gadabanut Country. He studied predator ecology, fire, wildlife and botany. He has led a program of applied ecological research in the Otway region for over a decade. Jack recently crossed the line to become some sort of pseudo scientist, academic and activist. He works at the University of Melbourne and is a chief councillor on the Biodiversity Council.

Links:

* Jack on Twitter/X - @JackHPascoe

* Jack's research and articles - findanexpert.unimelb.edu.au/profile/861920-jack-pascoe

* Biodiversity Council - biodiversitycouncil.org.au

* Conservation Ecology Centre - conservationecologycentre.org

* Bird recording by Marc Anderson, licenced from wildambience.com

Let's connect:

* Website - weekendbirder.com

* Instagram - @weekend.birder

* Facebook - @weekend.birder

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Look at Australia's birds through the eyes of an artist. This episode is about kingfishers, kookaburras and painting birds on huge grain silos.

Geoffrey Carran has dedicated the past decade to painting explorations of Australia’s diverse bird population. Geoffrey uses his public murals to highlight endangered bird species that can be found in the artwork's locations. Using these murals and the public's interest in street and public art to raise awareness and start conversations about people's connections, memories and stories about their relationship with Australia’s birdlife and its importance. Geoffrey's paintings, murals and prints can be found in a diverse array of locations, from three massive silos as part of the Australian Silo Art Trail in the West Wimmera to murals in New York, Istanbul and London.

Links:

* Geoffrey's website - geoffreycarran.com.au

* Geoffrey's projects, including silo art - geoffreycarran.com.au/blogs/projects

* Geoffrey on Facebook - @geoffreycarranartist

* Geoffrey on Instagram - @geoffreycarran

* Geoffrey on YouTube - youtube.com/channel/UCYBNjbe0AV3rhmQM2FMEqQQ

* Bird recordings by Marc Anderson, licenced from wildambience.com

Let's connect:

* Website - weekendbirder.com

* Instagram - @weekend.birder

* Facebook - @weekend.birder

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Meet an 11-year old birdwatcher who has a love for Eastern Victoria. This episode is about a unique part of Australia, birding wishlists and the Buff-breasted Paradise Kingfisher.

Luca is an 11-year old nature lover and birder who lives in Naarm (Melbourne) and feels most at home in nature. His fondness and respect for wildlife was first inspired by Sir David Attenborough’s programs. Luca’s fascination for birds began through art at the age of 7, when he started drawing birds and devouring bird identification books. This ignited a passion for birdwatching and bird photography. For Luca, drawing and photographing birds continue to be central in getting to know Australian birds and those living in other parts of the world. Luca carries his passion for birding where ever he goes, whether he is camping, hiking, surfing or on a road trip. He loves sharing his knowledge of birds with others as much as he enjoys learning from birders he meets on his nature adventures.

Links:

* Weekend Birder Google Map - maps.app.goo.gl/idqxtcxUDmUkDi1Y7

Let's connect:

* Website - weekendbirder.com

* Instagram - @weekend.birder

* Facebook - @weekend.birder

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Answering your questions about bird bodies and behaviours. This episode is about bird feathers, eyelids and legs, and their funny little traits that are similar to humans.

Dr Gráinne Cleary’s primary area of interest is helping to educate and work with the public to gain the best conservation outcomes for our urban wildlife. She is particularly interested in how we interact with the birds that visit our gardens, and this has been the focus of her last two books. As Australia becomes more urbanised, gardens are becoming an important sanctuary for our birds especially in terms of water, food and shelter. Gráinne is passionate about engaging with community about the birds that visit their gardens and the relationship that are formed.

Links:

* Gráinne’s website - grainnecleary.com

* Backyard Birds book - allenandunwin.com/browse/book/Dr-Grainne-Cleary-Your-Backyard-Birds-9781760297350

* Why Do Birds Do That? book - allenandunwin.com/browse/book/Dr-Grainne-Cleary-9781761067235/

* Subscribe to the Monthly Letter - weekendbirder.com/monthly-letter

Let's connect:

* Website - weekendbirder.com

* Instagram - @weekend.birder

* Facebook - @weekend.birder

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Discover how patience and understanding light can create stunning wildlife photographs. This episode is about a photographer’s journey from a childhood in the Australian outback to a career capturing the beauty of birds. 

Shelley Pearson is an award-winning wildlife photographer who immerses herself in the natural environment, patiently waiting for the right opportunity to photograph a captivating image. She believes it's all about utilising the light, different angles and perspectives to create photos that evoke emotion and tell a story. Shelley teaches and shares her passion through workshops, presentations, and trips. She is passionate about the ‘Wooleen Outback Experience’ trips she hosts with David and Frances Pollock at Wooleen Station in Western Australia.

Links:

* Shelley’s website - shelleypearsonphotography.com

* Shelley on Facebook - @shelleypearsonphotography

* Shelley on Instagram - @shelley_pearson_

* Shelley on YouTube - @shelleypearson

* Weekend Birder Google Map - maps.app.goo.gl/idqxtcxUDmUkDi1Y7

Weekend Birder online:

* Website - weekendbirder.com

* Instagram - @weekend.birder

* Facebook - @weekend.birder

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Deep-dive into the world of one of Australia’s charismatic birds of prey. This episode is all about the Eastern Osprey, and how a childhood of field trips and wildlife photography has led to a life-long love of birdwatching and citizen science.

Pip Grant-Taylor is a retired TV Journalist Producer who concentrates largely on birds and wildlife photography. She has studied and photographed birds since she was a teenager. Pip’s absolute favourite bird is the Eastern Osprey. She is currently trying to identify the locations of as many Ospreys in the Moreton Bay area (including Sunshine and Gold Coast) as well as upper NSW. When Pip has time, she also likes to pick up the coloured pencils or paints and commit birds to paper.

Links:

* Pip’s website - pipwrote.wixsite.com/pipspixels

* Pip on Facebook - @pipgt

* Pip on Instagram - @pipgt

* Pip’s photos on Flickr - flickr.com/photos/pipg-t/ 

* Ospreys in Australia on Facebook - @OspreysinAustralia

* Ospreys in Australia on Instagram - @ospreysinaustralia

* Ospreys in Australia photos in Flickr - flickr.com/photos/ospreysinaustralia/

* Osprey Watch (USA) - osprey-watch.org/about/ospreywatch-program/

* Osprey World Nest Data - app.osprey-watch.org/dashboard/

* Weekend Birder Google Map - maps.app.goo.gl/idqxtcxUDmUkDi1Y7

* eBird Hot Spots Map - ebird.org/hotspots

* Birdwatching How-to guides - weekendbirder.com/how-tos

Weekend Birder online:

* Website - weekendbirder.com

* Instagram - @weekend.birder

* Facebook - @weekend.birder

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Get to know one of Australia’s most charming robins. This episode is about the behaviours, calls, habitats and genetics of the Eastern Robin. It’s time to get sciencey!

Lana Austin has been working as a professional ornithologist around the world for many years. To name a few, she has been lucky enough to work with macaws in Peru, Toucans in the Ecuadorian Amazon, and Razorbills on the Isles of Scilly (UK). But in 2019 she decided to return to study to attempt to answer one of life’s biggest questions – are mitonuclear incompatibilities an under-appreciated cause of outbreeding depression? You’ve been wondering yourself, right?! In her free time, Lana moonlights as the President of Earthcare St Kilda, enjoys taking her cats for walks, and doing multi-day hikes. 

Links:

* Eastern Yellow Robin Project - https://sites.google.com/monash.edu/eyr

* Monash University’s Wildlife Genetic Management Group - https://sites.google.com/monash.edu/wildlifegeneticmanagement/home

* Weekend Birder Google Map - maps.app.goo.gl/idqxtcxUDmUkDi1Y7

* Shout out to our friends at Earthcare St Kilda - earthcarestkilda.org.au

* Bird recordings by Marc Anderson, licenced from wildambience.com

Weekend Birder online:

* Website - weekendbirder.com

* Instagram - @weekend.birder

* Facebook - @weekend.birder

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Join Kirsty and her nephew Edward as they explore the world of Australia's kites. This episode is about the joys of seeing and hearing the Whistling Kite, Black Kite, Brahminy Kite and Square-tailed Kite.

Edward is 10 years old and has grown up exploring nature. When he's not playing basketball, cricket or footy, he's hanging out in his backyard, the parkland over his back fence areas and in the bush around his holiday house in north-east Victoria. Edward especially loves watching and listening to Gang Gang Cockatoos. He is interested in Australian birds and likes researching endangered birds. Edward loves the sounds of nature and being outside makes him happy.

Links:

* Birds in Backyards - Whistling Kite - birdsinbackyards.net/species/Haliastur-sphenurus

* Birds in Backyards - Black Kite - birdsinbackyards.net/species/Milvus-migrans

* Birds in Backyards - Brahminy Kite - birdsinbackyards.net/species/Haliastur-indus

* Birds in Backyards - Square-tailed Kite - birdsinbackyards.net/species/Lophoictinia-isura

* Bird recordings by Marc Anderson, licenced from wildambience.com

Weekend Birder online:

* Website - weekendbirder.com

* Instagram - @weekend.birder

* Facebook - @weekend.birder

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Discover the joys of birdwatching walks around Victoria and beyond. This episode is about birding in the Castlemaine and Orbost areas, a great place to visit in France and the Australian Painted Snipe.

Damian Kelly has been a birder since he was young, exploring the Fitzroy Gardens in Melbourne. In more recent times, he has written two birding guides - Castlemaine Bird Walks and Victorian Bird Walks - with the aim of encouraging others to get out and about with birds. Damian is currently working on a guide to birding along rail trails and a bird walks book for the Daylesford/Hepburn area.

Links:

* Damian's website - castlemainebirds.com

* Damian on Facebook - @damian.kelly.35

* Damian on Instagram - @damiankkelly

* Castlemaine Bird Walks by Damian Kelly (book) - bridgetfarmerprintmaker.com/products/book-castlemaine-bird-walks-by-damian-kelly

* Victorian Bird Walks by Damian Kelly (book) - bridgetfarmerprintmaker.com/products/book-victorian-bird-walks-by-damian-kelly

* Australian Painted Snipe Tracking website - paintedsnipe.com.au

* Weekend Birder Google Map - maps.app.goo.gl/idqxtcxUDmUkDi1Y7

* Weekend Birder Monthly Letter - weekendbirder.com/monthly-letter

Weekend Birder online:

* Website - weekendbirder.com

* Instagram - @weekend.birder

* Facebook - @weekend.birder

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Meet a small bird with a big personality. This episode is about the Plains-wanderer, a unique and one-of-a-kind Australian bird that is capturing the hearts of the community.

Chris Hartnett is a Threatened Species Program Coordinator at Zoos Victoria. Working closely with a range of conservation partners, Chris has led the strategic planning and implementation for Zoos Victoria’s Detection Dogs program since 2016, and Plains-wanderer program since 2018. Her strengths lie in communication, planning, and overcoming the many logistical challenges encountered in the effort to bring species back from the brink of extinction.

Links:

* Zoos Victoria Plains-wanderer videos on YouTube - youtube.com/@ZoosVictoria

* Zoos Victoria website - zoo.org.au

* Zoos Victoria on Facebook - @zoosvictoria

* Zoos Victoria on Instagram - @zoosvictoria

* Zoos Victoria on TikTok - @zoosvictoria

* Zoos Victoria on Threads - @zoosvictoria

* Zoos Victoria on Twitter/X - @ZoosVictoria

* Plains-wanderer recording was by Frank Lambert (XC366840) - xeno-canto.org

Weekend Birder online:

* Website - weekendbirder.com

* Instagram - @weekend.birder

* Facebook - @weekend.birder

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Share in the delight of unexpected birding experiences. This episode is about the joys of photography, why birds bathe, foot quivering and the Regent Honeyeater.

McKinley Moens is an 18 year-old nature photographer and ornithologist-in-the-making, based in the Blue Mountains of NSW. She has had a camera in her hand since she was three years old and has been pursuing her dream of becoming an ornithologist since she was 7. McKinley has been banding birds since she was 12 and is now an A-Class Bird Bander. Her photographic achievements thus far include being a 6-time finalist in the Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year competition (including being awarded 2023 Junior Runner-up) and also a 5-time finalist in the BirdLife Australia Photography Awards.

Links:

* Photos and video featured in this episode - weekendbirder.com/episodes/78-unexpected-moments-with-mckinley

* McKinley’s website - mckinleymoens.photography

* McKinley on Facebook - @mckinleymoensphotography

* McKinley on Instagram - @mckinleymoensphotography

* Regent Honeyeater Project - regenthoneyeater.org.au

* Regent Honeyeater recordings were by Ross Crates - xeno-canto.org

Weekend Birder online:

* Website - weekendbirder.com

* Instagram - @weekend.birder

* Facebook - @weekend.birder

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Learn about a bird that’s a little bit different from the rest. This episode is about a quirky and lovable migratory shorebird, and a scientist’s quest to grow our knowledge about its physiology and behaviour.

Birgita Hansen has strong research interest in understanding the ecological response of birds to modification of their habitat, which has included studies into migratory shorebirds, riparian restoration in agricultural landscapes and waterbird monitoring at local and continental scales. She is a long-term member of the volunteer-run Victorian Wader Study Group and an executive committee member of the Australasian Wader Studies Group. She is leading a national citizen science research program called The Latham’s Snipe Project.

Links:

* Latham’s Snipe Project - lathamssnipeproject.wordpress.com

* Australian Painted Snipe Tracking - paintedsnipe.com.au

* Centre for eResearch and Digital Innovation (CeRDI) at Federation University - cerdi.edu.au

* Painted Snipe recording was by Peter Boesmen - xeno-canto.org

* Introduction to Shorebirds with Jeremy - weekendbirder.com/episodes/51-introduction-to-shorebirds-with-jeremy

* Victorian Bird Walks with Damian (includes the Painted Snipe) - weekendbirder.com/episodes/76-bird-walks-with-damian

* Weekend Birder Google Map - maps.app.goo.gl/idqxtcxUDmUkDi1Y7

Weekend Birder online:

* Website - weekendbirder.com

* Instagram - @weekend.birder

* Facebook - @weekend.birder

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Adventure around Australia with two passionate birders on a gap year. This episode is about the highs and lows of riding a pushbike 15,000km around Australia to see as many birds as possible in one year.

Leo Norman and Cezary Carmichael are on the road, on two wheels, on a grand adventure. The plan is to spend their gap year riding the country and enjoying birdwatching along the way. They are combining their efforts to document the unique cultural and ecological importance of birds in Australia whilst helping to build a school in Timor Leste.

Imagine if every Weekend Birder listener donated $10 to Cezary and Leo’s fundraising effort? That’s over $50,000!

Let’s do this - spenditwell.com/6730-2/

Other links:

* Two Birders Two Bikes on Instagram - @twobirderstwobikes

* eBird profile - https://ebird.org/profile/MTA2NzU5NQ/AU

Weekend Birder online:

* Website - weekendbirder.com

* Instagram - @weekend.birder

* Facebook - @weekend.birder

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Search for birds in Western Australia’s coastal heaths, wetlands, arid regions and tropical north. This episode is about the best places to go birdwatching Western Australia and some of the unique birds you might find there.

Jeremy Ringma is a Shorebird Project Coordinator at BirdLife Australia. His work involves collecting shorebird survey data in order to assess population trends and support conservation efforts. He also runs workshops to help the community become citizen scientists. Jeremy grew up in Brisbane, where he completed his undergraduate studies and PhD on Australian predator threatened mammals. He started ‘birding’ properly in his early twenties after being interested in wildlife as a kid.

Links:

* Jeremy on Instagram - @jeremy_ringma

* Weekend Birder Google Map - maps.app.goo.gl/idqxtcxUDmUkDi1Y7

* BirdLife WA website - birdlife.org.au/groups/birdlife-wa/

* BirdLife WA on Facebook - @birdlifewa

* BirdLife WA on Instagram - @birdlifewa

* Eastern Yellow Wagtail recording by Geoff Carey (XC729999) - xeno-canto.org

* Shark Bay Scrubwren recording by Matthias Feuersenger (XC107871) - xeno-canto.org

* Noisy Scrub-bird and Western Gerygone recordings by Marc Anderson, licenced from wildambience.com

Weekend Birder online:

* Website - weekendbirder.com

* Instagram - @weekend.birder

* Facebook - @weekend.birder

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Learn how to record bird song and use technology to identify them. This episode is about bird call ID apps, sound recording equipment and research into how baby birds learn while they are in their egg.

Dr Vicky Austin is interested in bird behaviour and how birds interact with each other and their environment. She is particularly fascinated by the vocalisations of female birds. Vicky’s PhD at Western Sydney University focused on the vocalisations of female Superb Lyrebirds (such as mimicry) and how females use these sounds to protect themselves and their chicks. Vicky reckons that vocalisations of female birds are just as spectacular as males and she’s here to share what she knows.

>> Subscribe to the Monthly Letter - weekendbirder.com/monthly-letter

Links:

* Vicky on Twitter - @avianbehaviour

* Vicky on Instagram - @avianbehaviour

* Vicky at the Animal Ecology Lab - animalecologylab.org/victoria-austin.html

* Flinders University - flinders.edu.au/college-science-engineering/who-we-are/ecology-evolution-environment

* Lyrebird Lab - lyrebirdlab.org

* Superb Lyrebird recording by Nick Talbot (XC340211) - xeno-canto.org

* Superb Fairywren recording by Marc Anderson, licenced from wildambience.com

Sound recording apps:

* Merlin Bird ID app – merlin.allaboutbirds.org 

* BirdNet app - birdnet.cornell.edu

* xeno-canto (bird sound recordings) - https://xeno-canto.org

Weekend Birder online:

* Website - weekendbirder.com

* Instagram - @weekend.birder

* Facebook - @weekend.birder

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hear birdwatching stories from around Australia. This episode is about the joys of connecting with neighbourhood birds and the challenge of doing a Local Big Year.

Local Big Year is a challenge to identify as many birds species as possible within a local geographical area in one year. Many thanks to the following Local Big Year community members for contributing to this episode - Coreena Veith, Jeremy Ringma, Jo Bangles, Kate Crock, Kylie Savidge, Marian Blake and Sophie Walker.

>> Get your Weekend Birder t-shirt at weekendbirder.com/store

Links:

* Local Big Year website - weekendbirder.com/local-big-year

* Coreena’s website - www.shutterbugwalkabouts.com.au

* Coreena on Instagram - @in.naturephotography

* Jeremy on Instagram - @jeremy_ringma

* Kate's website - packupandflyaway.com

* Kate on Instagram - @packupandflyaway

* Kylie on Instagram - @kylie_savidge_psychic

* Liz on Instagram - @yarrapenguin

* Marian on Instagram - @mariankp

* Sophie on Instagram - @sophiealice08

Weekend Birder online:

* Website - weekendbirder.com

* Instagram - @weekend.birder

* Facebook - @weekend.birder

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Weekend Birder is back for Season 3! Here’s a sneak peak of what's coming up.

If you like birds, you've come to the right place. Weekend Birder celebrates the stories and smarts of everyday people and their unique connections to birds. Independently produced and featuring short engaging episodes, the podcast equips listeners with the knowledge and skills they need to identify birds, understand their behaviours, and enjoy spending time outside.

Kirsty Costa, a bird lover and educator, created Weekend Birder podcast in 2022 to help people discover the benefits of birdwatching. Inspired by her own love of nature, Kirsty aims to make birding accessible and enjoyable for everyone.

Let's connect:

* Website - weekendbirder.com

* Instagram - @weekend.birder

* Facebook - @weekend.birder

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Discover how to take your nature experiences to new heights. This episode is about the difference between awe and wonder, and how each emotion can positively impact your daily life.

Karen Jones is a passionate and award-winning environmental educator. She blends three decades of national park ranger and local government sustainability experiences to reveal the scientific evidence behind one of the most craved human experiences - awe.

Links:

* Karen’s website - tribalfrog.com.au

* Japanese Woodpecker recording by Peter Boesman (XC285938 ) - xeno-canto.org

Weekend Birder online:

* Website - weekendbirder.com

* Instagram - @weekend.birder

* Facebook - @weekend.birder

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Get to know some of Australia’s overlooked birds. This episode is about the many species of pigeons and doves that are native to Australia, a bunch of rare parrots and the delights of the Aussie Bird Count.

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’s Pigeons vs Doves video - birdlife.org.au/news/what-bird-is-that-pigeons-vs-doves

* Sean’s Crested Pigeons vs. Topnknot Pigeons video - birdlife.org.au/news/what-bird-is-that-crested-pigeons-vs-topknot-pigeons/

* Weekend Birder Google Map - maps.app.goo.gl/idqxtcxUDmUkDi1Y7

* Spinifex Pigeon recording by Christopher Watson (XC642946) - xenocanto.org

* Sean on Twitter - @Twitchathon

* Sean on Instagram - @sean.dooley.birdman

* BirdLife Australia on Facebook - @BirdlifeAustralia

* BirdLife Australia on Instagram - @BirdlifeOz

* BirdLife Australia on Twitter - @BirdlifeOz

Weekend Birder online:

* Website - weekendbirder.com

* Instagram - @weekend.birder

* Facebook - @weekend.birder

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Meet two participants of a sport especially for birdwatchers. This episode is about competitive birdwatching, the magic of the Hunter region of NSW and how birds can bring us together.

Mick Roderick is a Twitchathon tragic. In 2023, he notched up his 25th consecutive Twitchathon – all of them in the main race. To maintain this, he twice flew back from year-long overseas backpacking trips to partake in those years’ Twitchathons, as well as being ‘close to home’ when his first child’s due-date was nearing. Mick works at BirdLife Australia and is the current Regent Honeyeater Recovery Coordinator, as well as being the current Vice President of the Hunter Bird Observers Club. Mick’s other passion is seabirds and he has been running pelagic birding trips since 2010. In between, he has birded on 6 continents as a ‘backpacking birder’ and knows full well how heavy field guides can get inside a backpack (especially South American ones!).

Bastian Fox Phelan is a writer of memoir and environmental essays from Mulubinba Newcastle, Australia. Bastian writes about bodies, binaries, place, and environment. Bastian's debut memoir, How to Be Between, was published by Giramondo in 2022. She is a PhD candidate in Creative Nonfiction at the University of Newcastle, writing an eco-memoir about exploring local ecologies. Bastian participated in the Twitchathon the same year that she discovered the joys of birdwatching and has been hooked ever since.

Links:

* BIGNET Twitchathon (ACT & NSW) website - twitchathon.com.au

* BIGNET Twitchathon (ACT & NSW) on Instagram - instagram.com/twitchathon.nswact/

* BIGNET Twitchathon (ACT & NSW) on Facebook - facebook.com/groups/451411113051359/

* Landcare Victoria Twitchathon website - chuffed.org/project/landcare-victoria-twitchathon-2024

* Hunters Observers Club website - hboc.org.au

* Hunter Observers Club on Instagram - @hunterbirders

* Hunter Observers Club on Facebook - @hunterbirding

* Awakbakal Language Program - seasons.awabakallanguage.org.au/calendar

Weekend Birder online:

* Website - weekendbirder.com

* Instagram - @weekend.birder

* Facebook - @weekend.birder

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Learn about bird evolution from an ecologist and best-selling author. This episode is about where songbirds originated from, Australia’s ‘woodpecker’ and other fun birds, and the simple joys of being out in the bush.

Tim Low is a biologist and best-selling author of seven books, four of which have won prizes. His most popular book, ‘Where Song Began’, won best general non fiction at the Australian Book Industry Awards. And ‘Feral Future’ inspired the formation of the Invasive Species Council, a conservation group that campaigns for better policies on introduced species. This year, Tim was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia for significant service to conservation and environmental awareness.  

Links:

* Subscribe to the Monthly Letter - weekendbirder.com/monthly-letter

* Tim’s website - timlow.com

* Tim’s books - timlow.com/books/

* Tim on Twitter/X - @timlow5

* Brown Thornbill recording by Ramit Singal (XC571148) - xeno-canto.org

* Chestnut-crowned Babbler recordings by Marc Anderson, licenced from wildambience.com

Weekend Birder online:

* Website - weekendbirder.com

* Instagram - @weekend.birder

* Facebook - @weekend.birder

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Catch up with Cezary and Leo as they head for home. This episode is about two friends and who are riding their bikes around Australia to raise money and see as many birds as possible.

Leo Norman and Cezary Carmichael are on the road, on two wheels, on a grand adventure. The plan is to spend their gap year riding the country and enjoying birdwatching along the way. They are combining their efforts to document the unique cultural and ecological importance of birds in Australia whilst helping to build two schools in Timor Leste.

Links:

* How to donate to Spend it Well (mention Weekend Birder) - spenditwell.com/6730-2/

* Two Birders Two Bikes on Instagram - @twobirderstwobikes

* Cezary and Leo’s eBird profile - https://ebird.org/profile/MTA2NzU5NQ/AU

* Weekend Birder map of places to visit - weekendbirder.com/places

* Noisy Scrubbird recording by Marc Anderson, licenced from wildambience.com

* Black Grasswrens recording by Nigel Jackett (XC324921) - xeno-canto.org/species/Amytornis-housei

* Princess Parrots recording by Nigel Jackett (XC94034) - xeno-canto.org/species/Polytelis-alexandrae

Weekend Birder online:

* Website - weekendbirder.com

* Instagram - @weekend.birder

* Facebook - @weekend.birder

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Enter the world of one of Australia’s iconic city and rainforest birds. This episode is about the fascinating mating, nesting and hatching behaviour of the Australian Brush-turkey, and what you can do to help it thrive in your neighbourhood.

Dr Ann Göth was born in Austria and began birdwatching at an early age. Her career as an ecologist started with a conservation project for an endangered megapode in Tonga and later led her to Australia. There, she worked as a lecturer at Macquarie University and served as a Threatened Species Officer for the NSW government. Currently, she shares her passion for nature and science as a high school teacher in Sydney. For her PhD and in the years following, she focused on the Australian Brush-turkey, particularly its chicks' behavior and development. Recently, she has published three books: one about Brush-turkeys, a travel memoir of her adventures in Tonga, and an illustrated picture book featuring a Brush-turkey. In 2008, she co-authored the book ‘Mound-builders’ with Professor Darryl Jones.

Links:

* Ann’s website - anngothauthor.com

* Ann on Facebook - @anngoth

* Ann on Instagram - @anngothauthor

* Ann on TikTok - @ann.gth

* Ann on Twitter/X - @anngothauthor

* Australian Brush-turkey recording by Marc Anderson, licenced from wildambience.com

* Subscribe to the Monthly Letter - weekendbirder.com/monthly-letter

Weekend Birder online:

* Website - weekendbirder.com

* Instagram - @weekend.birder

* Facebook - @weekend.birder

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Get a gentle understanding of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI). This episode is about the current situation with avian influenza (bird flu), the impact on wild birds and the steps being taken to protect them.

Dr. Michelle Wille is a senior research fellow at the Centre for Pathogen Genomics, University of Melbourne, and has an honorary appointment at the WHO Collaborating Centre for Reference and Research on Influenza. Her research is primarily focussed on the ecology and evolution of avian influenza viruses, and she has contributed to Australia’s preparedness for HPAI and response to the domestic H7 outbreaks in Victoria. Beyond influenza, Dr. Wille is also interested in other viruses found in wild birds such as coronaviruses, and more recently, understanding the entire virus communities found in wild birds, including viruses never described before.

Links:

* Michelle’s website - michellewille.com

* Michelle on Twitter/X - @duckswabber

* Michelle’s Avian Influenza resources - michellewille.com/avian-influenza-resources/

* Biodiversity Council’s webinar - biodiversitycouncil.org.au/news/insights-from-our-bird-flu-webinar

* Wildlife Health Australia website - wildlifehealthaustralia.com.au/Incidents/Incident-Information/high-pathogenicity-avian-influenza-information

* Advice for people who encounter sick or dead wild birds - wildlifehealthaustralia.com.au/Portals/0/Incidents/WHA_Avian_Influenza_Wild_Bird_Disease_Notification_General.pdf

* Advice for bird banders, wildlife rangers and researchers - wildlifehealthaustralia.com.au/Portals/0/Incidents/HPAI_Advice_for_bird_banders_wildlife_rangers_and_researchers.pdf

* Advice for veterinarians and other animal health professionals - wildlifehealthaustralia.com.au/Portals/0/Incidents/HPAI_Advice_for_veterinarians_and_animal_health_professionals.pdf

Weekend Birder online:

* Website - weekendbirder.com

* Instagram - @weekend.birder

* Facebook - @weekend.birder

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Discover a unique pocket of Western Australia. This episode is about living in regional Australia, Red-winged Fairywrens and birdwatching with an ADHD brain.

Lucy Curtin is a bird fanatic living in Margaret River, Western Australia. As a novice birdwatcher, she has enjoyed this very podcast to broaden her knowledge, and feel connected to the birding community around Australia. Lucy loves all birds of all sizes, and has recently started photographing them to share her experiences, as well as try to remember the amazing bird moments she has. Having been diagnosed with ADHD later in life, Lucy has been using birdwatching as a way to calm her mind and to help build a regular routine. Lucy, her wife, and her family walk with appreciation and respect on Wadandi Boodja.

Links:

* Weekend Birder merch - weekendbirder.com/store

* Weekend Birder map of places to visit - weekendbirder.com/places

* Lucy on Instagram - @birdsoftanahmarah

* Tanah Marah website - tanahmarah.com.au

* Tanah Marah on Instagram - @tanahmara

* Tanah Marah on Facebook - @tanahmarahmargaretriver

* Red-winged Fairywren recording by Marc Anderson, licenced from wildambience.com

Weekend Birder online:

* Website - weekendbirder.com

* Instagram - @weekend.birder

* Facebook - @weekend.birder

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Uncover the surprising truths about bird mimicry and vocal learning. This episode is about the hidden talents of Australian birds.

Dr Vicky Austin is interested in bird behaviour and how birds interact with each other and their environment. She is particularly fascinated by the vocalisations of female birds. Vicky’s PhD at Western Sydney University focused on the vocalisations of female Superb Lyrebirds (such as mimicry) and how females use these sounds to protect themselves and their chicks. Vicky reckons that vocalisations of female birds are just as spectacular as males and she’s here to share what she knows.

** New WONDER t-shirt out now - weekendbirder.com/store

Links:

* Vicky on Twitter - @avianbehaviour

* Vicky on Instagram - @avianbehaviour

* Vicky at the Animal Ecology Lab - animalecologylab.org/victoria-austin.html

Submit your bird mimic recordings:

* Gregory Andrews magpie mimic recording via 7news - 7news.com.au/news/nsw/magpie-filmed-mimicking-fire-truck-siren-as-bushfires-ravage-nsw-and-victoria-c-629563

* Merlin Sound ID - merlin.allaboutbirds.org/sound-id/

* BIrdNet app - https://birdnet.cornell.edu/

* iNaturalist app - inaturalist.org/posts/6315-recording-bird-calls

* Xeno-canto website - xeno-canto.org

Vicky’s recommendations:

* A First Book of Australian Backyard Bird Songs by Fred Van Gessel - au.newhollandpublishers.com/authors/fred-van-gessel.html

* Where the Lyrebird Lives by Vicky Conley and Max Hamilton - windyhollowbooks.com.au/products/where-the-lyrebird-lives

* Busy Beaks by Sarah Allen - sarahallen.com.au/shop/busy-beaks

* Bowerbird Blues by Aura Parker - illustrated.com.au/product/bowerbirdblues/13

* Google Scholar - scholar.google.com.au

Weekend Birder online:

* Website - weekendbirder.com

* Instagram - @weekend.birder

* Facebook - @weekend.birder

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Meet the creators of a board game about Australia’s birds. This episode is about a lively game of sabotage, strategy and luck… and the Dusky Woodswallow.

Chris Bury is an artist working out of Hobart nipaluna and Corey Graham works in hospitality on the Freycinet Peninsula of Tasmania lutruwita. They along with friends Leigh Ellis, Julia Stone and Thomas Friend have developed A Game Called Birds, a board game that features Australian birds with a focus on Tasmanian species. They hope the game will bring people together and stir up conversation about Australian birds and some of their dangers.

Links:

* Website - agamecalledbirds.com.au

* Facebook - @agamecalledbirds

* Instagram - @agamecalledbirds

* TikTok - @agamecalledbirds

* Dusky Woodswallow recording by Marc Anderson, licenced from wildambience.com

* Weekend Birder Google Map - weekendbirder.com/places

* Weekend Birder merch - weekendbirder.com/store

Weekend Birder online:

* Website - weekendbirder.com

* Instagram - @weekend.birder

* Facebook - @weekend.birder

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Adventure around Mount Annan with an experienced photographer. This episode is about the joys of visiting a garden regularly and the Little Grass Bird.

Glenn Smith is an accomplished wildlife photographer. For the last 48 years, with the last 18 years getting more serious, Glenn has specialised in flora, fauna and fungi. Glenn spends most of his time photographing in the Australian Botanic Gardens, Mount Annan (Southwest of Sydney). He is a big advocate of ethical birding and his photos are captured using ethical techniques. Glenn often gives talks at photography clubs and bird observers clubs, and he also teaches photography workshops. Come rain, hail or shine, you’ll find him most Saturdays under his leather hat throughout the 416 hectares of the Gardens.

Links:

* Glenn’s website - glennsmithphotography.com.au

* Glenn on Facebook - @GlennSmithPhotographyWorkshops

* Glenn on Instagram - @glennrsmith66

* Glenn on Threads - @Threadsglennrsmith66

* Australian Gardens Mount Annan website - botanicgardens.org.au/australian-botanic-garden-mount-annan

* Weekend Birder Google Map - weekendbirder.com/places

* Little Grassbird recordings by Marc Anderson, licenced from wildambience.com

Weekend Birder online:

* Website - weekendbirder.com

* Instagram - @weekend.birder

* Facebook - @weekend.birder

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Discover how ecosystems are healing after the Black Summer fires. This episode is about protecting and restoring nature on private land, the recovery of local owls and the Black-faced Monarch.

As Conservation Programs Manager for the East Gippsland branch of Trust for Nature, Ben Willliams’ work revolves around helping private land owners protect their habitat, forever. He conducts many bird surveys on covenanted land across a range of landscapes, from Saltmarsh to the Alps as well as measuring a multitude of habitat throughout the region, assessing quality of forests post the 2019-20 bushfires. Ben’s father used to keep a wide variety of birds (mostly Parrots) in the 80s and my love for birds and other wild things stemmed from there. Ben now spends his weekends looking for, and photographing the many of the hidden wonders that call East Gippsland home.

Links:

* Trust for Nature website - trustfornature.org.au

* Trust for Nature on Facebook - @TrustforNatureVictoria

* Trust for Nature on Instagram - @trustfornature

* Ben on Instagram - @wild_east_gippsland

* Episode 70 - Birding in East Gippsland with Luca - weekendbirder.com/episodes/70-birding-in-east-gippsland-with-luca

* Black-faced Monarch recording by Marc Anderson, licenced from wildambience.com

Weekend Birder online:

* Website - weekendbirder.com

* Instagram - @weekend.birder

* Facebook - @weekend.birder

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Drive one hour south of Sydney for a walk and some birdwatching. This episode is about the joys of a local patch and listening out for the Rockwarbler.

Kylie Savidge has been a keen bird noticer since childhood when her mother would often point out birds of interest. In later years, she became more interested in noticing the birds of her community - Wollondilly Shire in SSW Sydney. Joining Birdlife and social media birding groups has expanded Kylie’s knowledge and interest in a wider diversity of Australia’s birdlife. Raptors and robins have a special place in her heart and she trusts that continuing her bird noticing will expand her list of favourite birds.

Links:

* Weekend Birder Google Map - weekendbirder.com/places

* Cape Barren Goose recording by Ian Woxvold (XC603281) - xeno-canto.org

* Rock Warbler recording by Greg McLachlan (XC380577) - xeno-canto.org

* Black-faced Monarch recording by Marc Anderson, licenced from wildambience.com

Weekend Birder online:

* Website - weekendbirder.com

* Instagram - @weekend.birder

* Facebook - @weekend.birder

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Join us for a live recording of Local Big Year Celebration 2024. This episode features the stories of birdwatchers who participated in Local Big Year 2024 and the delights that come from paying attention to neighbourhood birds.

Hugh Possingham is currently the co-chief councillor of The Biodiversity Council, and Vice-President of BirdLife Australia. He has devoted his life to stopping habitat loss around the world. He completed a PhD in Mathematics and Ecology at Oxford University in the UK and this led to a career in universities in the USA and Australia. He has mainly worked as a university professor and is currently at the University of Queensland. He also served two years at Chief Scientist of Queensland and four years as Chief Scientist of the Nature Conservancy. Hugh has over 1000 peer-reviewed scientific publications and his list of achievements goes on and on. Amongst all of this, he still likes to go birding at Oxley Creek Common in Brisbane.

Jo Bangles is a graphic designer, bird noticer, eco worrier (yes, worry-er), and occasional adventurer. She lives on the Surf Coast, very close to a small wetland she affectionately calls The Swamp. Her Local Big Year area started at the Swamp but quickly expanded to include the streets she walks down to get there. Her spark bird was a hummingbird she encountered on a deserted beach in Mexico over 20 years ago. It was a truly magical encounter!

Sophie Walker is bird enthusiast, and self reported “very average birder”, who uses birding as an excuse to get outside in the fresh air and spend time in nature. She works as a registered nurse in an intensive care unit, and so self care and hobbies like birding are a great way for her to wind down and reset her body clock after shift work. You can catch Sophie distracted by birds almost anywhere she goes and regardless of how “common” the bird might be, she likes them all!

Links:

* Weekend Birder on YouTube - youtube.com/@WeekendBirder

* How to do a Local Big Year guide - weekendbirder.com/how-to-guides/how-to-do-a-local-big-year

* Hugh Possingham on Instagram - @hugepossum/

* Jo Bangles on Instagram - @mojoxposed

* Sophie Walker on Instagram - @sophiealice08

* Set up eBird alerts - ebird.org/alerts

* Bassian Thrush recording by Marc Anderson licenced from wildambience.com

Weekend Birder online:

* Website - weekendbirder.com

* Instagram - @weekend.birder

* Facebook - @weekend.birder

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.