The Casual Birder Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Springtime Birding #110 Apr 15, 2022

Show notes

Spring has arrived! Find out what we saw during our group Spring Equinox birding, and there's big news from our nestbox cam. Also, hear how you can join our team for the Global Big Day!

More information and the episode transcript can be found at Episode 110 home page

Time codes and Links

00:00:00 Opening
00:01:00 Introduction
- Last episode
00:03:49 Spring Equinox birding
- Live Webcam of Rutland Ospreys
00:12:08 Group birding event and reports
- eBird Trip report
00:21:58 Global Big Day
- Join The Casual Birder Podcast Team
00:23:20 Nestbox News
00:26:40 Garden Nature Offer
- Use offer code CBP10 to get 10% off your purchase
  
  As an affiliate of Garden Nature, The Casual Birder Podcast receives a small percentage of the proceeds at no extra expense to you when you use my link to buy their products
- Garden Nature affiliate link
00:27:41 Your bird sightings
00:31:25 Support the Show
- Buy me a virtual coffee on Ko-Fi.com
00:32:17 Top 5 Birds
00:34:55 Reviews 4 Good
00:35:49 Keep in touch
- Tell me about your bird sightings
00:35:58 Wrap and Close
00:36:23 Last call - Eider, Isle of Rum, Scotland

Website: CasualBirder.com

Don't miss an episode - follow the show!

Thanks to Randy Braun for designing the artwork for the show.

The theme music is Short Sleeved Shirt by The Drones. Thanks to them for letting me use it. Check out their website at www.dronesmusic.net

Birding in Belize - Trip report #109 Mar 07, 2022

Show notes

Kate Shaw, from Strange Animals Podcast shares a delightful trip report about the birds she saw on a recent vacation to Belize.

It was a family vacation rather than a pure birding trip, but she still managed to squeeze in a day's birding with a guide. In addition, Kate took note of the birds around her while at the beach or while walking to the next village.

And Suzy shows how Kate used the key bird identification tools to narrow down the species she was seeing in Belize.

Timestamps & Links:

00:00:00 Opening

00:01:15 Introduction

Past episode - Birding in 2022

00:03:06 Kate Shaw - trip report

Do listen to Kate's show: Strange Animals Podcast. It's a weekly science-based podcast about strange animals: living, extinct, and imaginary!

Strange Animals Podcast

Where Kate stayed in Belize: The Lodge at Jaguar Reef

00:22:23 Tools for identifying birds

00:24:53 Keep in touch - and share your trip reports

Tell me about your bird sightings

00:25:10 Support the Show

Buy me a virtual coffee on Ko-Fi.com

00:39:04 Wrap and Close

Website: The Casual Birder Podcast

Don't miss an episode - follow the show!

Thanks to Randy Braun for designing the artwork for the show.

The theme music is Short Sleeved Shirt by The Drones. Thanks to them for letting me use it. Check out their website at www.dronesmusic.net

Birding in 2022 #108 Feb 22, 2022

Show notes

Looking ahead to birding in 2022.

Suzy wants to see more species this year than in 2021. She has plans! Suzy has been out and about already this year. She tells us about the reserves and locations she has visited, and the birds seen there.

Plus, we hear from listeners what birds they've been seeing.

Timestamps & Links:

00:00:00 Opening

00:01:00 Introduction

Past episode

00:01:32 My birding plans for 2022

00:05:34 Support the Show

Contribute to the show's tip jar

00:06:34 My Year list so far

00:18:18 Tell others about the show

00:20:07 My birding notes

00:23:05 Your plans for 2022

00:26:01 I gave a talk!

Orange Audubon Society YouTube

00:27:01 Your bird sightings

00:33:47 Audience survey

Link to survey

00:34:24 Upcoming events in the birding calendar

Global Birdfair website

00:38:41 Keep in touch

Tell me about your bird sightings

00:39:04 Wrap and Close

The Casual Birder Podcast website

Leave me a message

Credits:

Show artwork - Randy Braun
Theme music - Short Sleeved Shirt by The Drones Check out their website

Great Backyard Bird Count #107 Feb 19, 2022

Show notes

A short episode to alert you to two events currently on: the Great Backyard Bird Count, and National Nextbox Week.

Due to delays in my episode production, the next episode will be too late to tell you about these two events.

The Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) 18-21 Feb 2022

What started as a way to collect data on birds visiting backyards in North America, is now a global event that provides data helping researchers learn about bird populations.

Anyone can take part - just watch birds for 15 minutes or more and submit your checklist to the eBird or Merlin mobile apps or the eBird website.

Visit the official website for more information.

And follow along with the event on the eBird GBBC page where you can filter sightings and recent checklists by region on a page tailored to the Great Backyard Bird Count.

National Nestbox Week 14-21 Feb 2022

Organised by the BTO (British Trust for Ornithology) the event encourages people to put up nest boxes to help breeding birds, needed because many natural sites are disappearing.

It's also a great way to feel connected with nature, when you see birds raising their young nearby.

Find out more at the BTO's website

The Casual Birder Podcast website

Leave me a message

Contribute to the show's tip jar

Credits:

Show artwork - Randy Braun
Theme music - Short Sleeved Shirt by The Drones Check out their website

Best birding moments of 2021 #106 Jan 27, 2022

Show notes

It's become a custom at the end of each year to review the bird species we've seen and recall the wonderful birding moments that we've had.

In this episode I look back at the birds I saw in 2021 and share my favourite birding memories.

Listeners also tell us about their stand out birding moments from the year.

Timestamps & Links:

00:00:00 Opening

00:00:51 Past episode

105 Garden Birding at Pagham Harbour U.K.

00:01:22 Audience Survey

Audience survey

00:02:30 My Birding Year - Overview

Lockdown Birdwatching Diaries

00:08:46 Share the show on social media

00:09:32 My birding year by month

Suzy's tour leader in Scotland: Mike Dilger
A Shot of Wildlife
WatchRWildlife

00:34:23 Support the show

Contribute to the tip jar

00:35:32 Your sightings

Tell Suzy about your birding stories

00:44:14 Events in 2022

00:45:43 Wrap and Close

Thanks to Randy Braun for designing the artwork for the show.

The theme music is Short Sleeved Shirt by The Drones.

Check out their website at www.dronesmusic.net

The Casual Birder Podcast https://casualbirder.com/

Don't miss an episode - follow the show!

Garden Birding at Pagham Harbour, UK #105 Dec 28, 2021

Show notes

Join Suzy for a morning's birding in a country garden at Pagham Harbour, West Sussex.

Suzy also tells us about her recent birding trips, a Magpie and Squirrel encounter in her garden, and we hear trip reports from listeners in California and the UK.

Timestamps and Links:

00:00:00 Opening

00:00:46 Past episode

104 Birding with Keiron Lee Vine on the Isle of Wight

00:01:09 Suzy's recent birding trips

Suzy's tour leader in Scotland: Mike Dilger

00:07:00 Support the show

Buy Suzy a virtual coffee

00:07:23 Magpie and Squirrel encounter

00:14:06 Your sightings

Paul's eBird trip report

Tell Suzy about your birding stories

00:17:41 Garden birding at Pagham Harbour

00:37:19 Suzy appears on other podcasts

00:40:00 Wrap and Close

Thanks to Randy Braun for designing the artwork for the show.

The theme music is Short Sleeved Shirt by The Drones.

Check out their website at www.dronesmusic.net

The Casual Birder Podcast https://casualbirder.com/

Don't miss an episode - follow the show!

Birding with Keiron Lee Vine on the Isle of Wight #104 Sep 20, 2021

Show notes

In October 2020, I took a vacation on the Isle of Wight.

While there, I was delighted to meet up with local birder (and past guest) Keiron Lee Vine.

Keiron took me to his local patch: Haddon's Pits. We spent a lovely morning birding, getting spectacular views of a Kestrel and seeing large flocks of finches flying over.

Timestamps & Links:

00:00:00 Opening

00:00:50 Global Bird Weekend

The Casual Birder Podcast has entered a team for the Global Bird Weekend (on 8-10 October 2021) and I'd love you to join us.

There will be exclusive virtual events for members of the Casual Birder Podcast Team

Casual Birder Podcast Team sign-up: https://bit.ly/cbteam21
Global Birding site: https://globalbirding.org/

00:03:31 Birding with Keiron

At Haddon's Pits, Isle of Wight

https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/ventnor-downs/trails/down-south-luccombe-and-the-landslip-walk
Keiron's past episode: https://casualbirder.com/episode68

00:13:23 Fundraising for Birdlife international

JustGiving page for Team donations: https://bit.ly/teamdonation21
Past episode on Global Bird Weekend: https://casualbirder.com/episode78

00:14:25 Wrap & Close

I'm grateful to Randy Braun for designing the artwork for the show.

The theme music is Short Sleeved Shirt by The Drones. Thanks to them for letting me use it. Check out their website at https://www.dronesmusic.net/

Don't miss an episode - follow the show!

The Casual Birder Podcast Website https://casualbirder.com/

Global Bird Weekend. Join our team #103 Sep 04, 2021

Show notes

The Global Bird Weekend is coming up on October 8th - 10th 2021.

The Casual Birder Podcast has entered a team and I'd love you to join us.

In this mini-episode, I'll tell you more about the event and how you can be part of our team, wherever you are in the world.

Timestamps & Links:

00:00:00 Opening
00:00:50 Global Bird Weekend

Join our team for the Global Birding Weekend on October 8-10. There will be exclusive virtual events for members of the Casual Birder Podcast Team.

- Casual Birder Podcast Team sign-up: https://bit.ly/cbteam21
- Global Birding site: https://globalbirding.org/
00:03:03 Fundraising for Birdlife international
- JustGiving page for Team donations: https://bit.ly/teamdonation21
- Past episode on Global Bird Weekend: https://casualbirder.com/episode78
00:03:55 Wrap & Close

Thank you to Randy Braun for designing the artwork for the show.

The theme music is Short Sleeved Shirt by The Drones. Thanks to them for letting me use it. Check out their website at https://www.dronesmusic.net/page.php?pageid=home

Don't miss an episode - follow the show!

The Casual Birder Podcast Website https://casualbirder.com/

Summer Birding Moments #102 Aug 31, 2021

Show notes

In episode #102, hear about my lovely Robin encounter, listeners share their summer birding moments and find out how to join our team for the Global Bird Weekend in October.

Timestamps & Links:

00:00:00 Opening
00:00:51 Introduction

In case you missed it, last episode I spoke with Mike Drew, biodiversity advisor, licensed bird ringer and Nightingale population recorder.

Mike told me about the incredible journeys that Nightingales make and how advances in technology have helped us understand the challenges they face in both their wintering and breeding locations.

Last episode

00:01:41 Suzy's summer moments

A trusting Robin gets its own supply of mealworms, and we hear the amazing call of a Nightjar

00:08:18 Your sightings

We hear from Karin, Andrew, Nish, Gemma, Matthew, Marylee, and Christopher

Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area, Pennsylvania Sandwich Bay Bird Observatory

Tell me about your bird sightings

00:20:04 Global Bird Weekend

Join our team for the Global Birding Weekend on October 8-10.

There will be exclusive virtual events for members of the Casual Birder Podcast Team.

Casual Birder Podcast Team sign-up

Global Birding site JustGiving page for Team donations

Past episode on Global Bird Weekend

00:22:27 Please support the show

Buy me a virtual coffee or two and help me create episode transcriptions. Transcriptions are an important aide to accessibility for some listeners, and require several hours of work. Your help will allow me to pay for their production.

Buy me a virtual coffee

00:24:10 Last Call Description

Paul Fenwick shares a morning soundscape from Mount Totumas Cloud Forest Reserve, Panama on the morning of 7th June 2021. It includes Rufous-browed Peppershrike and Clay-colored Thrush, and Mantled Howler Monkeys! See Paul's eBird list from this morning here:

Paul's eBird list

00:25:43 Wrap & Close

Thank you to Randy Braun for designing the artwork for the show.

The theme music is Short Sleeved Shirt by The Drones. Thanks to them for letting me use it. Check out their website at www.dronesmusic.net

Don't miss an episode - follow the show!

The Casual Birder Podcast Website

00:26:08 Last Call

Paul Fenwick shares 4 minutes of the morning soundscape from Mount Totumas Cloud Forest Reserve, Panama, 7th June 2021.

#101 Focus on Birds: The Nightingale. A Conversation with Mike Drew Jul 13, 2021

Show notes

Mike Drew is a biodiversity advisor for Anglian Water and a licensed bird ringer. He has monitored and managed Nightingale nesting sites in the East of England for over a decade.

Mike shares his observations of this iconic bird and tells us about the research which helped inform habitat action plans produced by the BTO (British Trust for Ornithology).

This interview was originally live-streamed on May 20, 2021. The video recording can be found here.

A special thanks to Nick Clayton for permission to use his photograph for the episode artwork.

TImestamps: