This Birding Life

Episode 90: The Final Episode! An Interview with Mark Garland Aug 29, 2019

Grab the Kleenex: This is the final episode that TBL host Bill Thompson, III, recorded before succumbing to pancreatic cancer on March 25, 2019. Bill interviews Mark S. Garland, a naturalist who has been sharing his enthusiasm for nature for over 40 years. He is also the proud recipient of the Paul Bartsch Award for Distinguished Contributions to Natural History. Bird Watcher's Digest subscribers will recognize him as the author of "Birders Question Mark," a Q&A column that has featured in the magazine since 2015. Mark reveals what sparked his interest in nature and birds early in life, and how it evolved throughout his lifetime. He ends with advice for aspiring naturalists: Be persistent, follow your heart, and in the end, it will all work out!

Episode 89: An Interview with Jeff and Liz Gordon Jul 24, 2019

In July and August, This Birding Life will feature two episodes that Bill Thompson, III, recorded before succumbing to pancreatic cancer on March 25, 2019. In this episode Bill interviews longtime friend Jeff Gordon, president of the American Birding Association, and his wife, Liz. Bill's guests discuss how they met, how their relationship evolved through their love of birds, the accomplishments that they value most in their work with the ABA, current trends in birding, and what the future holds for the hobby we all love.

Best of This Birding Life: The Early Days of Bird Watcher's Digest Jun 04, 2019

As you may know, our beloved TBL host Bill Thompson, III, died on March 25, after a short battle with pancreatic cancer. What you may not know is that Bill's mother, Bird Watcher's Digest founding publisher Elsa Thompson, died in a fire in her home in Marietta, Ohio, on May 25. We know you share our grief in losing these two wonderful people who have contributed so much to the world of birding. In honor of BT3 and Elsa, we're re-airing this episode from 2013, when Bill interviewed Elsa about the early days of Bird Watcher's Digest, why the family started the magazine, and what it has meant in their lives.

Best of This Birding Life: Music and Birds: Jonathan Meiberg of Shearwater May 14, 2019

Originally recorded in 2010, this episode of TBL features host Bill Thompson, III, interviewing Jonathan Meiberg, a birder and leader of the indie-rock band Shearwater. Both a musician and a bird watcher, Jonathan Meiberg sparked on music at an early age, but he did not catch the birding bug until his college years, while on a visit to the Falkland Islands. In this episode Bill and Jonathan discuss a range of topics including songwriting, bird behavior, life birds, and the vagaries of small travel guitars. Interspersed throughout the interview are short samples of Shearwater's music. This was one of Bill's favorite episodes!

Best of This Birding Life: The Birding Life of Greg Miller Apr 18, 2019

In this popular episode from 2011, TBL host Bill Thompson, III, interviewed Greg Miller, an Ohio birder who served as inspiration for the character played by actor Jack Black in the feature film The Big Year. In this episode, Greg tells the story of his own birding life.

Episode 88: Jim McCormac: A Man for All Seasons Mar 06, 2019

Bill interviews Ohio birding legend Jim McCormac about his lifelong fascination with nature, his career preserving special places and creatures in Ohio, and his many other accomplishments. Jim is the author of several books; he guides birding and photo tours; and he is one of the few people to see both a red-cockaded woodpecker and a Bachman's sparrow in Ohio! Listen to the banter of these two old friends.

Best of This Birding Life: Adventure at Rapi Nui with Alvaro Jaramillo Feb 14, 2019

TBL host Bill Thompson, III, will be away from the BWD home nest for a while. We hope soon to resume new episodes of the podcast we all know and love, but in the interim, we're taking a trip down memory lane and replaying some of the most popular episodes. In this episode from 2007, tropical birding expert Alvaro Jaramillo recounts a side trip to Rapa Nui (Easter Island), which became one of the best experiences of his birding life.

Best of This Birding Life: Snowy Owl Invasion with Scott Weidensaul Jan 17, 2019

TBL host Bill Thompson, III, will be away from the BWD home nest for a while. We hope soon to resume new episodes of the podcast we all know and love, but in the interim, we're taking a trip down memory lane and replaying some of the most popular episodes. In this episode from December 2017, owl expert Scott Weidensaul joins Bill for a discussion of the winter's invasion of snowy owls from the Arctic. Through Project SNOWstorm (co-founded by Scott), a volunteer field research program studying these magnificent, mostly white owls, we are learning a great deal about their behavior, population dynamics, natural history, and how they interact with us humans, and vice versa. Scott also shares his tips for watching a snowy owl respectfully, without disturbing it.

Episode 87: Melissa Groo: Wildlife Biographer Dec 11, 2018

Melissa Groo joins Bill to talk about her life and the late start she got to her amazing career as a “wildlife biographer.” Though she is most famous for her captivating bird and wildlife photographs, Melissa strives to convey more than that, capturing the personality, soul, and essence of her subjects in hopes of inspiring empathy from humankind for the plight of the natural world.

Episode 86: Juan the Guan and Other Birding Stories Nov 26, 2018

During a recent trip to South America, Bill collected stories from six of his fellow travelers and shares them here. Included are stories about Juan the Guan, a treacherous journey to Noir Island, a bear story, and three stories about how birds can change the course of our lives.

Episode 85: Cape A-May-Zing: A Visit to Cape May, New Jersey Oct 18, 2018

Join host Bill Thompson, III, on his recent birding tour of renowned hotspot Cape May, New Jersey, where he interviews Tom Reed, Mark Garland, and Dr. David LaPuma, expert migration counters from the Cape May Bird Observatory. Along the way he visits the Avalon Seawatch, the Cape May Point Hawk Watch, and South Cape May Meadows talking about migrating seabirds, raptors, songbirds, and monarch butterflies.

Episode 84: A Birder's Guide to Murder, with JR Ripley Sep 12, 2018

Author JR Ripley chats with Bill about his recent birder-murder mystery novel A Birder's Guide to Murder, set at the American Birding Expo. The book is part of the Bird Lover's Mystery series published by Kensington, in which the heroine, Amy, solves murders, while simultaneously running her specialty retail birding store. JR, whose real name is Glenn Eric Meganck, also writes novels in other genres under other pen names, is a professional musician, and is kinda into zombies, too.

Episode 83: Tom Stephenson and BirdGenie Aug 15, 2018

Tom Stephenson is the creator of BirdGenie, an app that recognizes bird songs recorded on your cellphone. Bill interviews Tom about his fascination with sound and sound technology, the cross-over between musicians and birders, and how the BirdGenie app came to be. This interview was conducted outdoors during the New River Birding Festival in West Virginia in May 2018.

Episode 82: Birding in Colombia Part 2: Camarones Jul 16, 2018

In part 2 of Birding in Columbia, TBL host Bill Thompson, III, travels to the Caribbean lowlands near Camarones to visit additional sites along the Northern Colombia Birding Trail. We hear from three different Colombian guides as well as three of Bill's travel companions about the wonders (and challenges) of birding in Colombia. The origin of the vermilion cardinal's colorful plumage is explained by the mythology of the Wayuu People. And we hear the full and tragic birding origin story from guide Angel "Neke" Ortiz Menenses.

Episode 81: Birding in Colombia Part 1: Santa Marta Mountains Jun 20, 2018

In Part 1 of Birding in Colombia, Bill joins a group of avid birders in the Santa Marta region of northern Colombia to explore the Northern Colombia Birding Trail. Besides amazing birding and lots of endemics, he encounters a new generation of excellent local birding guides poised to accommodate an influx of ecotourists to this newly opened birding destination.

Episode 80: Erik Bruhnke, the World's Happiest Birdman May 08, 2018

During his recent trip to Honduras, TBL host Bill Thompson, III, interviewed naturalist, photographer, and birding guide Erik Bruhnke. Their conversation covers Erik's start as a birder, his favorite birding spots, his love of lifers and beer, his hatred of mylar balloons, his Zen of Birding philosophy, and his favorite “swear” words.

Episode 79: Meet the California Young Birders Club Apr 18, 2018

Host Bill Thompson, III, interviews Elisa, Cayenne, BJ, and Ryan, founding members of the California Young Birders Club. These young adults share their birding origin stories, discuss what it's like to be a birder among their peers, the advantages of technology, and their plans for the future.

Episode 78: James Adams and the Closing of Pico Bonito Mar 21, 2018

Host Bill Thompson, III, interviews James Adams, co-manager of the Lodge and Spa at Pico Bonito in Honduras, about the recent news that the lodge's owners plan to close it down. Pico Bonito is one of the finest ecolodges in the Americas--if not the world--so there are many people who are hoping the lodge can re-open under new ownership.

Episode 77: Point and Shoot Photography Feb 20, 2018

Host Bill Thompson, III, talks with Stephen Ingraham, author of "Point and Shoot Nature Photography," about the explosive popularity of small, super-zoom cameras. Steve has decades of experience as a photographer and has fully embraced today's digital technology. His self-published book is a how-to guide for those who want to take high quality bird and nature images without the daunting cost of a full-sized digital SLR camera.

Episode 76: Noah Strycker's World Big Year Jan 24, 2018

Bill talks with Noah Strycker, self-described birdman and adventurer, who was the first person ever to see more than 6,000 bird species in a single, worldwide birding Big Year. Noah is the author of “Birding Without Borders,” which recounts his 2015 World Big Year.

Episode 75: Snowy Owl Invasion with Scott Weidensaul Dec 27, 2017

Owl expert Scott Weidensaul joins Bill for a discussion of this winter's invasion of snowy owls from the Arctic. Through Project SNOWstorm (co-founded by Scott), a volunteer field research program studying these magnificent, mostly white owls, we are learning a great deal about their behavior, population dynamics, natural history, and how they interact with us humans, and vice versa. Scott also shares his tips for watching a snowy owl respectfully, without disturbing it.

Episode 74: Birding Taiwan Nov 30, 2017

Bill's recent birding trip to Taiwan is the subject of this episode. Taiwan is an island off the coast of China, with a large number of endemic and near-endemic bird species. While it is a modern country, heavily influenced by mainland China and Japan, much of Taiwan is wild, heavily forested, with large, protected areas set aside for birds and wildlife. In addition, the culture of Taiwan is quite bird-centric, and its people are fascinated by their country's bird life. In this episode, Bill interviews his fellow travelers and their Taiwanese birding guide, Chuck, about all facets of Taiwan, including the people, food, culture, weather, and birds of this island country in East Asia. Bill also got to take lots of photos of various statues, signs, and giant things of Taiwan, which he shares at the end of the podcast.

Episode 73: More Birding Stories Nov 02, 2017

Host Bill Thompson, III, recently traveled to Taiwan. Four of his travel companions tell fascinating stories about their birding adventures from around the world. Ranging from light-hearted to downright life-threatening, these tales are worth a listen. Topics include: discovering a new bird species, schmoozing your way to an exit-row airline seat, getting rescued in the desert, and avoiding capture by the guerillas when birding.

Episode 72: An Interview with ABA President Jeff Gordon Sep 25, 2017

Bill chats with ABA President Jeff Gordon about his start as a birder, new and young birder outreach, ghillie suits, The Big Year movie, swirlies, Mark Zuckerberg and Facebook communities, the search for the ivory-billed woodpecker, and the early days of the modern birding era.

Episode 71: Catherine Hamilton, Bird Artist for Conservation Aug 30, 2017

Bill interviews artist Catherine Hamilton about her evolution as a bird artist, what inspires her art, her favorite subject matter, her field sketching abilities, and her dedication to supporting bird conservation projects.

Episode 70: Ian Harding and Odd Birds Aug 02, 2017

Bill chats with actor/birder Ian Harding, star of the television show “Pretty Little Liars,” about his new book “Odd Birds.” In the book, Ian writes about everything from Hollywood stardom and chasing the rare California condor to the allure of Juliette Binoche. This Hollywood teen idol is not only a true birder, he's also wonderfully down-to-earth. Episode 70 also features Ian reading from “Odd Birds.”

Episode 69: Three Fabulous Birding Festivals Jun 28, 2017

Bill chats with the organizers of three successful--and very different--annual birding festivals in the U.S.: the Acadia Birding Festival in Maine, the New River Birding & Nature Festival in West Virginia, and the San Diego Bird Festival in California. Learn what's special about each festival and why birders choose to attend them.

Episode 68: Jan Pierson and Field Guides May 24, 2017

Bill enjoys a wide-ranging interview with Jan Pierson, one of the founders of Field Guides Birding Tours. Topics range from Jan's late and unexpected start as a birder to the collaborative ownership of Field Guides to favorite birding destinations and fantasy birding companions--and a lot more.

Episode 67: Katie Fallon, Vulture Evangelinst May 05, 2017

Host Bill Thompson, III, interviews author/naturalist Katie Fallon about her latest book “Vulture” and about her deep fascination with these carrion-eating, much-misunderstood birds.

Episode 66: Cat Wars Mar 24, 2017

Host Bill Thompson, III, interviews ornithologist Peter Marra, co-author of the book “Cat Wars: The Deadly Consequences of a Cuddly Killer.” The book examines the conservation, environmental, social, and health impacts of the pet and feral cats--unnatural predators--that kill a billion wild birds annually in the United States.

Episode 65: Champions of the Flyway, Part II Feb 27, 2017

Host Bill Thompson, III, recounts last year’s Champions of the Flyway bird race in Israel where his team, the Way-Off Coursers, raised more than $12K for conservation. The event as a whole raised more than $67K to protect birds along the great Rift Valley flyway between Eurasia and Africa. Also featured is the anthem Bill wrote to support Champions of the Flyway.

Episode 64: Voices of India Jan 17, 2017

Host Bill Thompson, III, takes us on a journey to India for the second-annual Uttar Pradesh Bird Festival and introduces us to fellow birders from India and around the world.

Episode 63: Voices of the Honduras Birding for Conservation Tour Dec 09, 2016

Host Bill Thompson, III, talks to participants in the 2016 Honduras Birding for Conservation Tour which raised more than $50,000 for conservation projects. His team, the Velveteen Cotingas, finished last in the bird list competition but first in the fun category.

Episode 62: An Interview with Rockjumper Birding Tours Oct 31, 2016

Host Bill Thompson, III, interviews Adam Riley and Keith Valentine of Rockjumper Birding Tours. His guests talk about birding tourism, unknown destinations, doing well by doing good, and share their harrowing birding adventures.

Episode 61: My Jinx Bird Sep 30, 2016

Host Bill Thompson, III, takes us along on a quest to find his jinx bird, the Connecticut warbler, in northernmost Minnesota.

Episode 60: A Visit to the Cornell Lab Aug 07, 2016

Join host Bill Thompson, III, on a visit to the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology in Ithaca, NY and learn more about the Lab’s citizen science projects, bird conservation research, young birders outreach, and rich history of bird study.

Episode 59: Birding Portugal Jul 01, 2016

Host Bill Thompson, III, takes us along on a week of birding in southern Portugal. This European country is a world famous destination for wine, seafood, history, culture, and now, birding! Portugal’s leading birder, Joao Jara, tells us all about his native land.

Episode 58: A Conversation with Julie Zickefoose May 25, 2016

TBL host Bill Thompson, III, enjoys a wide-ranging conversation with author/artist/naturalist Julie Zickefoose about her new book: “Baby Birds: An Artist Looks Into the Nest.”

Episode 57: The Honduras Birding for Conservation Tour Apr 22, 2016

TBL host Bill Thompson, III, chats about the upcoming Honduras Birding for Conservation Tour with founder James Adams and event guides Jeffrey A. Gordon and Alex Alvarado.

Episode 56: Champions of the Flyway, Part I Feb 25, 2016

TBL Host Bill Thompson, III, examines the monumental conservation effort being undertaken to stop the illegal killing of birds along the Mediterranean flyway.

Episode 55: Backyard Rarity, Part II Jan 29, 2016

TBL host Bill Thompson, III, gets deeper into the experience of finding a rare western flycatcher in his Ohio backyard.

Episode 54: Backyard Rarity, Part I Dec 28, 2015

TBL host Bill Thompson, III, talks with avid birders who came from hours away to see a rare bird in his backyard.

Episode 53: Great Birding Stories, Vol. 1 Nov 11, 2015

TBL host Bill Thompson, III, shares some of the interesting stories he’s gathered in his birding travels: strange animal behavior, mistaken identity, acts of kindness, moments of discovery, spark birds, and memorable passages of life.

Episode 52: Birding in Uganda, Part II Oct 23, 2015

TBL host Bill Thompson, III, takes us along on the second part of his journey through Uganda, birding, trekking for chimpanzees and mountain gorillas, seeing lions, and encountering some of Uganda’s future birding guides. He even gets invited for an audience with an ambassador!

Episode 51: Birding in Uganda, Part I Jul 10, 2015

TBL host Bill Thompson, III, takes us along on the first part of a journey to Uganda in East Africa where he competed in the annual Birding Big Day in Murchison Falls National Park.

Episode 50: Interview with Ted Floyd of the ABA May 27, 2015

TBL Host Bill Thompson, III, interviews Ted Floyd, editor of Birding Magazine from the American Birding Association.

Episode 49: A Visit to the British Bird Fair, Part II Mar 20, 2015

TBL Host Bill Thompson, III, interviews a few of the many interesting personalities at the British Birdwatching Fair, an event held each August at Rutland Water Preserve in central England.

Episode 48: A Visit to the British Bird Fair, Part I Dec 10, 2014

TBL Host Bill Thompson, III, interviews a few of the many interesting personalities at the British Birdwatching Fair, an event held each August at Rutland Water Preserve in central England.

Episode 47: Sketches of Homer, Alaska Aug 11, 2014

TBL Host Bill Thompson, III, shares audio recordings of some of the very fun and unusual events associated with the 2014 Kachemak Bay Shorebird Festival held in Homer, Alaska.

Episode 46: The Voices of Argentina Jun 11, 2014

TBL Host Bill Thompson, III, interviews fellow birders, local guides, and other interesting people whom he encountered on a 10-day birding trip to Argentina.

Episode 45: Jeff Bouton and the Amazon Kingfisher Jan 31, 2014

Host Bill Thompson, III, interviews Jeff Bouton, the birder who found an Amazon kingfisher near Harlingen, Texas at the Rio Grande Valley Birding Festival.

Episode 44: Speakers from the ’13 Midwest Birding Symposium Dec 02, 2013

Host Bill Thompson, III, shares audio excerpts from seven different presenters at the 2013 MBS.

Episode 43: Elsa Thompson and BWD: The Early Days Aug 15, 2013

Host Bill Thompson, III, interviews Bird Watcher’s Digest’s Founding Publisher Elsa Thompson about the early days of the magazine.

Episode 42: Jeffrey Kimball and Birders: The Central Park Effect May 29, 2013

Host Bill Thompson, III, interviews Jeffrey Kimball, creator of the movie “Birders: The Central Park Effect.”

Episode 41: The Past, Present, and Future of Birding Optics Mar 22, 2013

Host Bill Thompson, III, interviews Stephen Ingraham, optics specialist from Carl Zeiss Sports Optics, about technology, photography, the Internet, and how he became known as an optics expert.

Episode 40: Optics-Buying Advice With Ben Lizdas, Part II Nov 28, 2012

Host Bill Thompson, III, interviews Eagle Optics sales manager Ben Lizdas about prism types, considerations for nature-watching, and much more.

Episode 39: Optics-Buying Advice With Ben Lizdas, Part I Oct 12, 2012

Host Bill Thompson, III, interviews Eagle Optics sales manager Ben Lizdas about the optics buying process, the questions customers ask about binoculars, how much to spend, choosing the right power, and much more.

Episode 38: Young Birders at the Hog Island Audubon Camp Aug 13, 2012

Host Bill Thompson, III, speaks with five teenage campers about their experiences at the Hog Island Audubon Camp.

Episode 37: Birding the Hula Valley of Israel Jun 05, 2012

Host Bill Thompson, III, talks with three of Israel’s leading bird authorities about why this Mideast country is such a mecca for birds and for birders.

Episode 36: The Sounds of Spring at Indigo Hill Apr 23, 2012

TBL host Bill Thompson, III, shares recordings of bird calls heralding the arrival of spring on Indigo Hill.

Episode 35: The Snowy Owl Invasion Feb 13, 2012

TBL host Bill Thompson, III, and some birding companions take a trip to see a snowy owl and they get much more than they bargained for!

Episode 34: The Birding Life of Greg Miller Nov 18, 2011

Greg Miller, an Ohio birder who served as inspiration for one of the characters in “The Big Year”, tell the story of his own birding life.

Episode 33: An Interview with David Frankel Oct 05, 2011

In this episode, TBL host Bill Thompson, III, interviews David Frankel, director of the movie “The Big Year.”

Episode 32: Trekking for the Philippine Eagle Aug 25, 2011

BWD editor Bill Thompson, III, reads his account of a trek to see the Philippine Eagle on the island of Mindanao in the Philippines.

Episode 31: An Interview with Michael Male Jun 14, 2011

Bill Thompson, III, interviews Michael Male, one of the world’s leading nature videographers.

Episode 30: Sophie Webb: Life at Sea Feb 23, 2011

Bill Thompson, III, interviews Sophie Webb, an ornithologist/artist/author from California who spends much of each year at sea aboard an oceanic research vessel.

Episode 29: Nature in Iraq Dec 09, 2010

Host Bill Thompson, III, interviews an Iraqi civil engineer and an American soldier about their shared interest in observing and restoring nature in the war-torn country of Iraq.

Episode 28: The Bird Call Lady Sep 17, 2010

Host Bill Thompson, III, talks with Nicole Perretta a.k.a The Bird Call Lady about her ability to imitate the songs and calls of more than 130 species of birds.

Episode 27: Music and Birds: Jonathan Meiberg of Shearwater Jul 26, 2010

Host Bill Thompson, III, interviews Jonathan Meiberg, a birder and leader of the indie-rock band Shearwater.

Episode 26: Voices of Guyana May 28, 2010

Host Bill Thompson, III, journeys to Guyana and interviews Amerindian guides, ecotourism visionaries, international travel experts, and government officials about this world-class birding destination.

Episode 25: An Englishman in Florida Feb 16, 2010

English birder Bo Beolens, the Fatbirder, recounts his first birding trip to Florida.

Episode 24: Birding in Panama Dec 09, 2009

During an eight-day birding trip to Panama, Host Bill Thompson, III interviews traveling companions for experiences and impressions.

Episode 23: The Big Sit! Nov 12, 2009

Host Bill Thompson, III, interviews participants in the 2008 Big Sit! held in the birding tower on his farm, Indigo Hill, in southeastern Ohio.

Episode 22: Snippets From a Life Gone to the Birds Oct 21, 2009

Humorist Al Batt recounts his experiences with all aspects of the natural world at the 2009 Midwest Birding Symposium in Lakeside, Ohio.

Episode 21: Saving the Cebu Flowerpecker Jul 09, 2009

Bill Thompson, III, talks with Lisa Marie Paguntalan about saving one of the rarest birds in the world.

Episode 20: iBird and the Evolution of the Digital Field Guide May 22, 2009

Bill Thompson, III, talks with Mitchell Waite about iBird and the future of digital field guides in general.

Episode 19: Love and Death Among the Cranes Apr 08, 2009

Julie Zickefoose reads her controversial column, “Love and Death Among the Cranes.”

Episode 18: Phoebe and The Young Birder’s Guide Dec 12, 2008

Bill Thompson, III, interviews Phoebe Linnea Thompson, his daughter and co-author on The Young Birder’s Guide to Birds of Eastern North America.

Episode 17: Adventures in Birding With Bryan Bland Oct 09, 2008

Bill Thompson, III, asks birding tour leader Bryan Bland to recount his memorable travels to India and beyond.

Episode 16: Capsized by Rogue Wave Aug 28, 2008

Lisa White from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt reads an excerpt from All Things Reconsidered, by Roger Tory Peterson and edited by Bill Thompson, III.

Episode 15: Birding the World With Victor Emanuel Aug 11, 2008

Bill Thompson, III talks with Victor Emanuel and discusses his inspiration for creating a worldwide birding and nature tour company.

Episode 14: birdJam: a Revolution in Bird Identification May 07, 2008

Bill Thompson, III talks with birdJam cofounders Jay Davis and Denese VanDyne about the origins and potential of birdJam.

Episode 13: The Singing Life of Birds Mar 20, 2008

Author Donald Kroodsma discusses the art and science behind listening to bird songs.

Episode 12: Paradise Lost Jan 17, 2008

Artist, author, and naturalist Julie Zickefoose reads Paradise Lost, an essay from her latest book, “Letters from Eden.”

Episode 11: Adventure on Rapa Nui Oct 19, 2007

Tropical birding expert Alvaro Jaramillo took a side trip to Rapa Nui (Easter Island), which became one of the best experiences of his birding life.

Episode 10: A Conversation with Lang Elliott Jul 20, 2007

Lang Elliott, the mighty maven of bird sound in North America, talks about his inspiration and renowned work in recording nature sounds.

Episode 9: A Conversation with Kenn Kaufman Jun 01, 2007

Birding all-star Kenn Kaufman talks about his life with birds, his early days as a bird watcher, his latest field guides, the great Roger Tory Peterson, and the future of birding.

Episode 8: A Five Hawk Experience Apr 25, 2007

Host Bill Thompson, III, interviews bird artist Keith Hansen, who describes a mind-blowing hawk encounter outside of his Bolinas, California art studio.

Episode 7: A Postcard from Tikal Mar 21, 2007

Visiting Guatemala and the ancient Mayan city of Tikal, Host Bill Thompson, III, Julie Zickefoose, and Jeff Gordon discuss tropical birding and the birds of Tikal from the top of a Mayan temple.

Episode 6: The Perils and Pitfalls of Birding Feb 06, 2007

Recorded from his live presentation at the Space Coast Birding Festival, Bill Thompson, III, reveals the humorous side of bird watching.