Explore every episode of the podcast Songbirding

Continuing the ascent of the Fullerton Loop Trail, I’m about to encounter the songs of Red-breast Nuthatches, Western Warbling-Vireos, and Townsend’s Solitaires.

Credits

Songbirding: Kananaskis Country is a Songbirding Studios production.

Recorded, engineered, narrated and created by Rob Porter.

The Songbirding cover art (Townsend's Warbler) is by Lauren Helton: https://tinylongwing.carbonmade.com/projects/5344062

Creative Commons music is from Bluedot Sessions.

Learn how to support the show at https://songbirding.com/support

As I continue along the Fullerton Loop Trail, I’ll be encountering some Chipping Sparrows, Varied Thrush, Mountain Chickadees, and more.

Credits

Songbirding: Kananaskis Country is a Songbirding Studios production.

Recorded, engineered, narrated and created by Rob Porter.

The Songbirding cover art (Townsend's Warbler) is by Lauren Helton: https://tinylongwing.carbonmade.com/projects/5344062

Creative Commons music is from Bluedot Sessions.

Learn how to support the show at https://songbirding.com/support

The Fullerton Loop Trail is a half-day hike that gives expansive views over the Elbow Valley in Kananaskis Country.

During my trip in early June of 2025, it was full of birdsong, even though the climate felt like winter was still holding on a slight bit.

For the next six episodes we’ll be exploring this trail, hearing from an extensive number of species as we pass through open meadows, steep ravines, and dense alpine forest.

Credits

Songbirding: Kananaskis Country is a Songbirding Studios production.

Recorded, engineered, narrated and created by Rob Porter.

The Songbirding cover art (Townsend's Warbler) is by Lauren Helton: https://tinylongwing.carbonmade.com/projects/5344062

Creative Commons music is from Bluedot Sessions.

Learn how to support the show at https://songbirding.com/support

The Varied Thrush is a striking species to look at, and a haunting one to hear.

The male’s mix of dark colours mixed with orange gradients make them look dressed for Halloween.

Their song sounds something between a haunted flute and a referee whistle, and stands out to me as one of the more unique songs of North American species.

For this species in focus episode, I’ll be sharing recordings from the Fullerton Trail in 2025, Sheep River and the Rae Glacier in 2026.

Credits

Songbirding: Kananaskis Country is a Songbirding Studios production.

Recorded, engineered, narrated and created by Rob Porter.

The Songbirding cover art (Townsend's Warbler) is by Lauren Helton: https://tinylongwing.carbonmade.com/projects/5344062

Creative Commons music is from Bluedot Sessions.

Learn how to support the show at https://songbirding.com/support

The Townsend’s Solitaire can be a very, very long winded bird. It may have the longest continuous song I’ve ever recorded.

To me this bird has always looked like someone had taken a Northern Mockingbird and made it thrush-shaped. It is a mostly-grey thrush with dark wings that can have a small flare of tan colour to them.

Its song can sound very finch-like, with a mix of warbles and abrupt changes in pitch.

At times, this bird will also sing while flying over its territory.

For this species in focus episode, I’ll be sharing recordings from the Fullerton Trail in 2025, and Gorge Creek Trail in 2026, as well as a brief we’ve heard already from Jumpingpound Demonstration forest in 2025.

Credits

Songbirding: Kananaskis Country is a Songbirding Studios production.

Recorded, engineered, narrated and created by Rob Porter.

The Songbirding cover art (Townsend's Warbler) is by Lauren Helton: https://tinylongwing.carbonmade.com/projects/5344062

Creative Commons music is from Bluedot Sessions.

Learn how to support the show at https://songbirding.com/support

I’m at the top of Prairie View, a broad vista overlooking Barrier Lake. It’s been a long hike up and I’ll be headed back down soon, stopping wherever I hear birdsong.

Credits

Songbirding: Kananaskis Country is a Songbirding Studios production.

Recorded, engineered, narrated and created by Rob Porter.

The Songbirding cover art (Townsend's Warbler) is by Lauren Helton: https://tinylongwing.carbonmade.com/projects/5344062

Creative Commons music is from Bluedot Sessions.

Learn how to support the show at https://songbirding.com/support

Barrier Lake is one of the most visually stunning locations in Kananakis Country. 

It is a large, sea-blue lake in a valley surrounded by hills and mountains.

For this two-part hike I’ll be climbing to Prairie View, a vista that overlooks Barrier Lake and its valley.

Credits

Songbirding: Kananaskis Country is a Songbirding Studios production.

Recorded, engineered, narrated and created by Rob Porter.

The Songbirding cover art (Townsend's Warbler) is by Lauren Helton: https://tinylongwing.carbonmade.com/projects/5344062

Creative Commons music is from Bluedot Sessions.

Learn how to support the show at https://songbirding.com/support

The Ruby-crowned Kinglet has a lengthy and fascinating song for such a tiny songbird.

This little grey bird starts off with soft high notes, then break into a musical twittering, and concludes with a loud series of phrases.

It’s an enchanting song, and a loud one for such a tiny bird. 

The Ruby-crowned Kinglet breeds throughout most of Canada and much of the interior western United States.

For this species in focus episode I’ll be sharing my recordings of the Ruby-crowned Kinglet from the Barrier Lake Forestry Trails, and the Sibbald Flats.

Credits

Songbirding: Kananaskis Country is a Songbirding Studios production.

Recorded, engineered, narrated and created by Rob Porter.

The Songbirding cover art (Townsend's Warbler) is by Lauren Helton: https://tinylongwing.carbonmade.com/projects/5344062

Creative Commons music is from Bluedot Sessions.

Learn how to support the show at https://songbirding.com/support

A classic birding-by-ear problem is having two or more species in the same area that have similar songs. 

The Chipping Sparrow and the Orange-crowned Warbler are two such species: two of many that are infamous for their cryptic trills. 

First, the Chipping Sparrow has a straight trill with a consistent spacing between each “note”. 

In contrast, this Orange-crowned Warbler’s trill slows down as it progresses, and is not very consistent in quality.

For this species in contrast episode I’ll be sharing my recordings of Orange-crowned Warbler & Chipping Sparrow from the Barrier Lake Forestry Trails, the Fullerton Trail, Prairie View, and the Sibbald Flats.

Credits

Songbirding: Kananaskis Country is a Songbirding Studios production.

Recorded, engineered, narrated and created by Rob Porter.

The Songbirding cover art (Townsend's Warbler) is by Lauren Helton: https://tinylongwing.carbonmade.com/projects/5344062

Creative Commons music is from Bluedot Sessions.

Learn how to support the show at https://songbirding.com/support

This episode concludes the morning at Jumpingpound Demonstraton Forest, with a focus on the Townsend's Warbler

Credits

Songbirding: Kananaskis Country is a Songbirding Studios production.

Recorded, engineered, narrated and created by Rob Porter.

The Songbirding cover art (Townsend's Warbler) is by Lauren Helton: https://tinylongwing.carbonmade.com/projects/5344062

Creative Commons music is from Bluedot Sessions.

Learn how to support the show at https://songbirding.com/support

Not wanting to leave a good birding location, I’m continuing to hike up and down the main hill at the Pine Woods Loop Trail at Jumpingpound Demonstration Forest, following each new bird species I hear. It may be getting late into the morning, but the intensity of birdsong is not letting up yet.

Credits

Songbirding: Kananaskis Country is a Songbirding Studios production.

Recorded, engineered, narrated and created by Rob Porter.

The Songbirding cover art (Townsend's Warbler) is by Lauren Helton: https://tinylongwing.carbonmade.com/projects/5344062

Creative Commons music is from Bluedot Sessions.

Learn how to support the show at https://songbirding.com/support

I’m continuing my hike through Jumpingpound Demonstration Forest. As the morning air warms, the birdsong continues to increase in intensity and diversity.

Credits

Songbirding: Kananaskis Country is a Songbirding Studios production.

Recorded, engineered, narrated and created by Rob Porter.

The Songbirding cover art (Townsend's Warbler) is by Lauren Helton: https://tinylongwing.carbonmade.com/projects/5344062

Creative Commons music is from Bluedot Sessions.

Learn how to support the show at https://songbirding.com/support

We continue the exploration of Jumpingpound Forest.

Credits

Songbirding: Kananaskis Country is a Songbirding Studios production.

Recorded, engineered, narrated and created by Rob Porter.

The Songbirding cover art (Townsend's Warbler) is by Lauren Helton: https://tinylongwing.carbonmade.com/projects/5344062

Creative Commons music is from Bluedot Sessions.

Learn how to support the show at https://songbirding.com/support

The Northern Waterthrush is a small, brown bird that may resemble a thrush, and may even inhabit thrush habitat, but is actually a warbler.

They live in bogs and wooded swamps throughout Canada and the northeastern United States.

The song of the Northern Waterthrush can be considered similar to the Yellow Warbler, and is described as sounding like twit-twit-twit, sweet-sweet, chew-chew-chew.

For this hike I’ve returned to Jumpingpound Demonstration Forest, this time in much better weather and early in the morning. It is the last day of May 2025, and I don’t know what to expect this time, I’m just hoping to hear and record some new bird songs.

Credits

Songbirding: Kananaskis Country is a Songbirding Studios production.

Recorded, engineered, narrated and created by Rob Porter.

The Songbirding cover art (Townsend's Warbler) is by Lauren Helton: https://tinylongwing.carbonmade.com/projects/5344062

Creative Commons music is from Bluedot Sessions.

Learn how to support the show at https://songbirding.com/support

The Yellow-rumped Warbler is an abundant, versatile warbler found throughout Canada and the western United States during the summer.

They are easily identified by the bright yellow patch on their rump just above their tail.

The males sing a slow, soft warble or trill in two phrases, which is usually faster in the second part.

This species was once considered to be three separate species, and Kananaskis Country is right in the midst of the hybrid zone of two of them: the Myrtle Warbler, and the Audubon’s Warbler. 

For this species in focus episode I’ll be sharing my recordings of the Yellow-rumped Warbler at Little Elbow PRA, Prairie View, Allen Bill Park, and Long Lake Provincial Park (not in Kananakis, but in Alberta).

Credits

Songbirding: Kananaskis Country is a Songbirding Studios production.

Recorded, engineered, narrated and created by Rob Porter.

The Songbirding cover art (Townsend's Warbler) is by Lauren Helton: https://tinylongwing.carbonmade.com/projects/5344062

Creative Commons music is from Bluedot Sessions.

Learn how to support the show at https://songbirding.com/support

Note: unlike most of my episodes this one will have some very loud weather. I know there are quite a few listeners who use Songbirding to relax and fall asleep, and I just wanted to give you a heads up that if you’re one of them, you may want to skip this one as it ends quite loudly, or, if you happen to find thunder sounds relaxing, set a sleep timer of 20 minutes.

When I first arrived in Kanaskis Country to begin to record Songbirding, I started at Jumpingpound Demonstration Forest, one of the eastmost hiking areas of Kananaskis. It was noon, and I hadn’t looked at any forecasts, and also had no idea what to expect in terms of bird activity. Noon isn’t the best time for birdsong recording, especially as late as it was in the season. And while what I recorded wasn’t very many bird sounds, I encountered a very different experience with nature sounds that I will always remember.

Credits

Songbirding: Kananaskis Country is a Songbirding Studios production.

Recorded, engineered, narrated and created by Rob Porter.

The Songbirding cover art (Townsend's Warbler) is by Lauren Helton: https://tinylongwing.carbonmade.com/projects/5344062

Creative Commons music is from Bluedot Sessions.

Learn how to support the show at https://songbirding.com/support

It’s almost two years later and I’m back again at this mountain forest, but this time in the evening. Earlier in the bird breeding season, many species will make a special effort to be heard before the sun sets, to make one last proclamation of territory before everything goes dark.

Credits

Songbirding: Kananaskis Country is a Songbirding Studios production.

Recorded, engineered, narrated and created by Rob Porter.

The Songbirding cover art (Townsend's Warbler) is by Lauren Helton: https://tinylongwing.carbonmade.com/projects/5344062

Creative Commons music is from Bluedot Sessions.

Learn how to support the show at https://songbirding.com/support

The conclusion of a hike through this forest off of Sibbald Trail in Kananaskis in July of 2023.

Credits

Songbirding: Kananaskis Country is a Songbirding Studios production.

Recorded, engineered, narrated and created by Rob Porter.

The Songbirding cover art (Townsend's Warbler) is by Lauren Helton: https://tinylongwing.carbonmade.com/projects/5344062

Creative Commons music is from Bluedot Sessions.

Learn how to support the show at https://songbirding.com/support

Off the Sibbald Trail, just west of Sibbald Meadows Pond, I found a small pull-over and hiking trail leading into the woods to explore. With just a few hours until my flight back for this first trip I decided to pop in for a quick listen, to hear what might be singing in this unnamed mountain forest.

(I still don't know a name for this trail, but it is part of the Lusk Ridge hills.)

Credits

Songbirding: Kananaskis Country is a Songbirding Studios production.

Recorded, engineered, narrated and created by Rob Porter.

The Songbirding cover art (Townsend's Warbler) is by Lauren Helton: https://tinylongwing.carbonmade.com/projects/5344062

Creative Commons music is from Bluedot Sessions.

Learn how to support the show at https://songbirding.com/support

I’m continuing my exploration of Opal Day Use area along the main highway of Kananaksis Trail. This location is alongside a river and seems to be abundant with warblers, sandpipers, Columbian ground squirresl and more.

Credits

Songbirding: Kananaskis Country is a Songbirding Studios production.

Recorded, engineered, narrated and created by Rob Porter.

The Songbirding cover art (Townsend's Warbler) is by Lauren Helton: https://tinylongwing.carbonmade.com/projects/5344062

Creative Commons music is from Bluedot Sessions.

Learn how to support the show at https://songbirding.com/support

One thing I’ve learned from years of birding is not to ignore a good roadside birding location. It often seems counterintuitive to me as a sound recordist — I do want to be away from traffic sounds, of course. But often roadside stops consist of edge habitats that songbirds love to occupy. And, also in this case, Columbian Ground Squirrels. You’ll hear them in this episode, but I wasn’t aware they were called Colombian Ground Squirrels at the time.

Credits

Songbirding: Kananaskis Country is a Songbirding Studios production.

Recorded, engineered, narrated and created by Rob Porter.

The Songbirding cover art (Townsend's Warbler) is by Lauren Helton: https://tinylongwing.carbonmade.com/projects/5344062

Creative Commons music is from Bluedot Sessions.

Learn how to support the show at https://songbirding.com/support

This is my second try at finding birds to record at Kananaksis Lake, the first being a couple years earlier and being only of moderate success. I’m hoping despite the clinging of the last vestiages of winter, I might have some success finding some birdsong at cold climate lake.

Credits

Songbirding: Kananaskis Country is a Songbirding Studios production.

Recorded, engineered, narrated and created by Rob Porter.

The Songbirding cover art (Townsend's Warbler) is by Lauren Helton: https://tinylongwing.carbonmade.com/projects/5344062

Creative Commons music is from Bluedot Sessions.

Learn how to support the show at https://songbirding.com/support

The Tennessee Warbler is a small, drab warbler with a thin pointy bill and a short tail.

They breed mostly in the Boreal Forest in Canada, but can also be found here in mountains of Kananskis Country.

Their song is a very (very) loud jumble of rapidly accelerating very high pitched notes that can sound like "ticka ticka swit sisisisisisi”.

Credits

Songbirding: Kananaskis Country is a Songbirding Studios production.

Recorded, engineered, narrated and created by Rob Porter.

The Songbirding cover art (Townsend's Warbler) is by Lauren Helton: https://tinylongwing.carbonmade.com/projects/5344062

Creative Commons music is from Bluedot Sessions.

Learn how to support the show at https://songbirding.com/support

I’m continuing my hike along the Elk Pass Trail in Kananaskis Country, close to BC border. It’s a quieter and cooler climate than I’m used to, but the crossbills, wrens, thrushes and more don’t seem to mind the weather.

Credits

Songbirding: Kananaskis Country is a Songbirding Studios production.

Recorded, engineered, narrated and created by Rob Porter.

The Songbirding cover art (Townsend's Warbler) is by Lauren Helton: https://tinylongwing.carbonmade.com/projects/5344062

Creative Commons music is from Bluedot Sessions.

Learn how to support the show at https://songbirding.com/support

The Pacific Wren is a tiny-yet-loud brown bird that can be found all year round in much of its West Coast range, though some of the more northern deeper interior populations in Canada make a short migration sound.

Their songs are a loud and tumbling cascade of bright musical phrases, lasting anywhere from 5 to 10 seconds on average, and sometimes even longer.

The species has a couple very similar sounding cousins around the world, namely the Winter Wren found more east in North America, and the Eurasian Wren in other parts of the world.

Credits

Songbirding: Kananaskis Country is a Songbirding Studios production.

Recorded, engineered, narrated and created by Rob Porter.

The Songbirding cover art (Townsend's Warbler) is by Lauren Helton: https://tinylongwing.carbonmade.com/projects/5344062

Creative Commons music is from Bluedot Sessions.

Learn how to support the show at https://songbirding.com/support

The morning is beginning to draw to a close and I am wrapping up my first exploration of the Sibbald Meadows Pond. Things may be a bit quieter but that does allow for me to focus more on the sounds of individual birds.

Credits

Songbirding: Kananaskis Country is a Songbirding Studios production.

Recorded, engineered, narrated and created by Rob Porter.

The Songbirding cover art (Townsend's Warbler) is by Lauren Helton: https://tinylongwing.carbonmade.com/projects/5344062

Creative Commons music is from Bluedot Sessions.

Learn how to support the show at https://songbirding.com/support

The Common Yellowthroat is a loud and lively warbler found along the edges of marshes and wetlands.

It is one of the few warblers found nearly everywhere across North America every summer.

Males are known for their broad black masks, and unmistakable "witchety-witchety-witchety" song.

In this episiode, we continue our hike around Sibbald Meadows Pond.

Credits

Songbirding: Kananaskis Country is a Songbirding Studios production.

Recorded, engineered, narrated and created by Rob Porter.

The Songbirding cover art (Townsend's Warbler) is by Lauren Helton: https://tinylongwing.carbonmade.com/projects/5344062

Creative Commons music is from Bluedot Sessions.

Learn how to support the show at https://songbirding.com/support

It’s a sunny mid-July morning and I’m continuing my exporation of the Sibbald Meadows Pond: a secluded wetland surrounded in all directions by mountains, and abundant with bird song.

Credits

Songbirding: Kananaskis Country is a Songbirding Studios production.

Recorded, engineered, narrated and created by Rob Porter.

The Songbirding cover art (Townsend's Warbler) is by Lauren Helton: https://tinylongwing.carbonmade.com/projects/5344062

Creative Commons music is from Bluedot Sessions.

Learn how to support the show at https://songbirding.com/support

The Lincoln’s Sparrow is a very secretive songbird that looks almost like it’s got a tailored plumage: complete with the stripes, spots, and the streaks of typical brownish North American sparrow. 

Most notably its chest is buffy coloured and has visible fine streaks.

The song of the Lincoln’s Sparrow is a song of jumbled notes, and to me is reminiscent of an abbreivated House Wren song.

This species is found almost everywhere in Canada except for southern Ontario, the south central prairies and the arctic. It can also be found in limited parts of the western United States.

For this species in focus episode I’ll be sharing my recordings of the Lincoln’s Sparrow from Sibbald Meadows Pond, Jumpingpound Demonstration Forest, and the Fullerton Loop Hiking Trail.

Credits

Songbirding: Kananaskis Country is a Songbirding Studios production.

Recorded, engineered, narrated and created by Rob Porter.

The Songbirding cover art (Townsend's Warbler) is by Lauren Helton: https://tinylongwing.carbonmade.com/projects/5344062

Creative Commons music is from Bluedot Sessions.

Learn how to support the show at https://songbirding.com/support

In Alberta, many road and highways are actually called trails. One such trail I’ll be exploring at lot is the Sibbald Creek Trail, a very wide, winding gravel road that passes through a diversity of mountain habitats.

One of those habitats is the Sibbald Meadows Pond, a popular fishing spot surrounded on all sides by mountains, which also happens to be a fantastic birding location. For the next few episodes I’ll be sharing my experiences at this location during my first trip here in mid-July of 2023.

Credits

Songbirding: Kananaskis Country is a Songbirding Studios production.

Recorded, engineered, narrated and created by Rob Porter.

The Songbirding cover art (Townsend's Warbler) is by Lauren Helton: https://tinylongwing.carbonmade.com/projects/5344062

Creative Commons music is from Bluedot Sessions.

Learn how to support the show at https://songbirding.com/support

About an hour’s drive west of Calgary, Alberta in the foothills and front ranges of the Canadian Rocky Mountains is an area known as Kananaskis Country.

Within this nearly 1 million acres of land are towering mountains, alpine meadows, glaciers, forests, lakes, wetlands, grasslands, and thickets. Over 130 species of birds nest in Kananaskis Country, including many songbirds.

I’ve felt a draw to return to this place ever since I first camped here when I was 13.

The imagery of the mountains, sky, and forests have never left me. But I didn’t remember much about how it sounded.

Now, 30 years after I first visited Kananaskis Country, I’m back once again, this time with some field recorders and the skills and knowledge to help me identify the birdsongs I hear.

Credits

Songbirding: Kananaskis Country is a Songbirding Studios production.

Recorded, engineered, narrated and created by Rob Porter.

The Songbirding cover art (Townsend's Warbler) is by Lauren Helton: https://tinylongwing.carbonmade.com/projects/5344062

Creative Commons music is from Bluedot Sessions.

Learn how to support the show at https://songbirding.com/support

The Eastern Warbling-Vireo is greyish olive bird that can be found in deciduous trees in open areas in the central and northeastern United States, and in the prairies and southern parts of Ontario and Québec in Canada.

Its name is quite descriptive of its song — a rapid and almost frantic warbling song that is loud enough that you are more likely to hear this bird than see it.

In 2025 this species was split from the Western Warbling-Vireo, which has a much more disjoined sounding song. I’ll be sharing its songs and sounds in future episodes.

For this species in focus episode I’ll be sharing a previously unreleased hike from the Bruce County Rail Trail in 2021.

Credits

Songbirding: Species in Focus is a Songbirding Studios production.

Recorded, engineered, narrated and created by Rob Porter.

The Songbirding cover art (Blackburnian Warbler) is by Lauren Helton: https://tinylongwing.carbonmade.com/projects/5344062

Creative Commons music is from Universfield.

Learn how to support the show at https://songbirding.com/support

The Common Grackle is a blackbird with bright yellow eyes and a glossy-irridescent plumage. Their vocalizations are a mix of croaks, creaks, squeaks, and whistles.

Common Grackles are typically found in most of Canada and the United States east of the Rocky Mountains, and are present year-round in the south-eastern half of that range.

For this Species in Focus episode I’ll be sharing a spring walk at Fifty Point Conservation Area in Grimsby, Ontario in March 2022 and at Valens Conservation Area in March 2023.

Credits

Songbirding: Species in Focus is a Songbirding Studios production.

Recorded, engineered, narrated and created by Rob Porter.

The Songbirding cover art (Blackburnian Warbler) is by Lauren Helton: https://tinylongwing.carbonmade.com/projects/5344062

Creative Commons music is from Universfield.

Learn how to support the show at https://songbirding.com/support

Here in the wilderness of the Canadian Rockies, the birds are our hosts. We are their guests.

Premieres March 2, 2026.

Credits

Songbirding: Kananaskis Country is a Songbirding Studios production.

Recorded, engineered, narrated and created by Rob Porter.

The Songbirding cover art (Townsend's Warbler) is by Lauren Helton: https://tinylongwing.carbonmade.com/

Creative Commons music is PlainGrey by Blue Dot Sessions: https://app.sessions.blue/browse/track/362688

Learn how to support the show at https://songbirding.com/support

The Christmas Bird Count is a census of birds in the western hemisphere that is held between December 14 and January 5 each winter.

It was devised originally as an alternative to the 19th century tradition of hunting birds at Christmas, and has evolved to become the longest running citizen science project.

There are tens of thousands of participants - seeking out and counting tens of millions of birds each year.

2025 will be the 126th year of the Christmas Bird Count. If you don’t already participate in one, as of this episode’s release, you still have time to find and join a count local to you.

This episode was recorded during the 48th Cambridge Christmas Bird Count in Cambridge, Ontario, Canada.

Credits

Songbirding is a Songbirding Studios production, and was recorded, engineered, narrated and created by Rob Porter.

The Songbirding cover art (Blackburnian Warbler) is by Lauren Helton: https://tinylongwing.carbonmade.com/projects/5344062

Creative Commons music is by Scott Buckley.

For more information about the Christmas Bird Count, see: https://www.audubon.org/conservation/science/christmas-bird-count

The Christmas Bird Count is a census of birds in the western hemisphere that is held between December 14 and January 5 each winter.

It was devised originally as an alternative to the 19th century tradition of hunting birds at Christmas, and has evolved to become the longest running citizen science project.

There are tens of thousands of participants - seeking out and counting tens of millions of birds each year.

2025 will be the 126th year of the Christmas Bird Count. If you don’t already participate in one, as of this episode’s release, you still have time to find and join a count local to you.

For the next two episodes I’ll be sharing with you my experiences out in the field during two of the 2024 Christmas Bird Counts, starting with the 49th Hanover-Walkerton Christmas Bird Count in Bruce County, Ontario, Canada.

Credits

Songbirding is a Songbirding Studios production, and was recorded, engineered, narrated and created by Rob Porter.

The Songbirding cover art (Blackburnian Warbler) is by Lauren Helton: https://tinylongwing.carbonmade.com/projects/5344062

Creative Commons music is by Scott Buckley.

For more information about the Christmas Bird Count, see: https://www.audubon.org/conservation/science/christmas-bird-count

The eBird checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S124632617

The Northern Yellow Warbler is a bright and cheerful sounding songbird found during the breeding season all across North America.

Males of the species are yellow with some red flecks along their chest, and are very songful.

They have a number of different songs, but their most common one can be described as sounding like “sweet sweet, sweeter than sweet”.

In 2025, this species was split from what was called simply the Yellow Warbler, so this might be the first you’re hearing of it being a Northern Yellow Warbler. This is in contrast to the Mangrove Yellow Warbler, which has a reddish head and is a nonmigratory species found along the mangrove shores from Florida, south to Mexico, the Caribbean, through Central America down to South America.

Credits

Songbirding: Species in Focus is a Songbirding Studios production.

Recorded, engineered, narrated and created by Rob Porter.

The Songbirding cover art (Blackburnian Warbler) is by Lauren Helton: https://tinylongwing.carbonmade.com/projects/5344062

Creative Commons music is from Universfield.

Learn how to support the show at https://songbirding.com/support

Tonight, we take a walk after dark through a swamp full of katydids, crickets, grasshoppers, and maybe an owl...

Credits Songbirding: Species in Focus is a Songbirding Studios production.

Recorded, engineered, narrated and created by Rob Porter.

The Songbirding cover art (Blackburnian Warbler) is by Lauren Helton: https://tinylongwing.carbonmade.com/projects/5344062

Creative Commons music is from Scott Buckley.

Learn how to support the show at https://songbirding.com/support

The Sedge Wren is a small, russet coloured energetic songbird found breeding in fields and shallow marshes in many parts of inland North America.

Their song consists of several dry-sounding chirps followed by a short trill. Unlike other wren species they tend to be more shy, and without their loud song, can easily go unnoticed.

This episode we will be exploring Taquanyah Conservation Area near Cayuga Ontario, in May of 2022. 

Credits Songbirding: Species in Focus is a Songbirding Studios production.

Recorded, engineered, narrated and created by Rob Porter.

The Songbirding cover art (Blackburnian Warbler) is by Lauren Helton: https://tinylongwing.carbonmade.com/projects/5344062

Creative Commons music is from Universfield.

Learn how to support the show at https://songbirding.com/support

The Marsh Wren is a small, brownish, energetic songbird found in wetlands across a large swath of North America.

Their song is a mix of harsh trills, gurgles, and buzzes. And, like most wren species, are much louder than their small size might suggest.

This episode we will be exploring Taquanyah Conservation Area near Cayuga Ontario, first on two dates in 2024, then in the conclusion you’ll hear a surprise I found there in May of 2022. 

Credits

Songbirding: Species in Focus is a Songbirding Studios production.

Recorded, engineered, narrated and created by Rob Porter.

The Songbirding cover art (Blackburnian Warbler) is by Lauren Helton: https://tinylongwing.carbonmade.com/projects/5344062

Creative Commons music is from Universfield.

Learn how to support the show at https://songbirding.com/support

In the upcoming special episodes I’m going to feature songbird species who fit three criteria: that I have plenty of recordings of them, that I have not significantly featured them before, and that they are not likely to be featured in the next season of Songbirding because they do no occur in the west, or have not shown up significantly in my western recordings as of right now.

The Orchard Oriole has a curious song. Much like the Baltimore Oriole, each bird might have a slightly different song, with their own unique phrases.

This songbird has quite a varied appearance, with lemony-yellow females, and males with two plumages: one of a yellow bird with a black beard, typically seen in the second year of the bird’s life, followed up with a more mature plumage of a dark back and hood with what I like to refer to as a blood-orange chest, though some describe this more as a chestnut colour. Either way, the older males are quite a dark bird.

I find that the Orchard Oriole usually sounds like it is frequently interrupting its own whistle-y songs with terse, harsh interjections. And to my ears, sounds almost like an Eastern Warbling Vireo, except that it is interrupting its own songs.

For this episode we’ll be exploring three locations within my Ontario breeding bird atlas square, in Haldimand County, Ontario. I’ve found over the years of this survey that this species is highly successful in Haldimand, showing up in a high proportion of my random point count surveys.

Credits

Songbirding: Species in Focus is a Songbirding Studios production.

Recorded, engineered, narrated and created by Rob Porter.

The Songbirding cover art (Blackburnian Warbler) is by Lauren Helton: https://tinylongwing.carbonmade.com/projects/5344062

Creative Commons music is from Universfield.

Learn how to support the show at https://songbirding.com/support

We conclude with the finale hike of the season, listening to Swainson's Thrushes, and more.

Credits

Songbirding: The Allegheny National Forest is a Songbirding Studios production.

Recorded, engineered, narrated and created by Rob Porter.

The Songbirding cover art (Blackburnian Warbler) is by Lauren Helton: https://tinylongwing.carbonmade.com/projects/5344062

Creative Commons music is from Josh Woodward.

Learn how to support the show at https://songbirding.com/support

On the last hike of the season, we return to Deer Lick Run for an evening birding hike.

Credits Songbirding: The Allegheny National Forest is a Songbirding Studios production.

Recorded, engineered, narrated and created by Rob Porter.

The Songbirding cover art (Blackburnian Warbler) is by Lauren Helton: https://tinylongwing.carbonmade.com/projects/5344062

Creative Commons music is from Josh Woodward.

Learn how to support the show at https://songbirding.com/support

Deep in Allegheny National Forest is the ghost town of Owl's Nest. While there were no owls to be found, there were a few songbirds to be heard, including a very cooperative Chestnut-sided Warbler.

Credits

Songbirding: The Allegheny National Forest is a Songbirding Studios production.

Recorded, engineered, narrated and created by Rob Porter.

The Songbirding cover art (Blackburnian Warbler) is by Lauren Helton: https://tinylongwing.carbonmade.com/projects/5344062

Creative Commons music is from Josh Woodward.

Learn how to support the show at https://songbirding.com/support

I've joined the Pennsylvania Bird Atlas, which gives me a good reason to just explore some of the forest access roads to collect more observations. Since the roads are so quiet and without traffic, they're great for birding, and listening for bird songs.

Credits

Songbirding: The Allegheny National Forest is a Songbirding Studios production.

Recorded, engineered, narrated and created by Rob Porter.

The Songbirding cover art (Blackburnian Warbler) is by Lauren Helton: https://tinylongwing.carbonmade.com/projects/5344062

Creative Commons music is from Josh Woodward.

Learn how to support the show at https://songbirding.com/support

As we return to the access road, a family of Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers is encountered, and some Black-throated Green Warblers and Ovenbirds are heard.

Credits

Songbirding: The Allegheny National Forest is a Songbirding Studios production.

Recorded, engineered, narrated and created by Rob Porter.

The Songbirding cover art (Blackburnian Warbler) is by Lauren Helton: https://tinylongwing.carbonmade.com/projects/5344062

Creative Commons music is from Josh Woodward.

Learn how to support the show at https://songbirding.com/support

Deep in the Allegheny National Forest is a trail leading down to Logan Falls. Along the trail we'll be hearing Black-throated Green Warblers, Ovenbirds, Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers, and more.

Credits

Songbirding: The Allegheny National Forest is a Songbirding Studios production.

Recorded, engineered, narrated and created by Rob Porter.

The Songbirding cover art (Blackburnian Warbler) is by Lauren Helton: https://tinylongwing.carbonmade.com/projects/5344062

Creative Commons music is from Josh Woodward.

Learn how to support the show at https://songbirding.com/support

This will be my final day of recording for this season of Songbirding, which will be a whirlwind tour of several remote areas of Allegheny National Forest.

But first, I’m hiking up Deer Lick Run one last time to retrieve my recorders, which captured this abundant dawn chorus.

Credits

Songbirding: The Allegheny National Forest is a Songbirding Studios production.

Recorded, engineered, narrated and created by Rob Porter.

The Songbirding cover art (Blackburnian Warbler) is by Lauren Helton: https://tinylongwing.carbonmade.com/projects/5344062

Creative Commons music is from Josh Woodward.

Learn how to support the show at https://songbirding.com/support

The Barred Owl is one of the larger owls, and has a brown mottled plumage, and big black beady eyes.

They are typically found in mature forests near water, and swamps.

Their hooting “Who cook’s for you” song can make these owls incredibly easy to find -- by ear at least.

Credits

Songbirding: The Allegheny National Forest is a Songbirding Studios production.

Recorded, engineered, narrated and created by Rob Porter.

The Songbirding cover art (Blackburnian Warbler) is by Lauren Helton: https://tinylongwing.carbonmade.com/projects/5344062

Creative Commons music is from Josh Woodward.

Learn how to support the show at https://songbirding.com/support

After several hours exploring, I’m ready to conclude my hike of the Minister Creek Trail. Even though noon is soon approaching, the bird’s songs are still going strong!

Credits

Songbirding: The Allegheny National Forest is a Songbirding Studios production.

Recorded, engineered, narrated and created by Rob Porter.

The Songbirding cover art (Blackburnian Warbler) is by Lauren Helton: https://tinylongwing.carbonmade.com/projects/5344062

Creative Commons music is from Josh Woodward.

Learn how to support the show at https://songbirding.com/support