The Casual Birder Podcast – Details, episodes & analysis

Episode Notes Suzy reviews her birding experiences from January 2025, starting with the final week of an epic vacation to Australia! Back in the UK Suzy joined a local RSPB outing and went to the New Forest with the Ladybirder sub-group of the Hampshire Ornithlogical Society (HOS). While in the New Forest Suzy spoke with HOS Chair Keith Betton about his early birding experiences and the success of HOS initiatives to increase the engagement of young people and women birders in the group. Also: news about a new Casual Birder Community! Links Bird lists Take a look at the eBird checklists Suzy made from the locations mentioned: Bruny Island, Tasmania Chook Dam, Tasmania Mount Field National Park, Tasmania Eastrop Park, Basingstoke, Hampshire   Casual Birder Community Find out more about the new Casual Birder Community   Books mentioned in the interview with Keith Betton: Where to Watch Birds in Dorset, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight: 5th Edition Behind the Binoculars: Interviews with acclaimed birdwatchers Behind More Binoculars: Interviews with acclaimed birdwatchers   Podcast buddies mentioned: Hannah - Women Birders Happy Hour Kirsty - Weekend Birder Harry - Podcast Junkies Lance Anderson's GoFundMe   The Casual Birder Bird Club The Casual Birder Bird Club is an online bird club that meets every month.  If meeting up with a group of friendly people from around the world to talk about the birds you've seen sounds like something you'd like to do, you'd be very welcome to join us. Find out more here: The Casual Birder Bird Club   Your bird stories Tell me about your bird stories - contact me on the casualbirder.com website   Support the show If you would like to help support the show’s production, by buying a virtual coffee here    Keep in the Loop Sign up here for email notifications of news, blogs and episodes   The Casual Birder Podcast   https://casualbirder.com/ Don't miss an episode - follow the show! My thanks to Randy Braun for designing the artwork for the show and to The Drones for the theme music Short Sleeved Shirt. Check out their website at www.dronesmusic.net

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Host Suzy speaks with Sandra Morocho (Birdwatchers of Quijos Valley, Ecuador) and Michaela Leeb (Swarovski-Optik).

Sandra lives in the cloud forest on the eastern slopes of the Andes in Ecuador. In 2014 she won a pair of binoculars in the Digiscoper of the Year competition run by Swarovski-Optik.

Using the binoculars stoked Sandra’s enthusiasm for sharing views of the local birds with her friends. From there, Sandra’s engagement with the wider community led to an initiative with local leaders to promote eco-tourism alongside conservation efforts in the cloud forest in the Quijos Valley.

Michaela tells us of the part Swarovski-Optik plays in supporting conservation efforts around the world.

We also hear how Sandra and Michaela would spend a fantasy birding day.

Recorded live at Global Birdfair 2024

Links

The 12 podcasts that presented live shows at Global BirdFair - take a listen!

Find out more about Birdwatchers of the Quijos Valley on Facebook

Or email them at quijosvalley.birdwatching@hotmail.com

Find out more about sustainability projects at Swarovski Optik

Your bird stories

Tell me about your bird stories - contact me on the casualbirder.com website

The Casual Birder Bird Club

• The Casual Birder Bird Club is an online bird club that meets every month. 

• Sometimes we feature guest speakers, but most months a group of us get together to talk about the birds we've seen, share birding moments that have brought us joy, and ask questions or get help from the community.

• If meeting up with a group of friendly people from around the world to talk about the birds you've seen sounds like something you'd like to do, you'd be very welcome to join us.

• Sign up here: The Casual Birder Bird Club

Support the show

If you would like to help support the show’s production buy a virtual coffee here 

Keep in the Loop

Sign up here for email notifications of news, blogs and episodes

 

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

Don't miss an episode - follow the show!

My thanks to Randy Braun for designing the artwork for the show and to The Drones for the theme music Short Sleeved Shirt. Check out their website at www.dronesmusic.net

Long-time birder, Mel Shepherd-Wells, joins Suzy in a delightful chat about his birding adventures, and shares some top tips applicable to all birders.

 

Links:

The Casual Birder Bird Club - sign up

The UK Wildlife Podcast

Support the Show - Buy me a virtual coffee on Ko-Fi.com

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

Don't miss an episode - follow the show!

Thanks to Randy Braun for designing the artwork for the show and to The Drones for the theme music Short Sleeved Shirt. Check out their website at www.dronesmusic.net

This week, I catch up with Julian Jackson  following the completion of the Big Blind Walk, and share some mischievous Magpie behaviour.

Julian, who lost his sight in 2010, walked from Land's End to John O'Groats to raise awareness and funds for eye research. 

More details about the Big Blind Walk can be found at BigBlindWalk.com

Julian's Twitter is @BigBlindWalk

 

Subscribe, and follow the show on:

Twitter: @CasualBirderPod

Instagram: @CasualBirderPodcast

A weekly podcast for people interested in wild birds.

This week, I go birdwatching with friends in Malibu, California. The featured birds are the Bullfinch and Kate Shaw (host of Strange Animals Podcast) tells us about the Indigo Bunting.

Find Kate on Twitter @StrangeBeasties

 

Subscribe, and follow the show on:

Twitter: @CasualBirderPod

Instagram: @CasualBirderPodcast

Join the discussion and see this week’s photos in the Facebook group at bit.ly/CasualBirderFB

 

A weekly podcast for people interested in wild birds.

Episode 32: Join me as I take a walk around the grounds of The Vyne National Trust Property in Hampshire, UK. As always with a bird walk, sightings of birds are not guaranteed, but you never know what else you will find.

 

Subscribe, and follow the show on:

Twitter: @CasualBirderPod

Instagram: @CasualBirderPodcast

Join the discussion and see this week’s photos in the Facebook group at bit.ly/CasualBirderFB

 

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A weekly podcast for people interested in wild birds.

This week, I speak with artist ATMStreetArt to hear about the stunning bird murals he paints to raise awareness of the bird species threatened by habitat loss. 

Follow him on Twitter and Instagram @ATMStreetArt 

and visit his website at ATMStreetArt.com

 

Subscribe, and follow the show on:

Twitter: @CasualBirderPod

Instagram: @CasualBirderPodcast

Join the discussion and see this week’s photos in the Facebook group at bit.ly/CasualBirderFB

 

A weekly podcast for people interested in wild birds.

This week, I talk about my experiences with this season’s fledglings and share a funny Casual Birder moment.

 

Subscribe, and follow the show on:

Twitter: @CasualBirderPod

Instagram: @CasualBirderPodcast

Join the discussion and see this week’s photos in the Facebook group at bit.ly/CasualBirderFB

A weekly podcast for people interested in wild birds.

This week, I catch up with Julian Jackson to hear about his progress on the Big Blind Walk, and I  conduct a 10 minute bird watch in my garden.

 Find Julian's site here: bigblindwalk.com

Subscribe, and follow the show on:

Twitter: @CasualBirderPod

Instagram: @CasualBirderPodcast

Join the discussion and see this week’s photos in the Facebook group at bit.ly/CasualBirderFB

 

A weekly podcast for people interested in wild birds.

This week, we revisit the Dawn Chorus as I take part in an early morning walk at RSPB Nagshead on International Dawn Chorus Day, and share recordings of the birds I heard.

Also, I interview my husband, John, following a bird walk that wasn’t cold and rainy (for a change)!

 

Subscribe, and follow the show on:

Twitter: @CasualBirderPod

Instagram: @CasualBirderPodcast

Join the discussion and see this week’s photos in the Facebook group at bit.ly/CasualBirderFB