Weekend Birder – Details, episodes & analysis

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.