Out There With the Birds

Host Wendy Clark McGlynn interviews Lucy McRobert, an author, columnist, mother of three, and a wildlife storyteller based in the UK who works freelance for wildlife charities and businesses. Her first book, 365 Days Wild, offers 365 ways to make nature part of your life every day. In this episode, Wendy and Lucy discuss life during the pandemic, birding and conservation work in the UK, diversity in birding, and much more!

Liz Hackett works with Bush Heritage Australia, a conservation organization in Australia that mirrors the work of the Nature Conservancy in the US. She is an avid birder, has traveled the world extensively, and she and her late husband, Paul Hackett, owned and managed a bird-watching tour company in Melbourne before his sudden death in August 2019. Liz and BWD's Wendy Clark McGlynn enjoy a conversation about birds and birding in Australia, living down under during the pandemic, what it's really like to live in the city of Melbourne, and finding the strength to move on after sudden loss.

What's Up at BWD? We're glad you asked! Join BWD publisher Wendy Clark and BWD editor Dawn Hewitt as they enjoy a candid discussion about what's happening at Bird Watcher's Digest in the fall of 2021. On the road together in Bossier City, Louisiana, Wendy and Dawn discuss the magazines, tours, and life as a birding company in a post-pandemic world.

Have you heard about the ReThink Birding and Travel Expo? This is a virtual global travel event tailor-made for the bird-watching industry that will take place online on February 11-13, 2022, hosted by ReThink Travel and Bird Watcher's Digest. Host Wendy Clark talks with famed birder James Currie and Green Team Global President Hugh Hough in today's episode of Out There with The Birds about what it's like to travel right now for bird watching, about changes in international and domestic birding travel in our post-pandemic world, and more!

In this episode of Out There with the Birds, Bird Watcher's Digest editor Dawn Hewitt interviews Katie Fallon. Katie is author of two acclaimed books, Cerulean Blues: A Personal Search for a Vanishing Songbird; and Vulture: The Private Life of an Unloved Bird; and two acclaimed books for children. She's also writes for Bird Watcher's Digest, penning the WINGBEATS column in two issues each year. She is also a co-founder of the Avian Conservation Center of Appalachia, a bird rehabilitation facility that takes in hundreds of ill or injured birds every year. In that capacity, she also cares for numerous non-releasable birds, including vultures, hawks, and even a peregrine falcon, which provide her with personal knowledge and insights most birders can't even imagine.

Jeffrey Gordon is the president of the American Birding Association, a position he has held since late 2010. Jeff is also a well-known writer, photographer, tour leader, and naturalist and a former Field Editor for Bird Watcher's Digest. He is a frequent speaker and field trip leader at various birding and nature festivals. Jeff recently joined Out There With The Birds host Wendy Clark in a conversation about transitions and trends in the American birding community, and how the American Birding Association is faring during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Welcome to the 100th episode of Out There with the Birds! Host Wendy Clark continues her interview with Holly Merker, Richard Crossley, and Sophie Crossley to discuss their new book, Ornitherapy: For Your Body, Mind, and Soul, published by Crossley Books. This is a different kind of birding book that teaches you how to use birds and birding to promote mindfulness, peace, and healing in your everyday life.

This two-part episode of Out There with The Birds is about "Ornitherapy." Yes, you read that correctly, that's Orni-THERAPY! Host Wendy Clark joins authors Holly Merker, Richard Crossley, and Sophie Crossley to discuss their new book, Ornitherapy: For Your Body, Mind, and Soul, published by Crossley Books. This is a different kind of birding book that teaches you how to use birds and birding to promote mindfulness, peace, and healing in your everyday life.

Host Wendy Clark interviews Tom Ferguson, co-host of the podcast "Ninja and the Birdman," which focuses predominantly on the themes of birding, martial arts, nature, and meditation. Tom Ferguson is the founder and CEO of Rise Southern Biscuits & Righteous Chicken, a restaurant chain that has experienced great success in a short time. Tom reveals a time when he was in a dark place in life, and found healing through the doorway of birding.

Beloved by Bird Watcher's Digest readers for more than 30 years, artist, author, naturalist, and songbird rehabilitator Julie Zickefoose is Dawn Hewitt's guest on this episode of Out There With the Birds. What sparked Julie's interest in birds and nature as a child? How did she initially connect with Bird Watcher's Digest? What has she been up to during the pandemic? What is she working on now? Tune in and find out!

So, what do people who have travelled with us have to say about our Bird Watcher's Digest Reader Rendezvous Birding Tours? Welcome to our Reader Rendezvous podcast series Part 3! Join host Wendy Clark as she talks with long-time "repeat attender" Roger Taylor and brand new Reader Rendezvous attendee Julia Jackson about their personal experiences on Reader Rendezvous tours, their feelings about traveling in the US and abroad for birding during this post-Covid era, all things birds and birding.

Did you know that Bird Watcher's Digest leads bird watching tours for our friends and subscribers all around the world? Our Reader Rendezvous birding tours began in 2014 and quickly evolved into a beloved experience for our staff members, our magazine columnists, and our attendees. In this podcast episode, Kelly Ball and Wendy Clark continue reminiscing about past Reader Rendezvous, discuss how recent events changed as a result of COVID-19 restrictions, and give a glimpse of new and fun destinations to look forward to in 2022 and 2023!

Did you know that Bird Watcher's Digest leads bird watching tours for our friends and subscribers all around the world? Our Reader Rendezvous Birding Tours began in 2014 and quickly evolved into a beloved experience for our staff members, our magazine columnists, and our attendees. In this podcast episode, Kelly Ball interviews Wendy Clark who helped develop the Reader Rendezvous Tours from the beginning. They discuss how and why we started our tours, what happened with the tours during the COVID-19 crisis, and how our tours are revitalized and moving forward in a post-COVID era. Join Kelly and Wendy as they reminisce about birding with Bill, hilariously funny Rendezvous stories, and the heart of our mission that continues to drives us onward: Birding Is Better With Friends!

Host Dawn Hewitt chats with Mark Garland, a naturalist who has been sharing his enthusiasm for nature with others professionally for over 40 years. Readers of BWD know him as the author of Birder's Question Mark, a column in which he answers questions on birdy topics far and wide. In March of 2019 he was awarded the Paul Bartsch Award for Distinguished Contributions to Natural History from the Audubon Naturalist Society. A popular, highly-demanded, full-time professional birding and nature guide based in Cape May New Jersey, he led tours in Alaska, Central America, and beyond--until COVID-19 struck. In this episode, Dawn chats with Mark about how he launched his career as a naturalist, how his life changed during the COVID era, how he became involved with the Thompson family and Bird Watcher's Digest, and much more!

Scott Weidensaul is living a life of avian adventure. His recent book, A World on the Wing: The Global Odyssey of Migration, has become a New York Times bestseller--and for good reason: Scott is a masterful storyteller. A field ecologist and bird bander, a founder of Project SnowStorm and Project Owlnet, and an active bird migration researcher, his Migrations column keeps BWD readers eager to receive and devour each new issue. In this episode of Out There with the Birds, editor Dawn Hewitt asks Scott about his long ties to Bird Watcher's Digest, and recent revelations resulting from rapidly evolving technology on bird migration.

Rachel Davis is a lifelong lover of the outdoors and a native of the New River Gorge region of West Virginia. A self-proclaimed "girl of the woods", Rachel has enjoyed West Virginia's New River Gorge as her backyard throughout her lifetime. She currently serves as a Co-Coordinator of the New River Birding & Nature Festival and manages all communications for the festival. She lives with her fiancé in a cabin in the woods in West Virginia, and enjoys hiking the deer trails, raising chickens, and drinking in the wonderful wildlife that surrounds her in all seasons. Join Rachel and Wendy Clark, BWD's publisher, as they chat about the upcoming New River Birding & Nature Festival taking place in late April of this year, and the juiciest secret you may not be aware of: You can participate in this year's virtual festival for FREE!

If you have admired the appearance of Bird Watcher's Digest, it is Bruce Wunderlich, our production director, who should get the credit. Bruce lays out each issue of BWD and its sister publication, Watching Backyard Birds, places the ads and photos, builds the table of contents, and otherwise assembles each issue. He is also a professional and award-winning bird photographer, and many of his magnificent photos appear on the pages of both magazines. He also contributes the BirdTography column in each issue of BWD. Listen in as BWD editor Dawn Hewitt interviews her colleague and friend in this episode of Out There With the Birds.

Ryan Wickiser is a field biologist who has studied California spotted owls in Eldorado National Forest. This work enabled him to become intimately acquainted with this rarely seen species. He gets to know them so well, in fact, that he’s able to identify them by their unique hoot patterns! Host Kelly Ball asks him how forestry and conservation practices have evolved over time; why barred owls are considered an invasive species in the Pacific Northwest; and about the other species, such as northern goshawks and great gray owls, that he surveys as part of his work as a wildlife technician.

Alvaro Jaramillo is among the best in the world at bird ID, and regular readers of Bird Watcher's Digest know him from the Identify Yourself column. His knowledge of birds is deep and wide, but his advice and insights are accessible for birders of all skill levels, and he’s a fun, sweet guy. In this episode of Out There with the Birds, Bird Watcher's Digest editor Dawn Hewitt chats with Alvaro about how nature and birds snagged him when he was a kid, as well as some of his remarkable accomplishments!

Pete Dunne is one of the most well-known and respected birders in North America, probably because he has been a prolific author of books on birds and birding for the past 30 years or so. One of his many areas of expertise is how to be a better birder, and that is the focus of his column, Pete's Tips, in Bird Watcher's Digest. BWD editor Dawn Hewitt had the honor and pleasure of interviewing Pete recently while he was waiting out winter at his in-laws' home in sunny California.

After wrapping up a year of unprecedented challenges at Bird Watcher's Digest, we wanted to give you some insight into how COVID-19 has impacted our lives both personally and professionally. Join BWD advertising sales director Kelly Ball, editor Dawn Hewitt, and publisher Wendy Clark as they talk about kissing 2020 and all of its obstacles goodbye, and looking ahead to new beginnings in 2021!

After wrapping up a year of unprecedented challenges at Bird Watcher's Digest, we wanted to give you some insight into how COVID-19 has impacted our lives both personally and professionally. Join BWD advertising sales director Kelly Ball, editor Dawn Hewitt, and publisher Wendy Clark as they talk about kissing 2020 and all of its obstacles goodbye, and looking ahead to new beginnings in 2021!

An event managed by the San Diego Audubon Society, the San Diego Bird Festival enjoys a reputation as one of the top birding festivals in the world. Jen Hajj, an accomplished musician, birder, educator, and birding-events manager, is the ringmaster of the festival. Wendy Clark, BWD's publisher, spoke with Jen about intriguing changes in the upcoming festival, and how we can all participate safely, whether at home or in person.

Ben Lizdas is a familiar name in the global birding community. Having spent 16 years at Eagle Optics, nearly three years with Bird Watcher's Digest/Redstart Birding, and now working with Swarovski Optik North America, Ben has a unique perspective on birds, birding optics, and the birding community. If you've been following Out There with the Birds since its inception, you may also know that Ben was the original co-host of this podcast alongside the late Bill Thompson, III. Ben reminisces with host Wendy Clark about his time at BWD, and all things birds and birding.

There's more to Al Batt than meets the funny bone. Bird Watcher's Digest readers adore Al for his sometimes silly, sometimes goofy, sometimes touching, always joyful column in each issue. But did you know has a weekly radio show (available on the Internet), has a column published in about 100 newspapers, and collaborates on comics that have been published in The New Yorker? BWD editor Dawn Hewitt had a fun time interviewing Al recently. Listen up! We think you'll enjoy it, too.

Wendy Clark, Publisher of Bird Watcher's Digest, recently talked with Scott Whittle and Mike Lanzone about the TERRA PROJECT, a cutting-edge development in data tracking and wildlife conservation. The TERRA is a device, a project, and a network. The device prototype has already been developed and is a compact, weatherproof device with a mic and radio tracker that wirelessly connects to your home, listening and identifying the nature around you while contributing to a massive conservation network. It is affordable, easy to use, and could affect conservation in unprecedented ways. Join Wendy, Scott, and Mike in their conversation about this fascinating project and learn more about how we can all become part of the global TERRA NETWORK.

Paul Baicich has been author of the Quick Takes column in Bird Watcher's Digest for more than a dozen years, is author of three important books on birds and bird watching, worked for the American Birding Association for 14 years, and is an ardent champion of bird conservation. In this episode of OTWTB, BWD editor Dawn Hewitt chats with Baicich about his lifelong passion for birds, and his myriad bird-related projects, past, present, and future.

In a world where we all feel disconnected, The Birding Co-op provides a diverse, ambitious, and supportive global community who wants to make the birding world a better place through responsible tourism practices, advocating for social liberties, and advancing science-based environmental changes. Wendy Clark, Publisher of Bird Watcher's Digest, recently chatted with founding members of the Birding Co-op, Mollee Brown, Christina Baal, and Andrew Guttenberg, to learn more about this exciting up-and-coming organization and movement.

David Bird has written the Bird Behavior column in Bird Watcher's Digest since 1995. He's well qualified: Recently retired, he was a professor of biology and wildlife management at McGill University in Montreal, Quebec, and researched kestrels, Cooper's hawks, and other raptors extensively. In this episode of Out There With the Birds, BWD editor Dawn Hewitt asks Professor Bird whether his name had anything to do with his career choice--as well about his lifetime of learning about birds.

Bird Watcher's Digest is PROUD to support the first event of its kind on October 17th and 18th--the GLOBAL BIRD WEEKEND. This event is open to everyone in the world, it's free of charge, and its purpose and mission is to raise awareness and engagement of birds and birders on every continent around the world. It's also a great opportunity to help raise funds that will be used to fight the illegal bird trade in Asia and around the world. Join BWD Publisher Wendy Clark along with Tim Appleton and Jim Lawrence from the UK to learn more about this exciting event, why it's happening, and how YOU can get involved!

George Armistead is many things: pro birder, author, tour leader, marketer, and tolerant of jalapeños as a pizza topping. After earning a master’s degree in environmental studies, George, a native Philadelphian, opted out of a consulting career and began his birding journey. In this episode, host Kelly Ball and George revisit his birding career spectrum: from professional guide on birding trips, to book author, to founder of BirdPhilly, an informal birding group to encourage people to discover the City of Brotherly Love’s birds. Come for the stories and stay for the speed round of questions at the end to hear how George was foiled by a bristle-thighed curlew in 2002.

Artist, birder, and all-around amazing human Christina Baal joined host Wendy Clark for a wonderful talk about birding and the arts. Christina shares her personal story of an early love of art and nature and how that grew into her present-day artistic platform, drawing 10,000 birds. Christina speaks candidly, sharing stories about how birding, birders, and birds have lifted her heart--and her art--to new heights. We are proud to present Christina Baal as our November/December 2020 cover artist for Bird Watcher’s Digest. We know that you will find her as colorful and unique as the art she shares with the world. Join Wendy and Christina as they discuss how art, nature, and the power of birding in the time of COVID can bring much-needed peace and joy to our lives.

In December 2019, BWD President and Publisher Wendy Clark joined female leaders from the global birding industry on an all-women's tour of the Santa Marta region of Colombia. On their final day of the tour, they discussed their unforgettable experience and how they bonded, exhilarated as they celebrated the women of Colombia--and one another. We hope you'll enjoy their heartwarming discussion of the extraordinary birds of Colombia, the development of women in business and leadership in South America, and most of all, how our families, our communities, and our world rise to new heights when women love, support, and empower one another.

In late 2019, BWD publisher Wendy Clark chatted with Jennifer Rycenga, Raymond Van Buskirk, and Michael Retter--all avid birders and members of the group QBNA (LBGTQ Birders of North America). The QBNA's mission is to facilitate communication among LGTBQ birders and their allies in North America and Hawaii. Join host Wendy Clark, Jennifer, Raymond, and Michael for this "pre-Covid", candid conversation about QBNA, diversity, and how a shared love of birds, birders, and birding can unify all people around the world.

In November 2019, long before the COVID-19 pandemic, BWD Publisher Wendy Clark spent some time with her friend David Lindo here in the United States. David is a native of London, England, and now lives in Extremadura, Spain. David is also our newest Bird Watcher's Digest columnist. You will find David's Urban Birding column in both recent and upcoming issues of BWD. In this podcast Wendy and David discuss his life journey, his passion for birding, and how a little boy from London, years later, became known around the world as The Urban Birder.

If you are interested in the highly anticipated debut of Zeiss's Victory SF 32 binoculars, then you will want to join Kelly Ball, ad sales director of Bird Watcher's Digest, as she chats with optics guru Rich Moncrief of Zeiss Sports Optics. Rich has worked with Zeiss for 18 years, and you'll understand the value he brings to this position as he explains what differentiates the Victory SF 32 from others in the birding market; what distinguishes an 8-power binocular from a 10-power binocular; why COVID-19 has delayed the Victory SF 32's official launch to market; and how customers can take advantage of a limited-time promotional offer to advance bird watching for the next generation of birders.

In this two-part interview, Dawn Hewitt, editor of Bird Watcher's Digest, chats with the premier authority on the raptors of North America, Jerry Liguori. He is author of several books on raptors, and helped develop the ground-breaking Raptor ID app. Here in Part 2, Jerry discusses, among other things, his remarkable life and his debilitating illness.

In this two-part interview, Dawn Hewitt, editor of Bird Watcher's Digest, chats with the premier authority on the raptors of North America, Jerry Liguori. He is author of several books on raptors and helped develop the groundbreaking Raptor ID app. Jerry's also a bird photographer--and that's how Dawn knows him: He has contributed many photos to BWD through the years. Especially since he is in poor health--as you might be able to tell from his voice--it is an honor to introduce Jerry Liguori to our podcast listeners.

Springtime is nesting time! In this episode, BWD's advertising sales director, Kelly Ball, interviews wildlife conservation photographer Chris Brinkman, who follows local nesting urban owls--particularly barred owls and great-horned owls--in his hometown of Columbus, Ohio.

Bird Watcher's Digest Editor Dawn Hewitt provided the keynote presentation for eighth annual (and first-ever virtual) Hatchie BirdFest, on April 24, 2020. Her talk was a nod to her beloved, late boss, Bill Thompson, III, who occasionally presented a perpetually evolving talk titled "The Perils and Pitfalls of Bird Watching." Dawn's is an informative celebration of the thrills and challenges of assembling North America’s oldest popular birding magazine. This podcast also features a beautiful and moving original song, written by Bob Raines for the 2020 Hatchie BirdFest, and performed along with Sam Raines, titled "All That's Left of Eden."

Last October a group of female birding friends gathered at Opossum Creek Resort in Fayetteville, West Virginia which is also the home of the New River Birding and Nature Festival each May, (when there's not a pandemic happening in our world!). Regardless of your gender, we hope you'll enjoy this conversation between common--yet quite uncommon--Wonder Women, and we hope their lively discussion also encourages YOU during this global crisis that is affecting every person on our planet.

Sean Dooley is the National Public Affairs Manager for Birdlife Australia. He has seen firsthand the devastating fires that Americans have been following with great concern in the media. According to Sean, the extent of loss is now 12.2 million hectares, which equates to more than 30 million acres--an area larger than the state of Pennsylvania! He took time in January to talk with host Wendy Clark about what it's like to be a conservationist in Australia at this critical time; how the birds and bird habitats are faring with the destruction; and most importantly, how Americans can provide real support for this country in crisis.

Join host Dawn Hewitt as she interviews Eva Matthews Lark, program director for Hog Island Audubon Camp in Maine. Listen in as Dawn and Eva talk about the amazing birding experiences, natural history, and landscapes that Hog Island has to offer.

This podcast is the final episode of our British Invasion series. Join Wendy Clark as she talks to a variety of friends and colleagues at the British Birdfair about important conservation projects, birds, and international birding travel.

If you're a "twitcher" in the UK, Stephen Moss is a familiar household name, and a beloved birding celebrity. He was the original producer of the BAFTA award-winning TV series Springwatch, worked with the TV shows Big Cat Diary, Birds Brittania, and Birding with Bill Oddie, and has authored no less than forty books on birds and British wildlife. Stephen writes a monthly Birdwatch column for The Guardian, is president of the Somerset Wildlife Trust, is an honorary professor at Nottingham University Business School, and currently leads courses and lectures at Bath Spa University in MA Travel & Nature Writing. As a close friend of both Bill Thompson III and Wendy Clark, Stephen and his family have hosted them many times at their lovely home in Somerset UK. This podcast was recorded in August, 2019 as Wendy and Stephen chatted on the Moss family patio in butterfly garden. Learn more about Stephen's expansive career, his passion for birds, conservation, and education, and take a stroll down memory lane as Stephen and Wendy share fond memories of the late Bill Thompson III.

Episode #61 continues our "British Invasion Series," which features a series of interviews that BWD Director Wendy Clark conducted at the 2019 British Birdfair in the UK. The British Birdfair is one of the largest gatherings of bird watchers and conservationists from around the world. In this episode Wendy interviews Jim Lawrence, global marketing director for BirdLife International. Jim and Wendy discuss the British Birdfair, US and UK conservation relations, and get distracted by a few excellent bird sightings!

The British are coming! The British are coming! Well... British TWITCHERS, that is! Welcome to our "British Invasion" podcast series featuring birding artists, conservationists, authors, and renowned birders from across the pond. In today's podcast, host Wendy Clark interviews celebrity UK bird artist John Cox about the role of artists at the British Birdfair, the evolution of bird art in the UK, his journey as a bird artist, and more. John's warm personality, his decades of experience, and his oh-so-charming British accent make this an episode you don't want to miss!

In this episode of OTWTB, host Dawn Hewitt interviews author, artist, and naturalist Julie Zickefoose. As a wildlife rehabilitator, Julie often takes in orphaned and injured birds to nurse back to health. One such charge was a sick and starved baby blue jay, a palm-sized bundle of gray-blue fluff that she named "Jemima." Julie fell hard for this engaging, feisty, and funny jay, a creative muse and source of strength through the author's own heartbreaking changes. She captures these experiences in her gorgeously illustrated new book, "Saving Jemima: Life and Love with a Hard-Luck Jay."

Two new hosts join Alvaro and Raymond on our OTWTB podcast: BWD publisher Wendy Clark and BWD editor Dawn Hewitt! In the second part of this two-part episode, they discuss Wendy’s introduction to birding with the sighting of a rare bird at the 2009 Midwest Birding Symposium, the changes in her life (and Bird Watcher’s Digest!) over the past six months, what’s in store for BWD in the next few years, and much more!

The winds of change are gusting through Bird Watcher's Digest. Two new hosts join Alvaro and Raymond on our OTWTB podcast: BWD publisher Wendy Clark and BWD editor Dawn Hewitt! In this two-part episode, Wendy and Dawn discuss the recent changes that have taken place at BWD, how they became birders, and much more!

Expect big news in this episode of Out There with the Birds! Ben reflects on highlights from the New River Birding and Nature Festival in Fayetteville, West Virginia, an event that was near and dear to Bill Thompson, III. The area is the "Warbler Capital of the World" and one of the best hot spots on Earth for salamanders! Alvaro discusses the wonders of pelagic birding and provides preliminary results from the 2019 Global Big Day, a 24-hour event in which people around the world bird and report their sightings on eBird. Finally, changes are in store for Out There with the Birds: Ben introduces new co-host Raymond VanBuskirk, a birding superstar from New Mexico, an optics expert, co-owner of BRANT birding tours, and the new manager of Redstart Birding!

In part 2 of Ben's interview with BT3, published posthumously, Bill talks about his love of travel as a way of connecting with nature and people, as well as who some of his birding mentors were. Bill also talks about his love of music, what it means to him, and some of his more memorable birding adventures. Also hear Bill's thoughts on the evolution of birding and why he's hopeful about the next generation shaping the future of bird watching. We end with a recording of Bill singing one of his songs with his band, The Rain Crows.

This is part one of an exclusive two-part interview with Bill Thompson, III, long-time co-host of Out There With The Birds. On March 25th, Bill passed away at the age of 57 after a brief battle with pancreatic cancer. Shortly before his passing, Ben took some time to interview Bill about his life as a birder, magazine editor, and musician. In the first episode, Bill talks about his early years as a birder and the beginnings of Bird Watcher's Digest, a magazine founded by his parents, Elsa and Bill Thompson, Jr. The conversation then moves on to Bill's time with a New York City ad agency and how he made his way back to Ohio to join the family business and develop his writing career.

Alvaro recounts tales from Japan, including fish eagles, fish owls, and talking toilets. Also, the guys discuss the Chilean/Argentinian divide, and geography's impact on both bird distribution and human culture. The topic turns to the true Zen nature of birding and how it may challenge some of your bird ID assumptions! All this and more in Episode 52 of Out There With The Birds!

Alvaro warns against getting creative when packing for a birding trip. Also, blue jays, green jays, brown jays, and gray jays are all part of the intriguing family of corvids. What makes these birds so inquisitive and social? Find out on Out There with the Birds!

Ben and Alvaro discuss bird behavior in winter and how big birds, little birds, and vagrant birds cope with temperature extremes. Some birds fly away from the weather while others become zombie birds, preying on their fellow feathered friends! It's looking like spring in Southern California while Alvaro braces for more winter as he discusses an upcoming birding tour in Japan. Grab your chopsticks and get ready to dig into episode 50 of Out There With the Birds!

Episode 49 is a special two-part episode of OTWTB. Bill and Ben have a heartfelt discussion about why 2019 is going to be a different kind of year for the podcast, and why it will be the "Year of the Big Sit" for Bill. Ben then welcomes Alvaro Jaramillo to the show, and we learn a bit more about this international man of mystery. Their conversation topics include the shifting nature of birding tourism and why you don't want to play chess in Antarctica. Hint: It's too cold!

Ben gives LeBron-like advice for buying binoculars for kids or beginning birders, explains the visual difference between roof- and Porro-prism binoculars, and updates us on his last backyard bird sighting: a red-breasted nuthatch. Bill talks about a rusty blackbird encounter and how to tell rusties from common grackles. Then the boys welcome Clay Taylor from Swarovski Optik to talk about his amazing backyard in Corpus Christi, Texas, which has become a magnet for birds and butterflies migrating along the Gulf Coast.

Favorite holiday gifts given and received is a major topic of this episode and among those gifts mentioned are a hockey stick, a mink coat, ten-speed bikes, and a vintage saucepan. Ben's nightmare Christmas Bird Count experience and Bill's Disney World surprise stories take center stage. Also mentioned are a conspiracy theory about wild birds, a new app that's like Shazam for bird sounds, an update on Ben's hot feeder action, and plans to handicap the results of the OTWTB Global Big Year Challenge™.

Back to the North from points farther south, the fellows chat throughout a winter-themed episode about such topics as suet feeding, birding in Texas and Colombia, weather and birds, winter clothing, acclimatization, fogging optics, and Ben's new-found love of silk long johns. Bill recounts a traumatic first grade incident involving yellow snow, and his latest musical recommendation is "Sanctify" by St. Paul and the Broken Bones.

With the guys poised to head off to far-flung birding destinations, Ben asks Bill for advice on his backyard bird feeding efforts. Bill, who is the Guy Fieri of Bird Feeding, dishes the knowledge on mixed seed, suet, peanuts, and the best foods for feeding birds. They discuss the never-ending battle with feeder marauding squirrels. Ben also asks Bill if he's ever eaten squirrel. Bill's latest musical recommendation: Brandi Carlile's new album "By the Way, I Forgive You," featuring the amazing (and totally timely) song "The Joke."

The boys connected via the Interweb to chat about the importance of bird clubs, favorite Feasts of Birdin' (eateries) near birding hotspots, the upcoming (potential) winter finch invasion, and Ben's latest life bird (and head cold). Bill shares his newest musical recommendation: the band Phox, from Madison, Wisconsin.

The birding dudes cover a smorgasbord of topics here, including a recap of the recent American Birding Expo, birding during migration, upcoming festivals, The Big Sit™, and tips for your optics upgrade. They also celebrate, in the briefest possible way, Ben's birthday. This episode was recorded in two parts, one via Skype between Wisconsin and Ohio and one in person, live, in Cape May, New Jersey, during the Cape May Reader Rendezvous.

Ben and Bill share a baker's dozen tips for enhancing your birding enjoyment, including where and when to go, what to wear, eat, carry, think, hear, and do, and lots more. If you're willing to take advice from these two guys, then you deserve all the joy that birding can bring you. They also extend an invitation to listeners to join them on a birding safari to South Africa.

The likely lads are on the loose at the world-famous British Birdwatching Fair, where they're seeing old friends, quaffing a few pints, promoting the American Birding Expo, Bird Watcher's Digest, and helping to translate between American English and English English. They talk about the beauty and conservation of vultures and flamingos, new birds they've added to the Global Big Year Challenge™, and the long shadow cast by the BBC TV show from the 1950s "Bill and Ben: The Flowerpot Men." All this is discussed while sitting in a giant beer tent in the middle of a sheep pasture. Please note: This was BEFORE they had a beer.

Summer activities--both recent and upcoming--are the focus of this episode's discussion between Bill and Ben. They brag about their super-smart daughters and wonder how the apples could fall so far from the tree. They chat about Ben's upcoming canoe trip, the new issue of BWD, upcoming Reader Rendezvous, and about Bill's recent (amazing) baseball catch on national TV. Bill shares a music recommendation: American treasure John Prine.

Ben and Bill take a break during the Outdoor Retailer show in Denver, Colorado to talk about the products, trends, and environmental awareness they found at this major event for retail stores. Like Johnny Appleseed, they planted the seeds of birding awareness among the many cool folks and companies they encountered. And there was free beer. Birding tip: It's time to look for southbound shorebirds, swallows, martins, and nighthawks.

The stoke is high for Ben and Bill's upcoming trips to Man Camp (People Camp) in West Virginia and to Colorado for the Outdoor Retailer Show. In this episode, their Zugunruhe has them all over the place topicwise, including fledglings at feeders, higher hummer numbers, famous Birding Expo keynote speakers, the new Duck Stamp, and the demise of the Porro prism binocular (according to the LeBron James of Birding Optics). Bill's music recommendation is TroubleFunk, out of Washington DC.

Recorded live in three parts during the recent Bird Watcher's Digest Reader Rendezvous trip to northern Colorado, this episode features lots of voices. Bill and Ben welcome special guest Clay Taylor of Swarovski Optik to talk about birding optics and his most recent life bird. BWD's own Emily Jones joins in as do many of the Rendezvous participants, to talk about favorite birds, life birds, good food, Pawnee Grasslands, and the ever-majestic Rocky Mountain National Park. Oh, and, in case you didn't know, the "p" in ptarmigan is silent.

The gents talk via Skype about their personal fitness regimens, post-spring bird action, appreciating nesting birds, a booby in Maine, jinx birds for 2018, the upcoming Colorado Reader Rendezvous, legalized marijuana and the implications for bird feeding, birds you cannot find by seeking them, their first-ever trip to the Outdoor Retailer Show, and whether or not high-end optics are worth it. Oh, and Ben finally saw a peregrine falcon, but Bill still needs a great horned owl for the OTWTB Global Big Year Challenge™.

Ben is back from Alaska and is headed to Maine for birding festivals. The guys chat about their upcoming travels, the advantages of spotting scopes and when to carry them, carbon-fiber tripods, missed birds and bonus birds, and the joy of having kids smarter than they are. They reveal their species totals in the OTWTB Global Big Year Challenge™. Spoiler alert: One of them is WAY ahead.

Recorded outside in the bucolic setting at Opossum Creek Retreat during the New River Birding and Nature Festival in Fayetteville, West Virginia, this episode finds the boys talking about this spring's slow migration, the amazing birder/naturalist Mark Garland, the hottub origin story of Redstart Birding, birding etiquette, dealing with SOBs (Spouses of Birders), hot toad action, and paying it forward as a birder and human.

This episode is a crazy quilt of topics including an overview of spring birding festivals, a review of the guys' travel plans, the technological challenges of list keeping, the humor of Al Batt, Audubon's Elephant Folio, loud rock concerts, choosing the best optics, and a special musical interlude from a podcast listener. And a sort-of update on the OTWTB Global Big Year Challenge™.

Back in the USA, the boys are excited about waterfowl watching season. Ben talks about his bout with Duck Eye and how the Swarovski BTX scope cured him. Bill talks about #TamronTuesday and the opening day of the new baseball season. They also chat about the challenges of the Global Big Year Challenge™ and their struggles with eBird. Bill shares a new musical recommendation: Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit's new record "The Nashville Sound."

Los dos pajareros recorded this episode in two segments from the porch of their rustic accommodation at The Lodge at Pico Bonito. In part one they chat about the wonders of birding in the tropics. In part two they discuss the proposed closing of the Pico Bonito Lodge and what a sad possibility that would be. They have no solid update on the OTWTB Global Big Year Challenge™ because they haven't counted recently.