83 Birdwatching Stories - with the Local Big Year crew

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/storeLinks:* 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 - @sophiealice08Weekend Birder online:* Website - weekendbirder.com* Instagram - @weekend.birder* Facebook - @weekend.birder Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Learn how to record bird song and use technology to identify them. This episode is about bird call ID apps, sound recording equipment and research into how baby birds learn while they are in their egg.Dr Vicky Austin is interested in bird behaviour and how birds interact with each other and their environment. She is particularly fascinated by the vocalisations of female birds. Vicky’s PhD at Western Sydney University focused on the vocalisations of female Superb Lyrebirds (such as mimicry) and how females use these sounds to protect themselves and their chicks. Vicky reckons that vocalisations of female birds are just as spectacular as males and she’s here to share what she knows.>> Subscribe to the Monthly Letter - weekendbirder.com/monthly-letterLinks:* Vicky on Twitter - @avianbehaviour* Vicky on Instagram - @avianbehaviour* Vicky at the Animal Ecology Lab - animalecologylab.org/victoria-austin.html* Flinders University - flinders.edu.au/college-science-engineering/who-we-are/ecology-evolution-environment* Lyrebird Lab - lyrebirdlab.org* Superb Lyrebird recording by Nick Talbot (XC340211) - xeno-canto.org* Superb Fairywren recording by Marc Anderson, licenced from wildambience.comSound recording apps:* Merlin Bird ID app – merlin.allaboutbirds.org * BirdNet app - birdnet.cornell.edu* xeno-canto (bird sound recordings) - https://xeno-canto.orgWeekend Birder online:* Website - weekendbirder.com* Instagram - @weekend.birder* Facebook - @weekend.birder Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Search for birds in Western Australia’s coastal heaths, wetlands, arid regions and tropical north. This episode is about the best places to go birdwatching Western Australia and some of the unique birds you might find there.Jeremy Ringma is a Shorebird Project Coordinator at BirdLife Australia. His work involves collecting shorebird survey data in order to assess population trends and support conservation efforts. He also runs workshops to help the community become citizen scientists. Jeremy grew up in Brisbane, where he completed his undergraduate studies and PhD on Australian predator threatened mammals. He started ‘birding’ properly in his early twenties after being interested in wildlife as a kid.Links:* Jeremy on Instagram - @jeremy_ringma* Weekend Birder Google Map - maps.app.goo.gl/idqxtcxUDmUkDi1Y7* BirdLife WA website - birdlife.org.au/groups/birdlife-wa/* BirdLife WA on Facebook - @birdlifewa* BirdLife WA on Instagram - @birdlifewa* Eastern Yellow Wagtail recording by Geoff Carey (XC729999) - xeno-canto.org* Shark Bay Scrubwren recording by Matthias Feuersenger (XC107871) - xeno-canto.org* Noisy Scrub-bird and Western Gerygone recordings by Marc Anderson, licenced from wildambience.comWeekend Birder online:* Website - weekendbirder.com* Instagram - @weekend.birder* Facebook - @weekend.birder Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Adventure around Australia with two passionate birders on a gap year. This episode is about the highs and lows of riding a pushbike 15,000km around Australia to see as many birds as possible in one year.Leo Norman and Cezary Carmichael are on the road, on two wheels, on a grand adventure. The plan is to spend their gap year riding the country and enjoying birdwatching along the way. They are combining their efforts to document the unique cultural and ecological importance of birds in Australia whilst helping to build a school in Timor Leste.Imagine if every Weekend Birder listener donated $10 to Cezary and Leo’s fundraising effort? That’s over $50,000!Let’s do this - spenditwell.com/6730-2/Other links:* Two Birders Two Bikes on Instagram - @twobirderstwobikes* eBird profile - https://ebird.org/profile/MTA2NzU5NQ/AUWeekend Birder online:* Website - weekendbirder.com* Instagram - @weekend.birder* Facebook - @weekend.birder Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Learn about a bird that’s a little bit different from the rest. This episode is about a quirky and lovable migratory shorebird, and a scientist’s quest to grow our knowledge about its physiology and behaviour.Birgita Hansen has strong research interest in understanding the ecological response of birds to modification of their habitat, which has included studies into migratory shorebirds, riparian restoration in agricultural landscapes and waterbird monitoring at local and continental scales. She is a long-term member of the volunteer-run Victorian Wader Study Group and an executive committee member of the Australasian Wader Studies Group. She is leading a national citizen science research program called The Latham’s Snipe Project.Links:* Latham’s Snipe Project - lathamssnipeproject.wordpress.com* Australian Painted Snipe Tracking - paintedsnipe.com.au* Centre for eResearch and Digital Innovation (CeRDI) at Federation University - cerdi.edu.au* Painted Snipe recording was by Peter Boesmen - xeno-canto.org* Introduction to Shorebirds with Jeremy - weekendbirder.com/episodes/51-introduction-to-shorebirds-with-jeremy* Victorian Bird Walks with Damian (includes the Painted Snipe) - weekendbirder.com/episodes/76-bird-walks-with-damian* Weekend Birder Google Map - maps.app.goo.gl/idqxtcxUDmUkDi1Y7Weekend Birder online:* Website - weekendbirder.com* Instagram - @weekend.birder* Facebook - @weekend.birder Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Share in the delight of unexpected birding experiences. This episode is about the joys of photography, why birds bathe, foot quivering and the Regent Honeyeater.McKinley Moens is an 18 year-old nature photographer and ornithologist-in-the-making, based in the Blue Mountains of NSW. She has had a camera in her hand since she was three years old and has been pursuing her dream of becoming an ornithologist since she was 7. McKinley has been banding birds since she was 12 and is now an A-Class Bird Bander. Her photographic achievements thus far include being a 6-time finalist in the Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year competition (including being awarded 2023 Junior Runner-up) and also a 5-time finalist in the BirdLife Australia Photography Awards.Links:* Photos and video featured in this episode - weekendbirder.com/episodes/78-unexpected-moments-with-mckinley* McKinley’s website - mckinleymoens.photography* McKinley on Facebook - @mckinleymoensphotography* McKinley on Instagram - @mckinleymoensphotography* Regent Honeyeater Project - regenthoneyeater.org.au* Regent Honeyeater recordings were by Ross Crates - xeno-canto.orgWeekend Birder online:* Website - weekendbirder.com* Instagram - @weekend.birder* Facebook - @weekend.birder Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Meet a small bird with a big personality. This episode is about the Plains-wanderer, a unique and one-of-a-kind Australian bird that is capturing the hearts of the community.Chris Hartnett is a Threatened Species Program Coordinator at Zoos Victoria. Working closely with a range of conservation partners, Chris has led the strategic planning and implementation for Zoos Victoria’s Detection Dogs program since 2016, and Plains-wanderer program since 2018. Her strengths lie in communication, planning, and overcoming the many logistical challenges encountered in the effort to bring species back from the brink of extinction.Links:* Zoos Victoria Plains-wanderer videos on YouTube - youtube.com/@ZoosVictoria* Zoos Victoria website - zoo.org.au* Zoos Victoria on Facebook - @zoosvictoria * Zoos Victoria on Instagram - @zoosvictoria* Zoos Victoria on TikTok - @zoosvictoria* Zoos Victoria on Threads - @zoosvictoria * Zoos Victoria on Twitter/X - @ZoosVictoria * Plains-wanderer recording was by Frank Lambert (XC366840) - xeno-canto.orgWeekend Birder online:* Website - weekendbirder.com* Instagram - @weekend.birder* Facebook - @weekend.birder Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Discover the joys of birdwatching walks around Victoria and beyond. This episode is about birding in the Castlemaine and Orbost areas, a great place to visit in France and the Australian Painted Snipe.Damian Kelly has been a birder since he was young, exploring the Fitzroy Gardens in Melbourne. In more recent times, he has written two birding guides - Castlemaine Bird Walks and Victorian Bird Walks - with the aim of encouraging others to get out and about with birds. Damian is currently working on a guide to birding along rail trails and a bird walks book for the Daylesford/Hepburn area.Links:* Damian's website - castlemainebirds.com* Damian on Facebook - @damian.kelly.35* Damian on Instagram - @damiankkelly* Castlemaine Bird Walks by Damian Kelly (book) - bridgetfarmerprintmaker.com/products/book-castlemaine-bird-walks-by-damian-kelly* Victorian Bird Walks by Damian Kelly (book) - bridgetfarmerprintmaker.com/products/book-victorian-bird-walks-by-damian-kelly* Australian Painted Snipe Tracking website - paintedsnipe.com.au* Weekend Birder Google Map - maps.app.goo.gl/idqxtcxUDmUkDi1Y7* Weekend Birder Monthly Letter - weekendbirder.com/monthly-letterWeekend Birder online:* Website - weekendbirder.com* Instagram - @weekend.birder* Facebook - @weekend.birder Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Join Kirsty and her nephew Edward as they explore the world of Australia's kites. This episode is about the joys of seeing and hearing the Whistling Kite, Black Kite, Brahminy Kite and Square-tailed Kite.Edward is 10 years old and has grown up exploring nature. When he's not playing basketball, cricket or footy, he's hanging out in his backyard, the parkland over his back fence areas and in the bush around his holiday house in north-east Victoria. Edward especially loves watching and listening to Gang Gang Cockatoos. He is interested in Australian birds and likes researching endangered birds. Edward loves the sounds of nature and being outside makes him happy.Links:* Birds in Backyards - Whistling Kite - birdsinbackyards.net/species/Haliastur-sphenurus* Birds in Backyards - Black Kite - birdsinbackyards.net/species/Milvus-migrans* Birds in Backyards - Brahminy Kite - birdsinbackyards.net/species/Haliastur-indus* Birds in Backyards - Square-tailed Kite - birdsinbackyards.net/species/Lophoictinia-isura* 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.

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.