J. Drew Lanham

Ornithologist/poet J. Drew Lanham shares heart-stirring poetry on joy as self-imposed justice. Delve into themes of resilience, nature's embrace, and transformative power of joy. Explore the depths of joy as inner strength and justice in the face of adversity.

Join Ruth Jones, a cormorant advocate and documentary producer, along with Karen Edwards, a Renaissance literature professor, and Jay Drew Lanham, a wildlife ecologist, to explore the misunderstood cormorant. Discover how cultural biases have shaped negative perceptions of this bird, once symbolized as evil in literature. They discuss the cormorant's ecological significance and the need for empathy in conservation. Gail Fraser and Cole Swanson add depth to understanding the beauty and resilience of these aquatic birds, inviting a shift in narrative.

Amanda Rodewald, a leading ornithology professor at Cornell, Bradley Wilkinson from the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, and wildlife ecology expert Drew Lanham dive into the alarming decline of bird populations. They discuss how over one third of species require urgent conservation. Amidst these challenges, a surge in birding interest offers hope, as volunteers gather data to support conservation efforts. Personal stories of birdwatching reveal an emotional connection to nature, highlighting the vital role birds play in indicating environmental health.

The ornithologist J. Drew Lanham is lyrical in the languages of science, humans, and birds. His celebrated books include The Home Place: Memoirs of a Colored Man’s Love Affair with Nature and a collection of poetry and meditations called Sparrow Envy: Field Guide to Birds and Lesser Beasts. J. Drew Lanham’s way of seeing and hearing and noticing the present and the history that birds traverse — through our backyards and beyond — is a revelatory way to be present to the world and to life in our time.J. Drew Lanham is an Alumni Distinguished Professor of Wildlife Ecology, Master Teacher, and Certified Wildlife Biologist at Clemson University. He is the Poet Laureate of Edgefield County, South Carolina, where he grew up. He is the author of The Home Place: Memoirs of a Colored Man’s Love Affair with Nature and a collection of poetry and meditations, Sparrow Envy: Field Guide to Birds and Lesser Beasts.Find the transcript for this show at onbeing.org.This show originally aired in January, 2021.

Ornithologist J. Drew Lanham reads his poem, “Love for a Song.” Krista’s conversation with him is our episode, ‘I Worship Every Bird that I See.’