J. Drew Lanham

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. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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.

J. Drew Lanham, a poet and ornithologist, shares his unique perspective as a Black man from the American South, highlighting how his love for the outdoors intertwines with his experiences. He explores the concept of radical joy, detailing how simple moments with robins during daily walks can transform ordinary life into a source of profound happiness. Lanham emphasizes joy as a deliberate choice and a superpower that fuels resilience and strength in challenging times. Prepare to see birdwatching in a whole new light!

J. Drew Lanham, an ornithologist, naturalist, and writer dedicated to bird conservation, reads a heartfelt letter to a Pileated Woodpecker. He explores the challenges of misidentification with its close cousin, the Ivory-billed Woodpecker. Lanham reflects on societal assumptions about appearance and expresses admiration for the woodpecker's wild calls, which enliven suburban landscapes. With a nod to the importance of identity, he critiques outdated names and shares well wishes for the bird, infusing his message with care and humor.

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.