The American Birding Podcast

The 2019 Atlantic hurricane season is underway with a handful of storms already named. In the last couple decades human meteorologists have gotten pretty good at predicting the strength and track of tropical storms in the Atlantic basin, but still less good at predicting the severity of any individual season. But as it turns out, that's something Veerys, the ruddy Catharus thrush with the swirly song, are quite good at it. Dr. Christopher Heckscher of Delaware State University made the connection, and using the behavior of Veerys as a guide, beat most, all, meteorologists last year in accurately predicting the hurricane season in 2018. He joins host Nate Swick to talk about this amazing work, and the predictive powers of birds. Also, some news on our upcoming live show at the Rio Grande Valley Bird Festival and some thoughts on what bird clubs can be in the 21st Century. Thanks to Zeiss Sports Optics for sponsoring this episode of the American Birding Podcast!

Located in the northeast corner of the ABA Area, the island of Newfoundland is known for its incredible rarity pedigree. But there's far more to this beautiful place than European vagrants. The city of St. John's is a gateway to unbelievable nature experiences, from seabird colonies containing thousands upon thousands of charismatic Atlantic Puffins and Northern Gannets, to the sight of dozens of whales feeding near shore, to caribou and ptarmigan on the southernmost tundra on the continent. Last month, host Nate Swick had the good fortune to explore part of it with Birding editor Ted Floyd, Birds of North America host Jason Ward, and The Birdist Nick Lund. Led by the inimitable Jared Clarke of Bird the Rock tours, they covered the birding hotspots of the Avalon Peninsula, including Witless Bay Ecological Reserve, Cape St. Mary's, and Cape Race among others, finding amazing birds and generally having an amazing time. Come along with them on this week's episode. Also, updates on the proposed south Texas border wall and a way for you to make your voice heard.

Fantasy Sports is big business these day, especially now that participants no longer have to do the work by hand. It's so popular that managing virtual worlds based on real world data has spread beyond sports. Fantasy Birding has become a obsession among a growing cadre of real birders, it has been featured in a number of general interest articles, it was lightly mocked on the NPR show Wait Wait Don't Tell Me, and it's taken hold of a handful of my colleagues at the ABA. Matt Smith is a computer programmer and birder and is the creator of Fantasy Birding. He joins host Nate Swick to talk about the wild ride. Also, some potential changes to the Duck Stamp that seem to cause more harm than good, and Nate reminisces about an amazing trip to Costa Rica with an amazing group of young naturalists. Thanks to Zeiss Sports Optics for sponsoring this episode of the American Birding Podcast.

What does it mean to be an "expert" birder? And do the skills that make one an expert necessarily translate to the skills that are most in demand when it comes to promoting the birding community in a positive way? Birding editor Ted Floyd joins host Nate Swick to talk about expertise in birding and the many ways in which it manifests in the birding world, and why the very birders who are so forward-thinking when it comes to field ornithology can sometimes be their own worst enemy when it comes to prompting the "cause" of birding. Also, Nate reflects on a trip to Newfoundland and commiserates about what he lost. Thanks to Whiting Forest of Dow Gardens Birding Festival for sponsoring this episode of the American Birding Podcast!

The ABA's summer camps have long been an avenue for young birders to take in some excellent birding opportunities, to network with other young birders, and to learn about career opportunities in birding and ornithology. So many young people who have gone on to become influential in our community have come through ABA camps and other young birder camps, and many more consider it a seminal experience in their birding lives. Jennie Duberstein, ABA's long-time Director of Camp Colorado and the Coordinator of the Sonoran Joint Venture bird conservation partnership, and Robert Buckert, a young birder and recent Camp Colorado attendee from Rochester, New York, join host Nate Swick to talk about the camp experience both as a counselor and as a camper. Also, Piping Plovers in Chicago threaten to derail a music festival and some thoughts on playback. Thanks to the 2019 Hawai'i Island Festival of Birds for sponsoring this episode of the American Birding Podcast.

Birders love to watch the birds at their feeders from the comfort of their own home, but those windows we depend on can cause quite a few problems for birds, something that Heidi Trudell is all too aware of. She is the creator of the Facebook group Dead Birds for Science and the website Just Save Birds, and an advocate for birds safe glass and construction, as well as getting people comfortable with how their action or inaction affects the birds around us. All of which, she hopes, helps make the world a safer place for birds. You can find an annotated list of all the products the Heidi talks about on her website, and help support her work at her Patreon site. Also, the AOS Classification Committee decisions are out, with some interesting decisions and non-decisions. Plus, why you should get involved in the Breeding Bird Survey. Thanks to Zeiss Sports Optics for sponsoring this episode of the American Birding Podcast.

It's taxonomy time again, bird nerds! The 2019 proposals to the American Ornithological Society's Classification Committee are chock full of splits, name changes, and a couple proposals that may or may not set some interesting precedents in the way we interact with bird common names. As we have before, we lean again on Dr. Nick Block, professor of Biology at Stonehill College in Easton, Massachusetts, and Secretary of the ABA's Recording Standards and Ethics Committee, to break it all down. He joins me to talk about some of those 2019's taxonomy proposals and what they might mean for birders in the US and Canada. You can find the American Birding Podcast listener survey that I talk about in the episode here! Thanks to Caligo Ventures for sponsoring this episode. Caligo is North America's one and only representative for Trinidad's famous Asa Wright Nature Center. Get your birding vacation started by going to caligo.com or call 800.426.7781.

What do birding and board games have in common? More than you'd expect! Birder and game designer Elizabeth Hargrave has made it a mission to bring these two things together and her bird-themed game Wingspan, released earlier this year to great reviews, does just that. Wingspan has been covered by the New York Times, Smithsonian, and Science magazine among other places and has managed to elicit interest at a time when enthusiasm among the general public for both birding and board games are at an all-time high. She joins host Nate Swick to talk about both. Also, Birding editor Ted Floyd shares some thoughts about an extraordinary Western Tanager phenomenon. You can find the American Birding Podcast listener survey that I talk about in the episode here! Thanks to Zeiss Sports Optics for sponsoring this episode of the American Birding Podcast.

The ABA's 50th Anniversary and The Biggest Week's 10th Anniversary coincide this year and it's a great time to celebrate both stalwarts of the birding community. We threw a bird party and recorded the very first LIVE episode of the American Birding Podcast featuring special guests, live music, and more! We're excited to share it all with those who couldn't be with us that evening. Special thanks to Jason Guerard from Black Swamp Bird Observatory, Wendy Clark and David Mosher for the amazing music, and panelists Jordan Rutter of the American Bird Conservancy, Eliana Ardila Ardila from Birding By Bus, and field guide author David Sibley. We had an amazing time discussion the past and future of birding and the ABA. Thanks to L.L. Bean and the L.L. Bean Birding Festival for sponsoring this episode. The L.L. Bean Birding Festival is held May 24-26, 2019, in Freeport, Maine.

Kenn Kaufman is one of America's best known birders, and he has done just about everything a person can do in the birding world. He's a guide, an artist, an incredibly skilled birder, and an author of several books, the latest of which is called A Season on the Wind: Inside the World of Spring Migration. Kenn's new book is a love letter to northwest Ohio, a compelling story about the phenomenon of migration, and a call for action to protect these extraordinary birds and these important places. He joins Nate Swick to talk about the book and all things spring. Also, why you should be leading bird walks (seriously), dipping tales from Florida, and a big podcast event at the Biggest Week! Interested in our West Virginia Adult Birder Camp? Get more information here! Thanks to Zeiss Sports Optics for sponsoring this episode and their continuing support of the ABA's Young Birder Programs.