WEEKEND BIRDER

Get advice about how to help children learn about the birds around them. This episode is about how anyone can become a birdwatcher.Jason Rodgers combines cartooning, musicianship, and performance to introduce kids to birdwatching. He's the illustrator/author of "Did You Spot It? Noticing Birds Around Australia", a colourful kids book enjoyed by many little birdwatchers. Jason loves spending time with family and friends, spotting amazing birds in the Toowoomba Region.Links:* Subcribe to the Monthly Letter - weekendbirder.com/monthly-letter* Jason’s website - didyouspotit.weebly.com* Jason on Facebook - @DidYouSpotIt* Jason on Instagram - @did_you_spot_it* The Big Year (film) - wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Big_Year* Laughing Kookaburra recording by Marc Anderson licenced from wildambience.comWeekend Birder online:* Website - weekendbirder.com* Instagram - @weekend.birder* Facebook - @weekend.birder* YouTube - @WeekendBirder

Journey back to the 1800s to hear about the life of Elizabeth Gould. This cross-over episode is about illustrations of science, colonialism, feminism and the natural beauty of birds.Clare Presser, host of Paperback Perfumes podcast, loves storytelling and engaging her community. She merges literature and perfumery to evoke memories and new experiences. Each of her podcast episode unveils a new blend of scent and stories. Clare is also a nature-lover and fascinated by experiences that involve all of the senses.Links:* Paperback Perfumes website - paperbackperfumes.com* Paperback Perfumes on Instagram - @paperbackperfumes* Melissa Ashley’s website - melissaashley.com.au* The Bird Man’s wife on goodreads - goodreads.com/book/show/30634833-the-birdman-s-wife* Zoologist - zoologistperfumes.com* Liminus (Tasmania) - liminus.com.au* Darwin - Fueguia 1833 - parfumo.com/Perfumes/Fueguia_1833/darwin-perfumeWeekend Birder online:* Website - weekendbirder.com* Instagram - @weekend.birder* Facebook - @weekend.birder* YouTube - @WeekendBirder

Look at Australian birds from a different perspective. This episode is about finding community, birdwatching while kayaking and a close encounter with a White-bellied Sea-eagle.Marian Blake is a casual birder with a lifelong passion for animals and nature. She’s spent half her career working with animals and have always had an interest in learning more about native birds (but never actively pursued the hobby). When Marian moved to Bendigo in Victoria, she was working from home and didn’t know many people. She reached out on one of the local birding Facebook pages and asked if anyone would take her birding. And the rest is history.Links:* Weekend Birder Google Map and other travel destinations - weekendbirder.com/travel* Women Birder’s Australia Facebook group - facebook.com/groups/womenbirdersaustralia/* White-bellied Sea-eagle recording by Marc Anderson licenced from wildambience.comWeekend Birder online:* Website - weekendbirder.com* Instagram - @weekend.birder* Facebook - @weekend.birder* YouTube - @WeekendBirder

Discover how to create bird-friendly gardens in urban areas. This episode explores the challenges urban birds face, from habitat loss to Noisy Miners, and offers practical tips for supporting them in our own backyards.Jacinta Humphrey is an Urban Ecologist and Postdoctoral Researcher with the ICON Science group at RMIT University. Her work explores Biodiversity Sensitive Urban Design and aims to find opportunities to create and enhance habitat for birds in residential neighbourhoods, urban parks, schoolyards and private gardens. She also monitors the Birrarung Trial Floating Wetlands, a series of artificial habitat islands installed in the Yarra River-Birrarung, on behalf of The University of Melbourne. When she’s not thinking about birds, Jacinta spends her time swimming, running, and playing with her two (indoor only) cats.Links:* Jacinta on LinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/jacinta-humphrey-urban-ecologist/* Jacinta Instagram - @jacintahumphrey/* Jacinta on Twitter/X - x.com/HumphreyJE_* Jacinta’s Birds in the Burbs summary brochure - doi.org/10.26181/25485955* Living with Wildlife by Tanya Loos - tanyaloos.com/living-with-wildlife/* The Secret Lives of Our Urban Birds hosted by Ann Jones on ABC iView - iview.abc.net.au/show/secret-lives-of-our-urban-birds* Noisy Miner recording by Marc Anderson licenced from wildambience.comWeekend Birder online:* Website - weekendbirder.com* Instagram - @weekend.birder* Facebook - @weekend.birder* YouTube - @WeekendBirder

Hear a musician reflect on how birds affect life and music. This episode is about the deep connection between nature and music, and how birds provide us with a sense of place.If anyone can silence a room, it’s South Africa-born and Melbourne-based musician Ruby Gill. Ruby’s arresting lyricism and deadpan wit have already garnered them millions of streams, awards and radio play from Triple J and every major metro station in Australia, to BBC6Music and KCRW over the pond. Known to bring even the most stoic to tears with profound reflections on society and self-awareness, Ruby’s “melancholic lyrical wizardry” has earned the reputation of unmissable, with accolades such as as Sunday Times’ Breaking Act (UK), Emerging Artist of the Year at Port Fairy Folk Festival, nominations for The Australian Music Prize (Mercury equivalent) and Best Folk Work at the Music Victoria Awards, and high praise from NME, CLASH, The Independent and more. Consistent reviews echo Triple J’s Zan Rowe, “excuse me while I scrape myself off the floor.” Available on YouTube, your podcast app or listen below.Links:Ruby’s new album Some Kind of Control is out March 28 2025.* Ruby’s website - https://rubygill.me/* Ruby on Facebook - @rubygillmusic* Ruby on Instagram - @rubymarygill* Ruby on Twitter/X - @rubymarygill* Ruby on YouTube - youtube.com/user/rubymarygill* Bird Song by Cosmo Sheldrake - cosmosheldrake.com/music/birdsong* Flightless Bird, American Mouth by Iron and Wine - youtube.com/watch?v=RGVmhrfQqzg* Blue Jay recording by Dan Lane (XC215532) - xeno-canto.org* African Paradise Flycatcher recording by Tony Archer (XC603822) - xeno-canto.org* Hadada Ibis recording by Tony Archer (XC686712) - xeno-canto.orgWeekend Birder online:* Website - weekendbirder.com* Instagram - @weekend.birder* Facebook - @weekend.birder* YouTube - @WeekendBirder

Discover the incredible aerial acrobatics of Australia's speedy little birds. This episode is about Sydney Park, and the world of Australian swallows and martins. Lorne Johnson is a high school teacher and poet living in Newtown, Sydney. He began birding way back in 1986. He has travelled all over Australia searching for birds. He is an avid urban birder who has now seen 112 species at Sydney Park (roughly one eighth of the country’s entire species). He hopes to one day see a Princess Parrot. Links:* Lorne on Instagram - @lornejohnson23* Lorne recommends you read One Midsummer’s Day by Mark CockerWeekend Birder online:* Website - weekendbirder.com* Instagram - @weekend.birder* Facebook - @weekend.birder* YouTube - @WeekendBirder

Deep-dive into the language of birdwatching. Our 100th episode is about birding slang, amusing anecdotes and the impact of language on our connection to birds and each other.Dr Cesar Puechmarin is a wildlife veternarian, award-winning wildlife photographer and the host of Death by Birding podcast. Dr Kylie Soanes is a scientist who collaborates with councils, community groups, engineers and architects to make real change for wildlife in urban environments. Sean Dooley is the National Public Affairs Manager for BirdLife Australia, author of The Big Twitch, and former holder of the Australian Big Year twitching record. Stephanie Chambers is the co-founder of Sydney Bird Club and artist at Outer Island. What a stellar bunch of humans!Links:* How to speak birdwatching slang - weekendbirder.com/how-to-guides/how-to-speak-birding-slang* Cesar’s website - cesaronsafari.com* Kylie’s website - kyliesoanes.com* Sean on Instagram - @sean.dooley.birdman* Birdlife Australia's website - birdlife.org.au* Aussie Bird Count - aussiebirdcount.org.au* Steph's Outer Island website - outerisland.com.au* Steph's Sydney Bird Club website - sydneybirdclub.comWeekend Birder online:* Website - weekendbirder.com* Instagram - @weekend.birder* Facebook - @weekend.birder* YouTube - @WeekendBirder

Fall in love with Australia’s two largest (and flightless) birds. This episode explores what makes these big birds so special, from their impressive size and strength to the important job they play in the Australian landscape.Luca is an 12-year old nature lover and birder who lives in Naarm (Melbourne) and feels most at home in nature. His fondness and respect for wildlife was first inspired by Sir David Attenborough’s programs. Luca’s fascination for birds began through art at the age of 7, when he started drawing birds and devouring bird identification books. This ignited a passion for birdwatching and bird photography. For Luca, drawing and photographing birds continue to be central in getting to know Australian birds and those living in other parts of the world. Luca carries his passion for birding where ever he goes, whether he is camping, hiking, surfing or on a road trip. He loves sharing his knowledge of birds with others as much as he enjoys learning from birders he meets on his nature adventures. Links:* Weekend Birder is now on YouTube - @WeekendBirder* Weekend Birder is now on TikTok - @weekend.birder* Subscribe to the Monthly Letter - weekendbirder.com/monthly-letter* Recordings by Marc Anderson licenced from wildambience.comWeekend Birder online:* Website - weekendbirder.com* Instagram - @weekend.birder* Facebook - @weekend.birder* YouTube - @WeekendBirder