Hannah and Erik Go Birding

Cranes, Ducks, and Tits - Izumi & Kagoshima

30 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Our last adventure in Japan was to fly into the Kagoshima airport on the southern island of Kyushu and bird between there and Izumi.  We were searchi...

Eagles and Owls in Hokkaido

16 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Hokkaido has a lot of really neat birds and one-in-a-lifetime experiences.  The Steller's Sea-Eagles and Blakiston's Fish-Owls what attract...

Sightseeing in Tokyo and Cranes in Hokkaido

02 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

In our first few days in Japan, we did a bit of sightseeing in Tokyo, including the Sensō-ji Temple and a few days in Tokyo Disney...just a tiny bit ...

Adventures around Morro Bay

19 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Alt title: Elephant Seals, Wine Tasting, and Owls, oh my!On our day off from the Morro Bay Birding Festival, we decided to check out a few birding spo...

Conservation Ranching with Audubon California

05 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Audubon California has a program that benefits both ranchers and birds! Swallow Creek Ranch is one of their partners.  Hannah and Erik sat down with ...

Morro Bay Birding Festival

19 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

We were happy to get back down to Morro Bay for another festival.  Had a brief birding stop along the way and then on to the festival!  Morro Rock a...

Endemic Species in Cozumel

05 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

 Cozumel, an island just off of Mexico, is a great, quick birding spot AND has three endemic bird species!  We enjoyed finding these interesting bir...

One Day in Grand Cayman

22 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

While on a Caribbean cruise, we had a stop in Grand Cayman...so we went birding!  Fortunately for us, Geddes with Silver Thatch Expeditions, was avai...

Christmas Bird Count - Sunriver, Oregon

08 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Christmas Bird Counts is the oldest community science program and has made a huge impact on what we know about birds and their populations!  This yea...

Jamaica Endemics in Ocho Rios

25 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Our annual "company retreat" was a Caribbean cruise!  So in this episode, we talk about going birding around Orlando and then a day-trip in...

Rio Grande Valley Birding Festival 2025

11 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The Rio Grande Valley Birding Festival is always a fun time!  We went to a few new places, got a lifer, and enjoyed the valley specialty birds.Advent...

Kagus in New Caledonia

27 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

It's finally here - our episode about seeing the Kagus in New Caledonia.  There is so much to see there including tons of amazing birds, unique ...

Ouvea Parakeet Detour

13 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Ouvea is part of the Loyalty Islands, just off the coast of New Caledonia.  It's the only place in the world to see an Ouvea Parakeet and is a t...

Layover in Fiji birding

30 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On the way to our destination, New Caledonia, we had a 36-hour layover in Fiji.  We know how to make the most of that!  So, we explored the southern...

Hawk Watch at Bonney Butte

16 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Hawk watches are conducted along migration routes and collect important information on how these species are doing.  Hannah and Erik visited the hawk...

Shearwaters in Washington Waters

02 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

We were supposed to have two pelagic trips... but ocean conditions caused one to be cancelled, and the other was delayed!  At least we were able to g...

Birding Beyond Tucson

18 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

There are a lot of birding sites in and around Tucson.  While guiding at the Southeast Arizona Birding Festival, we had the opportunity to check out ...

Ticking Lifers in Tucson

04 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

We haven't done much birding in Arizona, so there is still a lot for us to go out and see!  In this episode, we visit a few beloved locations, c...

Chasing Dusky Grouse in Washington

21 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On our recent trip to Washington, we had two days to play with.  So we decided to go search out a lifer: Dusky Grouse.  Who knew we would find such ...

Urban Cooper's Hawks in Seattle

07 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Since the 1980's, Cooper's Hawks have become a more regularly sighting in cities, including Seattle.  Ed Deal, with the Urban Raptor Conser...

Salish Sea Tufted Puffins

24 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Tufted Puffins are such an iconic seabird that so many people want to see!  A great way to see them up close is to take a bay cruise in the Salish Se...

Red Knot Survey with Washington Dept Fish & Wildlife

10 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife has been running a Red Knot survey for the past 20 years.  We tagged along with Shorebird Biologist, Allis...

Briefly Birding Long Island

26 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On our NYC-sampler trip, we had a little bit of time to bird on Long Island.  There was so much to see, including a few lifers and interesting sites ...

Protecting Piping Plovers on Long Island

12 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Audubon New York and Audubon Connecticut are partnering together to protect Piping Plovers along the shores of Long Island Sound.  There are several ...

Finding Birds in The Big Apple

29 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Alt title: Bird Migration in New York CityNew York City has a lot to offer - food, fun, sights...and birds!  We birded around Manhattan and a bit int...

Spring Birding in the RGV

15 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

We talk about the Rio Grande Valley a lot - we know!  But that is because it one of our favorite spots to go and every trip is different.  This time...

Birder Language with Rosemary Mosco

01 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Rosemary Mosco is well-known for her educational, funny, and cute comics.  Her new book, The Birding Dictionary, offers all that and more.  Listen ...

Tala Game Reserve & Wakkerstroom

17 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Alt title: I like big birds and I cannot lie.We were on the search for a few specific bird species while in eastern South Africa.  They were mainly b...

Flock to Marion AGAIN! 2025

03 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

BirdLife South Africa hosted the Flock to Marion cruise in January to fundraise for the Mouse-Free Marion project, an effort to eradicate house mice f...

Kruger National Park

20 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Kruger National Park is massive.  With over two million hectares to explore, you could spend your whole life exploring it.  However, we only had thr...

Birds and Non-Birds: Monarchs, Elephant Seals, and Urinals

06 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

We had a day off from the Morro Bay Birding Festival, so we decided to see what else the surrounding area has to offer.  It did not disappoint!  Ele...

Morro Bay Birding Festival

20 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The Morro Bay Birding Festival along the California Coast has been around for over 28 years!  This year, we decided to see what the buzz is all about...

Sandia Crest Rosy-Finches

06 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Hannah has always wanted to visit the famed Sandia Crest on the mountains overlooking Albuquerque, New Mexico for the chance to see three species of R...

More Birds, Less Mosquitoes

23 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The Hawaiian Honeycreepers are facing extinction, and there are some great researchers and conservationists working hard to do something about that. ...

Kauai North Shore Hotspots

09 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Kauai has a lot to offer: exciting birds, scenic views, good surf, and more!  The island's north side has some excellent birding spots where we ...

Kauai's Albatross with Hob Osterlund

26 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Hannah and Erik met up with renowned albatross conservationist and advocate, Hob Osterlund, to learn all about Laysan Albatross and their status in K...

2024 Rio Grande Valley Birding Festival

12 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We've been to the Rio Grande Valley Birding Festival for many years and each one is different!  This time we were able to explore the Bahia Gran...

Finding Water on the Willacy County Backroads (South Texas)

28 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On first glance, Willacy County in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas doesn't have much to offer.  The surrounding counties have many more birds and...

Meeting of the Waters & Balbina

14 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We finish up our Brazil adventure by checking out the famed Meeting of the Waters, head up to Balbina to work with some budding birders, and then fini...

The Tale of Two Towers in the Amazon

31 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Birding from the forest floor only gets you a small view of what's going on in the canopy.  Forest towers are a great way to see more of the bir...

Birding Brazil: Pink Dolphins, Rufous Potoo, and more

17 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Did you know that the Amazon Rainforest is home to one-third of all species on earth?  It has incredible birds, bugs, mammals, plant-life, and more! ...

Brazil Birding: Presidente Figueiredo

03 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Birding in Brazil has been on our schedule for more than a year... and it's finally here!  Our first stop: Presidente Figueiredo.  Located in t...

Costa Rica Country Roads

19 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Finishing up our last few days in Costa Rica, we spent a day at the beautiful Hotel Quelitales (including an incredible lunch) and then headed west fo...

Costa Rica: Coffee Farms & Botanical Gardens

05 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We had a free day when we first arrived to Costa Rica.  So we scoped out a cool botanical garden, a coffee farm that works towards being bird-friendl...

Costa Rica Birding at Rancho Naturalista

22 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Most birders know that Costa Rica is the place to go.  So many birds in a diversity of habitats - you could spend your whole life exploring it!  We ...

Birder & Comedian, Adam Cayton-Holland

08 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Adam Cayton-Holland is known for his stand-up comedy (most recent special Wallpaper can be found on Amazon Prime); his sitcom, Those Who Can't; o...

Woodpeckers and Owls in Central Oregon

25 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Central Oregon has so much to offer!  Woodpeckers, empids, and owls - galore!  The Dean Hale Woodpecker Festival takes place at the end of May and h...

What makes good Greater Sage-Grouse habitat?

11 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We explored a variety of quality levels of the Sagebrush Steppe ecosystem in central Oregon to see how conservationists are working towards improving ...

Los Angeles Birding Spots: Chino Hills and El Dorado

27 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In advance of our repositioning cruise, we had a few days to bird around LA.  We've been there a few times before to bird, so we were searching ...

West Coast Petrels from a Cruise

13 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

I know what you are thinking: "another cruise, really?!?"  Hear us out - this one is birdy.  Spring repositioning cruises along the west c...

Santa Cruz Island & Island Scrub-Jays

30 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Going to see Island Scrub-Jays was always a dream of ours.  They are an isolated species and even considered one of the rarest in the United States. ...

Competing in a (little) Big Day

16 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

There are many ways to enjoy birding and sometimes it's fun to be a little bit competitive, especially when it helps with conservation.  We were...

Spring Chirp in South Texas

02 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Spring is a magical time of year when migratory species are heading towards their breeding grounds.  The Spring Chirp is scheduled for a great time i...

Wildflowering in the Columbia River Gorge

18 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Wildflowers are blooming!  While we might not have gotten to experience a superbloom, there is still a lot to see.  We stopped by Cottonwood Canyon ...

Pelagic Trip from San Diego

04 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

There are so many variables to pelagic birding trips with weather, sea conditions, fish movement patterns, and more!  So sometimes it is a surprise w...

Digiscoping Big Year with Jeff Bouton

21 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff Bouton is a dedicated and expert digiscoper.  In 2023, he accidentally did a digiscoping Big Year amounting over 1,000 species caught on camera ...

Bars and Birds of San Diego

07 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

San Diego has so much to offer - good restaurants and bars, beaches, outdoor recreation... and birds!  We've been to San Diego many times, so we...

Cruising through the Caribbean

22 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Going on a cruise?  It can be hard to get some birding in!  But we believe in trying to bird wherever you can - so we did!  Our cruise took us to P...

A Day in South Florida

08 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Back in Florida - at least for a day!  Before going on a "company retreat/family wedding" cruise, we had a day to bird the Fort Lauderdale/...

The Gambia, Birding in West Africa

25 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In the second half of our West Africa trip, we spent it birding in various spots along the River Gambie.  West Africa may not be as high on your buck...

Sax-Zim Bog with Sparky Stensaas

11 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Sax-Zim Bog in Minnesota is a fascinating birding spot that is great for winter exploration.  But be aware, it is COLD and takes a bit of effort to f...

Birding in Senegal

28 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Why do birders visit Senegal?  Is it for the warm climate, good food, or plethora of easily viewable, interesting birds? Yes, yes, and yes!  Listen ...

Birda, a new birding app

14 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

We love birding and work to connect folks with birds, so it's always great to connect with others who have that goal in mind too!  Birda is a fu...

Rio Grande Valley Birding Fest 2023

30 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The Rio Grande Valley is an incredible place to see birds and the festival is a great time to see them!  This year we visited a new spot, saw a new b...

Back in the Rio Grande Valley, Texas

16 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

*NOTE* We briefly discuss the recent news regarding the elimination of eponyms in bird names.  We want to remind all our listeners that we are not ex...

Oaxaca: More Birding!

02 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

We spent our last few days in Oaxaca birding a few different areas, seeing Monte Alban, and exploring with a Free Walking Tour.  Oaxaca has a lot to ...

Oaxaca: Mezcal, Food, and Birds

19 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Oaxaca is a hotspot for food, history, culture, and... birds!  In this episode, we really dive into the food, mezcal, and logistics of Oaxaca, as wel...

Wings over Willapa

05 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

We got to visit one of our local festivals this time!  The Wings over Willapa, hosted by the Friends of Willapa National Wildlife Refuge, celebrates ...

Fall Pelagic off of Oregon

21 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Going out on a pelagic boat trip is always an exciting experience.  Fresh air, the salt spray, and the unknown of what birds you might find!  We wen...

UK Birding with Mark Pearson

07 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

While at Global BirdFair, Mark Pearson from Yorkshire Coast Nature joined us to talk about his suggestions for birding throughout the UK, best seasons...

Global BirdFair

24 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Global BirdFair is the UK's (and maybe the world's?) biggest birding event each year.  Vendors, optics companies, artists, and many more fl...

The Feather Speech with Hannah Bourne-Taylor

10 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

While at Global BirdFair, we learned about Common Swifts and the threats they face.  Hannah Bourne-Taylor is a passionate conservationist that has be...

Birding Scotland & Bass Rock

27 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Scotland is just magnificent with rolling hills, rugged coasts, and plethora of birds!  We explored just a snippet of this beautiful country - but de...

Summer of Birding (New York Times X Cornell Lab of Ornithology)

13 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Did you know that July is the slowest eBird month?  So, this summer the New York Times and Cornell Lab of Ornithology have come together to spread th...

Garden for Wildlife! with National Wildlife Federation

29 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Interested in adding a bit more wildlife in your life?  Consider adding some food, water, cover, and places to raise young for wildlife at your home,...

Global Big Day 2023

15 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The Global Big Day is one of our favorite events each year.  Birders join together across the globe on a single day to census birds!  It's grea...

Searching for Sooty Grouse

01 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Hannah and Erik stick closer to home in search of a long wanted bird, the Sooty Grouse.  They explore some local logging roads and a few hotspots the...

Exploring Petra & Wadi Rum, Jordan

18 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

It may not be a particularly birdy trip, but seeing Petra and Wadi Rum is truly an incredible experience!  Thank you to Kowa Sporting Optics for your...

Champions of the Flyway 2023

04 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

After months of talking about it, the big day is finally here!  The Champions of the Flyway competition may be a long day - but is fun trip around Is...

Scouting Southern Israel

20 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

After a long journey, we made it to Israel for the Champions of the Flyway.  But first - scouting for the big day!  We visited a few new sites, saw ...

LIVE PODCAST: Flights Paths with Rebecca Heisman

06 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Rebecca Heisman joined us at the San Diego Bird Festival to talk about her recently released book: Flight Paths, a book about the study of bird migrat...

Birds, Food, and Fun in San Diego

23 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

First off - we apologize for going overboard on restaurants and food...but San Diego has SO MANY GREAT OPTIONS!  Anyways, we had a great time at the ...

LIVE PODCAST: Keep Looking Up with Tammah Watts

09 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Tammah Watts, licensed therapist and birder, just released her first book: Keep Looking Up.  It's all about the healing power of birding and a f...

BirdCast with Andrew Farnsworth

23 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

BirdCast uses weather surveillance radar to learn more about bird migration.  It's an amazing interdisciplinary program that helps unveil myster...

Skagit Valley Snow Geese

09 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The Skagit Valley in northwestern Washington is an important site for wintering waterfowl.  And even though they occur in large populations - it can ...

In Color Birding Club

26 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Jason Hall is the founder of the In Color Birding Club, a new(ish) non-profit that strives to make the birding experience a positive one for BIPOC fol...

Listener's Guide to Birding Florida - North

12 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Wrapping up our trip to Florida with reporting on spots that you all suggested!  It took us up to Tallahassee in search of a few rarities and to some...

North Shore Birding Festival

29 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

One of the main reasons to go to Florida was for the North Shore Birding Festival just north of Orlando!  We saw so many cool birds and went to inter...

Listener's Guide to Birding Florida - South

15 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We asked about your favorite spots to bird in Florida - and you all answered!  We traveled throughout Florida to spots mentioned by listeners and we ...

Rio Grande Valley Birding Festival 2022

01 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Another trip to the Rio Grande Valley Birding Festival is in the books!  This time we had a few new spots to explore and birds to see.  This episode...

Colombia: Paramo and Antpittas

17 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We finish off the rest of our (short) adventure to Colombia which includes waiting for antpittas, high elevation hummingbirds, and endangered parrots ...

Colombia: Cloud Forests and Hummingbirds

03 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

On our short trip to Colombia, we saw 258 species with over 100 lifers - what an amazing experience.  Listen in for places to go, birds to see, and s...

Global Bird Weekend

20 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The Global Bird Weekend was a record-breaking success!  Thousands of birders went birding and contributed to this amazing weekend of birding, sharing...

Bird-Friendly Coffee

06 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

What does bird-friendly coffee mean?  Bill Wilson from Birds and Beans Coffee joined us to tell us how it all works and why we should buy bird-friend...

Photography 101 with Krisztina Scheeff

22 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Everyone wants to take good photos - but that can be tough!  Krisztina from KS Nature Photography joins us to talk about some tips, tricks, and advic...

Birds, Food, and Sights in Amsterdam

08 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

On the last bit from our 2022 European Trip, we explored the birds, foods, and some historic sights around Amsterdam.  We mention several times that ...

Wader Spectacular

25 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Another highlight of our trip to England was experiencing the Wader Spectacular at the Snettisham Nature Reserve - just about two hours from BirdFair....

Global BirdFair

11 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Global BirdFair was unlike any bird event we have ever seen before - listen in to hear why!And of course, we snuck some birding in too at Rutland Wate...

Bempton Cliffs, UK: Puffins, Razorbills, and Gannets!

28 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Visiting RSPB Bempton Cliffs to see Atlantic Puffins, Razorbills, and Northern Gannets was a dream come true!  Stunning scenery, amazing birds, and m...

Exploring Mount Hood... and looking for birds!

14 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Birding can take you to some pretty interesting places.  This time, birding took us to a part of Oregon that we never really explored: Mount Hood!  ...