Stories, experts, and special guests on how birds help us keep looking up.
courtneyellis.substack.com
The podcast The Thing with Feathers: birds and hope with Courtney Ellis is created by Courtney Ellis. The podcast and the artwork on this page are embedded on this page using the public podcast feed (RSS).
Dan Van Voorhis is a professional podcaster with a PhD in Church History. His podcast, The Christian History Almanac offers daily 5-minute episodes all about the work of God in the world over the centuries. It’s one of my favorites.
Dan is also a friend, congregant, and the best interviewer I know. He graciously agreed to come on The Thing with Feathers and interview me about the launch of the audiobook for Looking Up that comes out today (yayyyyyyy!) on the one-year anniversary of the paperback’s launch.
Come join us as we chat about the ins and outs of audiobook recording, the joys and surprises at the ways Looking Up has made its way into the world, the birds of spring, and the special additions that come with the audio version of this book.
Lee Pfannmuller and Jerry Niemi know a thing or two about birds. With over one hundred years(!) of birding experience between them, they have spent their lives doing fieldwork related to conservation and ecology throughout the state of Minnesota and beyond.
Today we celebrate the publication of their new, beautiful book The Breeding Birds of Minnesota. We talk about everything from bird surveys to caring for creation to wrangling volunteers.
Find out the most frequently seen bird in Minnesota (the answer surprised me!), the most difficult places to perform bird surveys, and a great story about one place you should never drive a Prius.
Join us for this special, encouraging episode all about the beautiful birds of one of our most fantastic and ecologically fragile states.
Peter Harris co-founded A Rocha, a Christian nonprofit dedicated to conservation back in 1983. Together he and his wife Miranda built an organization that helped churches and Christians across the world work together to care for creation. Their vision was to build a global family of conservation organizations working together to live out God’s calling to care for creation and equip others to do likewise.
Today, A Rocha exists in more than 20 countries, from Portugal to the United States to India to Kenya. It continues to bring together those interested in conservation with people of faith, offering practical ways people can work to steward the good gift of creation God has given.
Friends, I could have spoken with Peter for days upon days. He is a wealth of wisdom, humility, and kindness, and I learned so much from our hour together. I’m so excited to share today’s episode with you - our discussion ranges from practical tips for conservation to the British evangelist John Stott’s love for birds to coping with grief to and loss to the hollowness of consumerism to how gosh-darned wonderful the avian world is.
“People are looking to understand,” said Peter.
I’ll also never forget our initial email exchange where I, a little star-struck by a guest who has done so much good in the world, told Peter I was looking forward to learning from him.
“We will learn from each other, Courtney,” he said.
Check out Peter’s beautiful book from the 1990s, Under the Bright Wings, about the faith-filled founding of A Rocha, too.
Enjoy this gift of a podcast, perfect for thinking more about the beauty of God’s creation and how we might better care for it.
Liz Charlotte Grant’s new book, Knock at the Sky: Seeking God in Genesis after Losing Faith in the Bible is a wild and wondrous read. And rightly so—anyone who’s spent any time in Genesis knows that it’s a delightfully odd and messy book.
Join us on this episode about hope, backyard chickens, and the surprising ways God sometimes shows up even when we feel we’ve lost our faith.
You may want to check out Liz’s fabulous Substack, The Empathy List, which has won Webby awards for its writing, as well as her haunting article on one of the saints of the evangelical church, Elisabeth Elliot.
Duane Bidwell is the author, most recently, of the new book After the Worst Day Ever: What Sick Kids Know About Sustaining Hope in Chronic Illness, with Beacon Press. He’s a professor, a chaplain, and an ordained minister in the Presbyterian Church (USA). He also loves a raven, but we’ll get to that.
Today’s episode is all about hope. Where we might find it, what we can learn from kids who have it—often against all odds—and how may serve as agents of hope to one another.
We also dabble a little in birds, don’t you worry.
Whether you’re feeling hopeful or hopeless, this is an episode not to be missed, my friends. And don’t forget to check out Duane’s beautiful book. You can find it anywhere books are sold.
Janet Hill first appeared on The Thing With Feathers back in 2023. I’d followed her wonderful photography for years and grown to appreciate her invitational style, and our conversation cheered and heartened me.
I couldn’t think of a better person to come on the show to talk all things winter birding than Janet. From Saskatoon to Newfoundland, from California gulls to Black-billed Magpies, join us for a conversation about listening, the benefits of keeping records, and why Janet believes in the importance of getting outside every single day, even in sub-zero weather.
Plus: an update on Mary the Blue Jay.
Follow Janet over on BlueSky to see more of her beautiful work.
Simon Stuart is the senior advisor to conservation at A Rocha. Until April of 2023, he served as Executive Director of A Rocha International. Simon has been instrumental in the species conservation movement around the world, including winning a Blue Planet Prize for his work with the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List of Threatened Species.
Really, I could go on. Simon is a gracious, brilliant guy with a biography longer than my arm. (He spent his gap year with Jane Goodall! He was almost kidnapped twice!) But I’m going to let him tell you his story of conservation and hope in his own words.
Two things really stuck out to me about my conversation with Simon. First, his perspective that good, healthy change begins with “cultivating the love of what God has made.” With so much hopeless and despair around everything from the loss of biodiversity to climate change, it can be easy to descend into despair. But he reminded me that all good work begins and ends and has its roots in love.
Secondly, I’ve always wondered what it would be like to discover a new species. Simon has that story to share as well.
Buckle up for an adventure of an episode that takes us from Bath, England to Tanzania to India and back again. You won’t want to miss this one.
Roger Hutchison is an author, illustrator, and Christian educator in the Episcopal Church. He’s a two-time guest on our podcast, and we couldn’t think of a better fit for our end-of-year episode. Together we talk resolutions, words of the year, and what resolutions birds would make, if they made them.
Plus, we take a look at his just-about-to-be-released book, The Gift of Baptism. This beautiful children’s picture book took my breath away with its soulful writing and gorgeous illustrations by Claire Westwood.
Join us as we talk about finding hope even when *gestures broadly at everything.* Roger shares a bobcat story, how children are bearers and bringers of hope, and what sparrow-centric project he’s working on next.
Susanne Swing Thompson is the author of A Closer Look: The Neighborhood and the creative mind behind Wren Photos. Susanne is a big believer in the power and whimsy that can happen when we look more closely at our own backyards, streets, and local parks.
While birding can take us far afield - and this is fun! - when we tune into the birds, wildlife, and flora right on our own front steps, we can begin to find magic right where we are.
“I find myself wondering, ‘What is happening at home?’” said Susanne.
Join us for this episode as we look more closely at our own neighborhoods and encourage you to do the same.
If you’d like to subscribe to Susanne’s newsletter (I do; it’s lovely!), you may do so here.
Nashville-based author and illustrator Jessica Roux takes her inspiration from the natural world, folklore, and world religions.
In her beautiful book, Ornithography: An Illustrated Guide to Bird Lore, Jessica takes us on a journey into the mythology of different species of birds. Each avian description is partnered with a beautiful hand-drawn illustration, making this book great for anyone in need of a little more whimsy and beauty. (And isn’t that all of us?)
Join us for this episode of The Thing with Feathers as we talk about illustration, inspiration, and our mutual love of Flannery O’Connor. Plus: how to appreciate and celebrate the gift of birds, a gentle solution for outdoor cats, and what Jessica’s working on next.
To see more of Jessica’s beautiful illustrations, check out her work on Instagram.
Mark Winter is a birding guide at Even Sparrows. He’s also a lay theologian from the U.K. who comes to us with stories of St. Cuthbert, discovering awe, and his take on why Jesus never mentions eagles in the Bible.
Join us for a visit to this pastoral and wind-swept land as we talk about Mark’s book, Look at the Birds of the Air, encounters with birds in Scripture, and why “just getting out there” is some of the best birding advice for newbies.
Though birding seems like a whimsical hobby, birders can be surprisingly competitive. Bridget Butler seeks to bring mindfulness, peace, and gentle attention into the world of birds and birding.
Her slow birding guiding practice, Bird Diva, brings people out into nature for focused time communing with the birds and one another.
“I just wanted to stop and slow down and watch what the birds were doing,” said Butler. “And there weren’t that many bird outings that were doing that… I wanted more!” Her love for studying bird behavior took her into the world of slow birding, a world she invites us into today.
Join us for this special episode of The Thing with Feathers as we learn from Bridget how to slow down, be present, and accept the gifts nature gives to us day by day.
Ben Lowe is the executive director for A Roche, a Christian organization dedicated to the practice of creation care. Part of its mission is to help people rejoice in the beauty, diversity, and complexity of the natural world, and (get this!) commit to delighting in and treasuring God’s good creation.
Delighting in creation. What a wonderful, important, energizing idea.
So often we encounter news headlines about climate change that are steeped in terror or cynicism. The world is ending, they say, and we are to blame. Lowe believes there is another way to approach conservation: one that is rooted in God’s call to steward the earth and the ultimate hope of the Gospel.
It’s that and his organization’s grassroots efforts with communities and churches to make ecosystems healthier one, small step at a time that made this interview so rich.
“It’s easier to despair when you’re not involved on the ground,” he told me. “Just getting your hands dirty is a great antidote to despair.”
Don’t miss this special episode of The Thing with Feathers as we dive deep on what it means to work together to restore right relationships with creation—including our neighbors.
And don’t forget to check out the work Ben and A Rocha are doing, both within the US and around the world.
Author of Falling for the Birds of Rwanda and the soon to be released Following the Birds of Rwanda, Will Wilson didn’t start out as a birder. From age 18 until his early 40s, he served in the British military.
How did he make the change from military life to a contemplative birding practice in the cities and wilds of Rwanda? Therein lies the tale.
Will Wilson is a generous photographer based in Kigali, sharing his photos far and wide on social media. Looking through his eyes on Twitter and Instagram has been a great gift.
If you’ve never been to Rwanda—or even if you have!—join us for this very special international episode as Will helps us explore weavers and bee-eaters and beautiful birds of all kinds.
New York Times bestselling author Leigh Ann Henion believes we can learn a lot when the lights go out. From lightning bugs to salamanders, owls to bats, a whole world opens up after dark.
Join us as we talk about our shared human need for darkness and why certain things flourish in less-seen times and places.
Plus, check out Leigh Ann’s beautiful book, Night Magic: Adventures Among Glowworms, Moon Gardens, and Other Marvels of the Dark, which releases with Algonquin tomorrow and can be found everywhere books are sold.
Mark Robertson teaches high school English in San Juan Capistrano, California, a city also known as the spiritual home of the famous cliff swallows. It is from this perch (ha! see what we did there?) that he delves into the world of birds, birding photography, and all things literature.
Friends, I enjoyed my conversation with Mark so very much. His answers to my questions wove together theology, poetry, Scripture, and a deep love and appreciation for all things avian.
From Makoto Fujimura to NT Wright, from Murder on the Orient Express to bearing witness, this is an episode not to be missed.
You may also wish to follow Mark on Instagram or Twitter to see his fabulous bird photos and the whimsical creations of short videos set to music. My kids eat them up. So do I.
Author, speaker, and professor of communication Quentin Schultze grew up in rough circumstances. The child of an alcoholic father who died young and a schizophrenic mother, one of the few things he found solace and connection in was studying robins with his mother.
Decades later, he birds with his wife Barbara in the woods of Western Michigan and beyond. From Sandhill Cranes to Black-capped Chickadees, join us on a journey through the hope of birding in a world riddled with grief.
You can follow more of Quentin’s writings and musings over on his website: www.quentinschultze.com.
Trauma therapist , birder, and author of My Summer with Ospreys, Pamela Lowell believes that hope is a great motivator.
From her decades of work with people dealing with immense suffering, she’s found that nature can be an incredible balm.
But when her enjoyment of birds in the marsh behind her home was drowned out by the sound of chainsaws, it turned out that her sanctuary was being clear cut. 100 acres torn down… for a parking lot.
Thus began Pamela’s foray into activism, birding, and seeking care for the Ospreys who now found themselves at great risk.
“Nature can also break your heart,” she said.
Join us for this special episode all about Ospreys, but also about hope, transformation, and what a few determined people can do to help save one little corner of the world.
Birding links:
The Thing with Feathers is hosted and produced by Courtney Ellis. Original music by Del Belcher. New episodes bi-weekly on Mondays.
Lore Ferguson Wilbert shares with us about her new book The Understory: An Invitation to Rootedness and Resilience from the Forest Floor. Together we talk grief, hope, the birds of the understory, and how sometimes it is when it seems that all hope is lost that God shows up.
Links from Lore's show:
Lore on Twitter (we refuse to call it X)
The Thing with Feathers is hosted and produced by Courtney Ellis. Original music by Del Belcher. New episodes every other Monday.
Enjoying the show? Take a moment and rate, review, or share with a friend. And don't forget to subscribe!
Together we walk through Trish O'Kane's beautiful new book, Birding to Change the World, including the New Orleans disaster story that first led her into birding.
Join us for this episode of The Thing with Feathers as Trish, author and senior lecturer in environmental justice at the University of Vermont, illuminates ways we might make a difference for the birds, our neighbors, and ourselves right where we are.
From the local marsh to ill-fated fireworks, from Madison, Wisconsin to rural Vermont, making a positive ecological impact is often easier—and more important—than we imagine.
Trish was such a wise, kind guest. Our conversation inspired me to look at my own community with new eyes, new hope, and new gratitude.
You can find Birding to Change the World anywhere books are sold.
Birding links:
The Thing with Feathers is hosted and produced by Courtney Ellis. Original music by Del Belcher. New episodes bi-weekly on Mondays.
Trauma-informed Certified Grief Educator Mandy Capehart knows a thing or two about sorrow. Her first deep dive into grief came with the surprising and rapid decline of her mother in 2016. From there, she began learning all she could about how we grieve and what might help us heal.
Links from Mandy's show:
Restorative Grief (Mandy's website)
Birding links:
The Thing with Feathers is hosted and produced by Courtney Ellis. Original music by Del Belcher. New episodes bi-weekly on Mondays.
Julie Zickefoose is one of those birding writers I’ve admired from afar for a long time. When I first got into birds during that miserable pandemic, her book, “Saving Jemima” was one of the first bird-related titles I picked up at our library.
I was captivated. Who knew little birds could have such big personalities? Who knew how much creativity and courage it would take to rehab a single bird?
You can check out Julie's books, illustrations, and more at her website, too. Or follow her on Instagram or Facebook.
As a reminder, The Thing with Feathers podcast comes out bi-weekly on Mondays. If you love the show, I’d be honored if you’d share it with a friend and give it a review, too!
Gardening is for the birds!
But wait... can gardening actually be FOR the birds? Today we're joined by Jenn McGuinness, author of Bird-Friendly Gardening, to learn all about creating beautiful outdoor spaces that can bless our feathered friends.
Links from Jenn's show:
Jenn (Frau Zinnie) on Instagram
Jenn (Frau Zinnie) on Facebook
Birding links:
The Thing with Feathers is hosted and produced by Courtney Ellis. Original music by Del Belcher. New episodes bi-weekly on Mondays.
Director of Conservation for the Audubon Upper Mississippi River, Dale Gentry believes there are lots of reasons to be hopeful. From new initiatives caring for the forests lining the Mississippi to bird-friendly grass-fed beef, join us as we learn more about what the Audubon is doing to care for creation.
Plus: we spend some time renaming the birds.
Links from Dale's show:
Upper Mississippi River Program
Birding links:
Merlin Bird ID
e-Bird
Follow The Thing With Feathers:
TTWF on Twitter
TTWF on Instagram
TTWF on Facebook
The Thing With Feathers is produced by Courtney Ellis. Original music by Del Belcher. New episodes every-other Monday.
Avian biologist Emma Rhodes joins us to talk about all things migration, the joy of bird-banding, why American Redstarts are the perfect Halloween bird, and how to manage a huge group of volunteers.
Links from Emma's show:
Banding Coalition of the Americas
Birding links:
Merlin Bird ID
e-Bird
Follow The Thing With Feathers:
TTWF on Twitter
TTWF on Instagram
TTWF on Facebook
The Thing With Feathers is produced by Courtney Ellis. Original music by Del Belcher. New episodes every Monday.
Author, editor, and vulture aficionado Josina Guess joins us this week to talk vultures, sisterhood, and how pressing into the natural world can ground our hearts, minds, and souls.
Links from Josina's show:
Vultures (Josina's essay in Image Journal)
Birding links:
Merlin Bird ID
e-Bird
Follow The Thing With Feathers:
TTWF on Twitter
TTWF on Instagram
TTWF on Facebook
The Thing With Feathers is produced by Courtney Ellis. Original music by Del Belcher. New episodes every Monday.
Founder of Ornitheology, pastor Kevin Burrell believes God has written reminders of his love and care all over the cosmos. From the call of a chickadee to the Scriptural reminders not to fear, this episode is a tour of beauty, goodness, and birds.
Links from Kevin's show:
Bestselling author Amy Tan gives us a tour of her new book, The Backyard Bird Chronicles and describes why, even when we're sitting at home, birds can help us feel free.
Links from Amy's show:
Birding links:
Merlin Bird ID
e-Bird
Follow The Thing With Feathers:
TTWF on Twitter
TTWF on Instagram
TTWF on Facebook
The Thing With Feathers is produced by Courtney Ellis. Original music by Del Belcher. New episodes every Monday.
Presbyterian pastor Roy Howard is spending his retirement with and for the birds. From Peregrin Falcons to the birds of Ecuador to Gerard Manley Hopkins, Roy takes us on a delightful birding journey.
Links from Roy's show:
Birding links:
Merlin Bird ID
e-Bird
Follow The Thing With Feathers:
TTWF on Twitter
TTWF on Instagram
TTWF on Facebook
The Thing With Feathers is produced by Courtney Ellis. Original music by Del Belcher. New episodes every Monday.
SUNY Oswego Assistant Professor and Provost Dan Baldassarre brings us his wisdom on bird banding, the joy of teaching undergrads, Harpy Eagles, and which birds are the most badass.
Links from Dan's show:
Birding links:
Merlin Bird ID
e-Bird
Follow The Thing With Feathers:
TTWF on Twitter
TTWF on Instagram
TTWF on Facebook
The Thing With Feathers is produced by Courtney Ellis. Original music by Del Belcher. New episodes every Monday.
Madison resident Mary Gemignani spends her free time with Sandhill Cranes. Today we learn all about these leggy, gentle giants from a photographer who sees them through a lens of love.
Links from Mary's show:
International Crane Foundation
Birding links:
Merlin Bird ID
Follow The Thing With Feathers:
TTWF on Twitter
TTWF on Instagram
TTWF on Facebook
The Thing With Feathers is produced by Courtney Ellis. Original music by Del Belcher. New episodes every Monday.
Ted Floyd has edited Birding Magazine for decades. He holds the longest consecutive birding streak in eBird and believes in the revitalizing power of getting out into nature daily. Plus: learn why Bushtits are so dang cool.
Links from Ted's show:
Birding links:
Merlin Bird ID
Follow The Thing With Feathers:
TTWF on Twitter
TTWF on Instagram
TTWF on Facebook
The Thing With Feathers is produced by Courtney Ellis. Original music by Del Belcher. New episodes every Monday.
Daryl Ellis joins Courtney to chat about her new book, Looking Up: A Birder's Guide to Hope Through Grief.
Plus: hear chapter one and get a 20% code for the book!
Birding royalty Kenn Kaufman joins us to talk about drawing birds, the joy of being a beginner, and his new book The Birds That Audubon Missed.
Links from Kenn's show:
Birding links:
Merlin Bird ID
Follow The Thing With Feathers:
TTWF on Twitter
TTWF on Instagram
TTWF on Facebook
The Thing With Feathers is produced by Courtney Ellis. Original music by Del Belcher. New episodes every Monday.
Author of over 30 children's books, Glenys Nellist believes in making space for children (and adults!) to live in wonder. We talk about her brand-new book Song of the Seasons, the differences between American Robins and their British cousins, and the comfort of mystery.
Plus: an original song about hope by Ephram Wilkoff.
Links from Glenys's show:
Ephram's original song, "Hope is a Long Story"
Birding links:
Merlin Bird ID
Follow The Thing With Feathers:
TTWF on Twitter
TTWF on Instagram
TTWF on Facebook
The Thing With Feathers is produced by Courtney Ellis. Original music by Del Belcher. New episodes every Monday.
Essayist and storyteller Shemaiah Gonzalez brings us to her backyard in the Pacific Northwest for all the Starling/Blue Jay drama.
Plus, the hope of literature, the joys and struggles of parenthood, and where to find a Trumpeter Swan.
Links from Shemaiah's show
Shemaiah's Undaunted Joy Substack
Birding links:
Follow The Thing With Feathers:
TTWF on Instagram
TTWF on Facebook
The Thing With Feathers is produced by Courtney Ellis. Original music by Del Belcher. New episodes every Monday.
Courtney talks to the Cape May Bird Observatory’s Program Coordinator, naturalist Adehl Schwaderer, about why counting birds is important, how to tell one raptor from another, why the Cape May Birding Festival is so rad (it really is!), and why vultures are the most elegant birds.
Links from Adehl's show
Trektellen (international bird counts)
Birding links:
Merlin Bird ID
Follow The Thing With Feathers:
TTWF on Twitter
TTWF on Instagram
TTWF on Facebook
The Thing With Feathers is produced by Courtney Ellis. Original music by Del Belcher. New episodes every Monday.
Professional photographer Stu McClay Smith guides us through how to snap that perfect shot, what equipment we need to get started, and why cats (of all things!) are bringing him hope.
Links from Stu's show
Birding links:
Merlin Bird ID
Follow The Thing With Feathers:
TTWF on Twitter
TTWF on Instagram
TTWF on Facebook
The Thing With Feathers is produced by Courtney Ellis. Original music by Del Belcher. New episodes every Monday.
Join us as we learn how much we can learn from backyard birds. Today on the show, Emma Greig joins us from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology to talk all things Project FeederWatch.
From the average number of backyard bird species (you'll be surprised!) to signing up for a free hawk poster, this informative episode is not to be missed.
Links from Emma's show:
Birding links:
Merlin Bird ID
Follow The Thing With Feathers:
TTWF on Twitter
TTWF on Instagram
TTWF on Facebook
The Thing With Feathers is produced by Courtney Ellis. Original music by Del Belcher. New episodes every Monday.
Orange County, California birder Kristen Johnson serves as a shepherd/pastor at an EFCA church in Fullerton. From southern California hotspots to birding as grief work to caring for singles in the church, this is a conversation not to be missed.
Links from Kristen's show
Birding links:
Follow The Thing With Feathers:
The Thing With Feathers is produced by Courtney Ellis. Original music by Del Belcher. New episodes every Monday.
Public health professional Andrew Walsh writes on the intersections between faith and science. Join us for a conversation ranging from West Nile virus to the multiverse.
Links from Andrew's show:
Science Corner: Improper Names (Emerging Scholars Blog)
Andrew's book: Faith Across the Multiverse
Links birding links:
Follow The Thing With Feathers:
The Thing With Feathers is produced by Courtney Ellis. Original music by Del Belcher. New episodes every Monday.
Professional podcaster Justin Gerhardt joins us to chat about other ways to identify birds, the joy of curiosity, and why the stories of the Old Testament keep him coming back.
Links from Justin's show:
Birding links:
Follow The Thing With Feathers:
TTWF on Instagram
TTWF on Facebook
The Thing With Feathers is produced by Courtney Ellis. Original music by Del Belcher. New episodes every Monday.
How can birds help us through the painful pieces of life? Roger Hutchison, author, illustrator, and speaker, serves at Palmer Memorial Episcopal Church in Houston, and came to us for a vibrant conversation about mental health, spirituality, birds, and hope.
Links from Roger's show:
Birding links:
Merlin Bird ID
Follow The Thing With Feathers:
TTWF on Twitter
TTWF on Instagram
TTWF on Facebook
The Thing With Feathers is produced by Courtney Ellis. Original music by Del Belcher. New episodes every Monday.
Sarah L. Sanderson is the author of The Place We Make: Breaking the Legacy of Legalized Hate. We talk birding in Cameroon, the glory of bald eagles, and what it means to face down hard histories and work for justice.
Links from Sarah's show:
Sarah's book: The Place We Make
Birding links:
Follow The Thing With Feathers:
The Thing With Feathers is produced by Courtney Ellis. Original music by Del Belcher. New episodes every Monday.
Courtney's husband Daryl comes back to update us on his birding progress, chat about all things natural theology, and brings us the joy of a black-billed magpie.
Birding links:
Follow The Thing With Feathers:
The Thing With Feathers is produced by Courtney Ellis. Original music by Del Belcher. New episodes every Monday.
Anita Peebles believes that wonder and curiosity are holy practices, that studying the ecology of a community can be a fascinating practice, and that chickadees can be messengers.
Join us on this episode of The Thing With Feathers as we learn from this birding Baptist pastor.
Links from Anita's show:
New Directions for Holy Questions (Anita's book)
Birding links:
Follow The Thing With Feathers:
The Thing With Feathers is produced by Courtney Ellis. Original music by Del Belcher. New episodes every Monday.
Poet Jody Collins has a way with words and a love for birds! Hear a few verses from her new book, "Mining the Bright Birds," and the story of our favorite fan mail yet on The Thing With Feathers.
Links from Jody's show:
Jody's website & book
Birding links:
Follow The Thing With Feathers:
The Thing With Feathers is produced by Courtney Ellis. Original music by Del Belcher. New episodes every Monday.
Carol Pope Gordon is a Midwesterner with an eye for capturing the whimsical world of birds. From goofy puffins to soaring osprey, she takes us on a journey into the world of birding photography.
Links from Carol's show:
Birding links:
Follow The Thing With Feathers:
The Thing With Feathers is produced by Courtney Ellis. Original music by Del Belcher. New episodes every Monday.
Tigers! Tragopans! Tea! Birder and photographer Mohit Mehta reminds us of how birds help us to be present in the moment as he shares the beauties of the birds of India.
Links from Mohit's show:
Birding links:
Follow The Thing With Feathers:
The Thing With Feathers is produced by Courtney Ellis. Original music by Del Belcher. New episodes every Monday.
Laura Fabrycky is a theologian and birder interested in finding (and learning from!) the forgotten things. From female birds to female saints, we dive deep into the many intersections between the avian world and the world of faith.
Links from Laura's show:
Laura's book (Keys to Bonhoeffer's Haus)
Laura's article, The Birds and the Beguines (Comment Mag)
Kenn Kaufman's article on female birds
Birding links:
Follow The Thing With Feathers:
The Thing With Feathers is produced by Courtney Ellis. Original music by Del Belcher. New episodes every Monday.
Ecologist Anuj Ghimire has PhD in Zoology with a focus on house sparrows. During his relatively short time in North Dakota he's seen over 500 owls. On today's episode of The Thing With Feathers, Anuj guides us through winter birding, the birds of the Dakotas and Minnesota, and the birds of Nepal.
Links from Anuj's show:
Birding links:
Follow The Thing With Feathers:
The Thing With Feathers is produced by Courtney Ellis. Original music by Del Belcher. New episodes every Monday.
Author of Saints of Feather and Fang, Caryn Rivadeneira is a bird of prey aficionado who believes God plants reminders of grace and justice all around.
Links from Caryn's show:
Saints of Feather & Fang (Broadleaf Books)
Birding links:
Follow The Thing With Feathers:
The Thing With Feathers is produced by Courtney Ellis. Original music by Del Belcher. New episodes every Monday.
NYT bestselling author Margaret Renkl takes us through her new book, The Comfort of Crows: A Backyard Year, why "we are not despairing creatures," her views on faith, where she's finding hope, and that story about the mouse in the pantry.
Links from Margaret's show:
The Comfort of Crows (Spiel & Grau)
Birding links:
Follow The Thing With Feathers:
The Thing With Feathers is produced by Courtney Ellis. Original music by Del Belcher. New episodes every Monday.
BYU professor Steve Peck reminds us that faith and science need not be enemies.
From discovering birding later in life to the delight of curiosity to his book, Evolving Faith: Wanderings of a Mormon Biologist, Steve is a wise and winsome guest.
Links from Steve's show:
Free Birding & Ecology Resources
Merlin Bird ID
The Thing with Feathers is birds, birding, and hope with an obsessive newbie birder and a wide range of experts and special guests.
New episodes every Monday!
Follow Courtney:
Our music is by Del Belcher. The Thing with Feathers is hosted and produced by Courtney Ellis.
Join teacher and nature journal guide Heather Lefebvre as we delve deep into a surprising spiritual practice.
Plus: bald eagles, eastern bluebirds, and reconnecting to the inner child.
Links from Heather's show:
Free Birding & Ecology Resources
The Thing with Feathers is birds, birding, and hope with an obsessive newbie birder and a wide range of experts and special guests.
New episodes every Monday!
Follow Courtney:
Our music is by Del Belcher. The Thing with Feathers is hosted and produced by Courtney Ellis.
Birding guide Tiffany Kersten shares her harrowing story and how it started her on a mission to help birders create more safety in the field.
Links from Tiffany's show:
She's Birdie Alarms (And use code TIFF15 for 15% off!)
Meet the Birding Guide on a Mission (Audubon Magazine)
Free Birding & Ecology Resources
The Thing with Feathers is birds, birding, and hope with an obsessive newbie birder and a wide range of experts and special guests.
New episodes every Monday!
Follow Courtney:
Our music is by Del Belcher. The Thing with Feathers is hosted and produced by Courtney Ellis.
Join birding guide Eugenio Garcia on a learning journey about the amazing birding biodiversity of his homeland, what makes a good guide, and the adventure of jungle birding.
Links from Eugenio's show:
Journey South: Eugenio's Guiding Service
Free Birding & Ecology Resources
The Thing with Feathers is birds, birding, and hope with an obsessive newbie birder and a wide range of experts and special guests.
New episodes every Monday!
Follow Courtney:
Our music is by Del Belcher. The Thing with Feathers is hosted and produced by Courtney Ellis.
Courtney talks to Rebecca Heisman about her brilliant new book, Flight Paths, including all things migration: from the history of its human discovery, to what we have yet to learn, to the fun science behind bird backpacks and feather isotopes.
Links from Rebecca's show:
Free Birding & Ecology Resources
The Thing with Feathers is birds, birding, and hope with an obsessive newbie birder and a wide range of experts and special guests.
New episodes every Monday!
Follow Courtney:
Our music is by Del Belcher. The Thing with Feathers is hosted and produced by Courtney Ellis.
Author of nearly a dozen nonfiction children's books, Annette Whipple has a knack for drawing people of all ages into wonder. On today's episode, Annette shares her love of owls, tips and tricks to connect with young readers, and how curiosity can be a powerful path toward hope.
Links from Annette's show:
Free Birding & Ecology Resources
The Thing with Feathers is birds, birding, and hope with an obsessive newbie birder and a wide range of experts and special guests.
New episodes every Monday!
Follow Courtney:
Our music is by Del Belcher. The Thing with Feathers is hosted and produced by Courtney Ellis.
Courtney chats with Dave Conrad, director of the Wild Program at the University of Iowa and pastor of Genesis Church about bird-banding, the hawk that got away, and why leaning into the natural world can have profound consequences for our faith.
Links from Dave's show:
Hawk banding at the UI Raptor Program
Free Birding & Ecology Resources
The Thing with Feathers is birds, birding, and hope with an obsessive newbie birder and a wide range of experts and special guests.
New episodes every Monday!
Follow Courtney:
Facebook
Our music is by Del Belcher. The Thing with Feathers is hosted and produced by Courtney Ellis.
In his 19-years of life, Jodhan Fine has served as an eBird regional reviewer for New Mexico, a co-compiler of NM's NAB regional reports, an author for ABA journals and Western Birds, and a Central New Mexico Audubon Society board member. This Occidental College student is passionate about all things birds and birding!
Jodhan and I talk all things birding, including words of wisdom for young and new birders, having a spark snake, and where he's finding hope as a budding scientist.
Links from Jodhan's show:
Free Birding & Ecology Resources
The Thing with Feathers is birds, birding, and hope with an obsessive newbie birder and a wide range of experts and special guests.
New episodes every Monday!
Follow Courtney:
Facebook
Our music is by Del Belcher. The Thing with Feathers is hosted and produced by Courtney Ellis.
Pastor and author of Consider the Birds, Debbie Blue joins us to talk about holy pigeons, being vulture apologists, and the fierceness of roosters. Together we travel from Genesis to Job to the Gospels, diving deep with the birds of the Bible and the kindness of God.
Links from Debbie's show:
Free Birding & Ecology Resources
The Thing with Feathers is birds, birding, and hope with an obsessive newbie birder and a wide range of experts and special guests.
New episodes every Monday!
Follow Courtney:
Our music is by Del Belcher. The Thing with Feathers is hosted and produced by Courtney Ellis.
Courtney talks to children's book author Jessica Whipple about her new book - I Think I Think a Lot - and the many lessons birds have to teach us about mental health. Plus: flurries of snow geese, the delight of ruby-throated hummingbirds, and holding onto hope that makes a difference right now.
Links from Jessica's show
Free Birding & Ecology Resources
Follow Jessica:
The Thing with Feathers is birds, birding, and hope with an obsessive newbie birder and a wide range of experts and special guests.
New episodes every Monday!
Follow Courtney:
Many thanks to Emily Dickinson, for having such a lovely poem in the public domain. Our music is by Del Belcher. The Thing with Feathers is hosted and produced by Courtney Ellis.
Courtney chats with the man behind The Inept Birder, freelance writer Karl Mechem, on the gift of birding (even when we do it badly!).
Links from Karl's show:
Karl's piece on being an Inept Birder (Audubon Society)
Free Birding & Ecology Resources
The Thing with Feathers is birds, birding, and hope with an obsessive newbie birder and a wide range of experts and special guests.
New episodes every Monday!
Follow Courtney:
Facebook
Our music is by Del Belcher. The Thing with Feathers is hosted and produced by Courtney Ellis.
Author of over twenty books, Patsy Clairmont is a lover of beauty, birds, and words. On today's episode, Patsy shares from her deep well of wisdom on where hope can be found, even in the throes of life's deepest griefs.
Links from Patsy's show:
Free Birding & Ecology Resources
The Thing with Feathers is birds, birding, and hope with an obsessive newbie birder and a wide range of experts and special guests.
New episodes every Monday!
Follow Courtney:
Facebook
Our music is by Del Belcher. The Thing with Feathers is hosted and produced by Courtney Ellis.
Aarik Danielsen is an essayist, poet, and pop-culture journalist in middle America. Join us for a journey through birds in songs, from Sheryl Crow to the Beatles Blackbird. BONUS: Check out the curated Spotify playlist Aarik made just for us!
Links from Aarik's show:
Birdsongs Spotify Playlist (or search "Birdsongs" and look for the list by Aarik)
Free Birding & Ecology Resources
The Thing with Feathers is birds, birding, and hope with an obsessive newbie birder and a wide range of experts and special guests.
New episodes every Monday!
Follow Courtney:
Our music is by Del Belcher. The Thing with Feathers is hosted and produced by Courtney Ellis.
Come learn from one of the most fabulous bird photographers out there - Jocelyn Anderson! From the woods and marshes of Michigan to perseverance in craft, we talk all things birds and hope.
Links from Jocelyn's show:
Free Birding & Ecology Resources
The Thing with Feathers is birds, birding, and hope with an obsessive newbie birder and a wide range of experts and special guests.
New episodes every Monday!
Follow Courtney:
Facebook
Our music is by Del Belcher. The Thing with Feathers is hosted and produced by Courtney Ellis.
Courtney talks to author Aaric Eisenstein about his books of birding wisdom, his Jewish faith, and finding hope through interfaith dialogue.
Links from Aaric's show:
Free Birding & Ecology Resources
The Thing with Feathers is birds, birding, and hope with an obsessive newbie birder and a wide range of experts and special guests.
New episodes every Monday!
Follow Courtney:
Facebook
Our music is by Del Belcher. The Thing with Feathers is hosted and produced by Courtney Ellis.
Let's count some birds! Join Jenna Curtis from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and Elaine Chen from the New York Times to learn about this important project, how you can help, and what they hope to learn.
Links from this show:
NYTimes Summer Birding Project
Other great eco-resources:
The Thing with Feathers is birds, birding, and hope with an obsessive newbie birder and a wide range of experts and special guests.
New episodes every Monday!
Follow Courtney:
Our music is by Del Belcher. The Thing with Feathers is hosted and produced by Courtney Ellis.
Courtney speaks with Kyle Meyaard-Schaap, an advocate for creation care who came to environmentalism through his faith. (Turns out it needn't be a partisan political issue! Who knew?) Learn where he's finding hope amidst some alarming climate news, small steps we can each take to live more gently on the earth, how to talk to friends and neighbors about stewardship, and the role of curiosity in tethering us to one another.
Links from Kyle's show:
Following Jesus in a Warming World
Free Birding & Ecology Resources
The Thing with Feathers is birds, birding, and hope with an obsessive newbie birder and a wide range of experts and special guests.
New episodes every Monday!
Follow Courtney:
Our music is by Del Belcher. The Thing with Feathers is hosted and produced by Courtney Ellis.
Courtney speaks with Nate Swick, digital content manager for the American Birding Association. Hear what first got him into birding, making a living with birds, the birds of Colombia, and what's coming up for the ABA. Plus: have you ever seen a yellow-breasted chat?
Links from Nate's show:
Nate's Books: Birding for the Curious and a Field Guide to Birds of North Carolina
Free Birding & Ecology Resources
The Thing with Feathers is birds, birding, and hope with an obsessive newbie birder and a wide range of experts and special guests.
New episodes every Monday!
Follow Courtney:
Our music is by Del Belcher. The Thing with Feathers is hosted and produced by Courtney Ellis.
Courtney speaks with Traci Rhoads about her hope of finding middle ground with those who hold different viewpoints, her book Shaky Ground, and the joy of Michigan's cardinals.
Links from Traci's show
Not All Who Wander (Spiritually) Are Lost
Follow Traci:
The Thing with Feathers is birds, birding, and hope with an obsessive newbie birder and a wide range of experts and special guests.
New episodes every Monday!
Follow Courtney:
Our music is by Del Belcher. The Thing with Feathers is hosted and produced by Courtney Ellis.
---
Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/courtney-ellis02/message
Courtney talks to Portland-based acquisitions editor and author Paul Pastor, author of Bower Lodge: Poems and The Listening Day about surprising places to find hope, the importance of untamed spaces, and avian nature of hope.
Plus: the most charming Stellar's jay story you'll ever encounter.
Links from Paul's show:
Free Birding & Ecology Resources
Follow Paul:
The Thing with Feathers is birds, birding, and hope with an obsessive newbie birder and a wide range of experts and special guests.
New episodes every Monday!
Follow Courtney:
Many thanks to Emily Dickinson, for having such a lovely poem in the public domain. Our music is by Del Belcher. The Thing with Feathers is hosted and produced by Courtney Ellis.
Courtney talks to Wisconsin birder Molly Jasinski about how the grace of backyard birds when you're stuck indoors, the beauty of cardinals, the delight of birding photos, and why tufted titmice seem straight out of the mind of Disney.
Links from Molly's show
Tufted Titmouse Info and Pictures
Free Birding & Ecology Resources
Follow Molly:
The Thing with Feathers is birds, birding, and hope with an obsessive newbie birder and a wide range of experts and special guests.
New episodes every Monday!
Follow Courtney:
Many thanks to Emily Dickinson, for having such a lovely poem in the public domain. Our music is by Del Belcher. The Thing with Feathers is hosted and produced by Courtney Ellis.
Courtney learns from Birding Magazine's Frank Izaguirre about what makes a good bird book, his work with Birding Magazine and the American Birding Association, and the joy inherent within different seasons of birding
Links from Frank's show
The American Birding Association
Free Birding & Ecology Resources
Follow Frank:
The Thing with Feathers is birds, birding, and hope with an obsessive newbie birder and a wide range of experts and special guests.
New episodes every Monday!
Follow Courtney:
Many thanks to Emily Dickinson, for having such a lovely poem in the public domain. Our music is by Del Belcher. The Thing with Feathers is hosted and produced by Courtney Ellis.
Courtney talks to Jason Myers about his new poetry collection, Maker of Heaven &, the organization Eco Theo Collective, spark birds, celebrating wonder, and who should get to enjoy beauty. (Hint: it's all of us.)
Links from Jason's show
Jason's poetry collection: Maker of Heaven &
Free Birding & Ecology Resources
Follow Jason:
The Thing with Feathers is birds, birding, and hope with an obsessive newbie birder and a wide range of experts and special guests.
New episodes every Monday!
Follow Courtney:
Many thanks to Emily Dickinson, for having such a lovely poem in the public domain. Our music is by Del Belcher. The Thing with Feathers is hosted and produced by Courtney Ellis.
Courtney talks to Bob Bell about how birding gave him a new lease on life in the midst of a fraught diagnosis, difficult illness, and early retirement. The connections between birding and hope for those suffering from acute or chronic illness.
Links from Bob's show
Bob's book: Out of the Lyme Light and Into the Sunlight
Free Birding & Ecology Resources
Follow Bob:
The Thing with Feathers is birds, birding, and hope with an obsessive newbie birder and a wide range of experts and special guests.
New episodes every Monday!
Follow Courtney:
Many thanks to Emily Dickinson, for having such a lovely poem in the public domain. Our music is by Del Belcher. The Thing with Feathers is hosted and produced by Courtney Ellis.
Co-founder of Field Inclusive, Lauren Pharr, on the importance of increasing access to the natural world to everyone. Plus: the beauty and fascination of the red-cockaded woodpecker.
Links from Lauren's show
Free Birding & Ecology Resources
Follow Lauren:
The Thing with Feathers is birds, birding, and hope with an obsessive newbie birder and a wide range of experts and special guests.
New episodes every Monday!
Follow Courtney:
Many thanks to Emily Dickinson, for having such a lovely poem in the public domain. Our music is by Del Belcher. The Thing with Feathers is hosted and produced by Courtney Ellis.
Courtney talks to Bekah McNeel about birding and better mental health, spiritual metaphors, recovering from church hurt, and the ABA Bird of the Year.
Links from Bekah's show
Bekah's book: Bringing Up Kids When Church Lets You Down
Free Birding & Ecology Resources
Follow Bekah:
The Thing with Feathers is birds, birding, and hope with an obsessive newbie birder and a wide range of experts and special guests.
New episodes every Monday!
Follow Courtney:
Many thanks to author & professor Todd Peterson for suggesting the perfect name for the pod (and for Emily Dickinson, for having such a lovely poem in the public domain!). Our music is by Del Belcher. The Thing with Feathers is hosted and produced by Courtney Ellis.
Courtney talks to Janet Hill, professor of microbiologist at the University of Saskatchewan about how to get started in birding, developing a love for the natural world, the joy of spring migration, and the basics of bird photography. Plus: the wonder of magpies (and giant anteaters!) and a bird-banding adventure.
Links from Janet's show
The Story of Mary the Blue Jay
Free Birding & Ecology Resources
The Thing with Feathers is birds, birding, and hope with an obsessive newbie birder and a wide range of experts and special guests.
New episodes every Monday!
Follow Courtney:
Many thanks to Emily Dickinson, for having such a lovely poem in the public domain. Our music is by Del Belcher. The Thing with Feathers is hosted and produced by Courtney Ellis.
Courtney talks to David Johnston about how to see the most birds (fast!), the connections between mourning and birding, Mississippi kites, and the birds of West Virginia.
Links from David's show
A History of Birding's Big Year
Free Birding & Ecology Resources
Follow David:
The Thing with Feathers is birds, birding, and hope with an obsessive newbie birder and a wide range of experts and special guests.
New episodes every Monday!
Follow Courtney:
Many thanks to author & professor Todd Peterson for suggesting the perfect name for the pod (and for Emily Dickinson, for having such a lovely poem in the public domain!). Our music is by Del Belcher. The Thing with Feathers is hosted and produced by Courtney Ellis.
Courtney talks to Amy Nemecek about the birds of Michigan and the spiritual practice of reading and writing poetry. Plus, a sweet story about a wren and the encouragement of God from her husband Sean.
Links from Amy's show
Amy's book: The Language of the Birds and other poems
Free Birding & Ecology Resources
Follow Amy:
The Thing with Feathers is birds, birding, and hope with an obsessive newbie birder and a wide range of experts and special guests.
New episodes every Monday!
Follow Courtney:
Many thanks to author & professor Todd Peterson for suggesting the perfect name for the pod (and for Emily Dickinson, for having such a lovely poem in the public domain!). Our music is by Del Belcher. The Thing with Feathers is hosted and produced by Courtney Ellis.
Courtney talks to Dale Gentry about the connections between discipleship and science.
Links from Dale's show
Disciple Science: Connecting People to God Through Nature
Free Birding & Ecology Resources
Follow Dale:
The Thing with Feathers is birds, birding, and hope with an obsessive newbie birder and a wide range of experts and special guests.
New episodes every Monday!
Follow Courtney:
Many thanks to author & professor Todd Peterson for suggesting the perfect name for the pod (and for Emily Dickinson, for having such a lovely poem in the public domain!). Our music is by Del Belcher. The Thing with Feathers is hosted and produced by Courtney Ellis.
Courtney talks to pediatrician and co-author of "The Good Guy's Guide to Great Sex," Keith Gregoire about how birding keeps him hopeful while doing spiritually and emotionally heavy work. Plus: how clear, thoughtful theology can guide us in our care for the natural world, the church, and one another.
Links from Keith's show
Keith's book: The Good Guy's Guide to Great Sex
Free Birding & Ecology Resources
Follow Keith:
The Thing with Feathers is birds, birding, and hope with an obsessive newbie birder and a wide range of experts and special guests.
New episodes every Monday!
Follow Courtney:
Many thanks to Emily Dickinson, for having such a lovely poem in the public domain. Our music is by Del Belcher. The Thing with Feathers is hosted and produced by Courtney Ellis.
Courtney talks to Dr. Christy Hyman about the magic of migration, the tenderness of birding in grief, how to spot the most birds, and the fascinating world of human geography.
Links from Christy's show
Free Birding & Ecology Resources
Follow Christy:
The Thing with Feathers is birds, birding, and hope with an obsessive newbie birder and a wide range of experts and special guests.
New episodes every Monday!
Follow Courtney:
Many thanks to author & professor Todd Peterson for suggesting the perfect name for the pod (and for Emily Dickinson, for having such a lovely poem in the public domain!). Our music is by Del Belcher. The Thing with Feathers is hosted and produced by Courtney Ellis.
Courtney talks to Susie Finkbeiner about her book The Nature of Small Birds and the interplay between patience, creativity, and birding. Plus: we get a great idea for a t-shirt.
Links from Susie's show
Free Birding & Ecology Resources
Follow Susie:
The Thing with Feathers is birds, birding, and hope with an obsessive newbie birder and a wide range of experts and special guests.
New episodes every Monday!
Follow Courtney:
Many thanks to author & professor Todd Peterson for suggesting the perfect name for the pod (and for Emily Dickinson, for having such a lovely poem in the public domain!). Our music is by Del Belcher. The Thing with Feathers is hosted and produced by Courtney Ellis.
Courtney talks to Fernando Ortega about his new book: Fernando's Birds: Photographs and Tales, the place of listening in songwriting (and birding!), his current album-in-progress, and the hope that sustains.
Links from Fernando's show
Fernando's Website (discography, book, and tour dates)
Follow Fernando:
The Thing with Feathers is birds, birding, and hope with an obsessive newbie birder and a wide range of experts and special guests.
New episodes every Monday!
Follow Courtney:
Free Birding & Ecology Resources
Many thanks to author & professor Todd Peterson for suggesting the perfect name for the pod (and for Emily Dickinson, for having such a lovely poem in the public domain!). Our music is by Del Belcher. The Thing with Feathers is hosted and produced by Courtney Ellis.
Courtney talks to Paul Foth about the birding church fathers, getting outdoors as a spiritual practice, Eastern Orthodoxy, and all things Canada.
Links from Paul's show
Paul's Birding Guide Site: Go Pishing!
Free Birding & Ecology Resources
Follow Paul:
The Thing with Feathers is birds, birding, and hope with an obsessive newbie birder and a wide range of experts and special guests.
New episodes every Monday!
Follow Courtney:
Many thanks to author & professor Todd Peterson for suggesting the perfect name for the pod (and for Emily Dickinson, for having such a lovely poem in the public domain!). Our music is by Del Belcher. The Thing with Feathers is hosted and produced by Courtney Ellis.
Wisdom on cultivating backyard bird habitats, what we can learn from nesting studies, and an invitation to join us for the upcoming Great Backyard Bird Count (THIS weekend!) with the brilliant Becca Rodomsky-Bish. PLUS: what should we feed our hummingbirds and what's another name for an American woodcock?
Links from Becca's show:
The Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC)
The Cornell Lab of Ornithology
Free Birding & Ecology Resources from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology:
Other Free Resources:
Follow Becca:
Becca's Cornell Lab Profile
The Thing with Feathers is birds, birding, and hope with an obsessive newbie birder and a wide range of experts and special guests.
New episodes every Monday!
Follow Courtney:
Many thanks to author & professor Todd Peterson for suggesting the perfect name for the pod (and for Emily Dickinson, for having such a lovely poem in the public domain!). Our music is by Del Belcher. The Thing with Feathers is hosted and produced by Courtney Ellis.
This week: Courtney talks to Tim O'Connell about ecology, conservation, cultural beliefs about eagles and vultures, and Tim offers up the best bobolink impression we've ever heard.
The Thing with Feathers is birds, birding, and hope with an obsessive newbie birder and a wide range of experts and special guests.
New episodes every Monday!
Links from Tim's show:
Cambridge Conservation Initiative with Bill Sutherland
Himalayan Connections to Vultures and Sky Burial
Follow Tim:
A couple free apps to get you birding:
Follow Courtney:
Many thanks to author & professor Todd Peterson for suggesting the perfect name for the pod (and for Emily Dickinson, for having such a lovely poem in the public domain!). Our music is by Del Belcher. The Thing with Feathers is hosted and produced by Courtney Ellis.
Courtney talks to brilliant biologist and author Joan Strassmann about the gifts of paying attention, the under-appreciated blue jay, citizen science, and why mockingbirds might just blow your mind.
Links from Joan's show
Joan's book - Slow Birding: the Art and Science of Enjoying the Birds in Your Own Backyard
Free Birding & Ecology Resources
Follow Joan:
The Thing with Feathers is birds, birding, and hope with an obsessive newbie birder and a wide range of experts and special guests.
New episodes every Monday!
Follow Courtney:
Many thanks to author & professor Todd Peterson for suggesting the perfect name for the pod (and for Emily Dickinson, for having such a lovely poem in the public domain!). Our music is by Del Belcher. The Thing with Feathers is hosted and produced by Courtney Ellis.
Courtney talks to Paul Wallace about expansive faith, the gift of wonder, barred owls, and A Bird from the Lord.
Links from Paul's show
Paul's books - Love & Quasars and The Stars Beneath Us
Free Birding & Ecology Resources
Follow Paul:
The Thing with Feathers is birds, birding, and hope with an obsessive newbie birder and a wide range of experts and special guests.
New episodes every Monday!
Follow Courtney:
Many thanks to author & professor Todd Peterson for suggesting the perfect name for the pod (and for Emily Dickinson, for having such a lovely poem in the public domain!). Our music is by Del Belcher. The Thing with Feathers is hosted and produced by Courtney Ellis.
Welcome to The Thing With Feathers! This preview covers the story behind the show, how birds can unite us, Badly Drawn Birds, #ABirdFromTheLord, why Twitter is the best birding social media, and why Courtney is constitutionally unable to replace the toilet paper roll.
The Thing with Feathers is birds, birding, and hope with an obsessive newbie birder and a wide range of experts and special guests.
Free Birding & Ecology Resources
Follow Courtney:
Many thanks to author & professor Todd Peterson for suggesting the perfect name for the pod (and for Emily Dickinson, for having such a lovely poem in the public domain!). Our music is by Del Belcher. The Thing with Feathers is hosted and produced by Courtney Ellis.
En liten tjänst av I'm With Friends. Finns även på engelska.