The Badgerland Birding Podcast

40 Episodes
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By: Badgerland Birding

We talk about birds and birding news from the Badger State (Wisconsin) and beyond! With guests from all over the world we will discuss birding tips, breaking news, and crazy birding stories!

Episode 110 - Smart Bird Feeders with Brian Wrightsman of Feathersnap
Last Friday at 2:00 PM

I talk with Brian Wrightsman, content creator for "Feathersnap" which makes smart bird feeders. Here all about how they went about designing one, what to look for in a good smart bird feeder, and more!


Episode 109 - The Easy and Fun Way to Learn Bird Sounds with Larkwire!
#109
02/27/2026

I talk with Phil Mitchell, founder of the app "Larkwire", a fun tool to learn bird sounds. We go through the app, test it out, and show how you can use it to be a better birder! Download the app here, there is a free version and options to pay for more (We do earn a commission from qualifying purchases): https://insertaffiliate.link/950kUSEZzocpd8CaOliJsm5j4Q63/BADGERLAND


Episode 108 - Phone Birding and an Owl Big Year with Jeremiah Oden
02/20/2026

Jeremiah Oden joins the podcast to discuss his love of digi-scoping, doing a global owl big year, and how he got started birding.


Episode 107 - Hannah Toutonghi of The Northern Hawk Owl Project
02/13/2026

Hannah Toutonghi discusses her work with one of the most fascinating owls in the country; the Northern Hawk Owl. She also delves into her birding origin story.


Episode 106 - Doing a Big Year in Berlin, Germany - With Selina
#106
02/06/2026

I talk with Selina (@selinasatlas) about her Big Year in Berlin, Germany, the German birding scene, and more!


Follow Selina on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@selinasatlas

Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/selinasatlas/


Epsiode 105 - Sally Wildrick
01/23/2026

Sally Wildrick of Best Life Birding talks about her birding journey from past, to present, to future


Episode 104 - Tracking Birds Using Motus - With Garrett Rhyne
#104
01/16/2026

I talk with Garrett Rhyne from the American Bird Conservancy about innovations in bird tracking using Motus technology, Swainson's Warblers, and more! Check out the Motus website here: https://motus.org/


Episode 103 - First of the Year Birding Challenge and Goth Heron in Louisiana
#103
01/09/2026

We talk about our annual "First of the Year Birding Challenge", as well as an all black Great Egret in Louisiana that has been the topic of debate.


Episode 102 - Birding the UK with Backyard Aviary Adventures
#102
12/26/2025

We talk with Nigel and Kayleigh from the Backyard Aviary Adventures about birding in the UK, their channel, differences between the US and the UK, and more! Check out their channel here: https://www.youtube.com/@UCttsXR6K5jNFphVesZge2Wg


Episode 101 - David Brown of Lyco Birds
12/20/2025

David Brown of Lyco Birds joins the show to discuss birding in Delaware, hawk watching, and more!


Episode 100 - 100th Episode Special!
#100
12/12/2025

We talk about what we've been up to recently with 1 hour birding challenges, philosophical and ethical ideas about birding, who we've had on the podcast and more. Thanks for sticking with us for 100 episodes!


Episode 99 - The Birding Game with Everett Wery
#99
11/28/2025

We talk with Everett Wery of The Birding Voayge YouTube channel about his channel and his new game called "The Birding Game". Check it out at thebirdinggame.com!


Episode 98 - Extremely Accurate Birds with Tommy Siegel
#98
11/21/2025

I talk with musician and artist Tommy Siegel about his "Extremely Accurate Birds" artwork, his band Jukebox the Ghost, his songs incorporating bird vocalizations, and more!Links to Tommy's work (Note: While many of Tommy’s comics are family-friendly, some do contain adult themes): https://tommysiegel.net/


Episode 97 - Birding Adventures with Sparky Stensaas
11/14/2025

Birder, author, and podcaster Sparky Stensaas discusses his recent birding adventures and what's on tap for the Sax-Zim Bog this winter.


Episode 96 - Re-discovering a Lost Bird in India with Harish Thangaraj
#96
11/07/2025

I talk with Harish Thangaraj, who was part of the team that re-discovered the Jerdon’s Courser, one of the rarest birds in the world. The Jerdon's Courser is a mysterious species that was once thought to be extinct, but was then rediscovered in 1986 in India. After that, it vanished again for nearly 20 years. That is, until a team of researchers — including Harish Thangaraj — found it once more, and in a completely new area. Today, Harish joins me to share the incredible story of how they made that discovery, what it was like in the field, and what it means...


Episode 95 - Help Save Bolivar Flats with Houston Audubon!
#95
10/31/2025

I talk with Jed Aplaca and Pete Deichmann from Houston Audubon about their efforts to buy a new section of land to preserve in Bolivar Flats as well as the Red-vented Bulbul population in Houston, and more! Help preserve the flats here: https://houstonaudubon.org/conservation/protectbolivar.html


Learn more about the flats: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9CO0cTfePPMhttps://youtu.be/zTJPxSK8MIY


Ep 94 - Birding in Panama with Will Huggins
10/24/2025

I catch up with Will Huggins to here about his most recent trip to Panama to find tropical bird species including the elusive Harpy Eagle.


Episode 93 - Top Birding Destinations with Ken Behrens from the Naturally Adventurous Podcast
#93
10/17/2025

We talk with Ken Behrens of the Naturally Adventurous podcast about our top birding destinations in the United States, how to dip your toes into international travel, and what it's like living in Madagascar! Learn more about Ken and the podcast here: https://www.ken-behrens.com/naturally-adventurous-podcast


Episode 92 - Turning Bird Songs into Music With Aaron Grych of Quokka
#92
10/10/2025

On his album titled "Lifer", musician Aaron Grych incorporates bird songs that you may be familiar with, and encourages people to listen more closely to the world around them. Listen to the album here: https://quokkaband.bandcamp.com/album/lifer


Episode 91 - Beyond Our Senses: Bank Swallows
10/03/2025

The creator of the new documentary "Beyond Our Senses: Bank Swallows" David Busse discusses his film.


Episode 90 - 2025/2026 Winter Finch Forecast!
09/28/2025

Tyler Hoar and Matt Young join the show to give everyone their first look at the 2025-2026 winter finch forecast!


https://finchnetwork.org/winter-finch-forecast-2025-2026?fbclid=IwZnRzaANGJkBleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHlBkHKQ8LXOptt0KZzNE8pbC5rIWeAnHNpVWjX-Zv2ViUCX26xlr29V1TG30_aem_SDxiy_-jvGlv8oAFfB6YeA


Episode 89 - Birding in Oklahoma with Mathew Radford
09/19/2025

Mathew Radford discusses his podcast, birding in Oklahoma, Sasquatch. and more!


Episode 88 - Hawkwatching and Fall Migration with Perter Mundale
09/12/2025

Peter Mundale (a hawk watcher at Hawk Ridge in Minnesota) discusses fall migration and some trends to look for this year in the bird world.


Episode 87 - People, Places, Birds with Danny Bernard
#87
09/05/2025

Danny Bernard is trying to see 100 birds in each of the lower 48 United States in a single calendar year while also meeting different people from those states, and seeing their most iconic places. Hear about Danny's journey, and the best and worst of his trip! Learn more here: https://peopleplacesbirds.net/


Episode 86 - What it's Like Being a Bird Artist with Margie Griggs
08/29/2025

Artist and owner of Forest Press, Margie Griggs discusses how she got into birding and what it's like to be a bird artist.


Episode 85 - Is the Ivory-billed Woodpecker Tricking Us Into Thinking It's Extinct? With Dr. Chris Haney
#85
08/15/2025

On this week's episode we share an interview we did a few years back with Dr. Chris Haney, talking about his book "Woody's Last Laugh - How the "Extinct" Ivory-billed Woodpecker Fools Us Into Making 53 Thinking Errors".

You can purchase the book here (As Amazon Associates we do earn from qualifying purchases): https://amzn.to/3rSz9sQ


Episode 84 - The Ivory-billed Woodpecker Debate Re-examined, Nemesis Birds, and More!
#84
08/08/2025

We talk about if we think the Ivory-billed Woodpecker is extinct, our recent nemesis birds and more!


Episode 83 - California Birding Updates, Sasquatch Murals, and more! With Rachel Clark
08/01/2025

We talk with our friend and experienced bird guide Rachel Clark about what's been going on in the California birding scene, the downfall of our favorite Sasquatch mural and more. If you'd like to take a tour with Rachel, head to centralcaliforniabirdingtours.com


Episode 82 - Talking Grouse and Birding Colorado with "The Grouse Guy" Jeremiah Psiropoulos
#82
07/29/2025

We talk with "The Grouse Guy", Jeremiah Psiropoulos about birding in Colorado, finding grouse, Colorado-style pizza, and more! Learn more about Jeremiah and his tours here: https://antigonewildlifetours.com/about


Episode 81 - Little Gulls, Birding Colorado, and more!
#81
07/18/2025

We discuss our latest birding adventures, searching for the smallest gull in the world as well as our first full day of birding in Colorado. Thanks to Brome for sponsoring this episode. Learn more at https://store.bromebirdcare.com/


Episode 80 - Peter Mundale on Minnesota Birding
06/28/2025

Peter Mundale joins the show to discuss birding topics from the state of Minnesota including the state of Connecticut Warblers, the Sax-sim Bog, and the crazy owl winter that was.


Thanks to Brome for sponsoring this episode! Learn more at https://bromebirdcare.com


Episode 79 - Birding The Best Spots in The United States While Not Having A Drivers License with Nathaniel Wegner
06/20/2025

Nathaniel Wegner has been along for many adventures with the Badgerland Birding crew and an extremely skilled birder even without having a drivers license.


Episode 78 - URGENT! Help Save Important Bird Habitat in South Texas!
#78
06/16/2025

There has been a proposition to destroy important old growth forest on South Padre island in South Texas that is great for migratory birds. Here is how we can stop it from being destroyed.


What you need to know, from Jusin LeClaire: "Perhaps the final battle to save the SPI Convention Center native habitat is coming this Tuesday.The SPI City Council has decided NOT to listen to the wills of thousands of their constituents. They are sticking with their latest plans to destroy the majority of native habitat at the Convention Center for...


Episode 77 - All About Our Epic 2025 Big Day! With Cole Roecker
06/06/2025

Cole Roecker joins the show to discuss ur recent 150 species Big Day as well as what it's like birding in Chicago, Illinois.


Episode 76 - County Big Year Update, The Breeding Bird Atlas, and more! With Tim Hahn
#76
05/30/2025

We catch up with Tim Hahn, who did a Waukesha, WI County Big Year in 2025 and talk about his total, birding in Wisconsin, the Breeding Bird Atlas, and more!


Episode 75 - May Birding Highlights, Cranes, and More!
#75
05/23/2025

We talk about what we've been up to, birding in may the past few weeks, about crane populations, and more!


Episode 74 - The Decline and Recovery of the Eastern Bluebird With Pat Ready
#74
05/16/2025

We talk with Pat Ready from the Bluebird Restoration Association of Wisconsin about the decline and recovery of the Eastern Bluebird. You can learn more here: https://www.braw.org/


Episode 73 - Exploring Wisconsin and Beyond with Coddiwomple Chronicles
#73
05/09/2025

We talk with Marissa and Easton from Coddiwomple Chronicles about exploring Wisconsin, birding for the first time, travel tips, and more! Check out their instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/coddiwomple_chronicles/

Thanks to our sponsor Brome Bird Care!: https://bromebirdcare.com/en/


Episode 72 - Birding in the Netherlands With 17 Year Old Birder Owen Kroeze
#71
05/02/2025

We talk with Owen Kroeze, a 17 year-old birder from the Netherlands, all about what it's like birding there, difference between the Netherlands and the United States, and more!


Episode 71 - Non-Native and Invasive Species in the United States!
#71
04/25/2025

We talk about non-native and invasive species that have taken over the United States as well as some American animals that have made a home in Europe. Visit our shop here: https://badgerlandbirding-shop.fourthwall.com/