Hannah and Erik Go Birding
Hannah and Erik love to spend their free time adventuring and birding. Join them as they discuss their most recent adventures and other birding topics. They are not experts but are always game to learn and experience new things. Connect with us on all the socials or send an email to: HannahandErikGoBirding@gmail.com.
Birding aboard the Alaska Sunrise
We were lucky to have not one, but TWO excursions aboard the Alaska Sunrise out of Garibaldi, Oregon, to look for seabirds and some incredible sights. First up was an all-women's pelagic trip and then the second half of the episode was about our nearshore trip to our local lighthouse.
Adventure begins at: 8:21
Tillamook Rock Lighthouse eBird Trip Report
First Ever All-Women’s Pelagic Trip
Show notes
Mainely Nature Art
eBird Big Day; GoBirdingTeam
Rio Grande Valley Bird Festival
Birding The Border
IC4WB
Wing...
Hiking at Mount Rainier
Alt. Title: Looking for White-tailed Ptarmigans
On a rare day off from work, we ventured up to Mount Rainier National Park in Washington in hopes of finding our lifer White-Tailed Ptarmigan. We hiked the Skyline Trail which runs past Panorama, our best bet to see this uncommon species.
After our hike, we raced up to the Stanwood Water Treatment to see if the rare Terek Sandpiper was still hanging around.
Adventure begins at: 15:20
This month's Bird Nerd Giveaway was graciously donated by Mainely Nature Art, check out her cool stuff!
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Pigeon Guillemots in the Salish Sea
The Salish Sea Guillemot Network is a collection of volunteers and scientists from non-profits, agencies, and more to monitor and learn more about Pigeon Guillemots in the Salish Sea. This indicator species helps these dedicated folks to understand about what is happening in this ecosystem.
Maria Mudd Ruth's recent book, The Bird with Flaming Red Feet, highlights this effort.
Adventure begins at: 10:07
*correction: Hannah refers to Pigeon Guillemots as a "keystone species" in her song at the beginning when they should be referred to as an "indicator species".
Show notes ...
Klamath Marsh NWR and Savannah Bananas!
We had the chance to go see the Savannah Bananas play in Eugene, Oregon, which also gave us the opportunity to do a some birding in spots we hadn't explored before. Klamath Marshs National Wildlife Refuge and Crater Lake National Park were our main targets, but ended up finding a few other fun things!
Just be warned - we do talk a little bit about the baseball game.
Naturalist Journeys Go Birding with Hannah and Erik - Last day to sign-up is August 14!
Thank you to KINGSYARD for donating th...
Monitoring Oregon Vesper Sparrows
Dr. Sarah Rockwell from the Klamath Bird Observatory told us all about the Oregon Vesper Sparrow and the efforts to learn more about this imperiled species. This species may not look like much, but it is an indicator of the health of its habitat and along its migration route.
Adventure begins at: 8:30
eBird Trip Report:
Show notes
Naturalist Journeys - Costa Rica, Oct 15-22 reserve your spot by August 14!
Tufted Puffin Walks
Rio Grande Valley Bird Festival
Birding The Border
V...
Texas Hill Country & Corpus Christi
We had an extra day while in South Texas for Spring Chirp, so on a whim we went to chase some birds! Up to the Texas Hill Country and then over to Corpus Christi to look for a couple of new species and check out other migrant hotspots.
Adventure begins at: 7:30
Show notes
Naturalist Journeys Go Birding with Hannah and Erik, Deadline August 14
Tufted Puffin Walks
eBird Big Day; GoBirdingTeam
Rio Grande Valley Bird Festival
Birding The Border
Balcones Canyonlands NWR
Menger Hotel
...
What's the deal with Grasslands?
Surveys show that Americans don't really know about or appreciate our grasslands. Grasslands are some of our most overlooked, but they need our help and attention. Wenfei Tong from Cornell Lab of Ornithology and Maggie Hanna with Bird Conservancy of the Rockies tell us all about grasslands and birds.
Adventure begins at: 7:00
Show notes
Naturalist Journeys Go Birding with Hannah and Erik
Tufted Puffin Walks
Rio Grande Valley Bird Festival
Birding The Border
America’s Grasslands Coalition
Cornell - Grasslands Ecosystem Guide
Bird Conservancy of the...
Spring in the RGV
Spring migration is a great time to visit the Rio Grande Valley. Warblers, vireos, orioles, and more move through the Gulf Coast on their way to breeding habitats further north. The Spring Chirp birding festival is the perfect opportunity to see migrating birds, eat good food, and enjoy the Rio Grande Valley.
Adventure begins at: 6:55
Show notes
Naturalist Journeys Go Birding with Hannah and Erik
Tufted Puffin Walks
Rio Grande Valley Bird Festival
Birding The Border
Spring Chirp
Nana’s Taqueria
Valley Nature Center
eBi...
Spring Pelagic in Westport, WA
Pelagic boat trips are always an adventure. There is so much variability with weather, ocean conditions, and, of course, birds. We have never done a pelagic in the spring, so we thought we would give it a chance and chase after our most hoped-for bird, Parakeet Auklet.
Adventure begins at: 13:30
Show notes
Naturalist Journeys Go Birding with Hannah and Erik
Tufted Puffin Walks
eBird Big Day; GoBirdingTeam
Rio Grande Valley Bird Festival
Birding The Border
Tu Hand Creations
Westport Pelagic
eBird Trip Repo...
Dinos and Birds with Dr. Steve Brusatte
Dr. Steve Brusatte is a palentologist, author, consultant, professor, and much more - he wears so many hats! But communicating science is at the center to all he does. He joined us to talk about his latest work, The Story of Birds, a fascinating book exploring the history of birds from their dinosaur origins.
Start of interview: 10:20
Show Notes
Naturalist Journeys Go Birding with Hannah and Erik
Tufted Puffin Walks
eBird Big Day; GoBirdingTeam
The Story of Birds by Dr. Steve Brusatte
Tu Hands Creations
Cranes, Ducks, and Tits - Izumi & Kagoshima
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 searching for wintering cranes at the Izumi Crane Observation Center, ducks and forest birds at the Kogawa dam, and then finished up our trip at the Kagoshima Prefectural Forest. What a way to end an exciting trip!
Adventure begins at: 8:00
Show notes
Naturalist Journeys Go Birding with Hannah and Erik
Tufted Puffin Walks
eBird Big Day; GoBirdingTeam
Koko Stay Izumi
Izumi Cr...
Eagles and Owls in Hokkaido
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 attracted us to go on the trip, but amazing places, good food, and other wildlife made it even better!
Adventure begins at: 10:20
Show notes
Naturalist Journeys Go Birding with Hannah and Erik
Seicomart
Hotel Live Max in Shiretoko
Shiretoko Nature Cruise
Yoroushi Hotspring Lodge
eBird Trip Report
Birds/Animals mentioned
Blakiston’s Fish-Owl
Steller’s Sea-Eagle
Intro Bird...
Sightseeing in Tokyo and Cranes in Hokkaido
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 of birding there! We also chatted a bit about traveling around Tokyo and some tips for folks who haven't been there before.
Then we headed to Hokkaido to get the real birding adventure started! Cranes, seabirds, ducks, and owls...and freezing cold temperatures. There is so much to see!
Adventure begins at: 10:51
Tokyo and Disney: 14:00
Hokkaido adventures: 33:45
Show notes
...Adventures around Morro Bay
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 spots, like Atascadero Lake and Wolff Vineyard. We also searched for a couple of owls and then found some cool birds off-the-beaten path!
Adventure begins at: 11:25
Show notes
Spring Chirp
Naturalist Journeys Go Birding with Hannah and Erik
Morro Bay Birding Festival
Article about Exotic Gardens
Wolff Vineyards
eBird Trip Report
...
Conservation Ranching with Audubon California
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 Kyla, Paul, and Nick from Swallow Creek Ranch and Grace from Audubon California to learn about this program!
Adventure begins at: 14:50
Show notes
Spring Chirp
Naturalist Journeys Go Birding with Hannah and Erik
Morro Bay Birding Festival
AOS Proposals
Words on Birds
eBird Trip Report
Birds/Animals mentioned
Intro Bird Call: Brown-headed C...
Morro Bay Birding Festival
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 and surrounding parks are such nice, easy birding spots with lots of species!
Adventure begins at: 10:24
Show notes
Spring Chirp
Christina Baal, Drawing 10,000 Birds; Instagram
Naturalist Journeys - Go Birding with Hannah and Erik
Morro Bay Birding Festival
Sammy J’s
Pinnacles National Park
eBird Trip Report
Birds/Animals mentioned
<...Endemic Species in Cozumel
Cozumel, an island just off of Mexico, is a great, quick birding spot AND has three endemic bird species! We enjoyed finding these interesting birds amongst the hustle and bustle of a popular tourist destination.
Adventure begins at: 11:55
Show notes
Spring Chirp
The Great Backyard Bird Count
BirdsCaribbean
Christina Baal, Drawing 10,000 Birds; Instagram
Cozumel Birding Tours
eBird Trip Report
Birds/Animals mentioned
Cozumel Vireo
Cozumel Wren
Cozumel Emerald
Intro Bird Call: Cozumel Wren (Recorded...
One Day in Grand Cayman
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 available to take us around. We added a few new birds, saw the sights, and even found Blue Iguanas!
Adventure begins at: 10:00
Show notes
Spring Chirp
The Great Backyard Bird Count
BirdsCaribbean
Queen Elizabeth II Botanical Garden
Booby Pond
Geddes’ Contact - Silver Thatch Expeditions
eBird Trip Report
Birds/Animals mentioned
Blue...
Christmas Bird Count - Sunriver, Oregon
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 year, we were able to join the Sunriver, Oregon count. Listen in to see what birds we spotted!
Adventure begins at: 9:23
Show notes
Morro Bay Birding Festival
Spring Chirp
Christmas Bird Count
Deschutes National Forest
WildEarth Live Safari
Black-bellied Bustard Video
eBird Trip Report
Birds/Animals mentioned
American Dipper
Varied Th...
Jamaica Endemics in Ocho Rios
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 Jamaica.
Adventure begins at: 12:30
Show notes
Morro Bay Birding Festival
Spring Chirp
Quill and Finch journals Discount Code: HannahandErik
New Jewel-babbler in New Guinea
Chuys
Christmas Bird Count
Orlando Wetlands Park
Arrowhead Birding Tours
eBird Trip Report
Birds/Animals mentioned
Jamaican Tody
Yellow-billed Amazon
Intro Bird Call: Stolid F...
Rio Grande Valley Birding Festival 2025
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.
Adventure begins at: 13:27
Show notes
Morro Bay Birding Festival
Spring Chirp
Quill and Finch journals Discount Code: HannahandErik
"New 'remarkably tame' tinamou species discovered in Amazon mountains may already be at risk of extinction"
Sandhills Brewery
Spanky’s Burgers
Rancho Lomitas
Christmas Bird Count
eBird Trip Report
Birds/Animals mentioned
<...Kagus in New Caledonia
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 plant life, and wonderful people. Add New Caledonia to your travel list!
Adventure begins at: 16:50
Show notes
Morro Bay Birding Festival
Spring Chirp
eBird Taxonomic update finalizes
Quill and Finch journals Discount Code: HannahandErik
New Caledonia Bird Guide Isabelle
Giant Fern Tree National Park
Blue River Provincial Park
Kagu Mortality Event Article
eBird Trip Report
...
Ouvea Parakeet Detour
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 total off-the-beaten-path, once-in-a-lifetime birding spot.
*Please be aware that we have a lot of travel logistics in this episode, because it took us some figuring out how to get there, transport, and accommodations - hopefully it's helpful if you ever decide to explore Ouvea!*
Adventure begins at: 10:02
Show notes
Morro Bay Birding Festival
Spring Chirp
eBird Taxonomic update fi...
Layover in Fiji birding
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 edge of the island from Nadi to Suva.
Adventure begins at: 11:40
Show notes
Rio Grande Valley Birding Festival
Morro Bay Birding Festival
Spring Chirp
eBird October Global Big Day; Team trip report
Texas A&M extension birding
Rainforest Eco Lodge
Sigatoka Sand Dunes National Park
Garden of the Sleeping Giant
eBird Trip Repor...
Hawk Watch at Bonney Butte
Hawk watches are conducted along migration routes and collect important information on how these species are doing. Hannah and Erik visited the hawk watch at Bonney Butte in the Mount Hood National Forest to check it out!
Hannah and Erik were given behind-the-scenes access to be able to share some of the nitty-gritty details of what Hawkwatch does, the bird blind that we visited is typically not open to visitors to the site.
*The audio is a bit quiet due to the environmental conditions*
Adventure begins at: 5:35
Show notes
<...Shearwaters in Washington Waters
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 get out on a Westport Pelagic trip before the end of the year - it's always a good time!
Adventure begins at: 14:20
Show notes
Rio Grande Valley Birding Festival
Morro Bay Birding Festival
Spring Chirp
eBird October Global Big Day; Team trip report
Westport Seabirds
eBird Trip Report
Birds/Animals mentioned
Birding Beyond Tucson
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 some new spots and revisit some favorite locations.
Adventure begins at: 11:20
Show notes
Southeast Arizona Birding Festival
Rio Grande Valley Birding Festival
Morro Bay Birding Festival
Spring Chirp
eBird October Global Big Day ; Team Trip Report
Barrio Brewery
Eegee’s
Catalina State Park
Mt Lemmon
Naturalist Journeys
eBird Trip Report
Bird...
Ticking Lifers in Tucson
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, check out some new ones, and find a few new birds.
Adventure begins at: 10:50
Show notes
Southeast Arizona Birding Festival
Rio Grande Valley Birding Festival
Morro Bay Birding Festival
Spring Chirp
eBird October Global Big Day; Team trip report
El Charro
The Paton Center For Hummingbirds
Santa Rita Lodge
eBird Trip Report ...
Chasing Dusky Grouse in Washington
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 a charming, interesting vacation destination, too! Winthrop and the Methow Valley has a lot of great cascades birds to see and things to do.
Adventure begins at: 12:15
Show notes
Southeast Arizona Birding Festival
Rio Grande Valley Birding Festival
Spring Chirp
eBird October Global Big Day
Sun Mountain Lodge
Winthrop
eBird Trip Report
...
Urban Cooper's Hawks in Seattle
Since the 1980's, Cooper's Hawks have become a more regularly sighting in cities, including Seattle. Ed Deal, with the Urban Raptor Conservancy, has been studying them for years to find out more about these urban raptors.
Adventure begins at: 9:55
Show notes
Southeast Arizona Birding Festival
Rio Grande Valley Birding Festival
America’s Favorite Couple
Urban Raptor Conservancy
Peregrine Falcons infected with Avian Influenza
eBird Trip Report
Birds/Animals mentioned
Cooper's Hawk
Intro Bird Call: Spotted Towhee...
Salish Sea Tufted Puffins
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 Sea - you might even see an out-of-place Horned Puffin! Listen in to learn about puffins, Smith Island, and the Puget Sound.
Adventure begins at: 10:53
Show notes
Southeast Arizona Birding Festival
Rio Grande Valley Birding Festival
America’s Favorite Couple
Salish Sea School
McMenamins Tacoma Elks Lodge
Smith Island
Swimming anemones
Sisterhood Birding
...
Red Knot Survey with Washington Dept Fish & Wildlife
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife has been running a Red Knot survey for the past 20 years. We tagged along with Shorebird Biologist, Allison, to learn about the survey in Willapa Bay and why this work is important.
Adventure begins at: 12:45
Show notes
Southeast Arizona Birding Festival
Rio Grande Valley Birding Festival
International Bird Beer Label Association
America’s Favorite Couple
Red Knot with Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
eBird Trip Report
https://ebird.org/checklist/S238007600
Birds/A...
Briefly Birding Long Island
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 to explore.
Adventure begins at: 10:00
Show notes
Buy me a Coffee
Southeast Arizona Birding Festival
Rio Grande Valley Birding Festival
SPI Convention Center
Jones Beach
Lost Farmer Brewery Co.
A&S Bagels
eBird Trip Report
Birds/Animals mentioned
Purple Sandpiper
Saltmarsh Sparrow
Intro Bird Call...
Protecting Piping Plovers on Long Island
Audubon New York and Audubon Connecticut are partnering together to protect Piping Plovers along the shores of Long Island Sound. There are several techniques they employ to conserve these birds, including placing exclosures over their nests. We tagged along with Shelby, the Coastal Program Manager, and her team to see what it's all about!
Adventure begins at: 10:54
Show notes
Buy me a Coffee
Southeast Arizona Birding Festival
Rio Grande Valley Birding Festival
New York Audubon
Cool Birds
SPI Convention Center
Bird Banding Lab defunding
Piping Pl...
Finding Birds in The Big Apple
Alt title: Bird Migration in New York City
New York City has a lot to offer - food, fun, sights...and birds! We birded around Manhattan and a bit into Brooklyn on our recent trip.
Be warned: it's not all birds on this adventure, we had to explore some touristy sites of the city!
Adventure begins at: 8:00
Show notes
Buy me a Coffee
Southeast Arizona Birding Festival
Rio Grande Valley Birding Festival
Global Big Day
Bird Alliance New York City
Red...
Spring Birding in the RGV
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 we saw a lifer and tested out a new boat trip on the Rio Grande river while guiding at the Spring Chirp birding festival!
Adventure begins at: 11:10
Show notes
Buy me a Coffee
Southeast Arizona Birding Festival
Rio Grande Valley Birding Festival
Adam Cayton-Holland
Birding is the World Brazil
Global Big Day
Spring Chirp
Blue...
Birder Language with Rosemary Mosco
Rosemary Mosco is well-known for her educational, funny, and cute comics. Her new book, The Birding Dictionary, offers all that and more. Listen in as we talk comics, language, and birding.
Interview begins at: 10:20
Show notes
Buy me a Coffee
Southeast Arizona Birding Festival
Rio Grande Valley Birding Festival
Adam Cayton-Holland
Birding is the World Brazil
Global Big Day
The Birding Dictionary
Rosemary Mosco, Bluesky, TikTok, Facebook
Birds/Animals mentioned
Orange-crowned Warbler
Secretarybird
Intro Bird Cal...
Tala Game Reserve & Wakkerstroom
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 big (Blue Crane, Common Ostrich, bustards, Secretarybird, etc.), which lead us to staying at a couple of cool spots!
Adventure begins at: 8:00
Show notes
Buy me a Coffee
Southeast Arizona Birding Festival
Rio Grande Valley Birding Festival
Wakkerstroom Hotel
Tala Game Reserve
eBird Trip Report
https://ebird.org/tripreport/322915
Bi...
Flock to Marion AGAIN! 2025
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 from Marion Island that are attacking albatross chicks and threatening the species.
This was our second time on this incredible cruise! We even saw some new birds!
Main Story Begins at: 15:00
Show notes
Buy me a Coffee
Spring Chirp
The Residence mini-series
Terra Listens
MSC Cruiseline
BirdLife South Africa
Mouse-Free Marion
eBird Trip Report
...
Kruger National Park
Kruger National Park is massive. With over two million hectares to explore, you could spend your whole life exploring it. However, we only had three days - but we lived it to the fullest!
Main Story Begins at: 6:37
Show notes
Buy me a Coffee
Spring Chirp
Kruger National Park
Kruger Adventure Lodge
Phabeni Gate
Tinker Guides
eBird Trip Report
Birds/Animals mentioned
Wattled Starling
Southern Carmine Bee-eater
Intro Bird Call: Red-crested Bustard (Recorded: Kruger NP Febru...
