WEEKEND BIRDER

Discover the joys of birdwatching walks around Victoria and beyond. This episode is about birding in the Castlemaine and Orbost areas, a great place to visit in France and the Australian Painted Snipe.Damian Kelly has been a birder since he was young, exploring the Fitzroy Gardens in Melbourne. In more recent times, he has written two birding guides - Castlemaine Bird Walks and Victorian Bird Walks - with the aim of encouraging others to get out and about with birds. Damian is currently working on a guide to birding along rail trails and a bird walks book for the Daylesford/Hepburn area.Links:* Damian's website - castlemainebirds.com* Damian on Facebook - @damian.kelly.35* Damian on Instagram - @damiankkelly* Castlemaine Bird Walks by Damian Kelly (book) - bridgetfarmerprintmaker.com/products/book-castlemaine-bird-walks-by-damian-kelly* Victorian Bird Walks by Damian Kelly (book) - bridgetfarmerprintmaker.com/products/book-victorian-bird-walks-by-damian-kelly* Australian Painted Snipe Tracking website - paintedsnipe.com.au* Weekend Birder Google Map - maps.app.goo.gl/idqxtcxUDmUkDi1Y7* Weekend Birder Monthly Letter - weekendbirder.com/monthly-letterWeekend Birder online:* Website - weekendbirder.com* Instagram - @weekend.birder* Facebook - @weekend.birder

Join Kirsty and her nephew Edward as they explore the world of Australia's kites. This episode is about the joys of seeing and hearing the Whistling Kite, Black Kite, Brahminy Kite and Square-tailed Kite.Edward is 10 years old and has grown up exploring nature. When he's not playing basketball, cricket or footy, he's hanging out in his backyard, the parkland over his back fence areas and in the bush around his holiday house in north-east Victoria. Edward especially loves watching and listening to Gang Gang Cockatoos. He is interested in Australian birds and likes researching endangered birds. Edward loves the sounds of nature and being outside makes him happy.Links:* Birds in Backyards - Whistling Kite - birdsinbackyards.net/species/Haliastur-sphenurus* Birds in Backyards - Black Kite - birdsinbackyards.net/species/Milvus-migrans* Birds in Backyards - Brahminy Kite - birdsinbackyards.net/species/Haliastur-indus* Birds in Backyards - Square-tailed Kite - birdsinbackyards.net/species/Lophoictinia-isura* Bird recordings by Marc Anderson, licenced from wildambience.com Weekend Birder online:* Website - weekendbirder.com* Instagram - @weekend.birder* Facebook - @weekend.birder

Get to know one of Australia’s most charming robins. This episode is about the behaviours, calls, habitats and genetics of the Eastern Robin. It’s time to get sciencey!Lana Austin has been working as a professional ornithologist around the world for many years. To name a few, she has been lucky enough to work with macaws in Peru, Toucans in the Ecuadorian Amazon, and Razorbills on the Isles of Scilly (UK). But in 2019 she decided to return to study to attempt to answer one of life’s biggest questions – are mitonuclear incompatibilities an under-appreciated cause of outbreeding depression? You’ve been wondering yourself, right?! In her free time, Lana moonlights as the President of Earthcare St Kilda, enjoys taking her cats for walks, and doing multi-day hikes. Links:* Eastern Yellow Robin Project - https://sites.google.com/monash.edu/eyr* Monash University’s Wildlife Genetic Management Group - https://sites.google.com/monash.edu/wildlifegeneticmanagement/home* Weekend Birder Google Map - maps.app.goo.gl/idqxtcxUDmUkDi1Y7* Shout out to our friends at Earthcare St Kilda - earthcarestkilda.org.au* Bird recordings by Marc Anderson, licenced from wildambience.com Weekend Birder online:* Website - weekendbirder.com* Instagram - @weekend.birder* Facebook - @weekend.birder

Discover how patience and understanding light can create stunning wildlife photographs. This episode is about a photographer’s journey from a childhood in the Australian outback to a career capturing the beauty of birds. Shelley Pearson is an award-winning wildlife photographer who immerses herself in the natural environment, patiently waiting for the right opportunity to photograph a captivating image. She believes it's all about utilising the light, different angles and perspectives to create photos that evoke emotion and tell a story. Shelley teaches and shares her passion through workshops, presentations, and trips. She is passionate about the ‘Wooleen Outback Experience’ trips she hosts with David and Frances Pollock at Wooleen Station in Western Australia.Links:* Shelley’s website - shelleypearsonphotography.com* Shelley on Facebook - @shelleypearsonphotography* Shelley on Instagram - @shelley_pearson_* Shelley on YouTube - @shelleypearson* Weekend Birder Google Map - maps.app.goo.gl/idqxtcxUDmUkDi1Y7Weekend Birder online:* Website - weekendbirder.com* Instagram - @weekend.birder* Facebook - @weekend.birder

Answering your questions about bird bodies and behaviours. This episode is about bird feathers, eyelids and legs, and their funny little traits that are similar to humans.Dr Gráinne Cleary’s primary area of interest is helping to educate and work with the public to gain the best conservation outcomes for our urban wildlife. She is particularly interested in how we interact with the birds that visit our gardens, and this has been the focus of her last two books. As Australia becomes more urbanised, gardens are becoming an important sanctuary for our birds especially in terms of water, food and shelter. Gráinne is passionate about engaging with community about the birds that visit their gardens and the relationship that are formed.Links:* Gráinne’s website - grainnecleary.com* Backyard Birds book - allenandunwin.com/browse/book/Dr-Grainne-Cleary-Your-Backyard-Birds-9781760297350* Why Do Birds Do That? book - allenandunwin.com/browse/book/Dr-Grainne-Cleary-9781761067235/* Subscribe to the Monthly Letter - weekendbirder.com/monthly-letterLet's connect:* Website - weekendbirder.com* Instagram - @weekend.birder* Facebook - @weekend.birder

Meet an 11-year old birdwatcher who has a love for Eastern Victoria. This episode is about a unique part of Australia, birding wishlists and the Buff-breasted Paradise Kingfisher.Luca is an 11-year old nature lover and birder who lives in Naarm (Melbourne) and feels most at home in nature. His fondness and respect for wildlife was first inspired by Sir David Attenborough’s programs. Luca’s fascination for birds began through art at the age of 7, when he started drawing birds and devouring bird identification books. This ignited a passion for birdwatching and bird photography. For Luca, drawing and photographing birds continue to be central in getting to know Australian birds and those living in other parts of the world. Luca carries his passion for birding where ever he goes, whether he is camping, hiking, surfing or on a road trip. He loves sharing his knowledge of birds with others as much as he enjoys learning from birders he meets on his nature adventures. Links:* Weekend Birder Google Map - maps.app.goo.gl/idqxtcxUDmUkDi1Y7Let's connect:* Website - weekendbirder.com* Instagram - @weekend.birder* Facebook - @weekend.birder

Look at Australia's birds through the eyes of an artist. This episode is about kingfishers, kookaburras and painting birds on huge grain silos.Geoffrey Carran has dedicated the past decade to painting explorations of Australia’s diverse bird population. Geoffrey uses his public murals to highlight endangered bird species that can be found in the artwork's locations. Using these murals and the public's interest in street and public art to raise awareness and start conversations about people's connections, memories and stories about their relationship with Australia’s birdlife and its importance. Geoffrey's paintings, murals and prints can be found in a diverse array of locations, from three massive silos as part of the Australian Silo Art Trail in the West Wimmera to murals in New York, Istanbul and London.Links:* Geoffrey's website - geoffreycarran.com.au* Geoffrey's projects, including silo art - geoffreycarran.com.au/blogs/projects* Geoffrey on Facebook - @geoffreycarranartist* Geoffrey on Instagram - @geoffreycarran* Geoffrey on YouTube - youtube.com/channel/UCYBNjbe0AV3rhmQM2FMEqQQ* Bird recordings by Marc Anderson, licenced from wildambience.comLet's connect:* Website - weekendbirder.com* Instagram - @weekend.birder* Facebook - @weekend.birder

Gain new insights into birds, traditional knowledge and ecology. This episode is about the health of Country, life in the Otways and the Fan-tailed Cuckoo.Dr Jack Pascoe is a Yuin man living on Gadabanut Country. He studied predator ecology, fire, wildlife and botany. He has led a program of applied ecological research in the Otway region for over a decade. Jack recently crossed the line to become some sort of pseudo scientist, academic and activist. He works at the University of Melbourne and is a chief councillor on the Biodiversity Council.Links:* Jack on Twitter/X - @JackHPascoe* Jack's research and articles - findanexpert.unimelb.edu.au/profile/861920-jack-pascoe* Biodiversity Council - biodiversitycouncil.org.au* Conservation Ecology Centre - conservationecologycentre.org* Bird recording by Marc Anderson, licenced from wildambience.comLet's connect:* Website - weekendbirder.com* Instagram - @weekend.birder* Facebook - @weekend.birder