Weekend Birder

Identify little brown birds using 'bird topography'.This episode is about how to identify common little brown birds by looking at their body parts, and the joys of birdwatching in Royal National Park in Sydney.Ricki Coughlan is a bird guide and nature educator with a particular interest in the behaviour and ecology of the Acanthizids - “Little Brown Birds”. She runs courses and workshops for birders and nature lovers and facilitates the occasional citizen science project, including the Boat Harbour

Understand and appreciate the magpies that live around you. This episode is all about magpies and their behaviour, with a focus on a subspecies that lives in Perth and other parts of Western Australia.Mandy Ridley is an Avian Ecologist and Associate Professor of the School of Biological Sciences at The University of Western Australia. Mandy's research on birds began at Cambridge University in the UK, where she completed her PhD on the evolution of birds' cooperative breeding behaviours. This

Learn how to use a pair of binoculars to zoom in on the birds around you. This episode is about how to use binoculars and some of the birds you might see in Canberra.Anthony Over's childhood love of wildlife led to an Environmental Management degree. In his spare time, he is an active member of the Canberra Ornithologists Group. Anthony has been running their 'Birdwatching for Beginners' trips since 2006 and gets enormous satisfaction from teaching others. So he is the right person for the job to

Find out about the Superb Fairywrens that live in Royal Park. This episode is about how to watch and identify Superb Fairywrens, and the importance of the Royal Park habitat in Melbourne.Dr Holly Kirk is an urban ecologist working in the Interdisciplinary Conservation Science Group at RMIT University.Holly’s research investigates how animals move around their environment and how we can use this knowledge to improve things for both people and nature in cities. She works on several projects that aim

Meet the author of 101 Australian Birds. This episode is about why some birds look different through the seasons, how to pack for a birding adventure and the art of lazy birdwatching.Georgia Angus is an author and illustrator based in Naarm/Melbourne, living and working on the lands of the Wurundjeri people. Her first book '100 Australian Birds' was published in 2021. This book offers an introduction to birdwatching through illustrations, ecological information and anecdotal notes. Georgia wrote her

Hear about the Peregrine Falcons that live Melbourne’s CBD. This episode is about Peregrine Falcons - how to identify them, what they eat, where they live and how a community comes together to watch the birds that live at the top of a tall building in the heart of Melbourne.As a wildlife ecologist Dr Victor Hurley has conducted studies on a wide range of animals in many different environments. Victor is a Fire Ecologist and a Planning Officer in Emergency Incident Management Teams for Forest Fire

Start to notice the birds around you. This episode is about how to start birdwatching by listening and noticing the birds that live in your local area, including Wombolano Park in Melbourne.Merrilyn Smith has always loved nature and been curious about the world around her. After her career as a teacher and health educator was complete, she discovered her love of birdwatching after listening to the birds in her garden. Her adventures have taken her around the world and she now volunteers in a range

Discover what’s to come in Season 1 of Weekend Birder. In this podcast, you will hear birdwatching stories and advice from people of all experience levels.You will discover how to identify birds, where to go birdwatching, how to use equipmentand lots of fun facts. Episodes are short so that you can get out there and try out your new skills and knowledge.Kirsty Costa is a teacher, science communicator and conservationist. During the week, she leads education strategy for a science-based conservation