TBL Podcast - Season 14 Episode 9 - Return of the Oystercatcher: Stories of Hope in a Changing World

There are some guests who simply make you think differently about birds, conservation, and our place in the natural world.

Today's episode is a special one because it marks Episode 200 of The Birding Life Podcast.

When I started this podcast, I never imagined that we would reach 200 episodes. Along the way we've spoken to birders, guides, photographers, conservationists, scientists, authors, and some truly remarkable people from around the world who share a passion for birds.

Before we begin, I would love to ask a small favour.

This podcast has never really been about numbers. It's always been about people. As we celebrate Episode 200, I would love to hear from you. Where in the world do you listen from? How did you discover The Birding Life Podcast? Has there been an episode, conversation, guest, or moment that has stayed with you or helped shape your birding journey?

Please send me an email at [email protected]. I would love to hear your story and celebrate this milestone together with the community that has made these 200 episodes possible.

It feels fitting that Episode 200 features one of the most respected bird writers and communicators of our time.

My guest today is Scott Weidensaul, an American ornithologist, bird migration researcher, conservationist, and New York Times bestselling author. Over the course of his career, Scott has written more than 30 books and has become one of the leading voices helping people understand birds, migration, and conservation.

In his latest book, Return of the Oystercatcher, Scott tells a series of remarkable conservation stories from around the world. While the book is filled with birds, what struck me most was that it is really a book about people. It is about people who refused to accept decline as inevitable, people who chose to act, and people who found ways for both birds and communities to thrive.

This is a longer conversation, but Scott is such a gifted storyteller and communicator that the time flies by. We talk about conservation success, hope, human behaviour, Indigenous knowledge, Hawk Mountain, and why the lessons in this book are just as relevant to birders in South Africa as they are anywhere else in the world.

So as we celebrate Episode 200 of The Birding Life Podcast, settle in and enjoy my conversation with Scott Weidensaul, author of Return of the Oystercatcher.

Visit our online store to get your birding related merchandise at great prices https://www.thebirdinglife.com/online-store

Intro and outro music by Tony ZA https://soundcloud.com/tonyofficialza

Links from show:

Scott Weidensaul website http://www.scottweidensaul.com/