Out There With the Birds

Rachel Davis is a lifelong lover of the outdoors and a native of the New River Gorge region of West Virginia. A self-proclaimed "girl of the woods", Rachel has enjoyed West Virginia's New River Gorge as her backyard throughout her lifetime. She currently serves as a Co-Coordinator of the New River Birding & Nature Festival and manages all communications for the festival. She lives with her fiancé in a cabin in the woods in West Virginia, and enjoys hiking the deer trails, raising chickens, and drinking in the wonderful wildlife that surrounds her in all seasons. Join Rachel and Wendy Clark, BWD's publisher, as they chat about the upcoming New River Birding & Nature Festival taking place in late April of this year, and the juiciest secret you may not be aware of: You can participate in this year's virtual festival for FREE!

If you have admired the appearance of Bird Watcher's Digest, it is Bruce Wunderlich, our production director, who should get the credit. Bruce lays out each issue of BWD and its sister publication, Watching Backyard Birds, places the ads and photos, builds the table of contents, and otherwise assembles each issue. He is also a professional and award-winning bird photographer, and many of his magnificent photos appear on the pages of both magazines. He also contributes the BirdTography column in each issue of BWD. Listen in as BWD editor Dawn Hewitt interviews her colleague and friend in this episode of Out There With the Birds.

Ryan Wickiser is a field biologist who has studied California spotted owls in Eldorado National Forest. This work enabled him to become intimately acquainted with this rarely seen species. He gets to know them so well, in fact, that he’s able to identify them by their unique hoot patterns! Host Kelly Ball asks him how forestry and conservation practices have evolved over time; why barred owls are considered an invasive species in the Pacific Northwest; and about the other species, such as northern goshawks and great gray owls, that he surveys as part of his work as a wildlife technician.

Alvaro Jaramillo is among the best in the world at bird ID, and regular readers of Bird Watcher's Digest know him from the Identify Yourself column. His knowledge of birds is deep and wide, but his advice and insights are accessible for birders of all skill levels, and he’s a fun, sweet guy. In this episode of Out There with the Birds, Bird Watcher's Digest editor Dawn Hewitt chats with Alvaro about how nature and birds snagged him when he was a kid, as well as some of his remarkable accomplishments!

Pete Dunne is one of the most well-known and respected birders in North America, probably because he has been a prolific author of books on birds and birding for the past 30 years or so. One of his many areas of expertise is how to be a better birder, and that is the focus of his column, Pete's Tips, in Bird Watcher's Digest. BWD editor Dawn Hewitt had the honor and pleasure of interviewing Pete recently while he was waiting out winter at his in-laws' home in sunny California.

After wrapping up a year of unprecedented challenges at Bird Watcher's Digest, we wanted to give you some insight into how COVID-19 has impacted our lives both personally and professionally. Join BWD advertising sales director Kelly Ball, editor Dawn Hewitt, and publisher Wendy Clark as they talk about kissing 2020 and all of its obstacles goodbye, and looking ahead to new beginnings in 2021!

After wrapping up a year of unprecedented challenges at Bird Watcher's Digest, we wanted to give you some insight into how COVID-19 has impacted our lives both personally and professionally. Join BWD advertising sales director Kelly Ball, editor Dawn Hewitt, and publisher Wendy Clark as they talk about kissing 2020 and all of its obstacles goodbye, and looking ahead to new beginnings in 2021!

An event managed by the San Diego Audubon Society, the San Diego Bird Festival enjoys a reputation as one of the top birding festivals in the world. Jen Hajj, an accomplished musician, birder, educator, and birding-events manager, is the ringmaster of the festival. Wendy Clark, BWD's publisher, spoke with Jen about intriguing changes in the upcoming festival, and how we can all participate safely, whether at home or in person.

Ben Lizdas is a familiar name in the global birding community. Having spent 16 years at Eagle Optics, nearly three years with Bird Watcher's Digest/Redstart Birding, and now working with Swarovski Optik North America, Ben has a unique perspective on birds, birding optics, and the birding community. If you've been following Out There with the Birds since its inception, you may also know that Ben was the original co-host of this podcast alongside the late Bill Thompson, III. Ben reminisces with host Wendy Clark about his time at BWD, and all things birds and birding.

There's more to Al Batt than meets the funny bone. Bird Watcher's Digest readers adore Al for his sometimes silly, sometimes goofy, sometimes touching, always joyful column in each issue. But did you know has a weekly radio show (available on the Internet), has a column published in about 100 newspapers, and collaborates on comics that have been published in The New Yorker? BWD editor Dawn Hewitt had a fun time interviewing Al recently. Listen up! We think you'll enjoy it, too.

Wendy Clark, Publisher of Bird Watcher's Digest, recently talked with Scott Whittle and Mike Lanzone about the TERRA PROJECT, a cutting-edge development in data tracking and wildlife conservation. The TERRA is a device, a project, and a network. The device prototype has already been developed and is a compact, weatherproof device with a mic and radio tracker that wirelessly connects to your home, listening and identifying the nature around you while contributing to a massive conservation network. It is affordable, easy to use, and could affect conservation in unprecedented ways. Join Wendy, Scott, and Mike in their conversation about this fascinating project and learn more about how we can all become part of the global TERRA NETWORK.

Paul Baicich has been author of the Quick Takes column in Bird Watcher's Digest for more than a dozen years, is author of three important books on birds and bird watching, worked for the American Birding Association for 14 years, and is an ardent champion of bird conservation. In this episode of OTWTB, BWD editor Dawn Hewitt chats with Baicich about his lifelong passion for birds, and his myriad bird-related projects, past, present, and future.

In a world where we all feel disconnected, The Birding Co-op provides a diverse, ambitious, and supportive global community who wants to make the birding world a better place through responsible tourism practices, advocating for social liberties, and advancing science-based environmental changes. Wendy Clark, Publisher of Bird Watcher's Digest, recently chatted with founding members of the Birding Co-op, Mollee Brown, Christina Baal, and Andrew Guttenberg, to learn more about this exciting up-and-coming organization and movement.

David Bird has written the Bird Behavior column in Bird Watcher's Digest since 1995. He's well qualified: Recently retired, he was a professor of biology and wildlife management at McGill University in Montreal, Quebec, and researched kestrels, Cooper's hawks, and other raptors extensively. In this episode of Out There With the Birds, BWD editor Dawn Hewitt asks Professor Bird whether his name had anything to do with his career choice--as well about his lifetime of learning about birds.

Bird Watcher's Digest is PROUD to support the first event of its kind on October 17th and 18th--the GLOBAL BIRD WEEKEND. This event is open to everyone in the world, it's free of charge, and its purpose and mission is to raise awareness and engagement of birds and birders on every continent around the world. It's also a great opportunity to help raise funds that will be used to fight the illegal bird trade in Asia and around the world. Join BWD Publisher Wendy Clark along with Tim Appleton and Jim Lawrence from the UK to learn more about this exciting event, why it's happening, and how YOU can get involved!