Episode 78: Birding 101

Do you consider yourself a bird watcher? Or are you actually a birder? If you want to know the difference, listen to Author and Master Gardener Volunteer Kathryn Schneider on Nature Calls: Conversations from the Hudson Valley. This episode is all about birds. She provides an overview on essential tools for anyone interested in learning more about our feathered friends that you can find throughout New York State.

Binoculars are extremely helpful in bird identification. However, many people don’t know what they should look for in a pair of binoculars that are best suited for bird watching. Kathryn provides some tips, including where to get the best prices for a pair of binoculars. She also provides clues to help with bird identification including their size, shape, location and even their feet!

Are there advantages of a field guide versus a phone app? As is typical, it all depends on where you are and what you want to discover. Kathryn recommends an app that was developed by Cornell University, and helps to identify birds by their color, shape and even their songs. This one is popular with many Master Gardeners.

She closes out this discussion talking about the critical importance of food for birds’ survival and how you can help. Expand your bird watching horizons with this latest podcast episode.

Hosts: Tim Kennelty and Jean Thomas

Guest: Kathryn Schneider

Photo by: Tim Kennelty

Production Support: Linda Aydlett, Teresa Golden, Annie Scibienski

Resources

Cornell: All About Birds (Cornell); Merlin Bird ID App

Last updated July 21, 2023