03-03: Birding and the Border Wall with Tiffany Kersten

The American Birding Podcast

naswick

Science, Birding, Hobbies, Travel, Birdwatching, Leisure, Aba, Ornithology, Nature, Birds

4.7 • 632 Ratings

🗓️ 7 February 2019

⏱️ 37 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

The Lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas is one of the most special places in the ABA Area for birders and naturalists, hosting some exceptional species and some iconic birding locations. It’s why so many birders have watched the politics around the proposed construction of a border wall in the Valley so closely and why we, along with many other stakeholders, have mobilized to protect those places. One of those on the forefront has been Tiffany Kersten, a biologist, educator, and board member of Friends of the Wildlife Corridor. Her article "Walling Off Wildlife" was published last year in the Birder’s Guide to Conservation and Community. She joins host Nate Swick to talk about birding around a border wall, and the current state of affairs in South Texas.

Resources that Tiffany mentions in the interview include the No Border Wall Facebook page and and Valley Green Space Resistance Kit.

Also, a eulogy for a Great Black Hawk. The song by Troy R. Bennett that plays at the end can be found here.

Come join the ABA in Colombia this summer!

Transcript

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0:00.0	Burning means adventure, and the American Birding Association and Rockjumper Worldwide birding tours are at it again.
0:06.0	In July of 2019, we will explore Colombia, the ultimate paradise for birders with almost 2,000 species,
0:12.0	including more hummingbird species than any other country.
0:15.0	We're excited to gather again to see our friends while also raising important funds for the ABA's conservation and community
0:21.8	initiatives. Pre-register now for what is certain to be an amazing time. Tanagers, parrots, ant pittas,
0:28.7	and the ABA family await you a short flight away. Get more information at ABA.org
0:34.5	slash travel.
0:40.4	Well, welcome to another episode of the American Birding Podcast
0:43.5	from the American Birding Association.
0:45.4	I, as almost always, am your host, Nate Swick.
0:49.6	I wanted to start this episode with a, I don't know,
0:53.1	a slightly more somber tone than I usually take.
0:56.2	If you're a fan of birding podcasts, you probably know Bill Thompson III.
1:01.5	He is the host of this birding life and out there with the birds with Ben Lizdas.
1:05.9	He is a well-known author, speaker, magazine editor.
1:09.7	He's very much a birding bon vivant. He has actually been a
1:14.5	guest a couple times here on the American Birding podcast. Those are always a lot of fun. If you
1:19.9	listen to this burning life, you know that in the last episode Bill shares that he is dealing with a
1:25.8	health crisis. He was recently diagnosed with
1:29.6	pancreatic cancer. If you're not aware, well, first, I'm sorry you had to hear it from me,
1:34.5	but also consider that a recommendation to listen to the back catalog of both of those podcasts
1:39.3	will worth your time. I can't claim to know Bill better or even as well as many on the ABA staff. I would
	...

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