10-15: Saving Birds to Save the Planet with Scott Weidensaul

The American Birding Podcast

naswick

Nature, Science, Hobbies, Leisure

4.7 • 677 Ratings

🗓️ 16 April 2026

⏱️ 59 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Scott Weidensaul is the author of nearly 30 books about birds, birding, and natural history. His latest is The Return of the Oystercatcher: Saving Birds to Save the Planet, a globe-trotting look at look at bird conservation successes from re-wilding efforts in England to vultures in Romania, to the puffins and plovers of North America. It is a soothing balm in this time of great anxiety about bird populations and a critical look at what still nees to be done. He joins host Nate Swick to talk about it all.

Also, we're coming up on The Biggest Week in American Birding! Nate will be there. Will you?

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Transcript

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0:00.0	With diverse landscapes and abundant wetlands, Louisiana is a haven for birds and a bucket list destination for bird watchers of all levels. From the majestic bald eagle soaring over the cypress swamps to the tricolored heron exploring the coastal estuaries of Grand Isle State Park, Louisiana boasts an incredible array of feathered friends. Whether you're a seasoned birder or a curious nature enthusiast just starting out,
0:25.1	Louisiana's birding scene promises an unforgettable adventure. So fine-tune your wish list and let your daydreams take flight. Learn more and start planning your visit at birding, Louisiana.com.
0:34.5	Hello and welcome to the American Birding podcast from the American Birding Association.
0:39.1	I am your host, Nate Swick. We are officially one month away from the biggest week in American
0:45.4	Birding up in Northeast Ohio. I am planning on attending along with a couple other ABA staffers.
0:51.4	We will not have a table set up this year. If you want ABA merch, you'll have to get it at the
0:56.8	ABA shop. But I will be helping out with some field trips. I have my schedule. It's a pretty good one.
1:02.3	Wide open. Not sure where I'll be for sure, but it will be a place with birds. If you are interested
1:07.9	in birding with me, I could share it. I'm not sure how kosher this is,
1:14.4	but I'm going to do the thing where it's easier to ask for forgiveness than permission.
1:18.6	So on May 12th, I will be doing two leaders choice vans with Alina Martin. Hi, Alina,
1:24.9	fellow North Carolina birder, so that'll be fun. And on May 13th, I will be doing an all-day
1:32.7	van with Carrie Warner and Ohio Burtr. There are two big day vans going out that day. I don't know
1:38.0	which one you sign up for. The schedule says I'm in the second van. So take your chances, I guess. We should be able to crack
1:46.0	a hundred pretty easy. I think I've done that on just a normal morning along the lake shore before.
1:50.9	I think 120, 140. It's a reasonable expectation for that trip. It's been a minute since I've done a
1:56.2	big day. And honestly, this is sort of a half a big day. But we should get lots of birds
2:00.0	regardless. So the 12th leader's choice, the 13th, big and honestly this is sort of a half a big day but we should get lots of birds regardless so the
2:02.2	12th leader's choice the 13th big day number two just putting it out there I should be wondering
2:08.5	around in the afternoons anyway we'll probably hit the boardwalk as well I will have a brown
2:12.5	aBA hat say hello there will be more reminders as we get closer. On to the show this week, though,
2:21.1	in a world full of bad bird news, sometimes it's useful to focus on the stuff that is working,
	...

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