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Slate Culture Feed

Working: A Bird-Watcher Welcomes More Into the Flock

Slate Culture Feed

Slate Podcasts

Arts, Music, Tv & Film

4.22K Ratings

🗓️ 2 April 2023

⏱️ 45 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

This week, host Karen Han talks to artist and ornithologist Isaiah Scott, whose popular Instagram account features vibrant photos, illustrations, and information about birds. In the interview, Isaiah talks about his process for organizing bird-watching hikes in his community and his mission to make bird-watching more welcoming. He also discusses the growing community of Black bird enthusiasts and his effort to bring more style and fun to the birding hobby.  After the interview, Karen and co-host June Thomas talk about the best ways to welcome newcomers into your field. They also discuss how to figure out boundaries for ambitious creative projects.  In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Isaiah shares more details about a field guide he’s designing.  Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to working@slate.com or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.   Podcast production by Cameron Drews.  __ Make an impact this Earth Month by helping Macy’s on their mission to bring more parks to more people across the country. Go to macys.com/purpose to learn more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

Hey, I haven't seen you since Starbucks after that festival. Oh, yeah, we need to hang out with the weather's good

0:06.2

This weekend shopping Saturday Sunday meals then lunch with Oscar next weekend

0:12.3

Thursday night we've topped in a month next Friday in a most bar thing. Oh another one

0:17.5

How about right now perfect Starbucks the new chocolate waffle cone frappuccino

0:24.4

Red my mind summer hits different with Starbucks subject to availability while stocks last

0:30.0

I

0:40.2

Feel like all those just preconceived notions of bird watching that you know

0:45.0

You have to be quiet and wear like camouflage clothing

0:48.8

Have to you know walk slowly like no the birds don't

0:54.2

Care about all those things

1:00.1

Welcome back to working. I'm your host June Thomas and I'm your other host Karen Han

1:06.1

Karen is so nice to see you again. Yeah, but I have to ask whose voice was that we heard at the top of the show

1:12.4

So that voice belongs to Isaiah Scott who is an ornithologist and birder

1:18.6

Interesting, so why did you want to speak with Isaiah?

1:22.0

Well, I first became aware of his work through his Instagram

1:26.1

Ixburting hikes and I just loved how enthusiastic he was about birding and the more that I learned about him the more that I learned

1:32.1

About his efforts to make bird watching which I think is stereotypically seen as a pretty stayed kind of hobby

1:37.8

Seem more accessible and fun. I

1:40.8

Love the idea of using social media to get people interested in birds and birding

1:46.2

And obviously only a very small number of people will actually be able to join Isaiah on one of his birding hikes

1:52.4

But it sounds like his Instagram feed is getting a lot of people all over the country to head out into the woods

1:58.9

What does he do to make birding attractive to more people?

...

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