The Thing with Feathers: birds and hope with Courtney Ellis

Presbyterian pastor Roy Howard is spending his retirement with and for the birds. From Peregrin Falcons to the birds of Ecuador to Gerard Manley Hopkins, Roy takes us on a delightful birding journey.

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SUNY Oswego Assistant Professor and Provost Dan Baldassarre brings us his wisdom on bird banding, the joy of teaching undergrads, Harpy Eagles, and which birds are the most badass.

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Madison resident Mary Gemignani spends her free time with Sandhill Cranes. Today we learn all about these leggy, gentle giants from a photographer who sees them through a lens of love.

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Ted Floyd has edited Birding Magazine for decades. He holds the longest consecutive birding streak in eBird and believes in the revitalizing power of getting out into nature daily. Plus: learn why Bushtits are so dang cool.

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Birding royalty Kenn Kaufman joins us to talk about drawing birds, the joy of being a beginner, and his new book The Birds That Audubon Missed.

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Author of over 30 children's books, Glenys Nellist believes in making space for children (and adults!) to live in wonder. We talk about her brand-new book Song of the Seasons, the differences between American Robins and their British cousins, and the comfort of mystery.

Plus: an original song about hope by Ephram Wilkoff.

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Essayist and storyteller Shemaiah Gonzalez brings us to her backyard in the Pacific Northwest for all the Starling/Blue Jay drama.

Plus, the hope of literature, the joys and struggles of parenthood, and where to find a Trumpeter Swan.

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Courtney talks to the Cape May Bird Observatory’s Program Coordinator, naturalist Adehl Schwaderer, about why counting birds is important, how to tell one raptor from another, why the Cape May Birding Festival is so rad (it really is!), and why vultures are the most elegant birds.

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Professional photographer Stu McClay Smith guides us through how to snap that perfect shot, what equipment we need to get started, and why cats (of all things!) are bringing him hope.

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Join us as we learn how much we can learn from backyard birds. Today on the show, Emma Greig joins us from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology to talk all things Project FeederWatch.

From the average number of backyard bird species (you'll be surprised!) to signing up for a free hawk poster, this informative episode is not to be missed.

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Orange County, California birder Kristen Johnson serves as a shepherd/pastor at an EFCA church in Fullerton. From southern California hotspots to birding as grief work to caring for singles in the church, this is a conversation not to be missed.

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Public health professional Andrew Walsh writes on the intersections between faith and science. Join us for a conversation ranging from West Nile virus to the multiverse.

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Professional podcaster Justin Gerhardt joins us to chat about other ways to identify birds, the joy of curiosity, and why the stories of the Old Testament keep him coming back.

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How can birds help us through the painful pieces of life? Roger Hutchison, author, illustrator, and speaker, serves at Palmer Memorial Episcopal Church in Houston, and came to us for a vibrant conversation about mental health, spirituality, birds, and hope.

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Sarah L. Sanderson is the author of The Place We Make: Breaking the Legacy of Legalized Hate. We talk birding in Cameroon, the glory of bald eagles, and what it means to face down hard histories and work for justice.

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Courtney's husband Daryl comes back to update us on his birding progress, chat about all things natural theology, and brings us the joy of a black-billed magpie.

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Anita Peebles believes that wonder and curiosity are holy practices, that studying the ecology of a community can be a fascinating practice, and that chickadees can be messengers.

Join us on this episode of The Thing With Feathers as we learn from this birding Baptist pastor.

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Poet Jody Collins has a way with words and a love for birds! Hear a few verses from her new book, "Mining the Bright Birds," and the story of our favorite fan mail yet on The Thing With Feathers.

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Carol Pope Gordon is a Midwesterner with an eye for capturing the whimsical world of birds. From goofy puffins to soaring osprey, she takes us on a journey into the world of birding photography.

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Tigers! Tragopans! Tea! Birder and photographer Mohit Mehta reminds us of how birds help us to be present in the moment as he shares the beauties of the birds of India.

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Laura Fabrycky is a theologian and birder interested in finding (and learning from!) the forgotten things. From female birds to female saints, we dive deep into the many intersections between the avian world and the world of faith.

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Ecologist Anuj Ghimire has PhD in Zoology with a focus on house sparrows. During his relatively short time in North Dakota he's seen over 500 owls. On today's episode of The Thing With Feathers, Anuj guides us through winter birding, the birds of the Dakotas and Minnesota, and the birds of Nepal.

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Author of Saints of Feather and Fang, Caryn Rivadeneira is a bird of prey aficionado who believes God plants reminders of grace and justice all around.

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NYT bestselling author Margaret Renkl takes us through her new book, The Comfort of Crows: A Backyard Year, why "we are not despairing creatures," her views on faith, where she's finding hope, and that story about the mouse in the pantry.

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BYU professor Steve Peck reminds us that faith and science need not be enemies.

From discovering birding later in life to the delight of curiosity to his book, Evolving Faith: Wanderings of a Mormon Biologist, Steve is a wise and winsome guest.

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Join teacher and nature journal guide Heather Lefebvre as we delve deep into a surprising spiritual practice.

Plus: bald eagles, eastern bluebirds, and reconnecting to the inner child.

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Birding guide Tiffany Kersten shares her harrowing story and how it started her on a mission to help birders create more safety in the field.

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Join birding guide Eugenio Garcia on a learning journey about the amazing birding biodiversity of his homeland, what makes a good guide, and the adventure of jungle birding.

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Courtney talks to Rebecca Heisman about her brilliant new book, Flight Paths, including all things migration: from the history of its human discovery, to what we have yet to learn, to the fun science behind bird backpacks and feather isotopes.

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Author of nearly a dozen nonfiction children's books, Annette Whipple has a knack for drawing people of all ages into wonder. On today's episode, Annette shares her love of owls, tips and tricks to connect with young readers, and how curiosity can be a powerful path toward hope.

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Courtney chats with Dave Conrad, director of the Wild Program at the University of Iowa and pastor of Genesis Church about bird-banding, the hawk that got away, and why leaning into the natural world can have profound consequences for our faith.

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In his 19-years of life, Jodhan Fine has served as an eBird regional reviewer for New Mexico, a co-compiler of NM's NAB regional reports, an author for ABA journals and Western Birds, and a Central New Mexico Audubon Society board member. This Occidental College student is passionate about all things birds and birding!

Jodhan and I talk all things birding, including words of wisdom for young and new birders, having a spark snake, and where he's finding hope as a budding scientist.

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Pastor and author of Consider the Birds, Debbie Blue joins us to talk about holy pigeons, being vulture apologists, and the fierceness of roosters. Together we travel from Genesis to Job to the Gospels, diving deep with the birds of the Bible and the kindness of God.

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Courtney talks to children's book author Jessica Whipple about her new book - I Think I Think a Lot - and the many lessons birds have to teach us about mental health. Plus: flurries of snow geese, the delight of ruby-throated hummingbirds, and holding onto hope that makes a difference right now.

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Courtney chats with the man behind The Inept Birder, freelance writer Karl Mechem, on the gift of birding (even when we do it badly!).

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Author of over twenty books, Patsy Clairmont is a lover of beauty, birds, and words. On today's episode, Patsy shares from her deep well of wisdom on where hope can be found, even in the throes of life's deepest griefs.

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Aarik Danielsen is an essayist, poet, and pop-culture journalist in middle America. Join us for a journey through birds in songs, from Sheryl Crow to the Beatles Blackbird. BONUS: Check out the curated Spotify playlist Aarik made just for us!

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Come learn from one of the most fabulous bird photographers out there - Jocelyn Anderson! From the woods and marshes of Michigan to perseverance in craft, we talk all things birds and hope.

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Courtney talks to author Aaric Eisenstein about his books of birding wisdom, his Jewish faith, and finding hope through interfaith dialogue.

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Let's count some birds! Join Jenna Curtis from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and Elaine Chen from the New York Times to learn about this important project, how you can help, and what they hope to learn.

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Courtney speaks with Kyle Meyaard-Schaap, an advocate for creation care who came to environmentalism through his faith. (Turns out it needn't be a partisan political issue! Who knew?) Learn where he's finding hope amidst some alarming climate news, small steps we can each take to live more gently on the earth, how to talk to friends and neighbors about stewardship, and the role of curiosity in tethering us to one another.

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Courtney speaks with Nate Swick, digital content manager for the American Birding Association. Hear what first got him into birding, making a living with birds, the birds of Colombia, and what's coming up for the ABA. Plus: have you ever seen a yellow-breasted chat?

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Courtney speaks with Traci Rhoads about her hope of finding middle ground with those who hold different viewpoints, her book Shaky Ground, and the joy of Michigan's cardinals.

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Courtney talks to Portland-based acquisitions editor and author Paul Pastor, author of Bower Lodge: Poems and The Listening Day about surprising places to find hope, the importance of untamed spaces, and avian nature of hope.

Plus: the most charming Stellar's jay story you'll ever encounter.

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Courtney talks to Wisconsin birder Molly Jasinski about how the grace of backyard birds when you're stuck indoors, the beauty of cardinals, the delight of birding photos, and why tufted titmice seem straight out of the mind of Disney.

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Courtney learns from Birding Magazine's Frank Izaguirre about what makes a good bird book, his work with Birding Magazine and the American Birding Association, and the joy inherent within different seasons of birding

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Courtney talks to Jason Myers about his new poetry collection, Maker of Heaven &, the organization Eco Theo Collective, spark birds, celebrating wonder, and who should get to enjoy beauty. (Hint: it's all of us.)

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Courtney talks to Bob Bell about how birding gave him a new lease on life in the midst of a fraught diagnosis, difficult illness, and early retirement. The connections between birding and hope for those suffering from acute or chronic illness.

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Co-founder of Field Inclusive, Lauren Pharr, on the importance of increasing access to the natural world to everyone. Plus: the beauty and fascination of the red-cockaded woodpecker.

Links from Lauren's show