The Mindful Birding Podcast

The Mindful Birding Podcast with Holly Merker & Holly Thomas

The Mindful Birding Podcast – Cultivating the health benefits and joy of Mindful Birding

Join co-hosts Holly Merker and Holly Thomas, along with other voices of the Mindful Birding Network and beyond, as we explore topics surrounding the practice of Mindful Birding.
Episodes will delve into this style of observation, which pairs together elements of mindfulness and birding, amplifying the personal wellness benefits of both. Here, you’ll find episodes featuring insights into Mindful Birding from people around the globe, science segments, author interviews, tips for enhancing your Mindful Birding practice, plus a spotlight on the joy of birdsong.

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Top 10 The Mindful Birding Podcast Episodes

Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best The Mindful Birding Podcast episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to The Mindful Birding Podcast for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite The Mindful Birding Podcast episode by adding your comments to the episode page.

Episode 15: Hope, Healing, and Mindful Birding with Therapist Pamela Lowell

The Mindful Birding Podcast

05/20/24 • 44 min

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In this episode, Holly and Holly spend time talking with trauma therapist, artist, and author Pamela Lowell, and how Mindful Birding and time spent connecting with birds and nature can be an effective therapeutic vehicle not only for human wellbeing, but also for the wellbeing of our planet.
Find Pamela's book My Summer with Ospreys here
Holly Merker offers a quote by the Tao te Ching

Holly Thomas shares how a pause can bring us into the present moment, and how this can help guide us in Mindful Birding and in life. In this segment, Holly quotes Tara Brach's - The Sacred Pause, and reads the poem called "The Clearing" by by Martha Postlethwaite, from her book Addiction and Recovery: A spiritual pilgrimage
In our Joy of Birdsong segment, Holly Thomas shares the song of the Black-chinned Sparrow she encounters in New Mexico.

Intro music: “Inspired by Nature” by PlayAgain
Intro Birdsong & Clips throughout : Western Meadowlark
Outro music: “Inspired by Nature” by PlayAgain
Outro Birdsong: Eastern Meadowlark
Mindful Birding Network Website
Instagram: @mindfulbirdingnetwork
Produced by Co-hosts Holly Merker and Holly Thomas

Episode 20: Mindful Birding for Mental Health & Self-compassion: Good birds, good birders and FOMO

The Mindful Birding Podcast

10/21/24 • 40 min

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Do you often hear the question: “See anything good?” while birding?

In this episode we discuss this question and tease apart the idea of “what is a good bird”, what is a “good birder”, and how sometimes these questions might allow self-judgement to surface, and how these questions relate to both our mental health and self-compassion.

We also bring up the fear of missing out, and how this may also influence our mental wellbeing in the context of birding. Link to Bird Diva blog on Fomo

In the Mindful Birding Nerding science segment, Holly Thomas shares how self-compassion can enhance our experiences with birds.
Links: Dr. Kristin Neff

Balanced Minds : Comparison vs Compassion

Thich Nhat Hahn’s writing provides prompts on how to replace negative energy and mindful birding could be a good way to address that negative energy if it surfaces for us.

Reading suggestions:

Dawn Songs edited by Jamie K. Reaser and J. Drew Lanham

Mary Oliver’s Owl’s And Other Fantasies

J.Drew Lanham’s Sparrow Envy

The Joy of Birdsong segment features birds recorded from Acadia National Park’s Schoodic Peninsula

Episode 21: Gratitude for Birds II

The Mindful Birding Podcast

11/23/24 • 46 min

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In this episode, we honor gratitude for wild birds, by playing voices of gratitude from around the world, which some of our listeners and network members have offered. We thank all that have contributed and those of you who listen!
You will hear the voices of:

Arax, United Kingdom

Don Boyd, New Mexico

Pamela Lowell, Massachusetts

Pam Kolber-Zicca, New York

Mary, Colorado

Holly Thomas, New Mexico

Dave Edson, Massachusetts

Jo, California

Laurel, Michigan

Holly Merker, Pennsylvania

Julie, Maryland

Susan Preston, New Mexico

Jack Bruce, Georgia

Amanda Booher, South Dakota

Lindsay McNamara, New Jersey

Anne, Pennsylvania

Poem by Mary Oliver: “With Thanks to the Field Sparrow”

In the Mindful Birding Nerding segment: Holly Thomas explores the science of gratitude and joy

Spending Money on Others Promotes Happiness https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.1150952

A neural link between generosity and happiness

https://www.nature.com/articles/ncomms15964

In the Joy of Birdsong segment, Chris Benesh is back with the song of a Horned Lark recorded in Oaxaca, Mexico

Episode 8 : Self-sustainability & Nature with Sophie Crossley

The Mindful Birding Podcast

09/25/23 • 33 min

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In this episode, Holly & Holly discuss ideas surrounding self-sustainability,through birds and nature with author Sophie Crossley, who works for Work in Mind a UK based organization dedicated to the connection between healthy buildings and workplace wellbeing, where there’s a strong focus on biophilic design or incorporating elements of nature into our work and living spaces for the wellness benefits.

In our Mindful Birding Nerding segment, Holly Thomas explores the book Blue Mind, by Wallace J. Nichols, and some of the take-aways from the book, and why and how we can benefit from spending time around water.

Holly Thomas shares a quote by Alan Watts from his book The Way of Zen.

Chris Benesh shares a soundscape of the beautiful song of Hermit Thrush, recorded in California in the Joy of Birdsong segment. https://fieldguides.com/guides/chris-benesh/
Other links:
Forest Therapy
Association of Nature and Forest Therapy
Forest Therapy Hub
BBC's Suprising Benefits of Blue Spaces

Episode 7: Birding Through Grief and Loss

The Mindful Birding Podcast

08/23/23 • 24 min

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This episode of the Mindful Birding Podcast is dedicated in loving memory of our friend Tom Johnson.
In this episode, we explore how birds and birding play an important part in the grieving process that we all experience in our lives.
We hear personal stories from Dr. Ed Pullen, creator and host of the Bird Banter Podcast, as he shares how birding was a helpful distraction in finding respite in coping with care-taking and deep loss.
Liz Pettit shares a story of how birds and birding helps in healing of her heart, after experiencing the loss of her son.
Her book Unimaginable is providing hope and comfort to many people.
The American Poet Mary Oliver's reflective poem
Starlings in Winter offers hope and inspires us to seek wonder in both the ordinary and the impossible. Holly Merker reflects on the spirituality and significance particular birds play after loss, particularly the Northern Cardinal.
Holly Thomas guides us through a reflective meditation for those we love, and offers tribute to a beloved friend of both of your co-hosts, as we honor the memory of extraordinary birder and person, Tom Johnson.
In our Joy of Birding segment with Chris Benesh, Chris reflects on how birds have soothed him amidst grief, especially in the loss of dear friend and colleague, Tom Johnson, AKA "The Albatross". Chris shares an intriguing and moving recording of Southern Royal Albatrosses made in Campbell Island of New Zealand.

Episode 5: Mindful Birding is for Everyone

The Mindful Birding Podcast

06/18/23 • 22 min

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In this episode, we share why Mindful Birding is truly for everyone, and how Mindful Birding is gaining a wider awareness as a style of birding within the birding community, as larger birding festivals give a nod by featuring programming and offering Keynotes surrounding this style of birding.

Holly Thomas explores the wide welcome Mindful Birding offers for all people, and how to bring mindfulness into any birding style that you love, or bring mindfulness to a new style of birding that you would like to explore.

Holly Merker chats with Bridget Butler, AKA the BirdDiva, about their recent experiences at The Biggest Week in American Birding festival, and how Mindful Birding played a role in both the programming and in birding styles at this enormously popular event.

In our Mindful Birding Nerding science segment, Holly Thomas explains “Doc Log” as a form of medicine and covers the “Doses of Neighborhood Nature: The Benefits of Health of Living with Nature” and what health benefits we are receiving from time in nature, and what we miss when we don’t have that time.

Is Winnie the Pooh a Mindful Birder? Holly Merker reads an excerpt from the book “The Tao of Pooh: The principles of Taoism demonstrated by Winnie-the Pooh” by Benjamin Hoff, that gives you the answer.

Chris Benesh takes us to Ulva Island, New Zealand to experience the sounds of the New Zealand Bellbird as it transports you back in time.
Other links from this episode:
The Art of Mindful Birdwatching by Claire Thompson
Southeast Arizona Birding Festival
Freya McGregor
Article: Why Birds and Their Songs are Good for Our Mental Health by R. Sima

Episode 27: Inspire, Learn, & Activate: Takeaways from a Nature & Health Conference

The Mindful Birding Podcast

05/19/25 • 51 min

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In this episode, we recap the Nature and Health Conference held in Houston, Texas by the Nature and Health Alliance, and share our takeaways of inspiration, learning, and activation propeling the initiatives of nature -based health initiatives within the frame of Mindful Birding.

We discuss the work of Dr. Nalini Nadkarni, and an international award-winning and inspirational documentary featuring experiences of her life called Between Earth and Sky

We learned from some inspiring leaders in the field of nature prescriptions and therapeutic outdoor experiences, including (and there are many more!):

Campus Nature Rx Network

REI Cooperative Action Fund

Blue Sky Funders Forum

In our "Mindful Birding Nerding" Science Segment, Holly Thomas shares a study examining the power of outdoor MBSR practice, and explores the power of story woven in, posing prompts for you to consider in your own practice.

For the Joy of Birdsong, Holly Merker shares an audio clip of chorus of the American Robin recorded in Pennsylvania.

Episode 4: The Power of Birdwatching with Dr. Angelika Nelson

The Mindful Birding Podcast

05/17/23 • 36 min

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In this episode, Holly & Holly wing their way across the Atlantic to visit with Dr. Angelika Nelson an acoustic ornithologist who works for the LBV (Landesbundfür Vogel- und Naturschutz ) in Germany, and the lead author of the new book “The Power of Birdwatching” (Freya, 2023). Angelika shares how birds can teach us life-lessons and be a positive distraction in our daily lives, along with insight into why birdsong makes us feel so good.

Recordist Beatrix Saadi-Varchmin’s Blue Tit and Common Nightingale songs are featured in accompaniment of Angelika’s interview. Learn more about Beatrix here: https://vogelgetwitter.de/

Our Mindful Birding Nerding Science Segment Dr. Holly Thomas explores a European study that measures life satisfaction and analyzes the correlation between life satisfaction and living around bird diversity. This study found a correlation of life satisfaction and bird diversity that were on the same scale as life satisfaction and income. Listen to learn more!

Holly Thomas quotes Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring for words of inspiration.

Listen to the bird heard singing which prompted recordist Chris Benesh drop everything he was working on, to give the song his full attention in our Joy of Birdsong segment.

Episode 10: Gratitude for Birds

The Mindful Birding Podcast

11/23/23 • 31 min

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In this episode of the mindful birding podcast, we are exploring gratitude and how practicing gratitude for birds can deepen our relationships with them and the world around us.

We asked our listeners and Mindful Birding Network members to share their own gratitude for birds, and why they were thankful for birds in their lives.

We thank the following people for sharing their gratitude for birds with us:

Jo from California, Marta from Panama, Amanda, Holly from Las Cruces, NM, Marge from Las Cruces, NM, Melissa from British Columbia, Candi Lynn, Joan from Seattle, Barb from NC, Alex from Las Vegas, NV, Jenn from Panama, Whitney from Indiana, Seth from Maine.

In our Mindful Birding Nerding, Holly Thomas covers the science of Gratitude and features the work of Robert Emmons which demonstrates why practicing gratitude is beneficial to our wellbeing. A powerul a quote from an article by Scott Weidensaul illustrates the magic that birds hold for us.

Holly Merker shares the poem “Daily Thanksgiving” inspired by the “Great Thanksgiving Address”, or the Daily Thanksgiving of the Onondaga Nation and Haudenosunee Confederacy, indigenous peoples of New York state. To learn more about the Great Thanksgiving watch this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5uDMS-5JeEo&t=6s

In the Joy of Birdsong, Chris Benesh shares gratitude for his dad, who inspired his passion for nature and birds. Chris invites us to experience an audio souvenir of a very special trip to Belize he took with his dad prior to his death. You’ll hear sounds from Melodious Blackbird, Short-billed Pigeon, House Wren, Masked Tityra, Yellow-bellied Elaenia, Boat-billed Flycatcher, Social Flycatcher, Mayan Antthrush, and Rose-throated Becard.

Episode 17 Mindful Birding: Sit Spots, Festivals, & Retreats

The Mindful Birding Podcast

07/30/24 • 41 min

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In this episode, Holly and Holly discuss locations and sites we consider optimal for Mindful Birding group outings, and highlight why sitting in one spot, or Sit Spots, can offer rewards and unexpected surprises.

We discuss why we feel Mindful Birding is gaining more traction, and how Mindful Birding experiences can intersect other interests, such as poetry, fine arts, yoga, nature journaling, mothing, and forest bathing.

Check out artist Debra Ramsay and her show Flying Colors at the Hunterdon Art Museum in New Jersey, and our collaborative event pairing Debra’s work with Mindful Birding

FAQ

How many episodes does The Mindful Birding Podcast have?

The Mindful Birding Podcast currently has 27 episodes available.

What topics does The Mindful Birding Podcast cover?

The podcast is about Health & Fitness, Mental Health, Wellness, Nature, Podcasts, Science, Birding and Mindfulness.

What is the most popular episode on The Mindful Birding Podcast?

The episode title 'Episode 16: Mindful Birding - Your Questions Answered Part II' is the most popular.

What is the average episode length on The Mindful Birding Podcast?

The average episode length on The Mindful Birding Podcast is 36 minutes.

How often are episodes of The Mindful Birding Podcast released?

Episodes of The Mindful Birding Podcast are typically released every 29 days, 21 hours.

When was the first episode of The Mindful Birding Podcast?

The first episode of The Mindful Birding Podcast was released on Mar 28, 2023.

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The Mindful Birding Podcast

The Mindful Birding Podcast with Holly Merker & Holly Thomas

Top 10 The Mindful Birding Podcast Episodes

FAQ

How many episodes does The Mindful Birding Podcast have?

What topics does The Mindful Birding Podcast cover?

What is the most popular episode on The Mindful Birding Podcast?

What is the average episode length on The Mindful Birding Podcast?

How often are episodes of The Mindful Birding Podcast released?

When was the first episode of The Mindful Birding Podcast?

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