A Year for the Birds: 2023 highlights from across Canada

12/18/23 • 37 min

1 Listener

From British Columbia to Newfoundland, and everywhere in between...join Yousif Attia, Jared Clarke, and Andrea Gress, as they discuss some of the biggest birding news from 2023. Learn about how Red Crossbills might be more mysterious than you realize, hear their takes on Bird Names for Birds, and marvel over some of the best rare bird sightings of the year.
Follow Jared's birding adventures on Instagram, or hop on one of his tours through Bird•The•Rock!
Support the podcast! Your gift helps keep the podcast running, and supports bird conservation!
Jared Clarke grew up on the northeast coast of Newfoundland and was introduced to the outdoors at a very young age, mostly by his grandfathers. He discovered birds & birding while working for a local conservation group and never looked back. Despite his “official” training as a health researcher (Ph.D. Medicine), his love of nature and sharing it with others increasingly led him astray. He currently runs a small bird and nature tour business, called Bird•The•Rock, and routinely leads trips at home and abroad for various tour companies.

Yousif Attia grew up chasing birds and exploring the wilds of central and southern Alberta since he and his family immigrated to Edmonton when he was four years old. After moving around the country, he is now settled on the Fraser Estuary on the West Coast of BC. Yousif has worn many hats at Birds Canada, including work on species-at-risk in southern Ontario, field surveys in the boreal including the Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas-2, and overseeing the Long Point Bird Observatory where he became a North American Banding Council certified trainer. Yousif is now part of a team at Birds Canada that leads the Christmas Bird Count and eBird in Canada, and he manages the Birds Canada website and media library. Follow Yousif at @biophylia

Andrea Gress (she/her) secretly thinks Piping Plovers are better than all the other birds...studied Renewable Resource Management at the University of Saskatchewan. She pivoted towards birds, after an internship in South Africa. Upon returning, she worked with Piping Plovers in Saskatchewan and now coordinates the Ontario Piping Plover Program for Birds Canada.

Previous Episode

The Wake-up Call: Black Swift

Join Black Swift researchers on a journey through the forest to find one of the most elusive species in Canada....will they succeed?
As Black Swift populations decline, the crews at Birds Canada strive to understand the whole picture, and find ways that we can all help these aerial insectivores. In this episode you'll learn all about Black Swifts, and also glimpse into the lives of wildlife researchers.
To continue learning, and see incredible footage of Black Swifts, check out our short video, Of Waterfalls and Wings - Surveying for the Mysterious Black Swift.
In 2022 the team recorded the first instance of a Black Swift colony with multiple active nests in coastal B.C. Read more about that exciting finding here!
Rémi Torrenta has always had a passion for wildlife and birds. He obtained a MSc in Ecology in the south of France, and then a PhD at Université de Moncton, NB. After 8 years of work experience with forest birds in eastern Canada, he has been the BC Projects Coordinator for Birds Canada since 2021. Remi delivers Citizen Science programs, as well as various Species at Risk research and monitoring projects, and outreach and education programs in western Canada.
Lindsay Lalach grew up in the Southern Interior of BC and developed a deep appreciation of biodiversity and wildlife. She completed a degree in environmental studies and geography from the University of Victoria and is passionate about Species at Risk. Lindsay is currently completing her Masters degree at Simon Fraser University.
Eve Kenny was the Conservation Area Interpreter for Birds Canada during the summer of 2023, and has been lucky enough to have spent time birding in New Zealand, Ireland, and Japan! She was thrilled to be a part of the Black Swift surveying efforts, and encourages everyone to learn more about this remarkable bird.
Kris Cu grew up in the bustling city of Manila, Philippines and often watched the Pied Fantails forage around the neighbour’s garden. Upon moving to Canada, he completed a Biological Sciences degree from Simon Fraser University and has embarked on numerous science communication roles. Currently, he supports the Birds Canada team through photography, videography, social media, outreach and connecting minority communities to birds and the natural world.
Andrea Gress (she/her) secretly thinks Piping Plovers are better than all the other birds...studied Renewable Resource Management at the University of Saskatchewan. She pivoted towards birds, after an internship in South Africa. Upon returning, she worked with Piping Plovers in Saskatchewan and now coordinates the Ontario Piping Plover Program for Birds Canada.

Next Episode

How do birds survive the extremes of winter?!

Brrrr! A polar vortex is chilling western Canada while the east is being battered by snowy winter storms! Yet, we can still see birds out the window...how do they do it?
In this bonus episode you'll learn how tough birds really are, plus get some tips to help the winter birds near you!
Join Project FeederWatch today! It's the perfect winter activity. Plus your data contributes to bird conservation.
Keep those feeders clean! Get some easy, helpful tips here.
Jody Allair is an avid birder and naturalist who enjoys sharing his enthusiasm for the natural world. He is the Director of Community Engagement at Birds Canada, a producer of this podcast, and has written numerous articles on birds, birding and connecting with nature. You can find him on Twitter and Instagram at @JodyAllair.
Andrea Gress (she/her) secretly thinks Piping Plovers are better than all the other birds...studied Renewable Resource Management at the University of Saskatchewan. She pivoted towards birds, after an internship in South Africa. Upon returning, she worked with Piping Plovers in Saskatchewan and now coordinates the Ontario Piping Plover Program for Birds Canada.