The Casual Birder Podcast
by Suzy Buttress
Suzy shares the joy of watching wild birds, from her garden visitors in southern England to birds seen internationally.Learn how to identify species, notice their behaviours, and recognize songs and calls.Join Suzy for recorded bird outings, interviews with experts and enthusiasts, and stories from birders around the world.Suzy says: "Birding is a great pastime. It can be done with others or alone. You don't need expensive equipment, your eyes or ears are enough. And best of all, the Casual Birder can do as much or as little birding as suits them. It's perfect for fitting into our busy schedules." Find Suzy on Twitter @CasualBirderPod
Episodes
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Remembering Bill Oddie - with Stephen Moss
Bill Oddie has sadly passed away. He was a well-loved birder, conservationist, author and entertainer. He also presented popular wildlife series such as Birding with Bill Oddie and Springwatch, and was respected by birders for his knowledge and expertise. Stephen Moss produced many of Bill's...
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Global BirdFair 2026
Another amazing Global BirdFair has finished and Suzy speaks with a selection of presenters, podcasters and attendees about their experience of this awesome event: Jamie Ward and Amy Squire speak about their presentation on capture methods for bird ringing (banding) George Cuckoo talks on his...
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Birding Diary - February 2026
Suzy is joined by her husband John to review their birding experiences from February 2026. From trying to spot a Snow Goose amongst a flock of Whooper Swans (in a blizzard!) to seeing Spoonbills and Slavonian Grebes on a cold rainy day, their experiences highlight the realities of birding in...
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Mary Colwell: A love of Nature, a passion for Curlews
Suzy speaks with Mary Colwell, founder of Curlew Action, who describes her fascination with Curlews, and the need for urgent conservation to reverse their population decline in the UK. Advocating an approach that engages with policymakers, farmers, and field workers, Mary emphasizes the need for...
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Birding Diary - January 2026
Suzy is joined by her husband John to review their birding experiences from January 2026, covering winter birding in Norfolk, and coastal birding in Hampshire, UK. They each saw over 100 bird species including two lifers (birds they had never seen before): a Taiga Bean Goose and a Killdeer. See…
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Dale Forbes - Drawing inspiration from the natural world
Dale Forbes shares his passion for nature, how he is inspired by soundscapes, and his fascination with how habitats define the birds found there. He also tells us how he would spend his fantasy birding day. Dale is the Head of Marketing Strategy & Insight at Swarovski Optik, is a member of…
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Great Bustards, Grey Partridge and Quail, Oh My!
Join me as I recount my recent birding adventure in Wiltshire and Hampshire. From impressive Great Bustards to the elusive Common Quail and the unexpected Grey Partridges, our weekend was filled with unforgettable moments. We share the excitement, challenges, and pure joy of birding in the...
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Focus on Birders: Amy Squire
Amy Squire is a passionate young birder and conservationist who has grown up exploring the wild spaces of Hampshire. With a childhood spent outdoors, Amy quickly became fascinated by all aspects of nature, but birds really captured her imagination. Amy combines her interest in field observation...
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Global BirdFair 2025
Global BirdFair has wrapped up for another year, and Suzy shares her experiences of this incredible festival of nature. The inspiring talks, interactive events, and vibrant community atmosphere made this year's event truly unforgettable (despite the searing heat)! To capture the essence of the...
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Simon King: A lifelong love of nature
The celebrated naturalist and professional filmmaker, Simon King, recounts how he turned his childhood interest in wildlife into a successful career. Whilst he has travelled the world to bring us film of incredible wildlife encounters, Simon stresses the importance of local conservation efforts…
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Dr Ed Pullen - The Bird Banter Podcast
Suzy is joined by Dr Ed Pullen, a former family doctor turned keen birder and podcast host. During a trip to the Everglades with his late wife Kay, Ed found himself fascinated by the birds they saw. That trip led to a lifelong love of birding. Ed shares his evolving approach to birding, which now...
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Birding Diary - February 2025
In this month's birding catch-up, Suzy chats with her husband John about the birds they saw in February. After a slower start to the year thanks to a holiday abroad, they were keen to get back out birding and boost their 2025 bird list. The conversation delves into the sites they visited, their…
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Birding in Peru - Rob Williams
Conservationist and bird guide Rob Williams shares the wonder of birding in Peru. From the coastal deserts to the Amazon Basin, Rob highlights the diverse habitats that are home to over 1800 bird species. Rob also shares how he would spend a fantasy birding day. Recorded live at Global BirdFair...
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Celebrating Women Birders
For International Women's Day 2025 we hear from women birders from around the world. They share the motivations behind their birding passion and provide insights into the impact of birdwatching on personal well-being. Participants: Emily, Nish, Sarah, Colette, Charlie - UK Kristina - Germany…
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In search of Hen Harriers at Wicken Fen - with Ajay Tegala
Suzy takes a late afternoon walk with conservationist and author Ajay Tegala at Wicken Fen nature reserve in Cambridgeshire. As they sit in a hide waiting to see Marsh and Hen Harriers coming in to roost, Ajay shares the captivating diversity of wildlife he encounters in his work, and the...
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Sharing the beauty of Nature - Faraaz Abdool
Faraaz Abdool is a published wildlife photographer, writer, and international tour guide. Hailing from Trinidad and Tobago, Faraaz's deep connection to nature led him to shift from a career in engineering to focus on wildlife and habitat preservation. His book 'Casual Birding in Trinidad and...
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Birding diary - January 2025
Episode Notes Suzy reviews her birding experiences from January 2025, starting with the final week of an epic vacation to Australia! Back in the UK Suzy joined a local RSPB outing and went to the New Forest with the Ladybirder sub-group of the Hampshire Ornithlogical Society (HOS). While in the…
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The binoculars that inspired a community in Ecuador #133
Host Suzy speaks with Sandra Morocho (Birdwatchers of Quijos Valley, Ecuador) and Michaela Leeb (Swarovski-Optik). Sandra lives in the cloud forest on the eastern slopes of the Andes in Ecuador. In 2014 she won a pair of binoculars in the Digiscoper of the Year competition run by Swarovski-Optik....
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The power of finding your community - Stephen Moss
Naturalist, author and broadcaster Stephen Moss joins Suzy in a wide-ranging conversation covering the importance of supporting younger members of the wildlife community, recovery from serious illness and the challenges of making individual efforts to mitigate the biodiversity crisis. Recorded…
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A passion for wildlife - Mike Dilger
Ecologist, writer, and wildlife presenter Mike Dilger is a familiar face from his appearances on popular shows such as BBC's The One Show and Springwatch. With a lifelong passion for plants, insects, and birds, Mike has dedicated his career to studying and understanding wildlife. His extensive...
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Aren't birds brilliant? Alan Davies and Ruth Miller
Alan Davis and Ruth Miller are passionate birders. In 2008 they gave up their jobs and sold everything to embark on an epic year-long quest to see and hear as many bird species as possible. After many adventures, on a journey taking them around the world, their final total was an amazing 4341...
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Passion & innovation in bird feeder design - with Finches Friend #129
Dick and Andrew Woods, who operate the family business behind Finches Friend bird feeders, prioritise the health of garden birds in the design of their products. A passionate designer, Dick set out to revolutionise bird feeding practices by confronting the disease and contamination risks that…
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Casual birding in Panama City #128
John and Suzy share their first experiences with the stunning birds of Panama City, and we hear from Edwin, their professional guide, who took them birding in the Metropolitan Nature Park. Links Sign up to our Team for the October Big Day Fundraiser for BirdLife International Past Episode Past...
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Slow birding: the practice of mindful observation with Bridget Butler #127
Bridget Butler, also known as the Bird Diva, did not originally have a passion for birds. But seeing an Indigo Bunting one morning sparked her birding interest. Finding support and encouragement in the Vermont birding community Bridget developed an interest in slow birding. Bridget encourages the...
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Collaborative leadership in conservation - Beccy Speight & Patricia Zurita #126
Beccy Speight (Chief Executive of the RSPB) and Patricia Zurita (former CEO of BirdLife International and now Chief Strategy Officer of Conservation International) join Suzy to share their insight on changing perceptions and overcoming challenges as women in the conservation community. And we…
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Focus on Birders: Chiara Talia #125
Chiara Talia's gorgeous photographs, along with her tips on how to improve at both birding and bird photography, make her Instagram account a must for everyone's feed. In this episode, Chiara tells Suzy how a walk in the park, and a chance encounter with a European Robin, led to a passion for…
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Focus on Birders: Mel Shepherd-Wells #124
Long-time birder, Mel Shepherd-Wells, joins Suzy in a delightful chat about his birding adventures, and shares some top tips applicable to all birders. Links: The Casual Birder Bird Club - sign up The UK Wildlife Podcast Support the Show - Buy me a virtual coffee on Ko-Fi.com The Casual Birder...
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Global Birdfair 2023 #123
A mini episode about the wonderful time that was had at Global BirdFair 2023, where Suzy spent time with other wildlife podcasters, interviewed amazing guests and met people passionate about the natural world. There is also news on what to expect in upcoming episodes of The Casual Birder Podcast....
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Suzy in Portugal & Global Big Day News #122
Suzy shares some of her bird experiences while on vacation in Portugal, and tells how you can join our team for the Global Big Day - an important and exciting event in the birding calendar! On the Global Big Day people around the world will go birding and then upload their checklists to eBird. In...
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Trip Report: RSPB Nagshead with Anneke #121
On a pre-birthday outing, Anneke (from the show's FaceBook group) joins Suzy and her husband John for a day's birding at RSPB Nagshead in Gloucestershire. The woods are alive with birds singing, engaging in courtship displays, and building nests. Anneke and Suzy share their bird encounters from…
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Spring is here! #120
Suzy is back! In this episode, she shares her recent birding experiences and encounters with fellow enthusiasts, and the excitement of watching nesting Blue Tits, characterful Rooks and some unexpected Grey Wagtails. Suzy also announces the launch of the Casual Birder Bird Club, and invites...
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Food, Feet and Faeces: the key to keeping our garden birds healthy #119
Finches Friend founder Dick Woods and wildlife presenter Martin Hughes-Games join Suzy to talk about the unintended consequences of feeding garden birds that can affect their health. Dick showcases a revolutionary easy-clean feeder that he designed to reduce the transmission of disease among…
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A weekend of waders at the Hampshire coast #118
Following a weekend spent at the Hampshire Coast at the end of August, join me and my birding partner & husband, John, as we review the waders and other birds that we saw. I also talk about the BTO course on wader ID that I took, and we hear from past guest Natasha about the benefits she has…
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Birding in Lithuania with Boris Belchev #117
Wildlife photographer and tour leader Boris Belchev tells up about birding in Lithuania, a small Baltic country with 403 species. Recorded at #globalbirdfair. Timestamps & Links: 00:00:00 Podcast intro 00:00:37 Last Episode An afternoon birding in Hampshire 00:00:51 Support the Show Buy me a...
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An afternoon birding in Hampshire #116
Join me and John, my birding partner and husband, as we review the birds seen during a July afternoon at Martin Down and Blashford Lakes, in Hampshire, UK. Timestamps & Links: 00:00:00 Pre-roll & announcements Sign up to the Casual Birder Podcast Team for the Global Bird Weekend 00:01:29 Last...
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Sussex Sara at Global Birdfair #115
Sara Humphrey, also known as Sussex Sara on social media, shares her passion for wildlife photography, low-carbon birding, and educating others in responsible wildlife watching. Recorded at Global Birdfair. Timestamps & Links: 00:00:00 Theme song 00:00:36 Last Episode Hannah Bourne-Taylor at…
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Hannah Bourne-Taylor at Global Birdfair #114
In this episode, recorded at Global Birdfair, author of Fledgling, Hannah Bourne-Taylor, shares her extraordinary experience of raising a young finch that had been abandoned by its flock, and which made its home in her hair! Timestamps & Links: 00:00:00 Pre-roll and Theme song 00:00:50 Last…
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Stephen Moss at Global BirdFair #113
Join me as I chat with author and broadcaster Stephen Moss at the 2022 Global BirdFair. Timestamps & Links: 00:00:00 Opening and Theme song 00:00:43 Last Episode - Casual Birding on a Shetland Beach Last episode 00:00:52 Introduction to chat 00:02:17 Chat with Stephen Moss Stephen's website...
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Casual Birding on a Shetland Beach #112
In this episode, join Shetland resident Natasha and me as we sit at a quiet bay watching the birds that happen by. 00:00:00 Pre-roll and Theme song Global Birdfair 00:01:17 Opening & Announcements Last Episode - Bird Chat with The Edinburgh Birdwatcher Last episode 00:01:31 Sitting at Lingness…
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Bird Chat with The Edinburgh Birdwatcher #111
Euan, The Edinburgh Birdwatcher, is celebrating 20 years of birding. He tells Suzy about his birding style and what birdwatching means to him. Also, there's big news from the Blue Tits that Suzy is watching via remote camera and, in Last Call, listen to a glorious, uninterrupted 5 minutes of dawn...
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Springtime Birding #110
Spring has arrived! Find out what we saw during our group Spring Equinox birding, and there's big news from our nestbox cam. Also, hear how you can join our team for the Global Big Day! More information and the episode transcript can be found at Episode 110 home page Time codes and Links 00:00:00...
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Birding in Belize - Trip report #109
Kate Shaw, from Strange Animals Podcast shares a delightful trip report about the birds she saw on a recent vacation to Belize. It was a family vacation rather than a pure birding trip, but she still managed to squeeze in a day's birding with a guide. In addition, Kate took note of the birds…
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Birding in 2022 #108
Looking ahead to birding in 2022. Suzy wants to see more species this year than in 2021. She has plans! Suzy has been out and about already this year. She tells us about the reserves and locations she has visited, and the birds seen there. Plus, we hear from listeners what birds they've been...
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Great Backyard Bird Count #107
A short episode to alert you to two events currently on: the Great Backyard Bird Count, and National Nextbox Week. Due to delays in my episode production, the next episode will be too late to tell you about these two events. The Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) 18-21 Feb 2022 What started as a…
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Best birding moments of 2021 #106
It's become a custom at the end of each year to review the bird species we've seen and recall the wonderful birding moments that we've had. In this episode I look back at the birds I saw in 2021 and share my favourite birding memories. Listeners also tell us about their stand out birding moments...
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Garden Birding at Pagham Harbour, UK #105
Join Suzy for a morning's birding in a country garden at Pagham Harbour, West Sussex. Suzy also tells us about her recent birding trips, a Magpie and Squirrel encounter in her garden, and we hear trip reports from listeners in California and the UK. Timestamps and Links: 00:00:00 Opening 00:00:46...
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Birding with Keiron Lee Vine on the Isle of Wight #104
In October 2020, I took a vacation on the Isle of Wight. While there, I was delighted to meet up with local birder (and past guest) Keiron Lee Vine. Keiron took me to his local patch: Haddon's Pits. We spent a lovely morning birding, getting spectacular views of a Kestrel and seeing large flocks…
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Global Bird Weekend. Join our team #103
The Global Bird Weekend is coming up on October 8th - 10th 2021. The Casual Birder Podcast has entered a team and I'd love you to join us. In this mini-episode, I'll tell you more about the event and how you can be part of our team, wherever you are in the world. Timestamps & Links: 00:00:00...
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Summer Birding Moments #102
In episode #102, hear about my lovely Robin encounter, listeners share their summer birding moments and find out how to join our team for the Global Bird Weekend in October. Timestamps & Links: 00:00:00 Opening 00:00:51 Introduction In case you missed it, last episode I spoke with Mike Drew,...
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#101 Focus on Birds: The Nightingale. A Conversation with Mike Drew
Mike Drew is a biodiversity advisor for Anglian Water and a licensed bird ringer. He has monitored and managed Nightingale nesting sites in the East of England for over a decade. Mike shares his observations of this iconic bird and tells us about the research which helped inform habitat action...
About this show
Suzy shares the joy of watching wild birds, from her garden visitors in southern England to birds seen internationally.Learn how to identify species, notice their behaviours, and recognize songs and calls.Join Suzy for recorded bird outings, interviews with experts and enthusiasts, and stories from birders around the world.Suzy says: "Birding is a great pastime. It can be done with others or alone. You don't need expensive equipment, your eyes or ears are enough. And best of all, the Casual Birder can do as much or as little birding as suits them. It's perfect for fitting into our busy schedules." Find Suzy on Twitter @CasualBirderPod
Hosted by
Suzy Buttress