In this episode of The Spark Bird Podcast, we talk with Laura Marris, Visiting Assistant Professor in the English department at the University at Buffalo. Laura shares how birding with her dad as a child shaped the way she sees the world. And we discuss her book The Age of Loneliness, reflecting on the decline in bird abundance, the role of community science, and what it means to truly notice the living world around us. This conversation is about more than birdwatching; it’s about presence, memory, and the quiet ways nature holds us through change.

*During the episode, Jenn mentioned a word she couldn’t recall at the time, it’s the Romanian word “dor,” which captures a deep sense of longing or missing something you love.*

Resources & Links from This Episode

📖 Learn more about Laura’s upcoming book The Age of Loneliness from Graywolf Press.

📚 Order your copy on Bookshop or listen to the audiobook on Libro.fm.

🌐 Visit lauramarris.com or follow @lauramarris for more of Laura’s work.

🦉 Watch Norman Smith’s The Snowy Owls of Logan Airport.

🌱 Learn about the Silo City remediation project.

🕊️ Get involved with Cornell Lab’s Community Science projects.

🌳 Explore the work of the WNY Land Conservancy

🔬 Read the Science article on the loss of bird abundance.

📖 Check out the children’s classic Owl Moon by Jane Yolen.

Show Notes by Kayla Gajewski

In this week's episode, our hosts Jenn Lodi-Smith and Janet McNally welcome Michael Lombardo, the creator of the McGolrick Bird Club in North Brooklyn. Michael shares his journey from a career in the tech industry to becoming a passionate birder and community leader. Michael discusses the creation and growth of the McGoldrick Bird Club, highlighting the importance of weekly bird walks, community engagement, and the power of noticing the natural world around us.

Explore more from Michael Lombardo and the McGolrick Bird Club

📸 Follow @mcgolrickbirdclub on Instagram for bird walk updates and moments of wonder from North Brooklyn.

🌐 Visit birding.website for resources, events, and reflections from the McGolrick Bird Club community.

📝 Subscribe to the McGolrick Bird Club Substack for thoughtful essays on birding, awareness, and slowing down in a fast-moving world.

Show Notes by Kayla Gajewski

In this episode, hosts Jenn Lodi-Smith and Janet McNally speak with Chris Allieri, founder and executive director of NYC Plover Project, which he launched in 2021 after recognizing a gap in conservation efforts right in his own city. During the height of the pandemic, when New York City’s plover nesting grounds were especially vulnerable, Chris stepped up, not just to protect the birds, but to build a stronger culture of conservation in the city. His story is one of grassroots action, intergenerational learning, and a call to all of us to take part in protecting what’s wild and at risk right in our own backyards.

Photo Credit: Benjamin Forbes

Resources & Links from This Episode

🌐 Visit nycploverproject.org to learn about the mission, meet the volunteers, and find out how to get involved.

📸 Follow @nycploverproject on Instagram for updates from the beaches and behind-the-scenes conservation work.

🕊️ Log your bird sightings on eBird, a powerful tool for community science and bird tracking.

📱 Download Merlin Bird ID to help identify birds by sight or sound while you’re out exploring the world.

Show Notes by Kayla Gajewski

In this episode of the Spark Bird Podcast, hosts Jenn Lodi-Smith and Janet McNally welcome musician Nandi Rose of Half Waif. Nandi shares her Spark Bird story, recounting how a flash of color spotted in Costa Rica opened the door to a quieter, deeper noticing back home in the Upper Hudson Valley. For Nandi, it’s less about sight and more about sound, and bird song has become her guide. Even without binoculars, there’s a sense of recognition in the songs. A feeling of being spoken to, of returning to something familiar and sacred. Her music, like her birding, is shaped by this listening, drawing inspiration from moments of hearing the flute of a Wood Thrush or catching a glimpse of an Indigo Bunting in flight.

(Photo by: Logan White)

✨ Explore more from Nandi Rose:

🌐 Visit halfwaif.com to dive into her music, visuals, and creative world.

📝 Read her Substack, Ordinary Talk, where she writes beautifully about creativity, nature, and the quiet moments in between.

🎧 Listen to Half Waif on Spotify and wherever you stream music. Her songs echo the landscape she so often birds in. To listen in, start here.

Show Notes by Kayla Gajewski

In this special crossover episode, The Spark Bird Podcast's Jenn Lodi-Smith teams up with Bill Michalek of The Field Guides Podcast for a walk through Buffalo’s historic Forest Lawn Cemetery. As they explore the grounds, Jenn and Bill reflect on their spark birds, discuss bird migration and conservation. The episode also features Spark Bird stories from a variety of voices from the Feminist Bird Club of Buffalo in Forest Lawn Cemetery, showcasing the power of community in birding.

Resources & Links from This Episode

🔗 Listen to more nature adventures with Bill and Steve on The Field Guides Podcast YouTube channel.

🌼 Plan your next birding experience at the Allegany Nature Pilgrimage.

🌳 Learn more about Buffalo’s historic parks and Forest Lawn with the Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy.

🚫🐱 Lights Out! Cats In! is a campaign focused on bird-safe practices like keeping cats indoors and turning off lights at night during migration. Check it out here.

📖 Want a deeper dive into bird-safe, compassionate cat management strategies? Read this piece in Conservation Biology here.

🦜 Meet the Western New York Young Birder Club, uplifting the voices and skills of young birders across the region.

📍 Seen a bird strike a window? Report it on dBird to help researchers make cities safer for birds.

🌍 Visualize global data on bird-window collisions with the Global Bird Collision Mapper.

🧭 Explore how the birding community is becoming more inclusive and accessible at Birdability

Show notes by Kayla Gajewski

In this episode of the Spark Bird Podcast, hosts Jenn Lodi-Smith and Janet McNally talk with Lyanda Lynn Haupt, a writer known for exploring the connections between people and the natural world. The conversation follows Haupt’s path into bird watching, beginning in her childhood in the Pacific Northwest and shaped by her parents’ casual interest in birds. She recalls memorable encounters with species like the Northern Spotted Owl and how those moments influenced her work. Lyanda Lynn Haupt also talks about her experience living with a Starling, named Carmen, which inspired her book Mozart’s Starling.

(Photo credit: Tom Furtwangler)

🗓️ Join Lyanda Lynn Haupt for a special talk hosted by the Western New York Land Conservancy on June 4 more info & RSVP here

🌐 Learn more about Lyanda Lynn Haupt and her work at her website: lyandalynnhaupt.com

📸 Follow her on Instagram for nature moments, bird musings, and writing life: @lyandahaupt

📚 Explore all of her books in one place: Books

Lyanda Lynn Haupt's books mentioned in this episode, in order of appearance:

🐦 Crow Planet: Essential Wisdom from the Urban Wilderness 📖 Find it on Amazon

🎼 Mozart’s Starling- Inspired by her time living with a starling 🐤 Find it on Amazon

🌱 Rooted: Life at the Crossroads of Science, Nature, and Spirit. A beautiful reflection on how nature, science, and spirit connect in our everyday lives. 🛒 Order or learn more on her home page here.

Show Notes by Kayla Gajewski

In this episode of the Spark Bird Podcast, hosts Jenn Lodi-Smith and Janet McNally talk with Aaron Haiman about his lifelong passion for birding, sparked by a childhood experience with a White-Tailed Kite.

Aaron shares his unique journey from becoming a young birder to his current role at the Wildlife Conservation Board in California. The conversation explores the importance of mentorship in birding, the barriers young birders face, and the joy of contributing to bird conservation.

We’re excited to share all the ways you can follow and connect with Aaron, the voice behind A Birding Naturalist. Explore his world of birds, nature, and thoughtful storytelling here:

📘 Check out Aaron’s book, Birds of the California Delta. A beautifully illustrated guide that showcases the birdlife of California’s Delta region. Perfect for birders, naturalists, and the bird-curious alike.

🎥 Watch Aaron’s videos at @ABirdingNaturalist for birding adventures, tips, and nature stories.

✏️ Read his reflections and posts on his blog: ABirdingNaturalist

📸 Follow for stunning bird photography and behind-the-scenes looks: @abirdingnaturalist

🌐 Join Aaron’s conversations at abirdingnaturalist.bsky.social.

🧵 Catch his latest thoughts and updates: threads.com/@abirdingnaturalist.

Show Notes by Kayla Gajewski

In this episode of the Spark Bird Podcast, hosts Jenn Lodi-Smith and Janet McNally interview Dr. George Divoky, an ornithologist with a Ph.D. in Zoology. He shares his Spark Bird story, recounting how a sighting of a Slate-colored Junco in his childhood ignited his passion for birding.

He discusses his research on Black Guillemot and the challenges posed by climate change. Dr. Divoky also shares his personal experiences of solitude and connection with nature during his fieldwork in remote locations.

(Photo Credit Joe McNally)

❄️ Friends of Cooper Island – Learn more about Dr. George Divoky's decades of research on Arctic seabirds and climate change: https://cooperisland.org

Show Notes by Kayla Gajewski