The Casual Birder Podcast

The Casual Birder Podcast

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

May 30, 2026 51 mins
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 February in southern England.

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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 landscape management and public engagement to support Curlew conservation.

This interview was recorded ...

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April 2, 2026 58 mins

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 the list of the birds that Suzy saw, along with some photos, here

...

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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 & Insigh...
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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 beautiful landscapes of Wiltshire and Hampshire.

Links

Great Bustard Group: https://greatbustard.org...

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July 27, 2025 35 mins

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 with artistic pursuits, often sketching the birds she encounters. Her curiosity and love for...

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July 18, 2025 32 mins

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 event, Suzy spoke with several attendees about their time at BirdFair and asked a...

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    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 in protecting habitats and species.

    He emphasises...

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    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 emphasizes experiences over bird listing, and how his genuine interest in connecting with fellow birders led to the creation of his podc...

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    March 21, 2025 37 mins

    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 top birding moments, and their respective bird counts for the month, which adds a lighthearted competitive aspect t...

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    March 10, 2025 19 mins

    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 2024.

    Links

    PromPeru's birding website ...
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    March 7, 2025 30 mins

    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

    Kate, Kirsty - Australia

    Chiara - I...

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    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 management te...
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    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 Tobago' not ...
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    February 10, 2025 40 mins

    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).
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    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.

    Using the binoculars stoked Sandra's enthusiasm for sharing views of the local birds with her friends. From there, Sandra's engagement wi...

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    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 live at Global Birdfair 2023

     

    Links:

    Global BirdFair information and tickets:...

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    June 28, 2024 30 mins

    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 fieldwork has taken him around the world.

    As a respected wildlife communicator, Mike shares his kn...

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    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 species, achieving a world record for the most species seen in one year.

    They wrote about their adv...

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    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 exist wherever we feed our garden birds.

    Not only do their feeders separate the food from contact with bi...

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