In this episode of The Spark Bird Podcast, hosts Jenn Lodi-Smith and Janet McNally welcome Ivan Phillipsen, creator and host of The Science of Birds podcast and co-owner of Wild Latitudes worldwide nature tours.

Ivan shares how a seemingly ordinary moment with his friend led him to his spark bird, the California Towhee. Ivan also shares his journey shifting from academia to science communication, the joy of returning to a more holistic view of the natural world, and the importance of scientific literacy in an age of misinformation.

Links & Resources from This Episode

🐦 Explore more of Ivan's work and listen to his podcast on The Science of Birds website.

🌍 Discover global birding adventures by visiting Wild Latitudes, the tour company Ivan co-owns.

🎧 Revisit the episode "How to Find Birds" from The Science of Birds, which they discussed in this week's episode.

🔍 Build your field ID skills with Ivan's episode, "How to Identify Birds in the Field."

📸 Follow Ivan on Instagram for bird science, naturalist insights, and behind-the-scenes snapshots on his work.

▶️ Watch more from The Science of Birds on Ivan's YouTube channel.

Show Notes by Kayla Gajewski

In this episode of The Spark Bird Podcast, our hosts Jenn Lodi-Smith and Janet McNally welcome Seunguk Shin, Assistant Professor at the University of Missouri's School of Natural Resources.

Seunguk shares how a Northern Cardinal became his spark bird. A moment of connection that still fuels his research, teaching, and creativity today. From developing bird and insect education projects for children to exploring how time in nature restores our attention.

Links & Resources from This Episode

📘 Read the article discussed in this episode here to learn more about Seunguk's collaborative research on birding and environmental education.

🌍 Visit the Human-Bird Interactions Project website at human-bird-interactions.nres.illinois.edu to explore videos and ongoing research related to the study.

🎧 Check out The Field Guides Podcast episode, "Put a Ring on It: All About Bird Banding", mentioned in this week's conversation.

🎬 Watch the "Bird in the Hand" video on YouTube to see the mist-netting project at Nature Day Camp 2022, a collaboration between the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and the Urbana Park District.

🧠 Learn more about Dr. Seunguk Shin's research and background on his University of Missouri faculty page.

💼 Connect with Seunguk on LinkedIn to follow his latest projects and publications.

Show Notes by Kayla Gajewski

This week on The Spark Bird Podcast, hosts Jenn Lodi-Smith and Janet McNally are joined by Rosy Tucker, Program Manager at Hog Island Audubon Camp. Rosy shares how a Red Knot first ignited her love for birds and how that moment eventually led to a career as a teacher and environmental educator. From memorable classroom moments to the Atlantic Puffin Restoration Project, she reminds us that nature isn't far away, it's right in our own backyards.

Links & Resources from This Episode

🌐 Learn more about Hog Island and explore upcoming programs at hogisland.audubon.org/programs/camp.

📸 Follow Hog Island on Instagram @hogislandaudubon for stunning bird photos, updates, and camp highlights.

🪶 Discover the island's history, volunteer opportunities, and ways to get involved at hogisland.audubon.org.

Show Notes by Kayla Gajewski