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Season 3 Finale
2 Playsin 7 hours
Season 3 of the Bird Joy Podcast comes to a powerful close with hosts Dexter and Jason revisiting the highlights, laughter, and love that made this season unforgettable. From deep conversations on legacy and identity to global birding adventures, this episode is a celebration of nature, joy, and the people who make the outdoors a more inclusive space. Plus, a sneak peek of what’s coming in Season 4!
💬 Final Words from Your Hosts:
“Birding has changed our lives, and the folks we met this season are proof that birds can connect us all.” – Dexter Patterson
“We started this podcast to spread joy and share our stories—and it’s clear the community is only growing stronger.” – Jason Hall
📣 Stay Connected: @thebirdjoypod on Instagram
✅ Please subscribe, share, and leave a review wherever you listen to the podcast. It helps us grow and reach a wider audience.
📩 Got a guest or story idea? Send it our way on socials!
🫶🏾 Never stop spreading Bird Joy wherever you fly. Season 4 drops late Fall! Let’s Go!
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Transcript
Introduction and Podcast Overview
00:00:00
Speaker
You're tuned in to season three of the Bird Joy podcast hosted by Dexter Patterson and Jason Hall. This podcast is for all the homies across the globe, a place to celebrate birds, community, and joy together.
00:00:15
Speaker
We're back with more stories from the birding world, more voices doing dope work in STEM, and more reasons to get outside and enjoy the birds.
Season 3 Reflections and Inclusivity Discussion
00:00:24
Speaker
Are you ready for some bird joy? Let's go. Hey, y'all. Welcome back to the Bird Joy podcast, where we celebrate the joy of birds, nature, STEM, and people changing the world one feathered friend at a time. I'm Dexter Patterson. And I'm Jason Hall. And today we are wrapping up another unforgettable season, season three.
00:00:47
Speaker
Man, homie, it's been a journey. I know I was fake crying there, but I kind of want to cry for real. But we've shared some powerful conversations. We've laughed a lot. We've learned even more. And we've connected folks doing the real work, bro, to build more inclusive and joyful spaces in the outdoors. And I couldn't be prouder. Yeah, man. It was it was really and very diverse season. you know we We talked about vultures and legacy. We talked about native plants and poetry. The next generation of STEM leaders as our first episode with young folks on there.
00:01:24
Speaker
And i think this just gave a nice comprehensive picture. I'm like, how birding and nature really brings people from all walks of life together, you know? Every week we talk, like, even after we interview our guests, like, we'll jump on a quick call. could be like two minutes. And we're like, dude, that was amazing.
00:01:41
Speaker
That was so good. And it seemed like every week it felt like, man, this is the best one ever. This is the best thing ever. This is the best one ever. This season, as I was looking back on it and reflecting on it, as we're recapping season three, man, it just...
00:01:57
Speaker
Like I said, I couldn't be prouder. i couldn't be more thankful for all the people that joined us. And and honestly, hopefully we can continue that late fall when we come back for season four. Yeah, certainly we'll get a little bit of a break here. And um you and I are both super busy, right, as we explained. on Chris's episode, last episode, right? like this This stuff takes a lot of work and we got a lot of stuff going on and it's good to... you know I think when we take the time off so folks know, like we still talk. like You and I still we share. We share things of guests that we want to have. We share ideas. like So it's not like we just go our separate ways for a couple of months. like We really are kind of marinating and listening to old episodes. What can we do different? And hopefully interacting with you
Influential Guests and Impactful Stories
00:02:43
Speaker
all a lot. So yeah. It'll be a nice it'll be a nice break, but you know I think it is good for us to maybe talk about some of the things we did this season. you know
00:02:51
Speaker
Yeah, we did a lot. We did a lot. And we kind of we kicked it all off, bro, with with Dr. J. Drew Lanham. What a way to open the season. I mean, I know even when we first started the podcast, I remember you talking about Drew being like yeah the guy that you, you know, I hope we could talk to him someday. And we were able to kick off this season with with Dr. J. Drew Lanham. How that feel, my guy? Man, thank you. Like that was, that was a great way to get it going. Cause it was, um, but it's wild to think this, but it was the beginning of the year. a lot of stuff was going on in this country and having Drew kind of spend an hour with us navigating through feelings and bird joy and,
00:03:34
Speaker
and justice. And you know his his latest book, Joy is the Justice We Give Ourselves, right a collection of poetry and stories. right it It really you know was a good way to kind of get people back into the fold to say, hey, you know we're still here and we still have opportunity to come together as a community and and not let go of any of that joy, right but use it as a tool to navigate some of the times ahead so Yeah. man i was just really really great way to start the season you know it was it kind of set the tone and then even when we were with the kids down there bro and ohio
00:04:04
Speaker
you talked about that you talked about that experience with those kids you yeah like you literally was talking about how he was talking about how we need prophets and poets And that poetry, I found myself, even before we were interviewing them outside of the books and stuff, when he posts those random poems, like yeah they just move you.
00:04:23
Speaker
And sometimes I feel like they show up right on time, don't they? Yeah, they do. They pop up in your feed and you're like, thank you, Drew. Well, I mean, it's it's great because you and I both, ah you know we have to navigate the news cycle and there's stuff going on in different places. And Sometimes that's the same stuff that he's writing a poem about.
00:04:42
Speaker
And it really, I mean, like I like i said on the episode, I feel like I should send him a check, right? From my mental health therapist. Because like the way he explains how he's feeling and how a lot of us relate to that, but he still he still does it in this way that just puts the words together in a space that lifts you up. Like it's not, he never posts anything that makes me feel worse about myself or about our situation.
00:05:08
Speaker
It's always let's chew on this. Let's do this together.
Celebrating Diversity and Healing Through Nature
00:05:12
Speaker
Let's find joy. And by the time this episode comes out, right, I just encourage folks to definitely give Dr. J. Drew Lanham a follow on Instagram because he found some puppies and it has been giving life. been giving life.
00:05:26
Speaker
We might have to have him back on just to talk about these puppies. So. Yeah, yeah. So cool. And it's so great. Like, we start with with somebody... I mean, many can say, you know, a legend, you know, kind of in the space. like And then we kind of shifted and went to like the next generation, right? With Shane and Wild Dryad. That was crazy, bro. Yeah, like that. I thoroughly enjoy that young man so much. You know, I feel like he he just...
00:05:56
Speaker
Wonder is the word, right? He just is filled with wonder. how was What was he cooking? He was making something in the kitchen the other day and it made me laugh because I was thinking about that part of the episode where he talking about when he tried to make the food like poisoned everybody in his family. And I'm like, you better be careful. Took his mom down. Yeah, he was in there making something, i ah persimmon something, I think, which I think is a little less dangerous than what he was working with before. you know just Just knowing some of his background after that episode and being able to engage and show people. you know I think that was one of our first guests that really wasn't a ah bird person, so to speak.
00:06:32
Speaker
You know, yeah yeah like really finding that joy outside of birding, you know? And so I thought that was, I thought that was a great first foray for us to bring him, you know, of all people to kind of come and show people like, Hey, yeah, birds are out there, but guess what else is out there?
00:06:47
Speaker
Yeah, that was something that we were we talked about after season two, where we're like, we both work in STEM field and like we know all these amazing people that are doing work in relation to not only STEM, but the outdoors or nature that isn't bird related. But it was like it's all connected. You know, and I think Shane was the he was the perfect person for us to kind of like you like you said, to be that first person to break the cycle of like this isn't a birder, but we need to learn from this person. And and and I love what I loved about him being an educator myself.
00:07:21
Speaker
He's an educator, bro. Like in non-traditional in a sense. And we kind of talked about this with him. was like, you don't need to have three degrees on the wall and you don't need to be a doctor to talk about some of these things. You don't need to be this traditional expert.
00:07:38
Speaker
Right. Because his life experiences. And that's I think that's what I loved about Shane was it's the life experiences. um he He encompasses that curiosity, that childhood wonder that we've talked about the last couple episodes of this season. He really kind of embodies that in a young adult.
00:07:56
Speaker
um And I think that was just, I was just thinking about him now. i'm smiling because like all he does, bro, is bring joy. And he educates people on so many different levels. And I think he shows that nature education and a whole takes a lot of different forms. Sure does. And and Shane, like a number of our guests are, you know, Shane is, I'll say significantly younger than you and I. And so that makes me so happy because I'm just like, you know these these young folks are incredible and incredible.
00:08:25
Speaker
I feel so privileged and honored and blessed to say that maybe we can watch them do their thing for the next two or three decades.
Mentorship, Youth Empowerment, and Community Engagement
00:08:33
Speaker
like That part gives me goosebumps because it's like, you and I think think about this a lot with our bird clubs and stuff and just like, right, we're trying to do this thing, but where's it going after that? you know what's the What's the community look like? And then you meet people like Shane and you're like, we're going be all right.
00:08:47
Speaker
you know Yeah, we're going to be all right. And we talked about this last week with with Chris Kilgore about the the importance of mentors. yeah And when i when I think about these young people, when they talk to us, they kind of talk to us like, I really like look up to what y'all do as well. Yeah. So whether we realize it or not, we are mentors to the younger generation. And I think it's important. And we talked about this last week with with Chris is being that person. You can be that one person that as as he as he put it, bro, like pushing people up yeah when you get to a certain level, bring people with you, but also empower that next generation. And I think we saw that with Shane, but also also Kojo. Oh, yeah. about the young next leaguers man like you know we go from shane and we're bringing on kojo and he's literally he's talking about vultures and literally bro
00:09:39
Speaker
have you ever talked to somebody that loses more bird joy than kojo like seriously No, no. And the kid is, you can tell his his, his emotions and his brain are moving through so much joy in such little time. Like he is, he is just like, he's just emanating it, you know? And, and if, and if, if for somehow you came to this episode and you have not listened to any other episodes yet, go back and listen to Kojo's episode, right? Because you will not look at vultures the same. You will not look at bird joy the same. right like he's just he's just He's just doing some incredible stuff. And and he's one representation of of that kind of diversity of thought out there, the diversity of minds in the young community, younger community. right And um you know I imagine when I think about some of those students in Toledo, like some of them may be the next Kojo. They may be the next Shane. you know They may be the next whoever they are.
00:10:39
Speaker
Right. It has some incredible answers. And like, that's another group of kids that I'm just like, man, I just, you know, you sometimes wish you could be everywhere all at once just to witness it, because just witnessing the beauty and the greatness of of nature as these young folks explore it is is a treat in itself. Yeah. And that was another thing that we talked about is like, how can we use this podcast to reach more younger people? that next generation, whether it's bringing on people that may look and sound more like them, like Shane and Kojo, like in the way they create their content, like they get these platforms, their their their content is incredible. But we also talked about how we wanted to start meeting them where they are. And I think we were able to go to that school, bro. Like I was full. I i mean, if people don't know by now, I'm kind of an emotional guy. We're both big babies though.
00:11:34
Speaker
But like, I was literally like in that classroom with them as an educator, as a father, as a science communicator, I was just like, I was blown away at like, these kids had visions.
00:11:47
Speaker
They had amazing answers. And all I could do was just like, I wanted them all to not only feel seen, like we seen every single one of those kids, even the ones that didn't want to talk right away. Some of them eventually we got them out the shell. Even some of the ones that didn't talk all day. And then all a sudden at the end, they start cracking jokes on us like the crane. Yeah.
00:12:08
Speaker
Yeah.
00:12:10
Speaker
I was like, was ki they they felt seen, they felt heard. And that was really important. And I wanted them to feel special. I wanted them to realize like, yeah, we are really listening to you.
00:12:22
Speaker
Like we really do value what you have to say. And I just, I hope, and I'm very, very thankful that this podcast has really kind of opened up some doors for us and some opportunities. Hopefully we get to do more of that, more of getting to go meet some students and talking to students and going on a road and together and stuff. So who knows, man? Like I just, yeah it it was one of those moments I'll never forget, bro.
Global Birding Impact and Community Growth
00:12:49
Speaker
Yeah, man, I'm looking forward to it. And you know, just after that, right after we interviewed those students, we had kind of a series of episodes just celebrating some amazing black women ah before, during, and after Black Birders Week, right? And these are you know, Karina Newsome, Cole Jackson, Danielle Bellany, right? Each of them brought a different light, a different flavor to not only birding and bird joy, but just kind of the the advocacy and the, I don't know how to describe it, maybe the letting folks know it's okay to wrap your fight into your joy, right? It's okay to say like, hey, I care about this.
00:13:25
Speaker
It makes me happy. And I'm going to contextualize it with everything else that's happening in the world. And I'm still going to fight. I'm still going to fight with love in my heart. And I think all three of them represent that and coming from different spaces. So like that was that was just an incredible series of episodes, I thought, that was really well-placed and well-timed.
00:13:42
Speaker
And all three of them, as all of our guests go, like i literally just want to jump up and run outside and go birding you know as soon as I talk to all three of them. So that part was amazing.
00:13:53
Speaker
Yeah. And I think, too, as us as black men um in the STEM field, we see this over and over where black women in STEM have to work like 10 times harder than everybody, including ourselves. and And that's right. The fact that they have to deal with all that and they still bring so much joy is something that makes me emotional.
00:14:15
Speaker
you know, as a father of all girls makes me upset. It motivates me to try to be a part of the change wherever I can. Those episodes and and being being able to interview those incredible, incredible black women is something I'll cherish. I'll cherish those friendships that we've been able to make because they're all incredible. And then like we're literally the conversations that Yes, the the through line with Black Birders Week, but then we're talking about burden in cemeteries. We're talking about community science and conservation and justice and healing through childhood trauma. and like It just was it ran a gamut of so many different things and really kind of just reminded me that nature is everywhere and it belongs to every
00:14:59
Speaker
but Yeah, it certainly does. And leave it to black women to explain that so well and carry that torch so well, like as they do for just about everything else that we need to work through in this country. And I think folks need to know, like, there's more out there.
00:15:15
Speaker
There are other guests that we're going to try to get on this show that carry a similar level of joy, learning, justice, drive, right? Like just so many amazing, amazing women out there that I wish we could have 30 episodes a season, but you boys got to work. We got to put food on the table. you so That's the beauty we got. Just like burning. Yeah.
00:15:36
Speaker
Like we always say, we always got something that we can look forward to. And that's the beauty of this community is there are all, there are so many amazing guests that we have yet to talk to that we cannot wait to get on this program and share their their knowledge with everybody. So. Trust me, that's part of what we do in in the offseason is we're trying to you know connect with different people. and And we know a lot of these amazing human beings, their schedules are extremely busy as well. That's right. It's not just ours. So just know we we always in a lab cooking. We're going to have something I can't imagine. Well, we're going to be cooking on season four. Y'all thought this one was was a banger. Wait till season four. Yes, sir. Yes, sir.
00:16:18
Speaker
bro. Then we reach out. We, you know, we're reaching the next generation. We're talking to all these amazing black women. And then we had the honor of going to the OG Dudley Edmondson, bro. And the the legend, you know, and being able to talk to Dudley who dropped black and brown faces in America's wild places at a time, like you said, bro, during the episode, he was ahead of his time.
00:16:43
Speaker
yeah He was ahead of his time. like When you think about thought leaders, when you think about change agents, is there one bigger than Dudley? I'm not sure. Not in this space, at least. And it's funny because when I met Dudley at the Blackbirders retreat back in the day, he told me about the book and he wanted to write it. And I'm honored that I'm featured in the book. And so is Chris, who was just on the last episode. So is Nicole Jackson and Karina Newsome. and a number of our guests, right? We need to go ahead just say we want to interview everybody in Doug's mean, we're going to have to start sending Doug's royalty checks or something because...
00:17:18
Speaker
but but It's because the book is packed full of so many amazing people and Dudley himself, I think you and I sitting and talking with him was more like he he definitely was ahead of his time. And and think in some cases, what not in some cases, he's very humble about it, but I think he knows and we know. And to see both of his books picking up tracks and now is is really great because you can tell it's needed. And Society had to catch up. But now they have these two options, right? And I certainly encourage folks to to look up in any books authored by Dudley Edmondson and go and check those out because it provides me kind of a clean space to say, who else is out there?
00:17:53
Speaker
And what are they doing? And And what have they gone through? Right. And I know if I can find relation to some of them, other people can. And you can probably find your own story, right? In terms of like, oh, this person may have gone through something similar. Right. And look how they came through it.
00:18:07
Speaker
And I'm going through something like that now, or I did go through something like that. And the goal is not to be in a book. The goal is to say, what's my journey? What kind of journey am I on? And do I know that I don't have to stop, but I can kind of go wherever I want to go within this natural world. So Dudley was a really special episode, man.
00:18:24
Speaker
And that your story matters. That was another thing that I got. It's like all these stories, all these amazing people. Like I was, you know, going back to the conversations we had with Karina and Nicole and Danielle, like all different stories.
00:18:39
Speaker
Yeah. Right. yeah Completely all of them in like every story in Dudley's book, all different stories. But there are through lines and a lot of that connects back to the joy and and finding joy, even sometimes in difficult circumstances. So um your story matters, folks. It really does. It sure does. It sure does. And we didn't just stick to, you know, our homies here that, you know, can provide us some perspective on North America and the United States. We kind of went a little global. You know, we went and we talked with. Say that again. Say that again.
00:19:09
Speaker
We went a little global. Oh, I like how that sounds. We went we talked with Dr. Miyoko Chu, Cornell Lab Ornithology. We talked with George Armistead, who also has a PhD, I believe, but he never tells anybody about it. see, he's so humble, bro. It's yeah i write like, it. Yeah. Yeah.
00:19:29
Speaker
ah You know, and and both of them are impacting the globe. Dr. Chu as one of the key contributors and designers of the Merlin app and being on that team to George, taking people all around the globe to experience bird joy and adventures. Both of those episodes were, i think, packed with a lot of I don't know what the word is to call it. If you could take bird joy and turn it into a palette of colors, like it was just a rainbow. Like it was just, it was, we were talking about different bird species and different experiences and what the driving forces from both of those folks to do what they do.
00:20:02
Speaker
And both of them make me very excited and I hope I was doing the same for others. You mentioned the word global, but what was so cool is both of them doing work that is impacting people all over the globe. But both conversations came back to how birding is local, right? But also limitless. So like,
00:20:22
Speaker
Dr. Chu Miyoko talking about how people can target a you know a radius 17 miles around them and getting very hyper specific and local with it. And George, this guy that's been on all seven continents talking about, right we need to slow down and enjoy the downy woodpecker or the common yellow throw warbler around us, bro. um I'm getting goosebumps talking about it now. That is it. Like, that is it. Those conversations reminded us how not only tech and travel can bridge people to birds, but also each other and our local communities,
Season 3 Learnings and Audience Interaction
00:20:57
Speaker
man. it was just It was just so much learning. So many, you know, my mind. Like, always tell people at some of my, at the talks I give, how birding makes me that emoji where your head blows up all the time. right That's what those two did to me, man. Like, talking to them, I'm just like,
00:21:14
Speaker
Wow. Wow. You know what mean? Like, this is so cool. Yeah, man. It was a good one. Then we, um you know, we were able to roll the season through with Christopher Kilgoy, your homie out there in Wisconsin, you know? Yeah. I had the pleasure of meeting him and you you were able to kind of get him to come on the come on the podcast. And that was really that was really special, like to go from meeting him to a month later, being able to interview him And that was kind of part of like where we said, all right, let's open this thing up a little bit. You know, as we're thinking about how we want to wrap this thing up, nobody kind of embodies like stewardship and equity and and belonging more than Chris. He just he's he's doing everything. And like I always say, I'm always learning something new about the guy every time I talk. to him. And just like, he's this ah he's a great mentor.
00:21:59
Speaker
He's an amazing community member. He's all about serving the audience, meeting every single person he can where they are. And he's just a special dude, man. He's just a special dude. He is. He is. And I and i felt like that going from the beginning of the season, talking about where we're headed and what was going on and finding joy in nature and and rolling through all these different guests and then getting to a space where Chris is kind of wrapping it into this place of this is your thing. This is that this is that burning ember in your chest that is helping you go out there and make a difference. And he didn't he didn't cut any corners, right? He said very clearly exactly what it was that drove him and you know the smiles.
00:22:42
Speaker
And if he gets a little bit of sleep, that's cool because he knows he's about to dole out some smiles the next day. You know, he's about to help people find some joy. And I loved hearing the stories from the two of you about some of the community members that are maybe hesitant of coming out and then they're out and then they're bringing their kids and their friends. family back and then homies just showing up to the property to to find some peace, you know, peace of mind ah yeah yeah at the 92 acres. And like Chris was great because he showed us that like, if you put your mind to it, if you're consistent with it, right.
00:23:14
Speaker
your process will be worthwhile. Right. And his heart and mission are absolutely undeniable on that front. Yeah. It's ah so many memories, so many memories, so many experiences, those messages that we continue to get on on the Instagram that you share. i remember you sharing one with me that really stood out, the homie Sarah. Oh, yeah. And in her classroom. Yeah.
00:23:38
Speaker
Yeah, out there in Philly. And this was before i actually was able to come out and give a talk at the Academy of Natural Sciences out there. But her little kiddos, man, like made us look hard. And like she gave me one of them when I came out there. And i'm again, yeah, emotional. Yeah.
00:23:59
Speaker
But it's just it's stuff like that. And we talked about us going the biggest week. Also met some little kids out there, bro. And they had these birding trading cards. Oh, nice. They gave me one. That's the Osprey. And the other is the Yellowhead of Blackbird. Top two. Look at that. Top two. So what does that tell you? Right. Like these little kids. Remember, this was when we went on that final walk together. They had the table. of Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah. And these little homies gave me these.
00:24:24
Speaker
And that tells me something that they're listening. They're listening. And what we're saying is making an impact on them. And our listeners are making an impact on us as well.
00:24:34
Speaker
They sure are. They sure are. And, i you know, we get really nice messages and we and we certainly encourage folks to send those. Right. We get stories from people. If you're taking pictures of birds or sharing stories, like tag us in them right? We would love to share the the bird joy. But just, you know, being able to see occasionally some reviews on the podcast, right, really helps lift us up. People are saying things like, birders of all levels, do not miss this show. Truly great for the soul, right? That's um that's from Cranberry123, right? Someone else said, someone else, Erica in Ohio.
00:25:10
Speaker
All levels. All levels. Yeah. Yeah. And like, and that's, that's really what we're trying to get to. Erica in Ohio said, you can't help but get hype when you listen to the excitement and support. I love it here.
00:25:20
Speaker
Thank you for existing. Black Joy Matters. I love it here. And I love you too. This is amazing. Like all of this is absolutely incredible. And we hope we can continue, you know, to share some of these stories and some of these reviews with folks, because we really,
00:25:35
Speaker
We're here just to do that. As folks have probably surmised, you know like Dexter and I have other full-time jobs and we're working and supporting families. And so this is um this is as much for you all as it is for anybody else, right? It's not really for us. We're not to making ah millions of dollars over here doing a birding podcast. Not a buck.
00:25:54
Speaker
Not nana, nana, nana, as Day-Day would say. So the The thing that feeds us a lot is is these reviews, these messages, these stories that you all are feeling comfortable enough to share with us. I always think about our homie Cole. We probably talk about him every season. He tags us. He's his bike right now listening. He goes for walks on his The same thing with last season. He brings us with him. And that is part of the thing that I look forward to hearing about after every episode or every season is I wonder what Cole thought about this one.
00:26:27
Speaker
I want to hear that from more of you all for sure. Yeah. He recently, he just said last episode fire, keep them coming. You know, yeah just like we got a cup to. We're going to do our best, homie. know, this season.
00:26:38
Speaker
I just want to encourage everybody, if you've just found us, go back and listen to previous episodes. The stuff that we talk about is is not dated, right? You know, we may be talking about specific birds we may be seeing at that time, but the structure of all these episodes are, they're evergreen.
00:26:56
Speaker
You know, they're pretty much timeless where you can go back all the way to season one. You can even see our growth as hosts and how the show has evolved over the years. over time, but the content is, is evergreen and you can go back to it and listen to it and share it and bring more people in. And we encourage you to do that as we prepare and wait for what is next in season four, which going to be fire, bro.
00:27:20
Speaker
It's going fun. Yeah, I'm looking forward to season four. There's obviously, like we said, a number of guests that that we didn't you know we weren't able to get to this season. And we're going to get the slots open for next season. um There's some other really incredible stories out there, some incredible folks and people you and I have met, some people you and I have not met. So I look forward to getting those going. you know I look forward to more rapid fire questions because those seem to be my favorite. Yeah. And sneak peek for folks before we end today. i got some rapid fire questions for Dexter that I'm not going to let him get off. I've been putting everybody else on the
Future Aspirations and Audience Participation
00:27:56
Speaker
hot seat. You see this? All let's go. Let's go. do yeah All right right. You ready? You want some?
00:28:04
Speaker
You want some now? Okay. Let's see. All right. So we're going take a little break here for a couple of months, right? And do some different things. What bird is the number one on your list to see over the next couple of months, late summer and into the fall?
00:28:16
Speaker
Ooh, late summer into the fall, migrating shorebirds should be coming through. I hope I see my first piping plover. Ooh. Ooh, that's a good one. Those homies are the best. All right. If you could pick one snack food to have during a fall birding adventure, what would it be?
00:28:33
Speaker
A fall birding adventure. Give me an apple cider donut and some hot apple cider. yeah Now I'm hungry. That sounds amazing. I'm done with summer. Let's go. oh What is the one thing you're looking forward to this fall that you can only do in the fall that fills your cup, fills your heart up? That I can only do in the fall, I will have to say, jump around at Camp Randall for a Badger football game.
00:29:00
Speaker
Oh, okay. All right. You're going outside of it. All right. All right. All right. Well, let me see how my homies at Penn State feel about that, but we'll see. If you could choose a dream guest through all annals of history, alive or deceased, to come talk with us on the Bird Joy podcast, who would that be?
00:29:19
Speaker
Wow. You know what? I would love to talk to my grandmother. My grandma, Ether, who was born in a barn in Mississippi. And I would love to just talk to her about growing up in the country because like me and my dad now be talking about all his little stories. And I would love to see what grandma could tell me.
00:29:38
Speaker
Oh, that's that's that's incredible, man. I love that. I would love to interview Graham. All right. If you could attend one bird festival next year for the first time, which one would it be? Which one? I haven't.
00:29:51
Speaker
I'll give you some options. You got San Diego, you got Rio Grande, you got the homies, um the Black Belt Birding Festival down south in Alabama. You got the homies in Arkansas with the cranes. ah You got Space Coast down in Florida. You got Cape May Bird Festival. I think there's the one up up in Acadia somewhere. Oh, wow.
00:30:15
Speaker
Honestly, I think it got to be Rio Grande. Rio Grande. Yeah. I haven't done a ton of birding down there. I've been to Arizona once and I went birding one time and I was like, so that whole Southeast section, that whole area. I just have a feeling like no matter where you go, it's just going kind of be mind blowing. So if I had to pick one, it and would be the Rio Grande. All right. All right. right. Last one. And you got You got to speak this into the universe. Okay. All right.
00:30:41
Speaker
What is your a dream birding camera setup? The one I had the biggest week in American birding from Sony, bro. out don't What's so crazy, I think it was the A1, whatever that new one is, and it was the two to 800 millimeter. Oh, that thing was wild, man. yeah That thing was incredible. ah it was crazy and it and it was It was like lighter than I thought it was going to be. It was really nice. ah All right. All right. Well, you survived the rapid fire.
00:31:15
Speaker
Sorry to throw that out. This was unscripted, folks. I didn't tell. so no Now I see why it's so like amazing. and Like rapid the fire. Like now I see now I've have you put me in the in the shoes of our guests. i And now I appreciate it even more. Next. next It is definitely not going away.
00:31:30
Speaker
Rapid fire. That's right. one away That's right, man. That's right. So what are you thinking for season four, man? What do you think we're going to get into? We're just going to keep on building on this. I think more about burden and mental health. I think that's really important. I would love to get on some indigenous folks.
00:31:46
Speaker
Yeah. Really start to be able to share more indigenous bird knowledge um and more youth voices. I think just diving in with with Shane Kojo and those kids from the Chase STEM Academy. I think I want more youth voices as well. And I honestly hope this in season four, we can start to really incorporate stories from the homies. We got to set up a way where people can share voice messages with us, maybe even have on like some newbie birders, you know, that are some of our listeners. I think that would be a really cool perspective to have as well. Yeah.
00:32:19
Speaker
Yeah. I like that as well. Like just, I, i um we you know, we've interviewed folks this season that are, you know, partic participate in other forms of media, right. Other podcasts, shows, things like that. Right. And some other ones that are out there in the universe, like I do enjoy hearing from people.
00:32:34
Speaker
newbie birders. Right. And I would like to hear newbie birders that are listening to our podcast. You know, how do they, how do they navigate the world finding their own bird? You know, maybe we can call it finding your own bird joy, you know, and yeah have people, you
Season 3 Conclusion and Gratitude
00:32:46
Speaker
know, talk about that. So, you know, we also encourage folks, you know, send in your own topics or ideas that you think, you know, we would be good to talk about, you know, and I think people do send us folks through our socials and it's nice because we can just immediately follow and Dexter and I have a A little group chat where we share like potential guests and who's going to reach out and, you know, all this fun stuff. And it's, and it's really, I think sometimes it's hard for us not to start the next season immediately because we see these folks and we're like, oh man, I want to talk them. to talk to them right now. Yeah. You know, and so, you know, but just being able to interact with them and, and you know, you folks out there in the community that are putting us on to these people, because it's not like we can trust the social media algorithms all the time to connect us with the right folks. So we really depend on you all a lot to let us know what's going on Yeah. And we listen like we actually we care about what you all think. So if you're messaging us topics like just know like we will talk about that. Like we will be like, what do you think? Well, who can we talk to about this? How can we make this happen? Like, that's how those conversations go. Like, literally. That's right. That's right. Literally. Yeah. So. All right, homie. Well, you know, we started this podcast to spread joy, to share our stories, right? You've been sharing other stories from other community members. And this this community is just only growing stronger, man.
00:34:01
Speaker
If people haven't realized birding has changed both of our lives and the people that we've met this season, the people that we meet through birding are proof that birds can connect us all and really bring us joy. um And we hope that these stories that we've shared over season three have brought you all some joy as well.
00:34:18
Speaker
Yeah, and really, really big love out there to everybody who tuned in, shared an episode, left a comment, sent a message. Or if you were able to come birding with us in real life, right? At Biggest Week or at either of our club outings, like just big thanks and love to you all.
00:34:34
Speaker
Yes. Yes. Nothing like meeting the homies in the wild. I say it all the time. That natural habitat, man. It just feels so amazing. But season three, it may be a wrap, but we are just getting started. We look forward to seeing everybody later in the fall. Until then, please, please, please continue to find your bird joy. Let's go, homie. Let's go. Let's go. and as usual, y'all, thank you for joining us this season on the Bird Joy podcast. We hope you have enjoyed exploring the world of birding, nature, STEM, all of the above with us this season. Shout out to my BIPOC flock. I love y'all for real. Stay tuned throughout the fall. There are going to be a bunch of stuff. And even yes, as we transition to the winter, I know Jason's already counting down the let is case of fall. How many days is it now? It's like 73 or 74 days. I'm ready for apple cider donuts, like you said, changing leaf color. I want some unidentifiable fall warbler butts in the trees.
00:35:38
Speaker
Let's go. want it all. Let's go. Let's go. until next time, homies, you know, you can find me out looking at fall warbler butts, In Color Birding Club, incolorbirding.org. Definitely check us out and come in.
00:35:52
Speaker
I love it. Please share, subscribe, and shout out this podcast and all the previous seasons to all your fellow birders and nature lovers or people you think need to be birding or getting outside a little more. Help us spread a little bird joy. Peace, homies. Till next season. Peace.