Birds 101 with Alison Kondler: Bird Calls, Birding Tips, Bird Feeders, Myths, and More
Release Date: 12/16/2024
10+ International Hikes and a Continuous Yo-Yo of the AT and Long Trail with Curtis Himstedt (BPR #296)
Backpacker Radio
In today’s episode of Backpacker Radio, presented by The Trek, brought to you by Topo Athletic, we are joined by Curtis Himstedt, known on trail as Easily Forgotten. Easily Forgotten’s backpacking resume is bananas. A partial list of his adventures includes the Annapurna Circuit, Pembrokeshire Coastal Path in Wales, the GR10, Tour du Mont Blanc, Yorkshire Dales High Way, South Downs Way, and Cotswold Way in England, the Triple Crown in the U.S., the Tahoe Rim Trail, and a continuous yo-yo of the Appalachian Trail and Long Trail between 2023-2024. Curtis takes us through these treks,...
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8 Tips for 2025 Appalachian Trail Hikers (BPR #295)
Backpacker Radio
In today’s episode of Backpacker Radio, presented by The Trek and brought to you by LMNT, Chaunce and Badger are serving up tips for this year’s class of Appalachian Trail thru-hikers. We’re covering everything from social dynamics and budgeting to mental prep, diet, why you should document your hike, some listener submission tips, and much more. We also give a rundown of advice from previous episodes in case you want to dig even deeper into getting ready for the Appalachian Trail. Whether you’re hitting the AT this year, planning for a future trek, or know someone who is, this episode...
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Dog Mushing, 20+ Years in the Navy, and the Triple Crown with Ben "Ginger Ballz" Vaughan (BPR #294)
Backpacker Radio
In today’s episode of Backpacker Radio, presented by The Trek and brought to you by Topo Athletic, we’re joined by Ben Vaugh, known on trail as Ginger Ballz. Ben is a Navy veteran, accomplished thru-hiker, and currently works as a dog musher, a topic Chaunce and Badger had way too much fun diving into. Ginger Ballz takes us through his transition from the military to thru-hiking, why he recommends it to fellow service members, and the parallels between the two. He shares stories from his hikes of the Triple Crown trails, the Hayduke, Superior Hiking Trail, and Long Trail. We also get a...
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Managing Relationships while Thru-Hiking with Michele Weiner-Davis, aka Zach's Mom
Backpacker Radio
In today's episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, brought to you by LMNT, we are joined by acclaimed author, marriage therapist, and speaker, Michele Weiner-Davis, known in my household simply as "mom". Being our Valentine's Day episode, this one is meant to equip you with the knowledge necessary to make your relationship flourish. We cover a range of questions, both general tips on how to improve your relationships, but also thru-hiking specific scenarios, including how to navigate when one partner is on the trail and the other is back home, encountering challenges when...
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Viking Q&A: First Aid Kits, Electronics, Socks, and a Beard Update
Backpacker Radio
In today’s episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, brought to you by Topo Athletic, we are A’in your Q’s, with our pal and yours, the lightly bearded Jabba aka The Real Hiking Viking. In today’s question and answer we dive into a host of nitty gritty backpacking details, including what exactly is in our first aid kit, electronics bag (down to the cords), and our stuff sac systems, including some specific product recommendations. We also chat about our least favorite backpacking trips, our thought process in choosing socks for a backpacking trip, and what we deem as the...
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The Rise and Fall of GoLite and Balancing Federal Budgets with Demetri "Coup" Coupounas
Backpacker Radio
In today’s episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, brought to you by LMNT, we are joined by Demetri Coupounas, aka Coup, the founder of GoLite and MyTrail Company. Coup might just be the most interesting man in the world. This conversation takes us through his incredible journey, from his work balancing the federal budget in the '80s and '90s to becoming the first person to complete unsupported hikes of the Colorado Trail and the Long Trail, and how he stumbled upon the once underground world of ultralight backpacking. We also dive into the history of GoLite, from its role...
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Making Gear for People with Boobs with Symbiosis Gear Founder Sarah Berkeley
Backpacker Radio
In today’s episode of Backpacker Radio, presented by The Trek and brought to you by Topo Athletic, we are joined by Sarah “Mellow” Berkeley, founder of Symbiosis Gear, a pack-making company designed specifically for people with boobs. Sarah shares insights into her unique upbringing in a small log cabin in rural Colorado, her adventures on the Long Trail, PCT, Colorado Trail, and half of the CDT, and her journey to creating a backpack tailored for primarily women. We dive into the inspiration behind her patented S-shaped shoulder strap, the challenges of starting a business with no prior...
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Thru-Hiking with 50-Year-Old Gear with Jared "Snackbox" Champion
Backpacker Radio
In today’s episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, brought to you by LMNT, we are joined by Jared “Snackbox” Champion. Snackbox is s a hiker, father, and Youtuber who, in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Colorado Trail, hiked it almost exclusively with 50 year old gear. We talk about the process of sourcing this gear, the hardest items to acquire, the least backpacker-friendly items of the bunch, which gear hasn’t advanced as much, and how his appreciation for gear has changed in light of this experience. Jared also shares the story of bonding with his...
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Triple Crowning as a Family of 6, Parenting Teenagers on Trail, and Life Lessons with Vince & Georgie Strawbridge
Backpacker Radio
In today’s episode of Backpacker Radio, presented by The Trek and brought to you by Topo Athletic, we are joined by Vince and Georgie Strawbridge, one-third of the six-person thru-hiking family. We last caught up with the Strawbridges in early 2020, when they were freshly off their hike of the PCT. Since, they’ve conquered both the CDT and the AT, completing the Triple Crown as a full family. We dive into the high and lowlights of these treks from the perspectives of Vince (dad) and Georgie (the youngest in the family). They share insights on navigating the CDT during COVID,...
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Backpacker Radio LIVE with Kyle Hates Hiking: A New Trail Mystery, Shaving Jabba's Beard, and Kyle's Reddit Haters
Backpacker Radio
In today's episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, brought to you by LMNT, we are joined yet again by Kyle O’Grady of Kyle Hates Hiking for our 2nd live podcast, recorded at the Skylark Lounge in Denver. This episode is action-packed. We kick off the episode by shaving Viking’s beard. The beard shaving is the ultimate entertainment, we encourage you to check this one out on YouTube. Kyle then shares an exclusive trail mystery about a local Colorado man who disappeared while pursuing another man who also vanished under mysterious circumstances. We also talk shop about...
info_outlineIn today’s episode of Backpacker Radio, presented by The Trek, we’re joined by Alison Kondler, an Audubon Master Birder—or as we like to call it, a certified bird guru. Alison wows us with her eerily accurate bird calls and shares her immense birding knowledge. We chat about the rarest birds you can spot in Colorado, the best apps for bird identification, why the American Ornithological Society (AOS) is renaming North American birds that are named after people, how to squirrel-proof your bird feeder, tips for turning your yard into a borderline bird sanctuary, and she finally settles the debate on whether birds are in fact government drones. If you’re a bird lover—or even bird curious—this episode is for you.
We wrap the show with a lively debate about whether thru-hiking belongs in the Olympics, the triple crown of underrated wildlife, a former guest obliterating the Arizona Trail FKT, and a generous dose of shameless self-promotion.
Gossamer Gear: Use code “SNUGGLEBUG” for 20% off shelters at gossamergear.com.
Holiday Book Bundle: Get Badger & Chaunce’s signed book package here.
Sierra Club Outings: Use code “BACKPACKER” for $100 off at outings.sierraclub.org.
LMNT: Get a free sample pack with any order at drinklmnt.com/trek.
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Interview with Alison Kondler
Time stamps & Questions
00:03:30 - Reminders: Support us on Patreon for exclusive bonus content and apply to be a 2025 blogger OR vlogger!
00:11:14 - Introducing Alison
00:11:50 - What is an Audubon Master Birder?
00:13:45 - What does someone do with this certification?
00:15:10 - Was your family very into birds?
00:16:07 - When did you first interact with birds?
00:17:10 - What’s the outcome of interacting with birds?
00:20:30 - How long did it take you for your calls to be indistinguishable from birds?
00:22:20 - Can you make other animal sounds?
00:25:19 - What are the most common birds you’ll hear in Colorado?
00:27:45 - What are the rarest birds you’ll hear in Colorado?
00:29:40 - Discussion about the common ages of birders
00:30:37 - What’s your take on the movie The Big Ear?
00:31:50 - How do you prove that you’ve seen all the birds you claim?
00:32:57 - What Colorado birds would people travel from out of state to see?
00:33:50 - What’s your take on pet birds?
00:34:17 - Which birds are the asshole birds?
00:35:44 - What’s the easiest bird call to teach to others?
00:37:40 - How do you pick the right bird feeder for your yard?
00:39:35 - On a scale of 1 to 10, where do you stand on squirrels?
00:41:45 - What is the prettiest bird call?
00:43:20 - Bird call trivia
00:45:35 - How do you get rid of woodpeckers on your house?
00:47:40 - What’s your view on crows?
00:49:30 - Are you familiar with bird folklore?
00:51:05 - Bird call trivia round 2
00:53:05 - Why is the American Ornithological Society changing the names of many birds?
00:57:55 - What’s some hot gossip in the bird world?
00:59:20 - What makes a good area to go birding?
01:00:45 - What are some fun facts about ducks?
01:02:10 - Fuck Marry Kill: Ducks, geese, swans
01:03:50 - Aside from Colorado, where else do you love to watch birds?
01:05:00 - What’s your best bird story?
01:07:00 - Discussion about rescuing birds
01:08:55 - What’s the best birding app?
01:10:30 - Are there any endangered birds in Colorado?
01:11:50 - Are there any organizations dedicated to preserving birds?
01:12:48 - Do you think there’s more to owls than meets the eye?
01:13:40 - Do you think birds might be drones?
01:15:10 - What makes the best bird ecosystem in your backyard?
01:16:47 - Discussion about European starlings
01:19:16 - What bird product is a total scam?
01:21:45 - Any good tips for hummingbird feeders?
01:23:58 - If you could pick one bird to fill the world with, which one would you pick?
01:24:20 - Do you have a strong stance on wind turbines?
01:25:30 - How can people minimize harm to birds in their yard?
01:26:30 - Tell us about your social media following
01:27:53 - What are the best flowers for hummingbirds?
01:29:20 - What are the most common questions you get on social media?
01:31:01 - Kumo Question: What is the strangest dream you’ve ever had?
01:32:32 - What upcoming events are you hosting?
Segments
Trek Propaganda
- Nick Fowler Decimates Fastest Known Time on the Arizona Trail by Katie Jackson
- The Backpacker and Hiker Gift Guide: Under $50 by the Editors
QOTD: Should thru-hiking be an Olympic sport?
Triple Crown of underrated wildlife
Mail Bag (Wade’s Adventures)
5 Star Review
[divider]
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