All we have that can keep us going is the hope that people, when they are united and working together, can actually change things for the better, and that has happened here.
The second thing that gives me hope, honestly, is just the number of birders now.
—Ryan Goldberg
Every city should have a . You know, the conservation-minded, bird-obsessed writer with a background in journalism who is endlessly curious about the confluence of people, animals, and green spaces in the city where they live and is determined to write all about it.
That’s Ryan, and that’s Bird City; Adventures in New York’s Urban Wilds. After reading Ryan’s evocative, informative debut, which takes the reader on a guided, four-seasons tour of New York City’s birding scene, I was keen to get to know the man who so poignantly captures not just New York’s avian life, but also the menagerie of always devoted, often eccentric humans who make up the birding populace of the five boroughs.
Our terrific, all-too-short conversation covered a range of topics, including.
Ryan’s birding origin story—how a lifelong urban creature went from having never taken a hike in the woods to becoming fully bird obsessed, thanks in part to a spark bird, a spark field guide, and a spark… aunt?
The value of a mentor to a beginning birder, particularly one who takes a holistic approach to birding and is hellbent on improving local habitats.
Flaco, the ultimate celebrity bird—what his legacy means for the birders, New York’s much-maligned rodent population, and the city’s apex predators.
Ryan’s favorite season for birding and the migration phenomenon of morning flight.
Adventures in a birder’s dream wedding destination in The Last Frontier.
A brand-new favorite bird—tales of enchanting dances, dips in mountain streams, and nictitating eyelids.
I came away from our conversation feeling that: 1) only 15 minutes had gone by, 2) I really want to bird New York City in September, and 3) there’s much we can learn from New York’s conservation example and the people Ryan spends time with in the pages of his book. People like:
Melissa Breyer, who tirelessly seeks out injured and dead birds in her mission to reduce building collisions and make New York safer for migrating birds.
Peter Dorosh, AKA The Bird Man of Prospect Park, who has spent his life among the birds and his career restoring their habitat.
, who founded the New York Plover Project to protect the fragile nesting sites of endangered Piping Plovers on the beaches of New York City.
Ryan and I also talked about his wife, Angie Co, with whom he shares a birding passion (and a spark bird!). Angie is co-founder of Bird Collective, which works with artists and conservation groups to create bird-themed apparel, accessories, and gifts. To date, Bird Collective has raised nearly $300k in support of conservation efforts!
Oh, and if you’re eager to sample Ryan’s writing before getting your hands on Bird City, you don’t have to look far. He’s right here! So go ahead and subscribe to his excellent Substack, Ryan Goldberg’s Field Notes, where the most recent post treats of his amazing adventures in Alaska.
I hope you’ll come away from our talk as hypnotized about New York and as hopeful about conservation as I was. Ryan and I agreed that the surge of young new birders can only be good news for the birds. Loving birds means wanting to protect them, and protecting them means sharing bird joy and spreading conservation messages. Here’s hoping New York’s successes migrate far and wide.
If birds can make it there
They’ll make it anywhere
It’s up to you
New York, New York
That’s all for this month. Have you read Bird City? What’s your favorite season for birding where you live? Are you immersed your the local conservation scene, or do you practice environmental conservation at home? If you have thoughts about Ryan’s book or the subjects we covered, take it to the comment section!! 👇
Until next time, thanks for listening, and don’t forget to bird like Ryan!
nwb
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This post was human generated.
Developmental edits by Alexandra Hidalgo.
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