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

In this week's episode, our hosts Jenn Lodi-Smith and Janet McNally welcome Sarah T. Dubb, a novelist whose love for birding inspired her debut book, BIRDING WITH BENEFITS. Sarah shares her journey from growing up in Tucson, Arizona, to becoming a passionate birder and writer. She discusses her process of writing and publishing her debut novel, and its adaptation into a Hallmark Plus movie, Adventures in Love & Birding.

Links & Resources from This Episode

🌐 Visit Sarah's website at www.sarahtdubb.com to learn more about her work and updates on her next novel, Honey Bee Mine, coming February 2026.

📸 Follow Sarah on Instagram @sarahtdubbwrites for updates on her work and creative inspiration.

🎬 Watch Adventures in Love & Birding now streaming on Hallmark+, or gain with the Hallmark+ BingePass!

Show Notes by Kayla Gajewski