In this episode of The Spark Bird Podcast, our hosts Jenn Lodi-Smith and Janet McNally welcome Jamie Cunningham, Education Director at Black Swamp Bird Observatory and birding and photography guide with Saberwing Nature Tours.

Jamie shares how an unexpected Eastern Bluebird at a backyard nest box, followed by a life-changing visit to Magee Marsh during spring migration, sparked a deeper fascination with birds that shaped both her personal and professional life.

Links & Resources from This Episode

🌎 Learn more about Jamie's birding and photography travel experiences through Saberwing Nature Tours, where she leads birding and photography tours around the world!

🐦 Explore the work of the Black Swamp Bird Observatory the organization behind The Biggest Week in American Birding, the Ohio Young Birders Club, and year-round education and field programs. Stay connected through their Facebook page Black Swamp Bird Observatory for events and community updates, and follow @bsbobird on Instagram.

🎉 Find festival details, schedules, and registration information for The Biggest Week in American Birding wesbite, and follow them on Instagram @biggestweek and Facebook.

🌱 Discover programs and opportunities for young birders through the Ohio Young Birders Club, including field trips, events, and community resources. Follow the Ohio Young Birders community on Instagram @bsbobird for updates and opportunities.

Show Notes by Kayla Gajewski

In this second special Birds on the Niagara International Birding Festival feature, our hosts Jenn Lodi-Smith and Janet McNally welcome Corina Newsome, a conservation scientist at the National Wildlife Federation and the festival's keynote speaker.

Corina's work is rooted in advancing urban biodiversity conservation with environmental justice. She challenges the idea that conservation only happens in remote places, reminding us that cities are unique landscapes full of wildlife and wonder waiting to be explored and protected.

Links & Resources from This Episode

🐦 Follow Corina on Instagram and explore urban wildlife, birding, and environmental justice through Corina's lens.

💼 Connect with Corina on LinkedIn to learn more about her professional work in conservation science or to ask any questions you may have!

🎤 Attend her keynote address "Loving by Nature" at Birds on the Niagara International Birding Festival! To register and find full details, visit the Birds on the Niagara website events page.

🪶 Register at their website and come birding at the 2026 Birds on the Niagara Festival happening February 12th–16th.

Show Notes by Kayla Gajewski

In this special Birds on the Niagara International Birding Festival feature, our hosts Jenn Lodi-Smith and Janet McNally welcome Marcus Rosten, a birder and conservationist whose journey into birding began with one unforgettable encounter.

This episode celebrates birds as a gateway to conservation, community, and understanding our place within a larger global ecosystem. Highlighting why events like the Birds on the Niagara International Birding Festival matter now more than ever.

In this photo, Marcus is holding the American Woodcock from his Spark Bird story he shared with us!

Links & Resources from This Episode

🐦 Want to visit Buffalo and experience the Birds on the Niagara International Birding Festival? Learn more about the festival, events, birding along the Niagara region and come bird with us February 12th-16th!

🌿 To learn more about the Western New York Wildway, explore the conservation work Marcus discusses and how land protection keeps habitats connected, visit the Western New York Land Conservancy website.

Show Notes by Kayla Gajewski