In this episode we highlight a birding event that has been growing into something very special, the Bitou Birding Festival in Plettenberg Bay.

The festival runs from 23 to 30 October and brings together great birding, beautiful habitats, conservation, community and a slightly different way of experiencing birds, summed up perfectly in this year’s theme: Slow Down. Look Up. Reconnect.

My guest today is Stephan van Wyk, the person behind the festival. We’re going to chat about how the festival started, why Bitou is such a special birding area, what makes this event different, and what visitors can look forward to this year.

Visit our online store to get your birding related merchandise at great prices https://www.thebirdinglife.com/online-store

Intro and outro music by Tony ZA https://soundcloud.com/tonyofficialza

Links from show:

Website https://www.bitou.birdingfestival.co.za/

Wildlife photography gives us an incredible opportunity to connect people with the natural world, but where do we draw the line between capturing a moment and interfering with it?

In this special panel discussion, we explore the often complicated subject of wildlife photography ethics across mammals, birds, reptiles and other wildlife.

Joined by Dr Stephanie Klarmann, Devon Kerr and Marik Kilian, we unpack topics including disturbance, handling, call playback, captive wildlife, ethical field practices, permits, research, rescue situations and the growing pressure to create increasingly dramatic content for social media.

Ethics are not always completely black and white. Context matters, species respond differently, and there are legitimate circumstances where intervention or handling may be necessary. But there are also moments when getting the photograph simply should not come first.

This conversation asks an important question for every wildlife photographer and content creator: at what point is the shot no longer worth taking?

The views shared by our panellists reflect their own professional experience and perspectives and are intended to encourage thoughtful, responsible discussion around how we photograph and interact with wildlife.

Visit our online store to get your birding related merchandise at great prices https://www.thebirdinglife.com/online-store

Intro and outro music by Tony ZA https://soundcloud.com/tonyofficialza

Links from show:

Marik Kilian - https://www.instagram.com/wildmarik/

Dr Stephanie Klaarman - https://www.instagram.com/bloodlionsofficial/ & https://www.instagram.com/youthforlions/

Devon Kerr - https://www.instagram.com/zoologic.za/ & https://www.instagram.com/actnaturallyy/

Today's episode is going to be a little bit different. Normally, I have a guest joining me on the podcast, but today I've decided to do something that I've actually been putting off for quite some time, and that is recording a solo episode!

I must admit, I'm a little bit nervous about doing this, so please be kind! But I thought this would be a great opportunity to share something that I'm really passionate about, and that is local birding.

I've written quite a bit about this recently in my Daily Birder articles, but I thought it would be nice to have a bit of a relaxed conversation about it here on the podcast. I want to share some of my own experiences, how my approach to birding my local area has changed over the years, and some of the things I've learned along the way.

Although I'll obviously be drawing on my own experiences as a South African birder, I want to make sure that what we chat about today is useful to birders wherever you are in the world.

And really, the main idea I want to explore today is quite simple. You don't necessarily need to travel further to improve your birding. Sometimes you just need to get to know the places close to home a little bit better.

Visit our online store to get your birding related merchandise at great prices https://www.thebirdinglife.com/online-store

Intro and outro music by Tony ZA https://soundcloud.com/tonyofficialza