My Birding Life is the podcast for anyone who's ever been stopped in their tracks by a bird.
Every episode, host Chris Ducker sits down with a passionate birder for an honest, warm conversation about the hobby we love. From conservationists dedicating their lives to protecting species and habitats, to lifelong birders with decades of stories to tell, to everyday birders who found birds at just the right moment in their lives — every guest brings something different, but they all share one thing: a genuine love for the natural world.
We go deep into the stories behind their journeys. The first sightings that sparked a lifelong obsession. The wild places that shaped them. The birds they'll never forget. The hard-earned tips that only come from real time in the field. And the conservation work being done to protect the birds that matter most.
Whether you've been birding for fifty years or you've just started noticing the birds in your garden, My Birding Life is your show. Warm, personal, and full of the kind of conversations that make you want to grab your binoculars — this is birding through the eyes of the people who live it.
Real birders, real stories, real advice!
Birding as a Father and Son Duo with Paul and Joe Scorey
Paul and Joe Scorey are a father and son birding duo. Chris first met them at the Global Bird Fair, then went birding with them at MigFest in Spurn. Paul’s birding goes back to the 1970s. Joe, now 16, has been at it since toddlerhood, and the pair are deep into their second Big Year in a row.
In this chat, they share how the hobby has shaped their relationship, why they keep (mostly) friendly competition in check, and what it takes to make birding feel welcoming for younger people.
Episode Takeaways:
Spark Birds: Paul’s was a great spotted woodpecker spotted in tall grass as a kid in the 1970s. Joe’s obsession took hold at 11, when a great tit photo at WWT Welney turned a break from birding into a full-blown passion.
Nemesis Birds: Paul spent about four decades missing the great grey shrike before finally getting one in Norfolk, after circling a golf course to find it.
Welcome the Next Generation: Joe makes the case for making younger birders (and everyone else) feel welcome, from primary school nature education to kinder behaviour in the hide.
Keep It Simple: Paul has kept a handwritten year list since 1995. Both of them believe that notebooks, a calm approach to binoculars, and a bit of time outside are all you really need.
Episode Timestamps:
03:48 - Paul Spark Bird
04:50 - Joe Reignites Birding
06:19 - Early Birding Memories
07:07 - The Missed Albatross
08:16 - Birding Bonds and Talk
12:59 - Big Year Numbers
15:43 - Travel Plans and Endemics
17:16 - Beginner Tips and Binoculars
20:03 - Analog Lists Matter
21:26 - Tech Versus Nature
22:29 - Welcoming Young Birders
29:41 - Why Birding Endures
32:35 - Rapid Fire Questions
Important Links & Resources:
Follow My Birding Life on Instagram (instagram.com/mybirdinglife)
Subscribe to My Birding Life on YouTube (youtube.com/@mybirdinglife)
Follow Paul and Joe on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/scoreysgobirding/)
My Birding Life 'The Wagtail' Field Journal (https://4cmedia.thrivecart.com/my-birding-life-wagtail-journal/)
21 Oct 2026
Creating a Wildlife Habitat on Three Acres with Wildlife Kate
Kate MacRae, better known as Wildlife Kate, is one of the best people out there at bridging the gap between birds and the rest of the world. She does it with livestreams and a network of cameras across her wet woodland in Carmarthenshire, South West Wales. Her setup has been featured on BBC Springwatch and Countryfile.
In this episode, Kate takes us from a black-and-white nest box camera hooked up to an old portable TV to a wicker basket, a handmade Clay Cavern and a Springwatch call. She also tells the story of selling up in Lichfield to chase a dream of real acreage, and what it’s like making habitat on your own.
Episode Takeaways:
Think Like a Photographer: A livestream should look as good as it works. Kate keeps the background well away from the perches so it blurs into soft, diffuse colour, and she uses mossy props from her own land to make every shot feel like a painting.
Experiment, Then Experiment Again: Kate’s brand started with a spare nest box camera, a wicker basket and some seed. Mistakes are part of the process, and she’s never formally trained.
Habitat Takes Time and Hard Graft: Her three acres hold a meadow, a quarry, hazel woodland and a copse. Three years in she has built ponds, owl boxes and a hide from an old caravan, learning skills from other people along the way.
Share the Joy: Kate wants to get people who don’t normally watch birds watching birds. Her grandchildren and a new generation of young birders keep her optimistic.
Episode Timestamps:
04:54 - Early Birding Roots
06:45 - Birding as a Lifelong Habit
10:25 - How the Cameras Began
11:31 - Nest Box Tech Breakthrough
14:49 - Clay Cavern and Springwatch
18:58 - Perfecting the Stream Look
23:30 - Finding Her Dream Land
27:50 - Nonstop Habitat Projects
28:45 - Managing Land Solo
29:45 - Life is Not a Rehearsal
31:55 - Finding My Tribe
35:58 - Next Gen Birding Boom
37:10 - Rapid Fire Birding Qs
Important Links & Resources:
Follow My Birding Life on Instagram (instagram.com/mybirdinglife)
Subscribe to My Birding Life on YouTube (youtube.com/@mybirdinglife)
Follow Wildlife Kate on Instagram (instagram.com/wildlifekate)
Wildlife Kate's YouTube Channel (https://www.youtube.com/@WildlifeKateatGwylltHollow)
14 Oct 2026
Nashville Birding, Hokkaido and Fish Owls with Graham Gerdeman
Short on time in a new place and want to see as many birds as possible? Hire a local guide! That’s how a long morning of lifers in Nashville Tennessee turned into this conversation with Graham Gerdeman, a volunteer eBird regional reviewer and working wildlife photographer.
You’ll hear how backyard birds and an embarrassing sapsucker mis-ID sparked a lifelong obsession, what it takes to document a rare bird properly, and the story of a sleepless night in the Hokkaido cold with Blakiston’s fish owls.
Episode Takeaways:
Embrace Your Mis-IDs: Get one wrong and you’ll never forget the bird. Go birding with someone more experienced and let the mistakes teach you.
Document Your Rarities: Back up rare sightings with field marks, photos or audio so your eBird records hold up. Your life list is yours either way.
Hire a Local Guide: Short on time somewhere new? A local guide gets you to the hotspots and the lifers. Travelling with friends on a custom trip gives you more flexibility than a set-departure tour.
Appreciate Your Local Patch: You don’t need a far-flung destination to be happy birding. Leave the camera behind now and then to build your field notes and soak up the moment.
Episode Timestamps:
04:02 - Nashville Birding
05:13 - Becoming a Birder
07:42 - Spark Bird MisID
08:25 - Learning From Mistakes
16:50 - Dream Birding Trips
17:40 - Japan Tour Highlights
20:45 - Photography Career Path
26:05 - Steller's and Sea Eagles
27:08 - Fish Owl Night Watch
30:48 - Cranes and Trip Wrap
32:09 -Rapid Fire Q&A
36:59 - Dream Destinations Antarctica
38:32 - Birding Beyond Content
Important Links & Resources:
Follow My Birding Life on Instagram (instagram.com/mybirdinglife)
Subscribe to My Birding Life on YouTube (youtube.com/@mybirdinglife)
Nashville Vlog with Chris and Graham (https://youtu.be/s0wvp761Jq4?si=B_DOQkKjedEVw1Ib)
Follow Graham on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/graham_gerdeman/)
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