There’s more to Al Batt than meets the funny bone. Bird Watcher’s Digest readers adore Al for his sometimes silly, sometimes goofy, sometimes touching, always joyful column in each issue. But did you know has a weekly radio show (available on the Internet), has a column published in about 100 newspapers, and collaborates on comics that have been published in The New Yorker? Maybe we shouldn’t be surprised. Al is a master storyteller, a birding guide and conservationist whose efforts have been honored by the likes of the Isaac Walton League and the Minnesota Ornithologists’ Union. BWD editor Dawn Hewitt had a fun time interviewing Al recently. Listen up! We think you’ll enjoy it, too.

Wendy Clark, Publisher of Bird Watcher’s Digest, recently talked with Scott Whittle and Mike Lanzone about the TERRA PROJECT, a cutting-edge development in data tracking and wildlife conservation. You may know Scott Whittle as a birding expert and author of The Warbler ID Guide, The Warbler App, and Birdgenie. Mike Lanzone is also a birding expert. He is the founder and CEO of CTT, a leading manufacturer in the field of wildlife trackers. Mike is a life-long birder and naturalist with a strong vision for the role of technology in conservation.

The TERRA is a device, a project, and a network. The device prototype has already been developed and is a compact, weatherproof device with a mic and radio tracker that wirelessly connects to your home, listening and identifying the nature around you while contributing to a massive conservation network. It is affordable, easy to use, and could affect conservation in unprecedented ways. Join Wendy, Scott, and Mike in their conversation about this fascinating project and learn more about how we can all become part of the global TERRA NETWORK.

Paul Baicich has been author of the Quick Takes column in Bird Watcher’s Digest for more than a dozen years, is author of three important books on birds and bird watching, worked for the American Birding Association for 14 years, and is an ardent champion of bird conservation. In this episode of OTWTB, BWD editor Dawn Hewitt chats with Baicich about his lifelong passion for birds, and his myriad bird-related projects, past, present, and future.