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 Subscribe to My Birding Life on YouTube Nashville Vlog with Chris and Graham Follow Graham on Instagram