iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

BillBowBaggins @billbowbaggins.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

Don't love a paywall, but gotta pay the bills! New Substack post features some exquisite fall warbler action in black and white, a few photography flubs, an outtake from my interview with Bonner Black, and hopefully a few laughs. billbowbaggins.substack.com/p/a-gallery-...

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BillBowBaggins @billbowbaggins.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

We wanted one last summer hurrah for our boys before the school year began. Plans were made, then changed. Birds were seen. Still waiting on my lifer ghost 👻 billbowbaggins.substack.com/p/gettysbird...

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BillBowBaggins @billbowbaggins.bsky.social · 31/08/2026

In this month's podcast, I had the honor of talking Osprey, AI (and why it sucks), native gardening, and more with poet @hillarygonzalez.bsky.social, whose gorgeous new book of poetry, Where the Osprey Nest, also drops today and is available everywhere! billbowbaggins.substack.com/p/ten-birdin...

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BillBowBaggins @billbowbaggins.bsky.social · 15/08/2026

Avoid my latest post if you hate baby birds. By all means check it out if you want to see the cutest Wild Turkeys in history 🦃 Big thanks to @bigjuncofan.bsky.social for a last-minute House Wren assist! billbowbaggins.substack.com/p/the-birds-...

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Ryan Goldberg @ryangoldberg.bsky.social · 01/08/2026

This was a thoroughly enjoyable conversation with Nate!

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BillBowBaggins @billbowbaggins.bsky.social · 01/08/2026

Brooklyn birder and writer @ryangoldberg.bsky.social's book Bird City is SO GOOD. Strong recommend. I read it and interviewed him about it and his birding life in NYC and beyond. So fun learning about the colorful birders/conservationists of NYC. billbowbaggins.substack.com/p/ten-birdin...

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BillBowBaggins @billbowbaggins.bsky.social · 21/07/2026

My latest post is about the history of my birding patch and the coolest person to ever hang out there. Maybe the coolest person to ever hang out anywhere. substack.com/home/post/p-...

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BillBowBaggins @billbowbaggins.bsky.social · 01/07/2026

A rare bird alert in May had me gawking at the most spectacular checklist I've ever seen in Allegheny Co. For a minute I thought someone was making stuff up. Then I saw whose checklist it was Two months later, I discussed that day and more with Ted Floyd billbowbaggins.substack.com/p/ten-birdin...

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BillBowBaggins @billbowbaggins.bsky.social · 11/06/2026

My recent quest to see my last eastern warbler went more than a little sideways. It also had me thinking about the one eastern warbler I'll never see. billbowbaggins.substack.com/p/lifer-ques...

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BillBowBaggins @billbowbaggins.bsky.social · 01/06/2026

In the latest episode of Ten Birding Questions, @hollymerker.bsky.social and I discuss Mindful Birding, the healing power of birds and nature, and life as an eBird reviewer, and more! billbowbaggins.substack.com/p/ten-birdin...

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BillBowBaggins @billbowbaggins.bsky.social · 26/05/2026

I mayyy have gotten life bird #578 earlier in the month. This one got me thinking about honorific bird names, who this bird was named for, and what the new name should be. Ideas? billbowbaggins.substack.com/p/mr-harris-...

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BillBowBaggins @billbowbaggins.bsky.social · 14/05/2026

Trolleys, bootleg liquor, cabaret entertainment... thanks to some knowledgeable neighbors and a little research, I learned some incredible stuff about my birding patch. billbowbaggins.substack.com/p/the-bootle...

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BillBowBaggins @billbowbaggins.bsky.social · 01/05/2026

East meets west! All of my birding friends here follow @birdmoderr.bsky.social, right? Well Aspen is my latest podcast guest, and I had the best time talking western birds for once. I hope you'll give us a listen! billbowbaggins.substack.com/p/ten-birdin...

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BillBowBaggins @billbowbaggins.bsky.social · 25/04/2026

I once again attempted to spark my family with American Woodcocks. Mixed results. Big thanks to all those who came through with Woodcock photos, since I don't have any. billbowbaggins.substack.com/p/on-woodcoc...

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BillBowBaggins @billbowbaggins.bsky.social · 09/04/2026

@thebirdguy.bsky.social was not impressed with my eBirding lately and he challenged me on it. Challenge accepted. With @the-alex-hidalgo.bsky.social billbowbaggins.substack.com/p/anujs-apri...

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BillBowBaggins @billbowbaggins.bsky.social · 01/04/2026

In the latest episode of Ten Birding Questions, I spend some time with @aba.org executive director Wayne Klockner. Wayne and I had a blast discussing his birding life, his career in conservation at the @nature.org, and the future of the ABA. Enjoy! 🐦‍⬛ billbowbaggins.substack.com/p/ten-birdin...

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BillBowBaggins @billbowbaggins.bsky.social · 24/03/2026

A couple of years ago, I said some mean things about Eastern Phoebes (and 34 other birds). Now I'm here to make amends. billbowbaggins.substack.com/p/making-ame...

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BillBowBaggins @billbowbaggins.bsky.social · 17/03/2026

I've been rethinking my relationship with alcohol lately. I write about that and early spring birding in my patch. Happy migration to all! billbowbaggins.substack.com/p/birds-vs-b...

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BillBowBaggins @billbowbaggins.bsky.social · 11/03/2026

FOY Eastern Phoebe is always dedicated to @phoebe13.bsky.social Them’s the rules

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BillBowBaggins @billbowbaggins.bsky.social · 10/03/2026

An unplanned trip to Cleveland turned into a three-part adventure, including my search for a great big lifer gull. Read all about it in my latest post! billbowbaggins.substack.com/p/birding-an...

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BillBowBaggins @billbowbaggins.bsky.social · 01/03/2026

What a great time I had talking birds and nature with Vermont-based birder/writer/field biologist Bryan Pfeiffer, someone who's spent a life observing and thinking deeply about the natural world, and finding endless joy in discovery. Enjoy our convo! billbowbaggins.substack.com/p/ten-birdin...

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BillBowBaggins @billbowbaggins.bsky.social · 24/02/2026

We had a surprise guest for the Great Backyard Bird Count. Six surprise guests, actually. How did your GBBC go? billbowbaggins.substack.com/p/great-back...

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BillBowBaggins @billbowbaggins.bsky.social · 09/02/2026

I went after my first lifer of the year on Tuesday. Spoiler alert: it's the most beautiful thrush in the ABA area. billbowbaggins.substack.com/p/lifer-ques...

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BillBowBaggins @billbowbaggins.bsky.social · 05/02/2026

You've heard of a bar crawl. I prefer a duck crawl. That's where I hit the hotspots along the Allegheny River to try to see as many ducks as possible. This was my second annual Allegheny Duck Crawl. This time I took a friend. billbowbaggins.substack.com/p/allegheny-...

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BillBowBaggins @billbowbaggins.bsky.social · 26/01/2026

I've been saying for years that I'm going to learn gulls in my 50s. Well, my 50s are here. #birds #birding #birdwatching #gulls #naturewriting billbowbaggins.substack.com/p/can-i-be-a...

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BillBowBaggins @billbowbaggins.bsky.social · 20/01/2026

2025 was a damned good birding year. My best year for number of species. I wrote up a recap. billbowbaggins.substack.com/p/my-birding...

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BillBowBaggins @billbowbaggins.bsky.social · 11/01/2026

For my latest podcast episode I interviewed Memphis-based birder and singer/songwriter Bonner Black, who is every bit as fun to talk to as you'd expect. billbowbaggins.substack.com/p/ten-birdin...

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BillBowBaggins @billbowbaggins.bsky.social · 29/12/2025

Merry Christmas and happy holidays! For my latest I had fun identifying (and misidentifying) the birds of London in our collection of advent calendars. #birds #birding #naturewriting 🪶 billbowbaggins.substack.com/p/a-very-bir...

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BillBowBaggins @billbowbaggins.bsky.social · 21/12/2025

I wrote a recap of our Christmas Bird Count last Sunday! Conditions were brutal. Would we break our species record? Would a fourth generation of bird counters be joining us? billbowbaggins.substack.com/p/christmas-... #bird #birding #naturewriting 🪶

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BillBowBaggins @billbowbaggins.bsky.social · 11/12/2025

Did you go through some quirky phase when Covid hit? Before birds, I had a brief but intense obsession with cheap aftershaves. I wrote about it. billbowbaggins.substack.com/p/on-birds-a... #birds #birding #naturewriting 🪶

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Alexandra Hidalgo @the-alex-hidalgo.bsky.social · 30/11/2025

Now that #Thanksgiving is come and gone and it’s time to get into the holiday spirit. Here are #ChristmasMovie recs from Gina Washington, Matilda Washington, Devin Smith, @billbowbaggins.bsky.social, our boys and me! You're sure to find plenty to love on this list! www.youtube.com/watch?v=ewvt...

youtube.com

Want to Get Into the Christmas Spirit? These Christmas Classics Will Do the Trick!

YouTube video by Alexandra Hidalgo

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BillBowBaggins @billbowbaggins.bsky.social · 29/11/2025

I had so much fun talking to @ryanfm.bsky.social about their book and birds and much more on my latest podcast episode. Give it a listen and don't forget to buy a copy of Wild NYC! Pod 🎧 billbowbaggins.substack.com/p/ten-birdin... Book 📕 bookshop.org/p/books/wild...

billbowbaggins.substack.com

Ten Birding Questions, with Ryan Mandelbaum

The Birding with BillBow Podcast, Episode 7

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BillBowBaggins @billbowbaggins.bsky.social · 16/11/2025

I wrote about a dead bird I found last Monday. There was a lifer too. Eventful week. billbowbaggins.substack.com/p/the-dark-s... #birds #birding #birdwatching #naturewriting 🪶

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BillBowBaggins @billbowbaggins.bsky.social · 08/11/2025

Trying a reset when it comes to cameras and photography. I want to take better pictures of birds. How's it going? Dunno 😅 billbowbaggins.substack.com/p/photograph... #birds #birding #naturewriting 🪶

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BillBowBaggins @billbowbaggins.bsky.social · 31/10/2025

In my latest podcast episode I talk with the amazing Andrés Chávez, who was my bird guide in Quepos, Costa Rica. What a fascinating man Andrés is, and how committed to Costa Rica's ecological future. This was a wonderful convo. billbowbaggins.substack.com/p/ten-birdin... #birds #birding 🪶

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BillBowBaggins @billbowbaggins.bsky.social · 24/10/2025

For my latest post I wrote about the annual trash pickup I just did in my birding patch, which includes a driving range. Can you guess how many golf balls I collected? I collected a LOT of fun stuff that day 🤢 #birds #birding #naturewriting 🪶 billbowbaggins.substack.com/p/my-big-tra...

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BillBowBaggins @billbowbaggins.bsky.social · 26/09/2025

In my latest podcast I interview Chicago-based birder, artist, and animal behaviorist @kellycballantyne.bsky.social. Kelly and I had a great talk about her trip to Colombia, how to overcome art anxiety, and much more! billbowbaggins.substack.com/p/ten-birdin... #birds #birding #naturewriting 🪶

billbowbaggins.substack.com

Ten Birding Questions, with Kelly Ballantyne

The Birding with BillBow Podcast, Episode 5

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BillBowBaggins @billbowbaggins.bsky.social · 22/09/2025

I loved Listers. Have you seen it? I wrote about it in my latest post! billbowbaggins.substack.com/p/on-listing... Happy migration! #birds #birding #naturewriting 🪶

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Alexandra Hidalgo @the-alex-hidalgo.bsky.social · 21/09/2025

In the US, we tend to live with screens on our windows to keep #nature outside. We just spent 4 days in a house in #CostaRica that was mostly open and surrounded by #wilderness. So, what came in and out of the house while we were there? #Animals youtu.be/-lFsKOs27Jg?... @billbowbaggins.bsky.social

youtu.be

What Creatures Come Into Your House if You Live in the Tropical Wilderness?

YouTube video by Alexandra Hidalgo

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BillBowBaggins @billbowbaggins.bsky.social · 12/09/2025

Final post from Costa Rica. The Pacific Coast, where I got the most lifers, not all of them avian. billbowbaggins.substack.com/p/birding-in... #birds #birding #costarica #naturewriting 🪶

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BillBowBaggins @billbowbaggins.bsky.social · 08/09/2025

And couldn’t get the boys out of the water

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BillBowBaggins @billbowbaggins.bsky.social · 05/09/2025

Quetzal Quest! Big milestones! The third leg of our Costa Rica adventure. billbowbaggins.substack.com/p/birding-in... #birds #birding #naturewriting 🪶

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BillBowBaggins @billbowbaggins.bsky.social · 25/08/2025

First in a three-part writeup about our Costa Rica adventures!🇨🇷 Spoiler alert--We can't wait to go back 🦜 #birds #birding #naturewriting 🪶 billbowbaggins.substack.com/p/birding-in...

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Alexandra Hidalgo @the-alex-hidalgo.bsky.social · 08/08/2025

Amazing podcast interview by my husband @billbowbaggins.bsky.social with @jessinthewild.bsky.social on all the ups and downs of rescuing birds and other animals, why you should wash your bird feeders, and why native gardens are the way to go. #Birding billbowbaggins.substack.com/p/ten-birdin...

billbowbaggins.substack.com

Ten Birding Questions, with Jess Andersen

Birding with BillBow Podcast, Episode 4

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BillBowBaggins @billbowbaggins.bsky.social · 08/08/2025

New episode of Ten Birding Questions is live! I had an amazing time talking to @jessinthewild.bsky.social about birds and her career in a wildlife rehab center. Give us a listen and enjoy! billbowbaggins.substack.com/p/ten-birdin... #birds #birding #naturewriting 🪶

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BillBowBaggins @billbowbaggins.bsky.social · 01/08/2025

New post! Summer birding doesn't have to suck if you make it about the babies. This year I observed two nests. There was drama. billbowbaggins.substack.com/p/summer-bir... #birds #birding #naturewriting 🪶

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Alexandra Hidalgo @the-alex-hidalgo.bsky.social · 26/07/2025

A delightful account of the great adventures a birder can have without even leaving their backyard! #Birding #Birds #WritingCommunity #ADayInTheLife @billbowbaggins.bsky.social billbowbaggins.substack.com/p/a-day-in-t...

billbowbaggins.substack.com

A Day in the Life - July 24, 2025

Beauty! Action! Danger!

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Alexandra Hidalgo @the-alex-hidalgo.bsky.social · 27/07/2025

Talk about revisiting your own childhood through motherhood! #Motherhood #Fireworks #Childhood #Summer #Fun @billbowbaggins.bsky.social

A woman, Alexandra Hidalgo, is holding a sparkler up above her head, and she is looking up at it. To her right, a child, Santiago Hidalgo Bowler, holds a sparkler out in front of him and looks off to the left. They are both outside, with grass and trees behind them. It is nighttime.

A woman, Alexandra Hidalgo, and a child, Santiago Hidalgo Bowler, look at the sparkler that the child is holding out in front of him. It is glowing orange and illuminating their faces and bodies. They are both outside, with grass and trees behind them. It is nighttime.

A woman, Alexandra Hidalgo, and a child, Santiago Hidalgo Bowler, hold an orangey-yellow sparkler out in front of them, looking straight at it. They are both outside, with grass and trees behind them. It is nighttime.

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BillBowBaggins @billbowbaggins.bsky.social · 25/07/2025

I took a day to do nothing yesterday. I did absolutely nothing, and it was everything that I thought it could be. billbowbaggins.substack.com/p/a-day-in-t... #birds #birding #naturewriting 🪶

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Alexandra Hidalgo @the-alex-hidalgo.bsky.social · 18/07/2025

My husband, @billbowbaggins.bsky.social, recounts his journey from young artist to media maker in this loving, funny, self-deprecating tribute to our restless creative spirit and, of course, to #birds! #WritingCommunity #Nature #Birding #NatureWriting billbowbaggins.substack.com/p/why-i-do-t...

billbowbaggins.substack.com

Why I Do This...

...and this, and this, and this...

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