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Spark Bird: Ryan Mandelbaum and the Great Blue Heron
A wild-heron chase led to a deep love of birds
© Andy Morffew
As a kid, science writer Ryan Mandelbaum avoided birds, thinking they were gross and kind of scary. But doing a video project in journalism school, Ryan had to search all over to get footage of a Great Blue Heron. When Ryan found one in its nest, they were shocked at how majestic and beautiful the bird was. Years later, Ryan and their spouse go birding all the time, planning vacations around what birds they might see.
BirdNote®
Spark Bird: Ryan Mandelbaum and the Great Blue Heron
Written by Mark Bramhill
Mark Bramhill: This is BirdNote.
As a kid, science writer Ryan Mandelbaum avoided birds, thinking they were gross and kind of scary. But when working on an environmental project in journalism school, Ryan had a change of heart:
Ryan Mandelbaum: I just came across a story about how the New York City Audubon Society was painting lawn flamingos white to try and attract Great Egrets back to an island off the coast of Staten Island. And I just thought this was so funny and I had to learn more.
Mark Bramhill: That led to a video project and a quest to capture footage of a Great Blue Heron, a bird that Ryan had never seen before. Which was actually hard to find for a totally novice birder! But after a lot of trial and error, and with some help from the New York City Parks Department, they found one.
Ryan Mandelbaum: Just seeing this bird emerge from its nest... It was so much bigger than I thought it was going to be. And it was so much more majestic and beautiful than I thought it was going to be. And it was just this mind-blowing experience like, Oh my God, like this bird lives in New York City.
[Great Blue Heron ML92488041]
Mark Bramhill: Now, Ryan and their spouse go birding all the time, planning vacations around what birds they might see. Finches have taken the top spot as Ryan's favorite birds, but the heron has not been forgotten:
Ryan Mandelbaum: Great Blue Herons still evoke a sense of excitement and almost nostalgia for my earlier days going birding.
Mark Bramhill: For BirdNote, I’m Mark Bramhill.
[Great Blue Heron ML92488041]
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Senior Producer: John Kessler
Production Manager: Allison Wilson
Producer: Mark Bramhill
Associate Producer: Ellen Blackstone
Bird sounds provided by The Macaulay Library of Natural Sounds at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, New York. Great Blue Heron, ML92488041 recorded by Paul Marvin. Music is Remsen by Blue Dot Sessions.
© 2021 BirdNote March 2021 Narrator: Mark Bramhill
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Resources: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/speaking-of-science/wp/2016/08/26/h… (article and video Ryan produced)
Mark Bramhill
WriterSights & Sounds
