In this episode, I talk with Melissa Hafting about her birding routines and rituals. Hafting’s life is about “giving back to the birds for all they have done for us.” She is the keeper of the BC Rare Bird Alert and founder of the BC Young Birders Program. Entering birding, Hafting—a Black woman—experienced gatekeeping. This challenging experience motivated her to establish the BC Young Birders Program, a welcoming space in nature for BIPOC and the LGBTQ community. She is a biologist and has worked with the City of Richmond to install nest boxes for Tree Swallows and Purple Martins. She is also the author of Dare to Bird which she dedicated to her parents both of whom passed away before the publication of the book.

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You can find Melissa Hafting on Instagram as @ bcbirdergirl, on the web at https://daretobird.blogspot.com/ and https://bcbirdalert.blogspot.com/ and https://www.bcyoungbirders.ca/. Her book is Dare to Bird: Exploring the Joy and Healing Power of Birds.

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Creator and Host: Georgia Silvera Seamans

Producer and Editor: Pod for the People

Vocalizations: 

Western Bluebird song https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/111074

Western Bluebird https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/111074

Snow Goose https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/142622161

Tree Swallow song https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/49588

Siberian Accentor https://xeno-canto.org/424294

Rough-legged Hawk call https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/133387