Birding, Lifers, Travel & Restrooms with Hannah Buschert

Chris is joined by Hannah Buschert of Hannah & Erik Go Birding, one of the biggest names in the birding podcast world! Hannah's story starts almost by accident — a required biology of birds course in college, taught with the help of David Attenborough's Life of Birds, was all it took to hook her for good. From there she worked as a park ranger at Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park, picked up a serious taste for far-flung birding destinations, and eventually settled on the Oregon coast.

Hannah and Chris dig into how Hannah & Erik Go Birding got started back in 2018 on long drives through Florida, why she went on to launch Women Birders Happy Hour and Bird Nerd Book Club, and what it's really like building an audience and a business around a shared love of birds.

Episode Takeaways:

The Podcast Was Born on Long Florida Drives: Hannah and her husband Eric started Hannah & Eric Go Birding in 2018 because the birding podcasts they listened to on road trips were too technical and didn't capture the fun of actually going out and birding.
Three Podcasts, Three Purposes: Beyond the flagship show, Hannah runs Women Birders Happy Hour and Bird Nerd Book Club.
Travel and Logistics Matter as Much as the Birds: Hannah has a master's degree in tourism management, and the show deliberately covers the practical side of birding trips — guides, hotels, restaurants, and yes, bathrooms, not just the birds themselves.
Online Criticism Comes With the Territory: Hannah's learned to shrug off the odd bit of negativity by remembering how much effort goes into putting anything out publicly.

Episode Timestamps:

03:46 - Go Birding Origins
07:49 - Birding Beginnings
11:06 - Early Struggles Community
14:12 - Building Podcast Network
18:17 - Puffin Walks Costa Rica
20:45 - Budgeting Big Trips
22:53 - Monetising Go Birding
24:42 - Birding Books Picks
29:16 - Audience Fame Feedback
38:04 - Bird That Got Away
39:35 - Dream Destinations
41:31 - Forever Birding Place

Important Links & Resources:

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