Women in STEM – BirdsCaribbean

Holly Garrod, BirdsCaribbean’s Caribbean Bird Banding Program Coordinator

One of the issues that the birding community has been working on for the last several years is how we can be more welcoming and inclusive of all birders—beginner birders and future potential birders—to join us and share the joy of birding. It’s an issue to which passionate birders, Hannah Buschert, and her husband Erik, have given a great deal of thought, and which led to the creation of Women Birders (Happy Hour) podcast.

Their ‘happy hour’ podcast is dedicated to broadcasting the lived experiences of women, from diverse backgrounds, who love birds. And of course, it’s not happy hour without cocktails! For each episode, Hannah delights us with a unique, bird-inspired alcoholic concoction based on a species mentioned in the interview!

BirdsCaribbean’s Caribbean Bird Banding Coordinator, and everyone’s favorite certified bird banding trainer, Holly Garrod, chats with Hannah about everything from her early birding days, advice for budding conservationists, exploring new birding locations, connecting to people through birds and fighting female stereotypes in conservation in this insightful episode! Holly has a B.Sc. in Applied Vertebrate Ecology and Zoology with a minor in Business from Humboldt State University and an M.Sc. in Biology from Villanova. Her master’s research focused on the two todies of Hispaniola, which is how Holly got her start in the Caribbean.

The Narrow-billed Tody, showing its bright pink sides. (Photo by Alberto Rojas)

Holly Garrod bands a Cuban Tody for research in the Boca de Canasí Ecological Reserve in Cuba.

Holly Garrod bands a Broad-billed Tody in the Dominican Republic for her M.Sc. thesis research.

The Broad-billed Tody (locally known as the Barrancoli for its habit of nesting in burrows) earned its name by having the broadest bill of all 5 tody species. (Photo by Dax Roman E.)

After her studies, Holly spent one year running the Jama Coaque Bird Observatory in Ecuador, and two and a half years running the Costa Rica Bird Observatories banding program. Holly was certified as a North American Banding Council (NABC) trainer in 2011 following her training at Humboldt Bay Bird Observatory. Since then, Holly has worked on banding projects throughout the US and Latin America. She has led multiple workshops throughout Latin America and helped with NABC certification sessions in both English and Spanish. As Caribbean Bird Banding Coordinator, Holly is working with our Caribbean partners to create a unified bird banding program for the region called the Caribbean Bird Banding Network.

Holly Garrod bands a Cuban Pygmy-Owl. (Photo by Daniela Ventura)

Coming together to learn. Holly teaches the group about molt. (Photo by Maya Wilson)

Banders around a table entering data and holding birds

At the banding table, Daniela Ventura studies banding data sheets with Juan Carlos Fernández and Alcides Morales-Pérez. In the background, Holly holds a bird bag carrying the next-to-be-processed bird.

Grab yourself a drink (might we suggest Hannah’s Hybrid Tody cocktail below?), kick back, and settle into happy hour with Hannah and Holly! It’s an inspiring podchat about the mentors and experiences that helped shape her career in bird conservation, documenting the Hybrid Tody in the Dominican Republic, communicating science to motivate conservation action, and issues of blondeness in the birding community.

Enjoy!

Listen

Choose your preferred podcast platform to listen to Holly’s interview by clicking this Buzzsprout link.

Delight your taste buds with this Hybrid Tody (not toddy!) cocktail

Ingredients

1 ½ oz Brugal Anejo
4 fresh raspberries
4 fresh strawberries
½ oz lime juice
½ oz simple syrup
Ice

Directions

1. Fill cocktail shaker with ice
2. Add rum, raspberries and strawberries
3. Pour in lime juice and simple syrup
4. Shake shake shake
5. Strain into glass

For more bird inspired cocktails visit: https://www.gobirdingpodcast.com/women-birders-happy-hour

More about Hannah and Erik

If you’re curious about Hannah and Erik’s birding adventures and podcast, you can visit their website Hannah and Erik Go Birding. You can also connect with them through Facebook: @HannahandErikGoBirding, Instagram @hannahgoesbirding and X (formerly Twitter) @WeGoBirding.

Selfie of a woman in a winter jacket outside. In the background there are green gently sloping hills. — Hannah Buschert, host of the Women Birders (Happy Hour) Podcast.

In case you missed Hannah’s podchat with our President, Dr Adrianne Tossas, check it out here:

Let’s Talk About Being a Latina in STEM and the Birding Glass Ceiling: Women Birders Podchat with Dr Adrianne Tossas

Dr Adrianne Tossas, President of BirdsCaribbean.

One of the issues that the birding community has been working on for the last several years is how we can be more welcoming and inclusive of all birders—beginner birders and future potential birders—to join us and share the joy of birding. It’s an issue to which passionate birders, Hannah Buschert, and her husband Erik, have given a great deal of thought, and which led to the creation of Women Birders (Happy Hour) podcast.

Last month’s guest was our very own BirdsCaribbean President—Dr Adrianne Tossas! Adrianne has a Ph.D. degree in ecology from the University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras. She currently teaches biology at the university level, leading undergraduate students in avian ecology research and conservation work. Along with her students, she monitors landbird and waterbird populations in northwestern Puerto Rico. In addition to her role as President of BirdsCaribbean, she serves as the Co-Chair of the organization’s Mentorship Program and Chair of the Grant Awards Committee. She is the author of the book Birds of Puerto Rico for Children, and regularly gives talks and contributes newspaper articles about conservation for the general public.

Dr Tossas with her students in field.

Dr Tossas leads a birding tour for girls during the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival.

A woman standing next to a spotting scope. She is wearing a jacket, a pair of binoculars hangs from her neck, and a birding waist bag with just the top of a field guide visible. In the background there is a pond.

Adjusting a spotting scope for participants during a Bird Guide Training workshop in Turks and Caicos. (Photo by Christel Mohammed)

Grab yourself a drink (might we suggest Hannah’s Puerto Rican Vireo cocktail below?), kick back, and settle into happy hour with Hannah and Adrianne! It’s an inspiring podchat about how Adrianne started birding, her experience being a woman in a male-dominated field, her research, the mentors that helped to guide and shape her into the conservationist that she is today, and her efforts to transform the local birding community in Puerto Rico to include more women and young birders.

Enjoy!

Listen

Choose your preferred podcast platform to listen to Adrianne’s interview by clicking this Buzzsprout link.

Cool off with a Puerto Rican Vireo cocktail

Ingredients

1 oz white rum
1 oz anise-flavored liquor
½ oz agave syrup
½ oz lemon juice
Ice

Directions

Fill cocktail shaker with ice
Add in liquors, syrup, and juice
Shake shake shake
Strain into glass

For more bird inspired cocktails visit: https://www.gobirdingpodcast.com/women-birders-happy-hour

Tag: Women in STEM

Hybrid Todies, and Connecting to Places and People Through Birds: Holly Garrod is on the Women Birders Podchat!

Let’s Talk About Being a Latina in STEM and the Birding Glass Ceiling: Women Birders Podchat with Dr Adrianne Tossas