Ten Birding Questions, with Jess Andersen

I first encountered Blue Ridge Wildlife Center Rehab Director Jess Andersen on the platform formerly known as Twitter. Easiest follow ever. Jess in the Wild checks all the boxes for my favorite kind of social media account—

• Birdy ✅

• Funny ✅

• Informative ✅

Jess at Birdapalooza, Cape May, New Jersey. Photo by Sarah Midolo.

Perfect candidate for Ten Birding Questions, I told myself when considering potential guests for my fledgling podcast. I suspected Jess would bring those exact qualities to a conversation about birds and nature and wildlife. Bingo. Rarely have I laughed so much while learning. What fun Jess and I had talking about—

• A typical day in the life of a wildlife rehabber (spoiler alert—there is no “typical day” for a wildlife rehabber).

• Memorable animals that have come under her care, including a BIG raptor and a wee yet dangerous mammal (AKA animals that require Kevlar protection).

These are protective gauntlets, but this is NOT the big raptor in question. Photo courtesy of Jess Andersen.

• Why it’s your fault if a Canada Goose doesn’t like you, and what it means when one attacks you.

• A SPICY take on bird feeders 🌶️🌶️🌶️

• An amazing first trip to Magee Marsh, and just what the heck is Ohio?!?

Jess (fourth from left) leading a birdwalk for Blue Ridge Wildlife Center volunteers. Photo courtesy of Jess Andersen.

I also enjoyed the visits by surprise guest Freya, who had several meows to contribute to our conversation—not surprising because cats can be very opinionated about birds. Listen close for Freya’s hot takes about why you should always, ALWAYS, keep domesticated cats indoors.

Featured Photo—Bearded Vulture

Bearded Vulture painting. Photo by Jess Andersen.

This is the fire-breathing Bearded Vulture Jess references in one of her answers. Not only is this an incredible painting (by a former Blue Ridge WC vet tech), we agree it would make for an equally amazing tattoo. And of course the mug is the chef’s kiss. Here’s hoping Jess in the Wild oneday meets a Bearded Vulture in the Wild, though perhaps not the fire-breathing kind. We want to keep Jess around for a long time.

10/10 Recommends

Jess in the Wild on social media

I’ll say it again—Birdy ✅ Funny ✅ Informative ✅

It’s social media done right. Aside from Twitter, find Jess on Instagram and TikTok, and don’t be stingy with the likes!

Also check out (and consider supporting!) Blue Ridge Wildlife Center, where Jess and her team work tirelessly to provide the best outcomes for their patients. Find BRWC on social media too. Have a look around Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok, and see some of the very animals Jess mentions in the podcast, and don’t be stingy with the likes (and donations)!

That’s all for this month. I hope you enjoyed the latest episode of Ten Birding Questions as much as I enjoyed my conversation with Jess. Have you had a memorable encounter with an injured animal? How did you try to help? Have you ever worked or volunteered at an animal rehabilitation center? Let’s discuss it in the comments!👇

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This post was human generated.