This week, the 2020 North American Ornithological Conference (NAOC) was held virtually — the NAOC organizers and all of the presenters have done such a great job. Now it is time to celebrate.
The Bird Band Jam has become a well-enjoyed tradition at ornithological conferences including NAOC. It is always so fun to see our fellow ornithologists get together and play music with each other in front of a live audience. To keep that fun alive, and to help celebrate NAOC and our ornithological community, Partners in Flight is hosting this virtual Bird Band Jam, right here, right now. Here we link performances contributed by our fellow ornithologists for the #NAOC2020 #BirdBandJam.
Following are a series of links to YouTube videos, videos posted on FaceBook, and other digital files. Many thanks to all of the contributors to this year’s NAOC Bird Band Jam.
FIRST SET
For the past 6 months Jennie Duberstein has been inspiring us all to share music with her series of #QuaranTunes posted on Instagram and Facebook. We’ve adopted the #QuaranTunes theme for this virtual #BirdBandJam, and so here we start with Jennie’s performance of Little Bird, by Jerry Jeff Walker. FACEBOOK LINK
Michelle Moyer contributed this video from the Omland Lab at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC), dubbed to Birding, by the Swet Shop Boys. GOOGLE DRIVE LINK
This Robert Hunter and Jerry Garcia tune, Black Muddy River, was recorded by John Alexander for this year’s #BirdBandJam. YOUTUBE LINK
Ron Mumme contributed this piece of #BirdBandJam history — a recording of the Screaming Jays covering Bob Marley’s Three Little Birds at the inaugural 2017 AOS meeting at Michigan State. GOOGLE DRIVE LINK
Next, Bob Ford covers Steve Goodman’s City of New Orleans. Bod saw Arlo Guthrie perform this live on more than one occasion; Bob also enjoyed having drinks and supper at the University of Mississippi with this Faulkner scholar . FACEBOOK LINK
And to close the set, Alice Boyle — a regular highlight around the ornithological jam circle. This original tune, The Ravens, was inspired by watching ravens play on wind currents at the Grand Canyon. The video includes images by Alice’s artist friend, Lisa Grosman. YOUTUBE LINK
SECOND SET
Several #BirdBandJam performances have been contributed in honor of Steve Herman (aka #FatherWingbeat). Over his 47 years at the Evergreen State College, Steve taught an estimated 2,500 students. He developed a unique and intensive approach to teaching students about natural history, igniting a passion in countless students for birds and other wildlife, wild places, and conservation. We will forever miss Steve’s full-form engagement, the glee he always showed when seeing any manner of wildlife, his spark, which always infected those around him, and the joy he showed when we all played around the campfire into the night at the Malheur Bird Observatory. Forever grateful — #HermaniteForLife
- One of the classics, Aaron Holmes performs his original Sagebrush Song. FACEBOOK LINK
- Here, Jennie Duberstein covers one of Steve’s favorites, Pancho and Lefty, by Townes Van Zandt. In her tribute Jennie shares her gratitude for Steve’s amazing book “The Naturalist’s Field Journal: A Manual of Instruction Based on a System Established by Joseph Grinnell” and the inspiration and instruction that it has provided her and so many others. FACEBOOK LINK
- Steve Herman student Scott Sager performs his original song On The Bus, along side an amazing slide show with photos from one of our amazing Natural History voyages on Steve’s bus, the Beagle. YOUTUBE LINK
- In tribute to #FatherWingBeat and his enormous influence, John Alexander recorded this Grateful Dead song, Eyes of the World, by Robert Hunter and Jerry Garcia. YOUTUBE LINK
ENCORE
In closing, we thank all of the performers who contributed to this #NAOC2020 #BirdBandJam, and we thank all of the musicians and singers who have graced us over the years with their songs, at our conferences and in the field.
Partners in Flight also asks you to help us celebrate our 30th anniversary by joining us for the next 30 years. Together we can advance full life-cycle conservation of landbirds in the Americas via sound science, integrated conservation partnerships, habitat delivery on public and private lands, and targeted citizen outreach.
Lastly, if you have not yet gotten your conservation science stamp set, put your stamp on conservation today. CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION
And without further ado, a goodnight song to close out #NAOC2020 — Huddie Ledbetter’s Goodnight Irene, performed by Jennie Duberstein. FACEBOOK LINK
POST-SHOW WALK-OUT MUSIC
We leave you with this last #NAOC2020 #BirdBandJam contribution, a KBO Covert production dubbed to the Robert Hunter and Jerry Garcia tune Bird Song. This video, “Why care about birds? Together we can save them” was part of the 2020 Virtual Oregon Country Fair (#NoCF2020). YOUTUBE LINK