The Thing with Feathers: birds and hope with Courtney Ellis

Professor, ornithologist, and wildlife ecologist Tim O’Connell joins us on the show today to chat about birds, spring migration, the Wilson Ornithological Society, and what he’s seeing in Oklahoma this time of year.Tim is a great storyteller, from a random birder he picked up one day on the side of the road (and lived to tell the tale!) to interactions with his students, his professional societies, and the little delights birding brings him.Check out his YouTube where he puts together educational birdy videos or follow him over on Twitter where he is just as delightful.PLUS: one more hilarious story about why the Louisiana Waterthrush is the pinnacle of avian evolution. (Or is it?) Get full access to Keep Looking Up at courtneyellis.substack.com/subscribe

I could have talked to Ragan Sutterfield all day long. An Episcopal priest by trade, he is also a reviewer for e-Bird in Arkansas.Ragan is a wealth of wisdom, kindness, and birdy-knowledge. He wrote the fabulous new book, Watch and Wonder: Birding as a Spiritual Practice, with Broadleaf Press.Ragan’s perspective on birds, birding, and God is deep and wide and welcoming and filled with delight. The way he weaves together faith, nature, neighborliness, and the liturgical year is profoundly beautiful.I’m excited to share this conversation with you, and I hope you’ll give Ragan’s fantastic new book a look. It’s a gem. Watch and Wonder comes out next week, but you can preorder it today anywhere books are sold. Get full access to Keep Looking Up at courtneyellis.substack.com/subscribe

Hannah Miller King is a brilliant writer and Anglican priest living in North Carolina. She’s the author of the brand-new book (just came out on February 17 with IVP!) Feasting on Hope: How God Sets a Table in the Wilderness. I devoured it in one sitting and I was so excited to get the chance to ask Hannah all about it.From her ecumenical childhood in different denominations to the death of her father while she was still young, Hannah shares a story of discovering the richness, complexity, and grace of God through the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper. (Or the Eucharist. Or communion, depending on your theological tradition.)This book resists the urge to move toward easy answers or simple platitudes. Within its pages, Hannah acknowledges doubt, fear, uncertainty, and deep loss. She is a good and faithful guide into these far countries, while never leaving us without hope.I loved this book and this conversation, and I know that you will, too.Plus, her favorite bird surprised me in the most delightful way. Get full access to Keep Looking Up at courtneyellis.substack.com/subscribe

It can be a tender thing to launch a creative project into the world. That’s true whether you’re an actor, a baker, a musician, a quilter, or almost any other artisan. As a writer, releasing a book often feels like that scene in early Gray’s Anatomy where Meredith stands before Derek and says, “Pick me, choose me, love me.”In short, it’s a little bit vulnerable.When I launched my first book back in 2019, Daryl took me to see Sweeney Todd at our local theater, to distract me from all of the big feelings. (A murdering, singing barber will do that!) These days, I’ve learned to notice and honor the feelings as they come and pass. There are a lot of them, in the week leading up to a book launch.And these feelings aren’t just about whether people will like the book. That’s part of it, for sure—no author wants to be panned or ignored. But they go beyond just wanting the book to hit well. They run the full gamut from excitement to terror. To paraphrase my writer-friend Ruth, the only thing scarier than no one is reading your book is people actually, you know, reading your book.But here’s the thing: being part of the literary world is one of the great joys of my life. And that joy is a wonderful balm for all of the BIG FEELINGS™ that show up on launch week.I love my writing communities. That’s you, beloved SubStack friends. It’s the writers who read early drafts of my work (thank you, Steve! thank you, Aarik!) and gave me honest feedback. It’s the writers whose books I love who have helped me grow in the craft. It’s fellow writers in the trenches being honest about what it takes to turn a beautiful phrase and keep pursuing what is beautiful and true in a world filled with AI slop and lazy shortcuts. It’s writers who are also bookstore owners (I love you, Nooks!) who foster community spaces where people can be together, heartened, seen, and read.Each time I publish a book and begin to feel all the feelings (hooray! oh no! how are my numbers doing? what have I forgotten?), I remember that you and each fellow reader and writer out there are the biggest gifts of all.I’d be honored if you’d give Weathering Change a look. Preorders matter, and this is the last week you can sneak one of those in, at Amazon or Nooks or anywhere you love buying your books. (You can also request it at your local library, which is free to you!)But above all, please know that I am so grateful that you’re with me on this journey of words, seeking to make meaning out of life.Today’s podcast is short and sweet—just 25 minutes. In it I read chapter one from Weathering Change. Many thanks to my publisher, InterVarsity Press, for giving me permission to share it with you today. If you’d prefer to read it rather than listen to it, you can find it here.Thank you for your love and support. I am so excited to share this book with you! Get full access to Keep Looking Up at courtneyellis.substack.com/subscribe

When I attend birding festivals, I love to go out on tours. There’s nothing like loading into a van with five or ten other bird enthusiasts and a couple of guides and see what we discover together. Plus: the guides carry the big, heavy spotting scopes, which is a nice perk on a long, hot day. I don’t usually look into who my guides are before I sign up for one tour over another—I figure that if they’ve been hired, they’re qualified and know the area, and that I’ll have plenty of time to get to know them over the course of our day.Last November I went to the Rio Grande Valley Bird Festival. Highly recommend—it was so well-organized that there were volunteers standing outside of the tour vans at 5:30am just to hand out free lens wipes and make sure we had enough water! A great festival with astounding birds, many of which are found only outside the US and in the Rio Grande Valley.One day I signed up for a “Big Day” trip—a full day of friendly competition. Ten or so vans filled with birders trying spot as many birds as we could within a specific window of time. One of my guides on that day turned out to be Derek Sallmann.Derek is the co-founder of Badgerland Birding, an organization that does everything from education to conservation to tours. He has a delightful, educational YouTube channel that’s well worth perusing, and a podcast as well.I didn’t learn any of this until I Googled him. In typical Midwestern fashion, Derek would never toot his own horn. In fact, I didn’t even think to look him up until our group stopped to try and find a Common Parauque and a nine-year-old birder from another van came up to us, looked at Derek, and said, “It’s YOU! I watch you ALL THE TIME!”To be on a tour with a fellow Wisconsinite warmed my heart, and Derek was a wonderful guide through the Rio Grande Valley. I am delighted to know that Badgerland Birding exists, and I know that you will be, too. Join us as we learn from Derek about the birds of Wisconsin, what makes a good birding guide, and what he hopes to accomplish in 2026. Get full access to Keep Looking Up at courtneyellis.substack.com/subscribe

Today we’re joined on the show by Jennifer Grant, a Chicago author of books for children and adults. I’ve loved Jennifer’s work for years and was delighted to pick her brain about her newest work, Consider the Birds, a lovely picture book filled with wonder.Jennifer talks all things children’s books, birds, and faith, including how her faith compelled her to take a stand against certain governmental practices in Chicago this autumn. Jennifer is a gentle soul and a wise guide, and I know you’ll be just as enriched by our conversation as I was.Check out more of Jennifer’s work on her website, including fabulous books for adults like my favorite, Dimming the Day. Get full access to Keep Looking Up at courtneyellis.substack.com/subscribe

Gina and I became friends over social media a few years back. Then we became good friends when she started regularly texting me photos of Northern Cardinals. I live in California, you see, and those red beauties rarely make it out past the Rocky Mountains. What a gift!It was only then that I picked up Gina’s book: Dorothy & Jack: The Transforming Friendship of Dorothy L. Sayers and C.S. Lewis. and discovered that she is not only a generous cardinal photo-sender, but she’s a phenomenal writer as well. I learned so much from this book about two authors I’d admired for years but hadn’t known very deeply.Join Gina and me for a conversation about these two saints of the evangelical church, the power of friendship, and why cardinals just might be the world’s best birds. Plus, check out her fantastic SubStack, Dear, Strange Things and her fun blog about Charles Dickens. Get full access to Keep Looking Up at courtneyellis.substack.com/subscribe

Birding is for everyone, or so the popular saying goes. And it really is! You can bird if you’re young or old, bored or busy, a city-dweller or a rural homesteader. There are blind birder’s groups and those for the hearing-impaired. You can bird if you have mobility issues or disability of any kind. It’s always possible.Bu sometimes it’s more difficult than others. If you have any sort of physical limitations, you may need to know how flat the trail is. Is it wheelchair accessible? If you can’t hear well, you’ll need a birding guide to turn around when she speaks to the group so that you can see her lips move. There are a thousand ways to make birding more accessible. That’s where Freya MacGregor comes in.Freya is a consultant at Access Birding, a researcher at Virginia Tech whose work centers on improving access and inclusion for disabled birders. She’s also the author of the forthcoming book by Princeton University Press, A Field Guide to Accessible Birding in the United States. Originally from Australia, Freya comes to us from Tuscaloosa, Alabama.Whether you’re currently disabled, love someone who is currently disabled, or are looking toward your older years when disability is even more likely, this interview will be a gift to you. Freya’s joy is infectious, and her simple solutions for helping include everyone in the joy of birding are things I’ve already started to put into practice wherever I can.Do you have a disability or love someone who does? What strategies have you found for making birding more accessible? Get full access to Keep Looking Up at courtneyellis.substack.com/subscribe

Becca Rowland, aka The Girl in White Glasses, aka one of the funniest and most whimsical bird book writers I’ve had the pleasure to encounter, is a delight. She sees beauty everywhere, finds humor in unlikely places, and is making the world a better place one gentle bird joke at a time.Her new book, Bird Talk: Hilariously Accurate Ways to Identify Birds by the Sounds They Make cracked me up on nearly every page. It links bird sounds to common noises we hear every day - i.e., if it sounds like you’ve bent over and ripped your pants, what you’re hearing is a Turkey Vulture. These brilliant pairings are so helpful when it comes to identifying bird songs and the birds themselves. Whether you’re a new or experienced birder, the book is a gem—and a helpful one at that!I was asked to review Bird Talk for the Englewood Review of Books, and soon thereafter Becca was kind enough to join me for an interview here on The Thing with Feathers.Also: can I just say, if you’re struggling to buy a Christmas gift for that person who’s really hard to shop for, this book is a perfect choice. Whether they’re a birder or not, it’s a book to make them laugh, and one to put on the coffee table to make guests laugh, too. Get full access to Keep Looking Up at courtneyellis.substack.com/subscribe

Poet, essayist, critic, editor, and general literary jack-of-all trades Paul J. Pastor is one of those authors whose SubStack, The Rose Fire, I adore and whose publication dates I track. When is his next book coming out?Good news! The Locust Years, his newest book of poetry, just released from Wise Blood Books. This one is such a treat, my friends. Paul joins us on the show today to talk about all things hope, grief, poetry, birds, and why suffering can be very fertile ground for good art.Plus: he reads a few of his gorgeous poems for us. We also talk about the beaches of the Pacific Northwest, the unpredictability and gift of inspiration, and why you can’t fight Babylon with the weapons of Babylon—but you can fight it with poetry, with goodness, with beauty, and with life. Get full access to Keep Looking Up at courtneyellis.substack.com/subscribe

As a parent, helping my kids connect with the love and care of God through experiences in nature is one of my great joys. Whether it’s taking them to the park or going on a hike or just pointing out the cool bug that’s hanging out on our gutter, there are few things like the power and beauty of the natural world to inspire wonder.Valerie Ellis is a children’s book author who knows a thing or two about wonder. From giraffes to acorn woodpeckers, flamingos to sea otters, her beautiful new book, Wild Faith Devotional for Kids: 52 Amazing Animals that Point to One Great God is a delight.Whether you’re a parent, a grandparent, a Sunday School teacher, a babysitter, or just someone who loves animals and kids, this book is a gem.Come along with us as we unpack what makes a good children’s book, how children are natural conduits for wonder, and the connection between faith and God’s good creation. Get full access to Keep Looking Up at courtneyellis.substack.com/subscribe

Author and speaker Dorothy Greco joins us on the podcast today to help expand our definition of misogyny and see how embracing both women and men as full parts of the human story can bring us hope.She joins us to talk about her fabulous new book, For the Love of Women: Uprooting and Healing Misogyny in America. I found this conversation so enlightening, and I just know that you will, too.Plus: why Saw-whet Owls are some of the best owls, the status of leaves turning in Massachusetts, and the hope of a really good church.Follow Dorothy on Twitter, SubStack, or Instagram. Get full access to Keep Looking Up at courtneyellis.substack.com/subscribe

I love birds. I’m fascinated by American history. But there is not enough writing out there about birds and history! Enter: Robert Francis, whose wonderful Substack, Bird History, is a delight of parrots and passenger pigeons, feathered hats and conservation treaties.He joins us on the show today to talk all things bird history. Plus: twenty of the weirdest categories for bird names (they’ll crack you up, for reals), finding hope in our feathered friends, and birds of Brooklyn.You can also follow Robert on Twitter, where he often shares birding factoids, whimsical lists (this one is my current favorite), and fantastic photos. Get full access to Keep Looking Up at courtneyellis.substack.com/subscribe

Karen Swallow Prior is one of those writers and thinkers I’ve enjoyed reading for years. Her book On Reading Well inspired me to tackle some challenging literature. The wisdom of The Evangelical Imagination has helped illustrate more than one of my sermons. And now Karen’s rare and signature mix of depth, courage, and wisdom shows up on every page of her fabulous new book, You Have a Calling: Finding Your Vocation in the True, Good, and Beautiful.Today she joins us on the show to talk about the idea of vocation and how we might discern God’s calling all the days of our lives. Plus: what’s the difference between calling and passion? How can we seek truth, goodness, and beauty in jobs we may not love? And what is Karen’s favorite bird? (You’ll never guess. Except… yes, you might.)From not backing down in the face of corruption to loving one another well in painful seasons, Karen shares some of her own vocational journey as a professor, a daughter, a writer, and beyond.If you’re facing questions about your own calling, perhaps as you near retirement or consider a job change or prepare for graduation, this is the podcast for you. And who among us won’t face this question multiple times in our lives?Check out You Have a Calling anywhere books are sold. I enjoyed it so very much, and I expect that you will, too. Get full access to Keep Looking Up at courtneyellis.substack.com/subscribe

Emily McGowin is an associate professor of theology at Wheaton College as well as a priest in the Anglican diocese of Churches for the Sake of Others. She is the author of three books: Quivering Families, Christmas, and Households of Faith. Today Emily comes on the show to talk about family: what it is, what Scripture says about it, and how family can be a blessing to our communities and our world. We dig into her newest book, Households of Faith: Practicing Familiy in the Kingdom of God, and From parenting as accompaniment to seeking justice, our conversation was a deep encouragement and blessing to me and I pray it will be one to you as well. Get full access to Keep Looking Up at courtneyellis.substack.com/subscribe

Starting a business is not for the faint of heart. Starting a publishing business might take the most courage of all.Enter Karin Hoyle. This author and birder wanted to broaden the landscape of middle grade literature with more books that feature the good, the beautiful, and the true. Middle grade lit is a field that is often filled with books that skew much older than the kids preteens and teens who read them. As a parent myself, I know firsthand that finding books that are both challenging enough for my young readers and still being age-appropriate can be a real uphill climb.Join us as we pick Karin’s brain about Owl’s Nest Publishers, the state of young adult literature, the joys and struggles of writing, and why owls just might be the coolest birds. Get full access to Keep Looking Up at courtneyellis.substack.com/subscribe

When Jack Bruce founded WellBirds, he was excited to merge two of his passions—birding and health. It’s no secret that birding can improve our mental health, but did you know it can improve our social, emotional, and physical health as well?Join us on this episode of The Thing with Feathers as we learn from Jack about the birds of Atlanta and the myriad of ways birding can strengthen and connect us. Plus, a window into fabulous programs like Mental Health First Aid that can help us love our neighbors well. Get full access to Keep Looking Up at courtneyellis.substack.com/subscribe

As a mom of three youngish kids (6, 9, and 12), I was so excited to talk to Barbara Hunsicker. Barbara is a Florida birder, a theologian, and a mom of two. She shares her best birding tips to welcome kids into the joy, the gift of watching youngsters discover the world of birds, and how we might learn from our kids, too.Plus, we talk hurricane relief and what natural disasters can mean for us and our feathered friends. Barbara and her family were new to Florida—her husband Dave pastors a Presbyterian church there—when Hurricane Helene came through, wreaking havoc on their church property as well as many of their congregants’ homes. It was a trial-by-fire in beginning their ministry, and in many ways they are still recovering.She helps answer the questions: what happens to birds in a hurricane, and how does a community’s recovery shape its togetherness and its love?Plus, we celebrate the birds of Florida and talk theology, mystery, favorite birds, nemesis birds, and the small, surprising places where Barbara is finding hope today.You can follow Barbara’s birding journey on Instagram, too, where she’s one of my very favorites for bird photography and Florida joy. Get full access to Keep Looking Up at courtneyellis.substack.com/subscribe

Today on the podcast, Daryl Ellis—beloved and patient birding spouse—joins the show to celebrate our 100th episode. Together we talk about the origin story of The Thing with Feathers, what it’s like to be married to a birder (and discover that you’re slowly becoming one yourself), and the importance of purusing joys and hobbies in midlife.Plus: which local bird we can set our watch by, the delight of mulch (yes, really), and how to support your spouse in that which brings them joy.A great word of thanks to all those who have supported The Thing with Feathers in its journey. From molting to migration, faith to falcons, bird fests to binoculars, sparrows to spiritual reawakenings, we’ve covered so much ground in these 100 episodes.I can’t wait for the next 100.What topics haven’t we covered that you’d like to learn about in the days ahead? Get full access to Keep Looking Up at courtneyellis.substack.com/subscribe

Shemaiah Gonzalez is back! This time she joins us to unpack her beautiful new book, Undaunted Joy: The Revolutionary Act of Cultivating Delight. My friends, if you need the perfect book to be your nightstand right-be-for-bed companion, this is it. In this collection of short essays, Shemaiah unpacks the small ways uncovering, accepting, and welcoming joy can change our lives.The opposite of toxic positivity, she argues for slowing down, being present, and experiencing our lives rather than rushing through them. You’ll meet delight in surprising places like the laundry room, with surprising companions like capybaras, and amidst surprising companions like sorrow.Join us for this conversation about cultivating delight. Plus: what is Shemaiah’s least favorite bird? The answer may surprise you! Get full access to Keep Looking Up at courtneyellis.substack.com/subscribe