Tag Archives: Oaxaca

An Unexpected Lesson in Birding, and other Pandemic Hobbies.

An audio entry.

On May 1st, 2021, I sat down on a rainy evening in Oaxaca, Mexico with landscape architect, nature enthusiast, and birder Iris Van Diel.

At the time I was interviewing her for an article I had been tasked to write during my journalism internship at Envia; an organization that provides interest free micro-loans to indigenous artisans in Oaxaca. For the article, I was meant to interview my fellow interns and volunteers for the inside scoop on what we get up to in our free time. I was to collect all of this information and condense it into one cute little summary. However, as I sat with Iris on either side of a bottle of Mezcal, what was meant to be a quick chat about her favorite cafe turned into a fascinating and comical exploration into the rich ecosystems present in Oaxaca, and the winged creatures that call them home.

Upon re-listening to the audio, I realized that the audio deserved a platform of it’s own. I hope you all enjoy, and please be warned if you are listening with young ears present, we do not refrain from a few profanities.

(Photos by Iris Van Driel)

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