October 10–11
Experience Bird Migration Together — Live, Across the World
Stories in Flight
The October Bird Migration Gathering
Stories • Science • Art • Migration
October 10-11
A global online gathering exploring birds through movement, place, and human story.
Two days. global voices. one shared migration.
The October Gathering
Online
Live + recorded
Global audience
Scientists, artists, conservationists, writers, educators, and bird lovers gathering around one shared question:
What does migration reveal about our relationship with the living world?
A seasonal pathway into globally connected birding
Follow the Birds is a global gathering place for people who love birds—
and want to experience birding as something shared, meaningful, and alive, rather than solitary.
Birds move across borders.
So do stories.
So can attention.
Birding doesn’t stop between gatherings—and neither do we.
We stay connected through year-round noticing, sharing, and conversation.
At certain moments, that shared attention gathers—when birds are on the move and we pause together.
March Bird Migration Gathering: In Season
This season, scientists, conservation leaders, and artists gathered online to explore the global story of migration as it unfolds across continents.
The full gathering is now available to experience on replay through May 1.
What this looks like
A small number of live and recorded sessions
Voices from science, art, conservation, and lived practice
Flexible viewing at your own pace through May 1
Come as you are: binoculars, sketchbook, or simply listening
Featuring contributors from multiple countries who work inside the flyways birds travel each year.
Why people return
Noticing—Spot migration patterns you used to miss
Orienting—See your local birds within global movement
Connecting—Swap sightings & stories without needing a public persona
Belonging—Feel part of a worldwide birding community
Being—Enjoy birding with more ease and play
Becoming neighbors—Care for birds and people across borders
Voices from around the world
Inaugural Bird Migration Gathering 2025
"The thing that really strikes me is increased awareness… access to these talks is a wonderful asset — a way of expanding awareness and understanding."
Inaugural Bird Migration Gathering 2025
"It’s a great thing just to have the possibility to join with all the other bird freaks here. I love it."
Inaugural Bird Migration Gathering 2025
"I wasn’t aware of the migration route via Asia from Alaska to Australia… I’m very much inspired, and I’m happy that I joined, even if I only partly joined."
A shared field of attention
Here, speakers are contributors, not content.
Sessions are curated with respect for depth, context, and seasonal timing.
This is not a performance stage—it's a shared field of attention among:
Dedicated birders and naturalists
Educators, guides, and
nature professionals
Conservation-minded travelers
Artists and storytellers
working with ecology
Turn Birding Into a Shared Global Experience
Here, you’ll join stories of migration from scientists, artists, storytellers, and bird lovers worldwide.
What you'll experience at the Bird Migration Gathering:
Stories that inspire — culture, place, and meaning in every flight path.
Global voices sharing migration journeys across continents.
Guidance from artists + scientists to expand how you see birds (and yourself).
A movement of belonging — birding as shared joy, not just a solo pursuit.
This Is Where Birding Becomes Community
Your joy in birding becomes a shared celebration — every story expanding your world, every voice reminding you that you belong.
Meet the guides who will inspire and connect you with a worldwide circle of bird lovers.
“Scott Weidensaul ranks among an elite group of writer-naturalists.”
Los Angeles Times
Scott Weidensaul
New Hampshire, USA
Following Migration Across Hemispheres
Craig Foster
Cape Town, South Africa
Intimacy With the Wild
Dan Puplett
Scotland, UK
Reading Nature’s Hidden Stories
Julie Zickefoose
Ohio, USA
Personal Habitats, Avian Individuals
VIP Live Q&A on Thursday, 10/23 @ 2 pm MDT
Jon Young
California, USA
Bird Language and Ancient Wisdom
VIP Live Q&A on Friday, 10/24 @ 10 am MDT
George Bumann
Montana, USA
Sculpting Stories of the Wild
Lynn Wickersham
Colorado, USA
Mindful Science in the Field
VIP Live Q&A on Friday, 10/24 @ 2 pm MDT
John Muir Laws
California, USA
Drawing Birds for Nature Journaling
Richard Fuller
Queensland, Australia
Migration Without Borders
Elizabeth Mills
England, UK
Connecting Seas and Skies
Want more? Go VIP: Extended Access with keynote Q&As + Game Night Sessions live October 23-25.
Explore the Daily Lineup – See Where Your Journey Can Lead
Your place in the Gathering awaits
Join live kickoffs, intimate gatherings, and presentations you can revisit anytime.
Imagine hearing a migration story from halfway across the world — and realizing it echoes your own.
This is how you join the Gathering:
Claim your spot today
Connect early — Get instant access to The Gathering Place community forum.
Belong everywhere — Join live sessions and on-demand presentations during the 3-day event, October 23-25.
“Jon Young is one of the heroes of the new nature movement.”
Richard Louv, author of The Nature Principle
Left to right: Kelly Miller (Host), Jon Young (Bird Language & Ancient Wisdom), and
Craig Foster (Intimacy With the Wild)
Choose Your Ticket
Event Access – $50
7 days of connection and discovery — access to each session (through November 1, 2025)
Daily live gatherings — kickoffs and interactive sessions
Flexible pace — stream new talks each day when it fits your schedule
VIP Extended Access – $100
365 days of inspiration — revisit every presentation all year long (through Oct 26, 2026)
Exclusive live Q&As — connect directly with select keynote speakers
Community fun — Thursday & Friday Game Night Sessions included
Return anytime — rekindle your sense of wonder and belonging whenever you need it
Don’t Bird Alone. Join the Flock.
Birds don’t see borders. Why should we?
From mountains to mangroves, deserts to deltas — their migrations remind us of our shared humanity.
Imagine swapping bird stories with someone from halfway across the world — and realizing you’re part of something bigger. Join bird lovers across continents in one shared Gathering.
7 Practices for a More Meaningful Birding Life
A quiet way to begin
A free guide drawn from seven keynote speakers.
A quiet way to begin deepening your birding life today.
Featuring guidance inspired by the work of these and more:
Scott Weidensaul (World on the Wing)
Julie Zickefoose (The Bluebird Effect)
Jon Young (What the Robin Knows)
Stopovers along a shared pathway
The next Bird Migration Gathering: October 10-11
What to expect
Global speakers
Live conversations
Community discussion
Recordings
Stories in Flight
Across flyways, seasons, and lives shaped by birds.
Get oriented to migration where you live
See what’s happening across flyways
(without doom scrolling)
Receive migration stories, seasonal reflections, and updates about the October Gathering.
No pressure. Unsubscribe anytime.
Not ready to join the email list?
Where the migration conversation continues
The Birders Hub lives between Gatherings —
a shared space for noticing, stories, and ongoing conversation across seasons
Gatherings are moments of connection.
The Birders Hub is where that connection continues year-round.
The Birders Hub lives between Gatherings —
a shared space for noticing, stories, and conversation as migration unfolds across the seasons.
If the Gathering sparked something you’d like to carry forward, this is where that conversation continues.
Inside the Hub you’ll find:
the full Bird Migration Gathering session library
live gatherings and shared conversations throughout the year
guided reflections and creative practices
a welcoming community of bird lovers across places and flyways
Membership is now open.
A place to return during migration season — and beyond.
Membership from $80/month • Annual option available
The October Bird Migration Gathering
October 10-11
A global gathering where stories of migration become a shared practice of noticing.
PO Box 3152
Durango, Colorado, 81303
United States
Contact Us
kelly@followthebirds.com
+1 (602) 291-7319
Mountain Daylight Time (UTC−07:00)
Follow the Birds is based in the southern Rocky Mountains of Durango, Colorado, USA.
We follow migration as a guide—across landscapes, cultures, and seasons.
~ Founder, Kelly Miller
© 2025 Follow the Birds™️. All rights reserved. Follow the Birds is a registered business entity in the United States.
PO Box 3152
Durango, CO 81302
United States
Durango, CO 81302
United States
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