Today’s show was for the birds. Literally.

A few weeks ago, I was crossing a bridge near the radio station when suddenly, a bald eagle came out of the woods near the riverbank and soared overhead. Seeing this magnificent bird in the wild is an incredible experience, even more so since this was the first time in 57 years that I saw one in Bergen County, just a few miles from one of the largest cities in the world! The incident served to inspire a portion of today’s show.

Don Torino, President of the Bergen County Audubon Society in New Jersey

My guest during the second hour was Don Torino, President of the Bergen County Audubon Society. Normally, my guests are directly involved with folk music – singer-songwriters, authors, folklorists or producers of folk music related events. I thought I would try something different today, having a guest who has an important topic to discuss and using music to illustrate and complement the message he is sharing with the audience. The reaction was overwhelming positive, and Don was an outstanding guest.

Don is one of my heroes. He works tirelessly to bring residents of Bergen County closer to nature, and while he does this, he teaches us about the issues that effect the world around us. Don is constantly in the news as reporters are constantly getting his comments on environmental issues and birds such as a recent story when the borough of Fair Lawn had to stop the painting of a water tower when a raven’s nest was discovered. Don is also involved with several environmental centers, including the Teaneck Creek Conservancy where he has helped create trails, programs and a unique butterfly garden featuring local plants. His work has helped educate and he is making a difference in improving the treatment of our environment.

Living in the shadow of New York City, people in our area often do not realize the wonders of nature that surround us. The Meadowlands is more than a home for two hapless football teams, it is a major stop on the Atlantic Flyway, the route birds use for annual migration. Located just 6 miles from New York City, the Meadowlands has both salt and fresh water wetlands, and feeds the Hackensack River which meanders through Bergen County, and right past the studios of WFDU-FM.

Don and I discussed the plight of birds in our county due to environmental issues, plus the resurgence of other species including the bald eagle – a family of these birds have nested along the Hackensack River near Fairleigh Dickinson University, the home of WFDU-FM. We shared several “bird” songs, some about these amazing creatures as well as songs inspired by them. While we discussed some local issues, the topics were dealt with so that listeners from other parts of the country (or the globe) could relate.  (WFDU is now heard on iHeart Radio as well as archived at our website, so the boundaries of our listening audience have expanded.)

It was an enjoyable afternoon, and I received several phone calls and e-mails (as well as a few “tweets”!) expressing thanks for the discussion and the music. It was fun to pick out a handful of songs that helped illustrate the topics we discussed, and also showcasing the inspiration that birds have provided for artists over the centuries.

The show really “flew by” too quickly!

(Tune in to TRADITIONS every Sunday from 2pm to 5pm Eastern Time over WFDU-FM 89.1 in the NYC/Northern New Jersey area, or on the web at www.wfdu.fm or iHeartRadio.com. On-demand streams of shows, including this one, are archived for two weeks by clicking HERE. A Sing Out! Radio Partner.)

ARTIST Tune / Song
ALBUM LABEL – Website
2PM
Theme: HARVEY REID “Dirty Dish Rag”
Solo Guitar Sketchbook Woodpecker Records – www.woodpecker.com
ALICE DIMICELE “Three Little Birds”
If I Were an Otter self – www.alicedimicele.com

RED MOLLY “Willow Tree”
The Red Album self – www.redmolly.com
DAN AND FAITH “Roller Coaster”
Simple Grace self – www.danandfaith.com
HEATHER STYKA “Careful With My Heart”
While This Planet Spins Beneath Our Feet Kite Stripe Records – www.heatherstyka.com
ELLIS PAUL “Wasted”
Chasing Beauty Black Wolf Records – www.ellispaul.com

JOHN FLYNN “Songer-Singwriter”
Poor Man’s Diamonds self – www.johnflynn.net
KERRY PATRICK CLARK “Remember When the Music”
In A Perfect World self – www.kerrypatrickclark.com
PAT LAMANNA “Singer of Songs”
Do I Know My Song Well Enough to Start Singing Yet? self – www.patlamanna.com

RANI ARBO & DAISY MAYHEM “East Virginia”
Some Bright Morning Signature Sounds – www.signaturesounds.com, www.raniarbo.com
JOHNSMITH “This Field”
The Longing Road self – www.johnsmithmusic.com
AARON NATHANS and MICHAEL G. RONDSTADT “Crooked Fiddle”
Crooked Fiddle self – www.michaelronstadt.com, www.aaronnathans.com

JOHN GORKA “Houses in the Fields”
Pure John Gorka Windham Hill – www.johngorka.com
TERESA STORCH “Come Clean”
Come Clean self – www.teresastorch.com

3pm
DUBL HANDI “Little Birdie”
Up Like the Clouds self – www.dublhandi.bandcamp.com
Guest: Don Torino, president of the Bergen Count Audubon Society.
JOHN HERALD “Martha, the Last Passenger Pigeon”
MP3 self – www.johnhearld.com
LAURIE LEWIS “The Wood Thrush”
Bird Song Spruce and Maple Music – www.spruceandmaplemusic.com, www.laurielewis.com
PAUL CLAYTON “Yellow Bird”
Paul Clayton, Folk Singer! Omni Recordings – www.worldwentdown.com/omni
KATHY MATTEA “Red-Winged Blackbird”
Coal   Sugar Hill – www.sugarhillrecords.com, www.mattea.com
OLD MAN LUEDECKE “Little Bird”
Proof of Love self – www.oldmanluedecke.com
LINDSAY MAC “Blackbird”
Stop Thinking self – www.lindsaymac.com

4pm
KARYN OLIVER “A Case of You”
Joni Mitchell’s Blue – A 40th Anniversary Celebration self – www.cdbaby.com/cd/chickswithdip

REDBIRD “Ships”
Redbird Signature Sounds – www.signaturesounds.com
CLIFF EBERHARDT “Assembly LIne”
The High Above and the Down Below Red House – www.redhouserecords.com
ROBERT BRUEY “River of Stars”
Carousel self – www.robertbruey.com

CHRIS SMITHER “Link of Chain”
Still on the Levee Signature Sounds – www.signaturesounds.com, www.smither.com
M.S.G. ACOUSTIC BLUES TRIO “God Don’t Like It”
Done Spoke My Mind self – www.acousticbluesmsg.com
GEOFF BARTLEY “Midnight Hour Blues”
Mercy for the Dispossessed Magic Crow Records – www.geoffbartley.com

BILL ISLES “Nerissa’s Journey”
The Calling self – www.billisles.com
CHERYL WHEELER “One Step at A Time”
Pointing at the Sun DIAS Records – www.diasrecords.com, www.cherylwheeler.com
DAVEY O “The Walk”
No Passengers self – www.daveyo.com

RALPH MCTELL “Streets of London”
The Ultimate Folk Collection Castle Music – out of print
BILL JONES “From My Window”
Two Year Winter Compass Records – www.compassrecords.com
GERRY RAFFERTY “Mary Skeffington”
The Ultimate Folk Collection Castle Music – out of print

CATHY FINK AND MARCY MARXER “Bye Bye Blackbird / Red, Red Robin Medley”
Rockin’ the Uke Community Music Inc. – www.cathymarcy.com
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Ron Olesko
WFDU-FM
1000 River Road
Teaneck, NJ 07666

www.wfdu.fm
www.iheart.com/live/WFDU-891-6648
wfdu.streamrewind.com/bookmarks/listen/91513/traditions