Laura Erickson’s For the Birds

When we first moved to Duluth, I listened to KUMD and National Public Radio a lot, but I never could have imagined me writing and producing a radio program. One of my favorite things on NPR was when John Ciardi talked about the etymology of words and expressions on “Morning Edition.” He didn’t sound anything like a radio person—the kind of news reader who maintains the same detached, professional tone whether reporting on a devastating tragedy or delivering a funny fluff piece. Ciardi was deeply knowledgeable and passionate about etymology, and it came across in his segments.

In March 1986, I wrote to Ciardi about a poem I couldn’t get out of my mind—I only remembered the last lines, and was pretty sure he hadn’t written it, but for some reason I associated it with him, and badly wanted to read the entire poem again. I received his response on March 29, the day before Easter—it was a lovely letter explaining that Love Poem, by John Frederick Nims, was one of the ones he’d included in his book, How Does a Poem Mean? That was why I associated the poem with him—we’d read that book in high school English. I was thrilled to hear from him. Then on Monday, the day after Easter, on “Morning Edition,” I heard the horrifying news that Ciardi had died of a heart attack on Easter Sunday.

This was cataclysmic. Suddenly there was a huge vacuum on the airwaves—someone had to quick get on the radio talking about something they were knowledgeable and passionate about. On the strength of that, I sat down and wrote three scripts—about Duluth’s spring weather, orioles, and grackles. I decided to call the program “For the Birds,” in part to beat anyone to the punch who wanted to dismiss my work, and in part because being For the birds suggests advocacy. My close friend Karen Keenan knew Bob De Armond at KUMD, so she asked Bob to set up an appointment for me to meet Stephanie Hemphill, the station’s news director.

Stephanie liked what I’d written, led me into the studio to record those three scripts on the spot, and showed me how to mix in the bird sounds at the beginning and end. I’d figured those three scripts were just a sample, but she saw no reason to change anything. Since I’d written three, she decided to start airing “For the Birds” every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. And that was that.

Other than Stephanie teaching me how to do my own recording and production work at the KUMD studio, I got virtually no feedback. I was painfully self-conscious—it’s funny to listen to those first programs now—I talked much too fast and my voice was higher-pitched from nervousness.

I muddled through week after week, focusing on Duluth’s spectacular spring and fall migrations, backyard bird feeding, interesting birds, and any other topics that seemed interesting and timely. I did the program as an unpaid volunteer, but money was never my measure of the value of anything anyway. I didn’t know how to promote the program, but Minnesota’s KAXE and Wisconsin’s WOJB and WXPR started airing the program the next year. That meant a little more work for me–I had to dub the copies and get them in the mail, but KUMD covered the cost of the tapes and postage.

At some point someone told Dale Connelly of Minnesota Public Radio’s “The Morning Show” about “For the Birds” and I sent him a few recordings and transcripts. He was interested, but an MPR producer said no way—I sounded too much like a teacher (which of course I was) and nobody wanted to hear about birds once a week anyway. I’ve never been all that ambitious, and just about always took no for an answer pretty easily. Anyway, I was happy just the way things were.

And that is how “For the Birds” got its start four decades ago. Next time I’ll talk about how Big Bird and April Fool’s Day started some silly traditions.