TBL Podcast - Season 15 Episode 5 - Themba Robin: Birds, Birders and Comedy

This week's episode is a little bit different, and a lot of fun.My guest is Themba Robin, a South African comedian, content creator, actor, MC and voice artist, known for his satirical takes on everyday South African life and for finding humour in the things most of us walk straight past.And that is part of what makes this conversation so interesting.Birders are a very particular bunch. We have our habits, our obsessions, our strange little routines, and sometimes it takes someone from outside the birding world to point out just how funny some of it actually is.So in this episode, Themba and I have a bit of fun with the birding community. We chat about what he has noticed about birders, what we take too seriously, and whether he is slowly becoming one of us.We also talk about the more serious side of his growing connection with birds and conservation, including his work with BirdLife South Africa, his role in the inaugural Call of the Hadeda at the 2026 South African Bird Fair, and how humour can be used to get people to care about nature in a different way.We also chat about his time in Chobe with Pangolin Safaris, his experience using the Sony RX10 V, and whether photography has changed the way he looks at birds and wildlife.It is a fun conversation, but there is also a really interesting thread running through it about how people connect with birds, how we make birding feel more welcoming, and whether laughter can actually help us care more.Visit our online store to get your birding related merchandise at great prices https://www.thebirdinglife.com/online-storeIntro and outro music by Tony ZA https://soundcloud.com/tonyofficialzaLinks from show:Themba Robin Instagram and FacebookBirdLife South Africa https://birdlife.org.za/