The Wandering Naturalist

Latest Episodes:

Episode 130: Birds of Prey - Eagle Artifacts Jun 01, 2022

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Thomas Howes, Natural Resource Manager of the Fond du Lac Reservation, joins us to discuss the rules that dictate how Native People can possess and use eagle artifacts. He also discusses the work he has collaborated on to update the US Fish and Wildlife Service's rules so Native Nations can work with the USFWS to allow access to eagle artifacts that starts to better meet the needs of Native People while still protecting eagles.

Episode 129: Birds of Prey - The Raptor Center Jun 01, 2022

Show notes

Lori Arent from The Raptor Center talks with us about the specialized care raptors need, and how The Raptor Center provides that. Learn about what a day is like at The Raptor Center, how to tell if a raptor is injured and needs help, and how to prevent raptor injuries.

Episode 128: Birds of Prey - Hawk Ridge Jun 01, 2022

Show notes

Margie Menzies migrates (via Zoom) from Hawk Ridge to discuss what makes raptors unique, why Hawk Ridge near Duluth is one of the best raptor watching areas in the world, and how cloacal swabs are helping Hawk Ridge researchers better understand raptor habits.

Episode 127: Birds Got Rhythm - Bioacoustics Conservation May 04, 2022

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Connor Wood from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology talks about how he uses sounds in animal conservation despite being tone deaf. Using passive acoustic surveys he has studied Spotted Owl populations, surveyed the entire Sierra Nevada mountains with a team of only 15, and even studied endangered toads. What is a passive acoustic survey? Will this technology make Angela obsolete? Listen and find out.

Episode 126: Birds Got Rhythm - Surveys by Ear May 04, 2022

Show notes

Steven Hogg from Three Rivers Park District and Sam Safran, Ph.D. Candidate at the University of Minnesota, join us to discuss how Three Rivers Park District surveys for birds. How do you document all the birds in an area? Do you really have to wake up before dawn? Do the birds at least make you coffee? How can you use bird calls to evaluate restoration practices? All this and more will be answered.

Episode 125: Birds Got Rhythm - It's All About the Syrinx May 04, 2022

Show notes

Join Angela and Brandon as they explore how birds make the complex calls that both delight and sometimes aggravate at 4 in the morning. From the syrinx, to what the calls mean, and regional accents in birds, join us as we tune in to bird calls.

Episode 124: A Synanthropic Companion - Purple Martin Care in the Park District Apr 06, 2022

Show notes

Three dedicated volunteers from Three Rivers Park District discuss how they monitor and care for a purple martin colony, what they do if a storm blows a house down, and why they enjoy caring for these dazzling birds.

Episode 123: A Synanthropic Companion - From Pennsylvania to Brazil Apr 06, 2022

Show notes

What does a motorized couch have to do with Purple Martins? Joe Siegrist, President and CEO of the Purple Martin Conservation Association, joins us to explain. Learn what it's like to be on an undercover stakeout in Brazil looking for Purple Martins, why Purple Martins are given fanny packs for their migration, and what research the Purple Martin Conservation Association is doing.

Episode 122: A Synanthropic Companion - Purple Martins Apr 06, 2022

Show notes

Angela and Brandon discuss an animal that has become completely dependent on humans for housing, Purple Martins. Angela teaches Brandon about Purple Martin life history, the bird's relationship with humans historically, and dispels a few myths about their relationship with mosquitos.

Episode 121: Song Dog - Urban Studies Mar 02, 2022

Show notes

Geoff Miller, a PhD student working with the Twin Cities Coyote and Fox Project joins us to talk about the research he is doing to shed light on what coyotes are doing in Minneapolis and St. Paul. Having found coyotes everywhere in the cities, from completely urban to city parks, he explains how the project works, why it is being done, some preliminary discoveries, and how our listeners can participate in the study.

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