Wild About Utah - Utah Public Radio

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Wild About Utah: Fireflies Jun 01, 2021

Show notes

Just imagine waking from a very long sleep into a bright May morning in Cache Valley. This is the story of Luci, a western firefly, told charmingly by Melissa Marsted and illustrated by Liesel Cannon in their new children's book, The Mystery of Luci's Missing Lantern. After completing her transition from a larva to an adult firefly, Luci notices she has no light. She flies up Logan Canyon looking for her missing lantern, where the animals she meets encourage her to keep looking. But its a bluebird on top of Mt. Naomi, the highest point in the canyon, who turns Luci around and sends her back to where she was born, the Nibley Firefly Park. There Luci finds her light. She sits down near the top of a tall blade of grass, and suddenly males fly by, flashing their lights, trying to get her attention. Luci discovers she can flash back. It's a party - a big courtship dance.

Wild About Utah: Utah—A Love Story May 25, 2021

Show notes

“…[A] word of caution: Do not jump into your automobile next June and rush out to the canyon country hoping to see some of that which I have attempted to evoke in these pages. In the first place you can’t see anything from a car; you’ve got to get out…and walk, better yet crawl, on hands and knees, over the sandstone and through the thornbush and cactus. When traces of blood begin to mark your trail you’ll see something, maybe.”

Wild About Utah: Acorn Woodpecker May 25, 2021

Show notes

My first encounter with an acorn woodpecker occurred many years ago in California, a species unknown to me. I was surprised to find a small flock of these comedic-looking birds—most unusual for woodpeckers, which are generally solitary other than with mates or young. And those startling yellow eyes!

Our Homes, Pets And Natural Environment: Supporting Coexistence Through Responsible Pet Ownership May 24, 2021

Show notes

Nature perseveres in even the most built environment. The cycle of life continues, in our parks, our backyards, and the green spaces in between. Hawks hunt for rodents, rodents forage for seeds, and both seek out mates, no matter how temporary.

Wild About Utah: Flippant Gripes And Labyrinthian Gratitude May 04, 2021

Show notes

I love the sun. Now, I don’t always like it, but I always do love it. It’s a relationship that is both iterative and consistent, built by years of experience, and yet left open for surprises. It provides, draws me out, pushes me inside, and draws me out once more. Like the four valves of our hearts, the seasons each give new direction.

Wild About Utah: Going In With a Child’s Naturalist Eye Apr 27, 2021

Show notes

In Kathryn Lasky’s picture book “One Beetle Too Many,” we read, “Charles [Darwin] learned the names of everything he collected, for to know the names of these things was important, and it might be the one time when adults would actually listen to a child speak.” As an elementary school teacher, I ponder its message, reflecting on my wilderness experiences enriched by children. In fact, some of my best discovery days have been when I was led by a curious child.

Wild About Utah: The Glacier Lily Apr 19, 2021

Show notes

I find it difficult to leave my canyon home in northern Utah especially during April and May. Every day brings new bloom and bird song. On April 12, I returned from nine days in Georgia for a family event. I quickly retreated to the canyon where I found spring in full bloom—spring beauty, balsamroot, Indian potato, locoweed, violet and perhaps my favorite, the glacier lily. It often appears at the edge of receding snow banks.

Wild About Utah: Swans Mar 29, 2021

Show notes

A few months ago, I was driving a car on an interstate road trip when a picture of a coffee cup suddenly appeared on my dashboard with the question, "Need a rest?" I was a little startled to suddenly be getting questions from my car, but I must admit I felt a surge of relief when a large truck stop soon came into view.

Wild About Utah: Kokanee Salmon Oct 07, 2008

Show notes

Sockeye and Kokanee salmon spawn in freshwater, then move to a nursery lake to grow. Then sockeye migrate to the ocean and kokanee remain in the lake.

Wild About Utah: Paleontological Paradise Sep 30, 2008

Show notes

Paleontological Paradise: Mongolia, China, and the United States have produced more dinosaur fossils than any other countries. Utah is a paleontological paradise in the United States.