Wild Ideas...the Podcast - The Wilderness Center

Out-of-season bloom, Monarch butterflies, warbler and shorebird migration. Discussion of chronobiology.

Asters, Kingfishers, and an American Chestnut sighting. The story of the chestnut, blight, and recovery efforts.

Teal, fall webworms, and blackbirds flocking. Discussion of flocking behavior.

Fog and dew, willows. Coyotes!

Shorebirds, Perseid Meteor Review, Mast Crop, Katydids, Katydid Waltz, synchronicity of mast (nut) production

Phragmites, Dodder, and the Perseids. Meteors and meteor showers, the significance of studying meteorites.

Homing Pigeons, Lotus, Woodland Jumping Mouse, Bergmann's Rule and Allen's Rule

Plant movements, deer and bluebird feeding, and a discussion of population dynamics.

Cicadas, Snake hybernaculua, prairie development and the xerothermic period, and what is a “natural area.”

Another stochastic event, woodpeckers, and mosquitoes. Insect diversity.

Bergamot, milkweed, second clutch of eggs, kettlehole bogs. How geology can affect biological communities.

Fireflies, a kettle of hawks, and trees down in a windstorm lead to discussion of stochasticity

Importance of Wetlands, Ruby-throated Hummingbirds, Horsehair Worms

Murder of Crows, Precocial & Altricial Birds, Interview with Brian Gray about the Sun & Moon

Play behavior is exhibited by many species of animals. Why do they play? How is play an adaptive behavior?

Mobbing behavior in birds and other species of wildlife. Why do they do it? What is the risk/benefit?

Weather! Thunder, hail, rain, fronts...

Brown-headed Cowbirds and nest parasitism.

Island biogeography; conservation corridors; box turtles

Red Fox and bird migration.