Wild Ideas...the Podcast - The Wilderness Center

Gary surprises us by not talking about wetlands—he does Pika. Gordon's nostalgia about Sensitive Briar leads him to explore fast movement in plants. Joann saw a Marsh Hawk hunt. All this brings us to the Laws of Thermodynamics and energy flow in nature.

The Snowy Owl is Gary’s topic while Gordon explains squirrel leaf nests. Joann hand fed wild birds and explains how you can do it too. Stanley Gehrt is interviewed about his work with urban dwelling coyotes.

Gordon delivered an impromptu lecture on isotopic signatures and radiometric dating. Gary saw a seiche. Joann contemplates the importance of flies. Bug Girl, an entomologist blogger is interviewed about bogus products for dealing with insects.

Kepler-22b is the newly discovered planet with in the Goldilocks zone. Joann explains why everyone is so excited. Gordon talks about the Greater Roadrunner. iTrack Wildlife is a new app for smart phones. The interview is with Jonah Evans the biologist who developed the app.

Yellow-rumped Warbler is Gordon’s topic. Joann talks about Polaris—the North Star. Shawn Lawrence Otto author of Fool Me Twice is interviewed about his book about the state of science in the public debate in America.

Gary tries to find a Northern Bog Lemming; Gordon and Joann are looking at trees—Sycamore and Tamarack. Our interview is with Bob Glotzhober about Cedar Bog, Ohio's first nature preserve and home to some incredible life.

Dark-eyed juncos, great blue-heron, dandelion, an interview with Peter Gordon

Gary sees leaf pack driving energy in a stream ecosystem. Joann is “Stalking the Wild Asparagus.” Gordon sees things in a forest that he doesn’t even see? Interview with Jeremy Lloyd of the Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont about biodiversity in the park.

Gary's thinking fairy shrimp, (Yep. In the fall. What can we say?) Joann dissects the Snowtober event, and Gordon saw a mink! We interview Tim Gallagher of the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology about their recent discovery of video of the Imperial Woodpecker.

Gary talks about Giant Amoebas in the ocean abyss. Joann saw the Aurora Borealis. Gordon talks about how trees plant themselves. This leads to a discussion of time and how all different time scales matter to an ecologist.

Joann explores her favorite fall constellation, Pegasus. Gary's talk about Red Knots leads us to a discussion of terms we've been using about wildlife populations. We nail down exactly what threatened, endangered, extinct., etc. mean.

Gary talks about caching behavior with chipmunks, squirrels, and birds. Gordon encountered a Praying Mantis. Joann describes a geology walk where children got muddy. The interview is with Michael Schmidt about the Hygiene Hypothesis.

The difference betweet kangaroos, wallaroos, and wallabees; bird (and other) bathing behavior; Greater Yellowlegs. We interview Eileen Fielding of the Farmington River Watershed Association.

Gary talks about the Tufted Titmouse. Gordon explores Cottonwood Trees. Joann talks about Monarch and Viceroy Butterflies. Joann’s topic leads to an interview with Chip Taylor of Monarch Watch at the University of Kansas.

The Dog Stinkhorn embarrasses Gordon more than Joann. Joann discusses Adlumia fungosa. Gary's thoughts about the Albatross leads to a discussion of bird flight.

Evening Primrose is Gordon’s topic. Gary talks about Dippers…the bird and Joann talks about the Big Dipper...the asterism. This leads into an interview with Brian Gray about supernovas.

What a varied week! We talk about acclimatization and lake turnover in the first half. Gordon's sighting of an Osprey here at TWC inspires an interview with Rob Bierregaard about Ospreys and his satellite tracking work with them.

Gary begins with the quest for vernal pools in the dry season. Joann explains how La Niña lowers sea level. Gordon found a stinging caterpillar. Endangered Red Wolves are discussed in an interview with Kyle Waggener of Chattanooga Arboretum and Nature Center.

Joann talks about a new (to her) Wild Ginger and the surprising number of species of Ginger. Gordon talks about cherry trees: domesticated and wild with some explanation of the role of wild cherry trees in the forest. Gary explains the revised estimates of the number of species on the planet. Listener feedback leads to a discussion of predator control and scientific thinking.

Gary talks about freshwater sponges. Evolution of corn is Gordon’s topic. Joann explores the potential for water on Mars. The interview is part two of wolves with Ed Bangs.