I'm Christy Hyman and I am a geographer who loves birds and the outdoors. I talk to academics about how they view nature and how much or how little they embrace it into their lives.
In this episode of Random Nature we explore the captivating worlds of destination birding and backyard birding. I shout out several other cool podcasts:LifelistHannah and Erik go BirdingBird BanterScience of BirdsBirdJoy PodcastWe highlight incredible locations such as the Pantanal in Brazil, home to over 650 bird species, and Hokkaido in Japan, known for its diverse ecosystems that attract various birds throughout the year. Transitioning to backyard birding, we discuss how to create a bird-friendly environment with feeders, native plants, and water sources, allowing birdwatchers to connect with local wildlife from the comfort of home. Whether venturing into the wild or observing familiar species in your yard, each birding experience enriches our appreciation for nature. I close out to remind everyone of Black Birders Week, then announce that my trade book is available for preorder: https://www.bloomsbury.com/us/cultural-heritage-resilience-of-the-great-dismal-swamp-9780761892021/
In this episode, we dive into a strange journey. One where birds help humans find their cars in a city packed with parking decks.
In this episode I discuss updates about birds and travel as well as provide details on my upcoming book, The Cultural Heritage Resilience of the Great Dismal Swamp:Exploring the Cultural Heritage Resilience of the Great Dismal Swamp** In this episode, we delve into the cultural resilience of the Great Dismal Swamp, highlighting the powerful stories of local residents who have preserved their traditions despite historical silences. We discuss the intersection of cultural values, heritage tourism, and the enduring legacy of freedom, all while emphasizing the importance of landscape stewardship informed by Indigenous practices. Join us as we uncover how marginalized communities establish empowering spaces to honor their heritage, even in the absence of external support. We'll explore the rich history of the Great Dismal Swamp Region, focusing on settlements such as Mattoanoak, Bowers Hill, and Skeetertown, where ancestral lifeways continue to thrive. Through the resilient cultural narratives shared by community members, we spotlight their deep connections to the land and tradition, and the call to return to their roots. Tune in for an inspiring conversation about resilience, community, and heritage!
On a Heaven child's birthday, we know that the object is to celebrate that they were born. This is a very coherent form of commemoration. I love my son as much as the day I birthed him, as much as they day of funeral, and I love him still as a Spirit child in Heaven.✨ Celebrating You Today ✨ Today marks the birthday of my precious son, and while you may not be here with us, your spirit shines brightly in all the beauty around us.
Today we explore the fascinating world of ecology and conservation! We have a special guest who has dedicated their life to studying bird ecology. With a wealth of knowledge about avian habitats, behaviors, and conservation strategies, Fred Beaudry will share insights that illuminate the critical role birds play in our lives. Together, we'll dive into their experiences and explore how we can all contribute to the preservation of these incredible beings. I also sing a very old sing that my mother taught me, lol.
This episode introduces us to my friend and collaborator Jim Anderson, PhD. Anderson recounts his experiences growing up on a dairy farm in rural Wisconsin, emphasizing activities like cow-milking, fishing, hunting, and trapping muskrats. He reflects on the harsh realities of life and death in nature(content warning), shaped by childhood adventures and a strong connection to wildlife, ultimately leading to a career as a wildlife biologist.
How to bird on the conservative Jersey Shore without losing your mind.
Birds I saw in TX!
In today's episode, we talk to historian of the African Diaspora, Oscar de la Torre!Our conversation spans the globe!
In this episode, I give you updates on what I have been up to and provide a few random nature moments I experienced, with bonus tidbits on a few of my friends' most random nature moments.
In this podcast, I discuss my gardening approach, birdseed, yard birds, and American Kestrel Raids!
Bonus! Christy tells us where she is headed next in her academic career. And of course BIRDS!Birds mentioned: Pileated WoodpeckerPeople mentioned: Ed Baptist PhD, Bill Block, PhD, soon to be PhD Megan Jeffreys .
Part activist, part administrator, and part academic,” Anna Sims Bartel earned her Ph.D. in Comparative Literature at Cornell University. She runs her own consulting firm and enjoys doing public humanities work as well helps drive the development of community-engagement centers in higher ed. She is someone who became a fast friend when I moved to Ithaca in July 2023.Anna enjoys the things that support chronic hope: the chaos of her young family; being in, on, or near moving water; the smell of dirt and the good things that grow in it.Pick up "The Scholar as Human" which Anna co-edited with Debra A. Castillo too.
Here I give a glimpse into what is coming up next. I talk about my confusing fall birding migration in a new region and FUNGI.My next guest will be Dr. Anna Bartel.
A meditation on grief and nature on a day of sorrow.
In this episode I share a precious moment with the Rose-Breasted Grosbeak and my emotional farewell.
Meet one of my sweetest Feminist Geographer friends, Dr. Molana!
Ruddy Turnstones, Gulls, Brown Pelicans.Also grief.
In today's minisode we hear from three of my friends in this order: Dr. Kate Malaia, Dr. Claire Jimenez, Dr. Matt Cohen.They share their most random/unusual/incredible nature moment.Check out their works!Recent article from Malaia: Transforming the Architecture of Food: From the Soviet to the Post-Soviet Apartmenthttps://online.ucpress.edu/jsah/article/80/4/460/119541/Transforming-the-Architecture-of-FoodFrom-theJimenez's latest book: What Happened to Ruthy Ramirez?https://www.grandcentralpublishing.com/titles/claire-jimenez/what-happened-to-ruthy-ramirez/9781538725986/Cohen's latest Book: The Silence of the Miskito Princehttps://www.upress.umn.edu/book-division/books/the-silence-of-the-miskito-prince
I talk with Dr. Randal Jelks, PhD and he gives us a glimpse of many travels he has had from Louisiana to the Dakotas and beyond.Letters to Martin, Dr. Jelks latest book! Get it here:https://www.chicagoreviewpress.com/letters-to-martin-products-9781641606035.php
I talk to Ed Baptist, PhD. We speak on Durham, NC, small scale farming, and hawks! I also discuss some challenges with grief. To that end consider this a content warning on profound sadness.
In this episode, I provide highlights of my visit to Wesleyan University in Middletown Connecticut as well as my more recent visit to the Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies. I talk about viewing a Common Loon at Picnic Point! Said bird was viewed in company with the great birder Dexter Patterson and Dan Fallon! I also introduce Edward E. Baptist my next guest. His work focuses on the history of the 19th-century United States, particularly the history of the enslavement of African Americans in the South. He is writing a book enslaved captive's experience of the slave trades and forced migrations, the systems of labor that emerged, and the economic and political and cultural consequences for women and men and children. He also owns a farm with his wife in the Fingerlakes region of New york. And he is an AVID Cyclist too. Y'all listen in for Dr. Ed Baptist next time. Links: https://nelson.wisc.edu/https://www.wesleyan.edu/academics/faculty/rbryant/profile.htmlhttps://dexterpatterson.com/https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/common-loonhttps://research.cornell.edu/researchers/edward-e-baptist
Madeleine gives us a glimpse of her interactions with Nature through recalling her time as a child loving horses, taking adventures as a college student, and reflecting on the gifts of her father from that she treasures.At the end of the episode, Madeleine's Great Pyrenees does a trick that causes her to speak to him. If you want to learn more about The Artwork of the Congo and the complicated implications of the European Gaze try these links: Art Nouveau, Art of Darkness: African Lineages of Belgian Modernism, Part I by Debora L. Silvermanhttps://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/abs/10.1086/662515?journalCode=wes The Trouble with “Heart of Darkness”Is Joseph Conrad's novel a critique of colonialism, or an example of it? by David Denbyhttps://www.newyorker.com/magazine/1995/11/06/the-trouble-with-heart-of-darkness Governing economic interests: Interwar road construction in Belgian Congo by Lawrence Heindryckx https://journals.openedition.org/belgeo/43202
In this minisode I introduce the upcoming podcast guest, José Ignacio Carvajal Regidor, PhD. I also share two Random Nature moments of my very own!
Christy gathers:Elizabeth Sobel, PhdDorothy Kim, PhDJohn Handel, PhDKarin Dalziel, M.A., and artistRaquel Bryant, PhdMary Shelly, attorney and law librarianSteven Nelson, attorneyHannieh Molana, PhDLearotha Williams,, PhDK.T. Ewing, PhDCaroline Propersi-Grossman, PhDHannah Albert-Abrams PhDDhanashree Thorat, Phdto talk the most random nature moment in their lives.
Episode 2 debuts today and we are in the studio with writer, artist, and university professor, Ravynn Stringfield! Get into it. Learn about her time growing up in Wakefield, VA spending time with family, becoming a community celebrity as Miss Peanut Festival Queen, and her green thumb when it comes to sunflowers!
Random Nature checks in with writer and university professor Noreen Masud who shares how the outdoors and wildlife inform her day to day. From the city of Lahore and the pines of northern Pakistan to the moors of Newcastle, Noreen Masud's approach to nature is unique and multifaceted.
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