Podcasts about peterson field guide

I have been excited about Song Sparrows (Melospiza melodia) for a while. Theirs was one of the first complex songs I learned to identify, and being such a common neighbour on the landscape it's hard to go a few days without hearing them, even in Winter, but especially in the Spring.While out today, I came across a couple Song Sparrow tracks in the silt newly laid down by the receding Eramosa River flood waters and it pricked my interest to dig in a little deeper to this common figure in my life. To learn more :Song Sparrow tracks on InaturalistBird Tracks and Sign by Mark Elbroch and Eleanor Marks. Stackpole Books, 2001.Bird Song : Identification Made Easy by Ernie Jardine. Natural Heritage, 1996.Peterson Field Guide to North American Bird Nests by Casey McFarland, Mathew Monjello & David Moskowitz. HMH, 2021.Baby Bird Identification : A North American Guide by Linda Tuttle-Adams. Cornell University Press, 2022.Birds of Forest, Yard, & Thicket by John Eastman. Stackpole Books, 1997.

"They took all the trees, and put ‘em in a tree museum…”—Counting CrowsThat will kind of make sense in about 10 seconds. I should totally make a playlist for this podcast. Drop your recommendations in the comments.Music by James Milor from PixabayInformation provided by:https://extension.umd.edu/resource/serviceberry-early-flowering-maryland-native-tree/Peterson Field Guide to Medicinal Plants and Herbs of Eastern and Central North America (3rd ed.) by Steven Foster and James A. Duke (2014)https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/amelanchier/Peterson Field Guides: Edible Wild Plants of Eastern and Central North America by Lee Allen Peterson (1977)The Comfort of Crows: A Backyard Year by Margaret Renkl (2023)Magnificent Trees of Indiana by Caroll D. Ritter (2022)Trees of the Carolinas by Stan Tekiela (2007)https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amelanchier

The Snowflake FairyRobed in white comes Snowflake Fairy,braving wintry winds and ice,pearly "Maid of February,"whom the glistening frosts entice.Gladly welcome Snowflake Fairy,on your terrace give her room.She alone in Februarybraves the cold to shed her bloom.—Elizabeth GordonMusic by James Milor from PixabayInformation provided by:Flowers and Their Meanings: The Secret Language and History of Over 600 Blooms by Karen Azoulay (2023)https://www.bloomandwild.com/the-blog/snowdrop-flowers-meaninghttps://www.chicagobotanic.org/plantinfo/plant_profiles/snowdropsPlants That Kill: A Natural History of the World's Most Poisonous Plants by Elizabeth A. Dauncey and Sonny Larson (2018)Galanthus trojanus: a new species of Galanthus (Amaryllidaceae) from north-western Turkey by Aaron P. Davis and Neriman Ozhatay (2001). Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 137, pg. 409-412. DOI: 10.1006/boj1.2001.048.Peterson Field Guide to Medicinal Plants and Herbs of Eastern and Central North America (3rd ed.) by Steven Foster and James A. Duke (2014)https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:77118772-1/general-informationGalantamine for Alzheimer's disease and mild cognitive impairment by Clement Loy and Lon Schneider (2006). Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 1. https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD001747.pub3https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/galanthus-nivalis/Homer's Moly identified as Galanthus nivalis L.: Physiologic antidote to stramonium poisoning by Andreas Plaitakis and Roger C. Duvoisin (1983). Clinical Neuropharmacology, 6(1), pg. 1-6. [Abstract]. Collins Gem: Wild Flowers by Martin Walter (2002)https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galanthushttps://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees-woods-and-wildlife/plants/wild-flowers/snowdrop/

You remember that time I forgot to plug my microphone in?

Fun Fact: Sweet Gum seeds were carried onboard the space shuttle in 1984. The seeds were brought back down to earth and planted, and the trees survive to this day. Music by James Milor from Pixabay Information provided by: Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs (2nd ed.) by Scott Cunningham (2014) Peterson Field Guide to Medicinal Plants and Herbs of Eastern and Central North America (3rd ed.) by Steven Foster and James A. Duke (2014) https://americanorchard.wordpress.com/2014/04/25/the-most-dangerous-tree-in-the-suburbs/ Kill the flu with this common backyard tree from Legacy Wilderness Academy (15 July 2024). [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=YGnksW_adH8 Sweetgum: An ancient source of beneficial compounds with modern benefits by Jody M. Lingbeck, et al. (2015) https://doi.org/10.4103/0973-7847.156307 https://ufi.ca.uky.edu/treetalk/ecobot-sweetgum Magnificent Trees of Indiana by Caroll D. Ritter (2022) Trees of the Carolinas by Stan Tekiela (2007) https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liquidambar

This time, we're going to talk about something truly terrifying: medical fraud!

In the midst of a lowland forest at the edge of town, out for a slow walk with a pal, we heard the calls of Cedar Waxwings (Bombycilla cedrorum) and started looking for them. We saw them first in an Eastern White Cedar (Thuja occidentalis) tree, as they were quickly making their way towards the South. Then when we turned a corner we got to witness some courting behaviours which somehow reached deep and woke me from a slow low mood I was in. Sometimes Cedar Waxwings are regarded as a “just a..” bird. “It's just a Cedar Waxwing”, you might hear from another birder who is looking for some elusive flycatcher or late migrant. But if we take the time to pay attention to the mundane, we sometimes see some magic in elusive or even commonplace behaviours. Finding the magic in the everyday is one of the beautiful parts of paying attention to our wild neighbours. The small moves sometimes mean the most. These small moves are what inspired this week's show. Image of Waxwings : Alan Rice, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. To learn more : Birds of Ontario by Andy Bezener. Lone Pine, 2000.Bird Song : Identification Made Easy by Ernie Jardine. Natural Heritage, 1996.Stokes Guide to Bird Behavior Vol. 2 by Donald and Lillian Stokes. Little Brown and Company, 1983.Peterson Field Guide to North American Bird Nests by Casey McFarland, Matthew Monjello and David Moskowitz. Houghton Mifflin Harcout, 2021.American Wildlife & Plants : A Guide to Wildlife Food Habits by Alexander C Martin, Herbert S Zim, Arnold L. Nelson. Dover, 1951.Life Histories of North American Wagtails, Shrikes, Vireos, and Their Allies by Arthur Cleveland Bent. Dover, 1965.Birds of Forest, Yard & Thicket by John Eastman. Stackpole Books, 1997.

The Peterson Field Guide to Bird Sounds of Western North America: I love this resource for bird identification through sound!

This past weekend I got to participate in my second track and sign evaluation with Tracker Certification North America and one of the most interesting things I learned was some new Earthworm sign which triggered the thought… I really don't know much about Earthworms (class Oligochaeta), but I want to start digging in. I ended up crawling through all of my books to see what I had on the topic, but there wasn't much. A couple paragraphs here, a photo or two there, but there was enough to tickle my curiosity. They are a slippery group of species to distinguish but there are at least some common characteristics across them. Really this is a good reminder that we often take some of the more common species for granted, ignoring the usual, rather than deepening that already accessible and immediately present relationship. Listen to the show if you want to learn more, too. These worms have a lot of interesting things going for them. Some resources I used include:Peterson Field Guide to Eastern Forests by John C. Kricher and Gordon Morrison. Houghton Mifflin, 1988.Nature's Year by Drew Monkman. Dundurn 2012.Tracks and Sign of Insect and Other Invertebrates by Charley Eiseman and Noah Charney. Stackpole Books, 2010. A Guide to Common Freshwater Invertebrates of North America by J. Reese Vashell, Jr.

I just got home from Algonquin Park. I got the privilege to spend the past week tracking Wolves, Moose, Martens, Grouse, Flying Squirrels, and so many other creatures throughout the length of the park. We woke up at 6am every morning and were out by 7, scouting for new trails. When were were through with our day we came back to hit the books and share stories of all that we'd seen. It was magical, inspiring and motivating. Restful as much as exhausting. One animal I spent some time learning about over the week was the Pine Siskin (Spinus pinus), a small brown finch like bird edged in yellow who flew down on to the new snow, skipped, hopped and flew off again. The Pine Siskin was my focal species for the week. Sadly on our last day, two dead Pine Siskins were found on highway 60, hit by vehicles as they were on the road, consuming the de-icing salts. I got to hold the birds and take a closer look at their small amazing bodies in the sunlight pouring through the window at the wildlife research station. I measured their feet, admired their plumage, and wondered at how they could survive so long out there in the cold and snow. What were they eating to warm their fragile little bodies through the Winter nights? If they hadn't died on the road, where would they go to in the Spring? I decided on the way home I would do a little research and make the next show all about them. Here's to the Siskins and all they've taught and inspired in me. Sources used in this episode:Birds of Ontario by Andy Bezener. Lone Pine Publishing, 2000.Peterson Field Guide to North American Bird Nests by Casey McFarland, Matthew Monjello, and David Moskowitz. Houghton Mifflin Harcout, 2021.The Birder's Handbook by Paul Ehrlich, David S. Dobkin and Darryl Wheye. Simon & Shuster, 1988.

Red-tailed Hawks (Buteo jamaicensis) are always exciting to see. However ubiquitous or plentiful they may be on the land, it is always a gift to observe them circling and soaring overhead. I have been noting their behaviours for a few years now, trying to catch a glimpse whenever I can. A couple of years ago I watched a pair eager to find out if they were nesting in the valley I walk or ride on my way into work. I never did find that nest, but I hoped I would in the future. On Monday, a colleague called over the radio that he was observing two Red-tails building a nest. He later watched as the pair were mating on a different tree down closer to the river. This series of events sparked a great curiosity and enthusiasm between all of my colleagues. We have been trying to find ways to observe, but also not interfere. Trying to research, but not just rely on the books. But as it is still relevant, I decided to hit the books. Thus, this weeks show was created. A deep dive into the nesting behaviours of one of my fav cohabitants. Thanks Drew for the suggestion to include my sources in the show write-up. And to Matt Hamilton for the photo. Sources for the show:Forest Raptors & Their Nests in Central Ontario - this is only a partial pdf, and does not have all of the content. I am searching for a complete pdf.Peterson Field Guide to North American Bird Nests by Casey McFarland, Mathew Monjello & David Moskowitz. HMH, 2021.Life Histories of North American Birds of Prey pt 1 by Arthur Cleveland Bent. Dover, 1961.Stokes Guide to Bird Behaviour vol. 3 by Donald and Lillian Stokes. Little, Brown, 1989.Birds of Forest, Yard, & Thicket by John Eastman. Stackpole Books, 1997.

CLICK HERE to listen to episode audio (5:33).Sections below are the following: Transcript of Audio Audio Notes and Acknowledgments ImagesExtra Information Sources Related Water Radio Episodes For Virginia Teachers (Relevant SOLs, etc.). Unless otherwise noted, all Web addresses mentioned were functional as of 8-12-22. TRANSCRIPT OF AUDIO From the Cumberland Gap to the Atlantic Ocean, this is Virginia Water Radio for the weeks of August 15 and August 22, 2022. MUSIC – ~19 sec – instrumental. That's part of ‘To the Wild,” by the Virginia band The Steel Wheels.  It opens an episode about a chance hearing of two very different kinds of wild animals, and how they might be similar or different, including in relation to water.  Have a listen to their calls for about 20 seconds and see if you know these two types of animals.  And here's a hint: one's in a scientific family with, and the other rhymes with, dogs. SOUNDS  - ~21 sec. If you guessed coyotes and frogs, you're right!  You heard barks and other sounds from coyotes, along with calls of Gray Treefrogs.  This lucky recording on the night of July 5, 2022, in Blacksburg, got your Virginia Water Radio host exploring potential connections and contrasts between this terrestrial mammal in the dog family, and this partially aquatic amphibian.  Here are seven areas of note. 1.  Like other living things, both coyotes and frogs are largely made of water and require it for biological functions.  Unlike coyotes, frogs can absorb water through their naked skin, that is, skin without scales, feathers, or fur. 2.  As amphibians, Gray Treefrogs breed in water, which of course coyotes don't. 3.  Like other mammals, coyotes keep a constant body temperature, and they evaporate water through panting to cool themselves.  Frogs' body temperature fluctuates with the environment; having naked skin that's permeable to water, frogs are at risk of drying out if their habitat isn't moist. 4.  Coyotes and adult frogs both have lungs for exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide, but, in frogs, gas exchange also occurs across their skin. 5.  Both are notable for their sounds.  Coyotes use barks, howls, and other sounds to communicate to family members and to potential competitors, and frog males use calls to attract females, signal their presence to other males, and perhaps to startle away predators. 6.  These animals appear together in at least three Native American legends, including one from the Kalapuya people of Oregon, called “The Coyote and the Frog People.”  In this story, the coyote sneakily digs through a dam the frogs use to hold all of the world's water for themselves; this then creates all the rivers, lakes, and waterfalls and ends the frogs' water hoarding. And 7.  Both coyotes and Gray Treefrogs show remarkable adaptability to human environments.  Coyotes are noted for occupying habitats near humans, such as city and suburban parks.  Gray Treefrogs, meanwhile, can also be found in human spaces, such as in swimming pools or on house walls or decks.  One wildlife biologist consulted for this episode said that in his Virginia county coyotes seem to “saunter by houses like they own the place”; in the frog world, noted another biologist, Gray Treefrogs have a somewhat similar reputation. Thanks to several Virginia Tech faculty members for providing information for this episode.  Thanks also to The Steel Wheels for permission to use their music, and we close with about 30 more seconds of “To the Wild.” MUSIC - ~30 sec – Lyrics: “I'm gonna run to the wild.” SHIP'S BELL Virginia Water Radio is produced by the Virginia Water Resources Research Center, part of Virginia Tech's College of Natural Resources and Environment.  For more Virginia water sounds, music, or information, visit us online at virginiawaterradio.org, or call the Water Center at (540) 231-5624.  Thanks to Stewart Scales for his banjo version of Cripple Creek to open and close this episode.  In Blacksburg, I'm Alan Raflo, thanking you for listening, and wishing you health, wisdom, and good water. AUDIO NOTES AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Virginia Water Radio thanks Mark Ford, Kevin Hamed, and James Parkhurst, all in the Virginia Tech Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation, for contributing information to this episode. The Coyote and Gray Treefrog sounds heard in this episode were recorded by Virginia Water Radio in Blacksburg, Va., on July 5, 2022, at approximately 10:15 p.m. “To the Wild,” by The Steel Wheels, is from the 2017 album “Wild As We Came Here,” used with permission.  More information about The Steel Wheels is available online at https://www.thesteelwheels.com/.  This music was used previously by Virginia Water Radio most recently in Episode 490, 9-16-19. Click here if you'd like to hear the full version (1 min./11 sec.) of the “Cripple Creek” arrangement/performance by Stewart Scales that opens and closes this episode.  More information about Mr. Scales and the group New Standard, with which Mr. Scales plays, is available online at http://newstandardbluegrass.com. IMAGES (If not otherwise noted, photographs are by Virginia Water Radio.) Coyote, photographed in Virginia Beach, Va., February 27, 2016.  Photo by Shawn Dash, made available on iNaturalist at https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/13877118(as of August 15, 2022) for use under Creative Commons license “Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 Internbational.”  Information about this Creative Commons license is available online at https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/.Gray Treefrog on the deck of a residence in Blacksburg, Va., September 23, 2009.EXTRA INFORMATION ABOUT ANIMALS IN THIS EPISODE The following information is excerpted from “Coyote” and “Gray Treefrog” entries of the Virginia Department of Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources' (formerly Department of Game and Inland Fisheries) “Fish and Wildlife Information Service,” online at https://services.dwr.virginia.gov/fwis/.  The Coyote entry is online at https://services.dwr.virginia.gov/fwis/booklet.html?Menu=_.Taxonomy&bova=050125&version=19215; the Gray Treefrog entry is online at https://services.dwr.virginia.gov/fwis/booklet.html?Menu=_.Taxonomy&bova=020007&version=19215. Coyote (Scientific name: Canis latrans) Occurrence“Coyotes are thought to have started being seen in the 1950's and the 1960's here in Virginia, particularly in the western part of the state, and they now have an established population throughout the state.  Current occurrence throughout the state is attributed to the steady eastward migration of this species, which is due to the elimination of other large carnivores, such as red wolves, from their former ranges and to coyotes being highly opportunistic feeders and thus are highly adaptable to many habitats.” Physical Description“The males are generally larger than the females...with a body length of 1.0-1.35 meters, and a tail length of 400 millimeters.  The coat color and texture shows geographic variation, but usually the coat color is a grey mixed with a reddish tint.  ...This species is generally smaller than the grey wolf.  ...The track (70mm by 60mm) is more elongated than the domestic dog but shorter than either the gray or red wolf.” Reproduction“Yearling males and females are capable of breeding.  The percentage of yearlings breeding is controlled by food supply.  Gestation lasts 63 days.  The mean litter size is 5.3 and is affected by population density and food supply.” Behavior“The home range size of the males is 20-42 kilometers (km), and for females 8-10 km.   The female home ranges do not overlap whereas male home ranges do.  The average daily travel is reported as 4.0 km, with dispersal movements of 160 km not uncommon.  Favorable den sites include brush-covered slopes, steep banks, thickets, hollow logs, and rock ledges.  The dens of other animals may be used.  ...Dens may be shared and used for more than one year. ...Coyotes use visual, auditory, olfactory and tactile signals for communications.  They eat mostly rodents and rabbits but also take berries fruits and carrion.  They are primarily nocturnal and their howls can be heard for miles.” Gray Treefrog (Scientific name: Hyla versicolor) Occurrence“In Virginia, this species is distributed in the mountains north of the New River drainage, in the Blue Ridge, and in the Piedmont.” Physical Description“This species is identical in appearance to Hyla chrysoscelis [Cope's Gray Treefrog] but they do not interbreed.  These two species can be distinguished by chromosome number and by male mating call. ...Both species are well camouflaged.  They are usually gray but coloration ranges from gray to whitish to brown to green dependent upon environment and activities.  There is a whitish mark beneath the eyes and a bright orange or yellow on the concealed surfaces of the hind legs.  The dorsal skin is warty.  This species ranges in length from 32 to 62 milllimeters (1.25-2.5 inches).” Reproduction“Males call between March and August.  ...Breeding generally occurs from March to June.  The female lays clumps of 10 to 40 eggs per group on the surface of shallow ditches, puddles, and ponds  ...Eggs typically hatch in 4 to 5 days, and metamorphosis occurs in 45 to 64 days.” Behavior“This species is not often seen on the ground or near the water's edge except during the breeding season.  It tends to forage while in small trees or shrubs near to or standing in water.  This species is an opportunistic feeder focusing primarily on larval Lepidoptera [butterflies and moths], Coleoptera [beetles], and other arthropods.” Limiting Factors“This species is fairly arboreal, foraging from trees and shrubs in the vicinity of water. ...In general, this species requires shallow ponds with fallen branches or herbaceous growth on the water's edge.” Aquatic/Terrestrial Associations“This species is typically associated with the following forest types: black willow, sweet gum-willow oak, white oak-red oak-black oak and mixed pine-hardwood.  They are frequently found in recently disturbed areas with shrub and herbaceous cover.” SOURCES Used for Audio Atlanta Coyote Project, “Coyote Activity Patterns, Ranges, and Vocalizations,” online at https://atlantacoyoteproject.org/coyote-activity-patterns-ranges-vocalizations/. Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, “Animal Fact Sheet: Coyote,” online at https://www.desertmuseum.org/kids/oz/long-fact-sheets/coyote.php. Burke Museum [Seattle, Wash.], “All About Amphibians,” online at https://www.burkemuseum.org/collections-and-research/biology/herpetology/all-about-amphibians/all-about-amphibians. Epic Ethics, “Coyote Returns Water from the Frog People—A Native Kalapuya Tale,” online at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=six1kVQS_tw. First People of North America and Canada, “Native American Legends,” online at https://www.firstpeople.us/FP-Html-Legends/. Kevin Hamed, Virginia Tech Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation, personal communication, August 11, 2022. Richard W. Hill, Comparative Physiology of Animals: An Environmental Approach, Harper & Row, New York. 1976. Internet Sacred Text Archive, “The Coyote and the Frog,” identified as a Hopi contained in The Traditions of the Hopi, by H.R. Voth (1905), online at https://www.sacred-texts.com/nam/hopi/toth/toth065.htm. John D. Kleopfer and Chris S. Hobson, A Guide to the Frogs and Toads of Virginia, Bureau of Wildlife Resources Special Publication Number 3, Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries [now Department of Wildlife Resources], Richmond, Va., 2011. Lane Community College [Eugene, Ore.], “Kalapuya: Native Americans of the Willamette Valley, Oregon,” online at https://libraryguides.lanecc.edu/kalapuya. Miami [Fla.] Children's Museum, YouTube video (4 min./39 sec.) of “The Coyote and the Frog People,” celebrating Native American Heritage Month, November 3, 2020, online at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9q4km_HDGeI. Brian R. Mitchell et al., “Information Content of Coyote Barks and Howls,” Bioacoustics: The International Journal of Animal Sound and its Recording, Vol. 15, pages 289–314 (2006); online (as a PDF) at https://www.uvm.edu/~bmitchel/Publications/Mitchell_Information_content.pdf. National Geographic, “Coyote,” undated, online at https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/facts/coyote. National Parks and Recreation Association, “Coyotes Have Moved into Parks Across the United States—Now What,” by Richard J. Dolesh, Parks & Recreation, April 6, 2018, online at https://www.nrpa.org/parks-recreation-magazine/2018/april/coyotes-have-moved-into-parks-across-the-united-states-now-what/. New Hampshire PBS, “NatureWorks/Gray Treefrog,” online at https://nhpbs.org/natureworks/graytreefrog.htm. Oregon Encyclopedia [Oregon Historical Society], “Kalapuyan Peoples,” by Henry Zenk, undated, online at https://www.oregonencyclopedia.org/articles/kalapuyan_peoples/#.YvPg_RzMJPY. James Parkhurst, Virginia Tech Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation, personal communication, August 11, 2022. Roger Powell et al., Peterson Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians of Eastern and Central North America, Fourth Edition, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Boston, Mass., 2016. Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources [formerly Department of Game and Inland Fisheries],“Fish and Wildlife Information Service,” online at https://services.dwr.virginia.gov/fwis/; the Coyote entry is online at https://services.dwr.virginia.gov/fwis/booklet.html?&bova=050125&Menu=_.Taxonomy&version=19215; the Gray Treefrog entry is online at https://services.dwr.virginia.gov/fwis/booklet.html?&bova=020007&Menu=_.Taxonomy&version=19215. Ya-Native, “Coyote Takes Water From the Frog People—A Plains Legend,” online at

Many people got into birdwatching during the COVID-19 lockdown. For some, it was a way to spend time outdoors in nature. For others, it was simply a way to slow down and notice what was happening outside the window. And, once people started paying attention to birds, many never stopped.   Here in Minnesota, summer is a great time to keep an eye out for nests and baby birds. This week also is the start of the fall migration. That's right, some shorebirds are already starting their flight south.   MPR News host Angela Davis spoke with Sharon Stiteler, also known as the “Birdchick," about what the birds are up, where to spot them and small things everyone can do to protect them. Guest:  Sharon Stiteler, also known as the “Birdchick," fell in love with birds at age 7 when someone gave her a Peterson Field Guide to Birds. She's now an avid bird watcher and author of several books, including “North American Bird Watching for Beginners: Field Notes on 150 Species to Start Your Birding Adventures,” published this spring. She splits her time between Alaska and Minnesota.

Host Kevin Patton discusses the fact that many students hate histology. And perhaps even some faculty. Are there any ways to fix that? Kevin thinks he may have found a breakthrough idea. 00:00 | Introduction 01:20 | Sponsored by AAA 02:25 | Why Do Students Hate Histology? 16:27 | Sponsored by HAPI 17:06 | Birding For Tissues 39:15 | Sponsored by HAPS 40:14 | A Breakthrough 51:25 | Staying Connected   ★ If you cannot see or activate the audio player, go to: theAPprofessor.org/podcast-episode-113.html

It's about the time of year that birds start setting up nests and preparing for breeding season. Perfect time for the release of a new Peterson Field Guide to North American Birds Nest. Our birder Alain Clavette tracked down one of the authors.

I've known barn owls since I was a kid in Kentucky and I always saw them in barns roosting or nesting up high in the rafters. I remember finding a dead one in a barn once and taking it home to dissect. Some things never change I guess, and though I no longer have the urge to cut into dead animals I still bring them home where they usually end up in our freezer. So you may open our freezer and find a collection dead animals in there next to frozen chiles or some leftover pozole. I love finding owl pellets beneath trees. The pellets are the indigestible part of an owls last meal. The gizzard can't deal with all the fur and bones and so that comes back up in a tidy oblong ball. And, I'm not making this up, you can buy owl pellets on line, which means someone somewhere is selling them to suppliers! I'm going to stick to selling plants. According to the writing on the inside cover I bought my Peterson Field Guide to Western Birds in February of 1970. It's the Second Edition, Revised and Enlarged. Oh, and it's hardcover, which took a beating in its travels. I rebound it a few years ago (see photo), and it should be good for more time on truck seats. And I think I'm gonna start reading more of the field descriptions out loud, which probably means I'll be birding by myself. The photos are mine…you probably figured that out.  I like the top of the rodent skull in the upper pellet and look at all the bones and fur in the others. Pretty cool. And here is a link to yet another show I did about a barn owl that I found dangling from a fence line. Caution: I wring the necks of some Asian ring neck doves (wring neck!) in the episode. Tyto alba on a fence

I've known barn owls since I was a kid in Kentucky and I always saw them in barns roosting or nesting up high in the rafters. I remember finding a dead one in a barn once and taking it home to dissect. Some things never change I guess, and though I no longer have the urge to cut into dead animals I still bring them home where they usually end up in our freezer. So you may open our freezer and find a collection dead animals in there next to frozen chiles or some leftover pozole. I love finding owl pellets beneath trees. The pellets are the indigestible part of an owls last meal. The gizzard can't deal with all the fur and bones and so that comes back up in a tidy oblong ball. And, I'm not making this up, you can buy owl pellets on line, which means someone somewhere is selling them to suppliers! I'm going to stick to selling plants. According to the writing on the inside cover I bought my Peterson Field Guide to Western Birds in February of 1970. It's the Second Edition, Revised and Enlarged. Oh, and it's hardcover, which took a beating in its travels. I rebound it a few years ago (see photo), and it should be good for more time on truck seats. And I think I'm gonna start reading more of the field descriptions out loud, which probably means I'll be birding by myself. The photos are mine…you probably figured that out.  I like the top of the rodent skull in the upper pellet and look at all the bones and fur in the others. Pretty cool. And here is a link to yet another show I did about a barn owl that I found dangling from a fence line. Caution: I wring the necks of some Asian ring neck doves (wring neck!) in the episode. Tyto alba on a fence

Episode 63: Pajama Buck Episode 63: Pajama Buck finds Will celebrating a successful harvest from the meat garden: an antlerless buck taken by Will whilst in his pajamas. The homesteaders answer a listener question on how to select plantings for a new homestead (see the show notes for more!). Sarah shares research on the immune benefits of letting kids play in the dirt for the Rock the Cradle segment. Visits to the bee yard and chicken coop have the homesteaders hoping for more activity come spring. The edible landscape is winding down for the season with garlic planting, weeding, and mulching, but the homesteaders are enjoying their harvests in pumpkin chili and pepper pot soup. Will closes the episode with some hard-hitting agricultural news from New Zealand about Doug the Potato. Show Notes Resources for selecting plants for establishing a new edible habitat landscape: Identify your hardiness zone with the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: https://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/ Find your local extension service at your state land grant university. Consult resources and programming at your local library. Review selections at your local nursery and feed stores. Use edible plant field guides, such as the Peterson Field Guide to Edible Wild Plants (https://www.hmhbooks.com/shop/books/A-Peterson-Field-Guide-to-Edible-Wild-Plants/9780395926222), the Peterson Field Guide to Medicinal Plants and Herbs (https://www.hmhbooks.com/shop/books/field-guide-to-medicinal-plants-and-herbs/9780547345048), or Samuel Thayer's book Nature's Garden (https://www.foragersharvest.com/store/p3/NaturesGarden.html#/). For more on the science and philosophy of habitat gardening, refer to Doug Tallamy's work in Bringing Nature Home and Nature's Best Hope (https://homegrownnationalpark.org/tallamys-hub-1). Rock the Cradle - Science Advances, Biodiversity intervention enhances immune regulation and health-associated commensal microbiota among daycare children. https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.aba2578 How to Make Pepper Pot Soup - The Philadelphia Citizen. https://thephiladelphiacitizen.org/pepper-pot-soup-recipe/ New Zealand Couple Unearth What Could Be the World's Largest Potato (and Decide to Call it Doug) - People Magazine https://people.com/human-interest/new-zealand-couple-unearth-what-could-be-worlds-largest-potato-call-it-doug/

In 1975, Hal H. Harrison wrote the Peterson Field Guide to Eastern Birds' Nests. In 1979 he wrote the Western guide. I have my copy of Eastern Birds' Nests on the primary bird shelf (there are two shelves) beside Bird Feathers by S. David Scott and Casey McFarland. Now, Casey McFarland, Matthew Monjello & David Moskowitz have come together to revamp the Peterson Field Guide to Bird Nests. In one (kinda thick) package they managed to fit descriptions of over 650 bird species along with beautiful high quality photos of many examples of the varied avian architectures discussed. This one has a small name change too: Peterson Field Guide to North American Bird Nests Casey McFarland joined me for a great conversation on what it took to make the book happen. We discuss the legacy Hal H. Harrisons work and how his book inspired a lot of what Casey, Matt, and David wrote, but also they were determined to find new practices that weren't as invasive in their search for beautiful shots of nests and eggs. We spoke about varied bird ecologies and place-based, habitat considerations birds participate within to best protect and rear their young. From bird nests, to the Cyber tracker evaluation process', to an encounter with a Bobcat while searching out nests on the Rio Grande, Casey shares his passion for tracking the wild, and deepening his understanding of the world around him. all the while sharing that enthusiasm and curiosity with others through his work along the way. Shout outs to Matt Monjello and David Moskowitz who could not be apart of the interview. I hope, someday in the near future, our paths will cross and I can ask them all about their projects, their joys and experiences in writing this great new book. Additional information: Peterson Field Guide to North American Bird Nests Casey McFarland.net David Moskowitz.net An experimental demonstration that house finches add cigarette butts in response to ectoparasites

In this interview Matt Crawford speaks with Meteorologist and Co-Author Jay Anderson about his book the Peterson Field Guide to Weather. We all pay attention to the weather when we plan our day, weekends or vacations but many of us stop there. Anderson sparks that weather curiosity in this beautifully illustrated and down to earth book. Broken down into an easily digestible format and with plenty of "For instances" this is a great read that will continue to teach long after its initial reading.

In this episode Matt Crawford speaks with Co-Author Casey McFarland about his book The Peterson Field Guide to North American Bird nests. McFarland and I speak about what a field guide actually is, what type of field work is involved in the writing of it and how the images are captured. This guide will open up a world of wonders and I hope you will all dive in and enjoy it as much as I did.

Click to listen to episode (3:49) Sections below are the following:Transcript of AudioAudio Notes and AcknowledgmentsImagesExtra InformationSourcesRelated Water Radio EpisodesFor Virginia Teachers (Relevant SOLs, etc.) Unless otherwise noted, all Web addresses mentioned were functional as of 3-26-21. TRANSCRIPT OF AUDIO From the Cumberland Gap to the Atlantic Ocean, this is Virginia Water Radio for the week of March 29, 2021.  This revised episode from April 2012 is part of a series this year of spring-related episodes. SOUND  – ~ 6 sec This week, we feature an amphibious, sign-of-spring mystery sound.  Have a listen for about 10 more seconds, and see if you recognize this chorus, which you may have heard on spring evenings in areas near standing water. SOUND  - 10 sec If you guessed Spring Peeper frogs, you’re right!  Spring Peepers, occurring throughout the eastern and central United States and Canada, are one of seven native chorus frogspecies in Virginia.  Their choruses are the combination of mating calls produced by many individual males when air in a throat pouch is drawn across the voice box.  The mating calls occur in Virginia from February to June, but Spring Peeper sounds often can be heard again in the Commonwealth in fall as days shorten and temperatures cool. Like other frogs, toads, and salamanders, Spring Peepers are amphibians, and they rely on water for reproduction.  Winter and spring precipitation provide ephemeral– or temporary – ponds and pools, where many amphibians’ eggs transform into tadpoles and eventually into adults that, in many species, move onto land.  For Spring Peepers, breeding takes place in a variety of water bodies and wetlands near trees, shrubs, or other vegetation on which females deposit their eggs.  After hatching into tadpoles—known scientifically as larvae—Spring Peeper’s metamorphosisto adult takes about three months, after which the adults move into woodlands. As tadpoles, Spring Peepers feed on material suspended in the water.  The adults feed on a variety of insects, spiders, and other invertebrates.  Predators on Spring Peeper tadpoles include giant water bugs, predaceous diving beetles, and dragonflies, while the adults may fall prey to salamanders, spiders, snakes, owls, and other birds. You’re not likely to see these one-inch-long frogs, but their loud mating calls are prevalent across the Commonwealth in spring and early summer, reminding us of the presence and importance of wetlands and small seasonal bodies of water. We close by letting Spring Peepers have the last call—a springtime chorus that I hope resounds at some water near you. SOUND  - ~7 sec SHIP’S BELL Virginia Water Radio is produced by the Virginia Water Resources Research Center, part of Virginia Tech’s College of Natural Resources and Environment.  For more Virginia water sounds, music, or information, visit us online at virginiawaterradio.org, or call the Water Center at (540) 231-5624.  Thanks to Stewart Scales for his banjo version of Cripple Creek to open and close this show.  In Blacksburg, I’m Alan Raflo, thanking you for listening, and wishing you health, wisdom, and good water. AUDIO NOTES AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The episode is a revised version of Episode 105, 4-2-12.  Virginia Water Radio thanks Heather Longo (formerly Heather Vereb) for researching and writing that episode. The Spring Peeper sounds were recorded by Virginia Water Radio at Heritage Park in Blacksburg, Va., on March 21, 2020. Click here if you’d like to hear the full version (1 min./11 sec.) of the “Cripple Creek” arrangement/performance by Stewart Scales that opens and closes this episode.  More information about Mr. Scales and the group New Standard, with which Mr. Scales plays, is available online at http://newstandardbluegrass.com. IMAGE Spring Peeper, photographed at Virginia Beach, Virginia, September 23, 2017.  Photo by user Rae1211, made available on iNaturalist at https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/8082565(as of 3-26-21) for use under Creative Commons license “Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0.”  Information about this Creative Commons license is available online at https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/. EXTRA INFORMATION ABOUT SPRING PEEPERS The scientific name of Spring Peeper is Pseudacris crucifer. The following information on Spring Peepers is taken from the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (formerly Department of Game and Inland Fisheries), “Fish and Wildlife Information Service/Spring Peeper,” online at https://services.dwr.virginia.gov/fwis/booklet.html?&bova=020071&Menu=_.Taxonomy&version=18711.  Physical Description “This species ranges in length from 19-35 mm (0.75-1.5 in).  Dorsal coloration can be yellow, tan, brown, gray, or olive with a distinctive dark X-shaped mark.  The northern subspecies found here in Virginia has a plain or virtually plain belly.  There is typically a dark bar-like marking between the eyes.  Males have dark throats and are usually smaller and darker than the females.” Reproduction “This species breeds from February through May in woodland ponds, swamps, and ditches.  Choral groups are found where trees or shrubs are standing in water or nearby.  Mating call is a high piping whistle repeated about once every second.  A large chorus resembles the sound of sleigh bells.  Sometimes an individual exhibits a trilling peep in the background of a large chorus.  Females lay an average of 900 eggs per clutch.  Eggs are laid singly and attached to submerged vegetation or other objects.  Eggs hatch in an average of 6 days.  Metamorphosis occurs in an average of 45 days though a range of 3 to 4 months is also reported.  Individuals typically reach sexual maturity at 1 year.” Behavior “This species inhabits woodlands under forest litter or within brushy undergrowth.  They are particularly abundant in brushy secondary growth or cutover woodlots if they are close to small temporary or semi-permanent ponds or swamps.  Specimens are rarely seen outside of the breeding season though occasionally an individual can be found traveling through the woods by day in wet weather.  Their diet consists primarily of small arthropods. This species may fall prey to large spiders.  This species has been shown to tolerate temperatures of -6 degrees Celsius for 5 days.  At the end of that period, approximately 35% of body fluids were frozen.  This and other species that tolerate extreme cold temperatures were shown to have high levels of glycerol in body tissues during the winter.  Glycerol is absent from body tissues in the summer.  …This species requires marshy ponds, ditches, and swamps with proximal shrubs.” SOURCES Used for Audio Lang Elliott, The Calls of Frogs and Toads, Stackpole Books, Mechanicsburg, Penn., 2004. John D. Kleopfer and Chris S. Hobson, A Guide to the Frogs and Toads of Virginia, Special Publication Number 3, Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, Richmond, 2011. Bernard S. Martof et al., Amphibians and Reptiles of the Carolinas and Virginia, University of North Carolina Press, Chapel Hill, 1980. Robert Powell et al., Peterson Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians of Eastern and Central North America, Fourth Edition, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Boston and New York, 2016. University of Michigan Museum of Zoology, “Animal Diversity Web,” online at https://animaldiversity.org.  The Spring Peeper entry is online at https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Pseudacris_crucifer/. Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (formerly Department of Game and Inland Fisheries), “Fish and Wildlife Information Service,” online at https://services.dwr.virginia.gov/fwis/.  The Spring Peeper entry is online at https://services.dwr.virginia.gov/fwis/booklet.html?&bova=020071&Menu=_.Taxonomy&version=18711.  Entries for Virginia’s seven chorus frog species (in the genus Pseudacris) are at this link.  Entries for amphibians in Virginia are at this link.  ___, “List of Native and Naturalized Fauna in Virginia, April 2018,” online (as a PDF) at https://dwr.virginia.gov/wp-content/uploads/virginia-native-naturalized-species.pdf. Virginia Herpetological Society, (VHS), “Frogs and Toads of Virginia,” online at https://www.virginiaherpetologicalsociety.com/amphibians/frogsandtoads/frogs_and_toads_of_virginia.htm.  The Spring Peeper entry is online at http://www.virginiaherpetologicalsociety.com/amphibians/frogsandtoads/northern-spring-peeper/northern_spring_peeper.php.  (The VHS supports the scientific study of amphibians (frogs, toads, and salamanders) and reptiles (lizards, snakes, and turtles.) ___, “Virginia Frog Phrenology (Calling/Breeding Periods), online (as a PDF) at https://www.virginiaherpetologicalsociety.com/amphibians/frogsandtoads/_phenology/va-frog-and-toad-phenology.pdf. For More Information about Amphibians in Virginia and Elsewhere AmphibiaWeb, online at https://amphibiaweb.org/index.html.  The Spring Peeper entry is online at https://amphibiaweb.org/cgi/amphib_query?where-genus=Pseudacris&where-species=crucifer&account=amphibiaweb. Kathleen Gaskell, Chesapeake Challenge—Spring peepers will trill you to pieces, Bay Journal, March 2021. J.C. Mitchell and K.K. Reay, Atlas of Amphibians and Reptiles in Virginia, Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries/Richmond (1999); available online (as a PDF) at https://www.virginiaherpetologicalsociety.com/atlases/mitchell-atlas.pdf, courtesy of the Virginia Herpetological Society. Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources, “Frog Friday: Where Do Frogs Go in Winter?” December 11, 2015, online at https://dwr.virginia.gov/blog/frog-friday-where-do-frogs-go-in-the-winter/. ___, “Virginia is for Frogs,” online at https://dwr.virginia.gov/wildlife/virginia-is-for-frogs/. ___, “Wildlife Information,” online at https://dwr.virginia.gov/wildlife/information/.  This site lists wildlife animals found in Virginia, with links to species accounts. RELATED VIRGINIA WATER RADIO EPISODES All Water Radio episodes are listed by category at the Index link above (http://www.virginiawaterradio.org/p/index.html).  See particularly the “Amphibians” subject category. Following are links to other spring-themed episodes.  (Please note: several of these may be redone in spring 2021.  As that occurs, the links below will include directions to the blog post for the updated episodes.) Eastern Phoebe – Episode 416, 4-16-18.Frog and Toad Medley – Episode 408, 2-19-18.Spring arrival episode – Episode 569, 3-22-21.Spring forest wildflowers – Episode 212, 5-5-14.Spring reminder about tornado awareness – Episode 568, 3-15-21.Spring signals for fish – Episode 311, 4-11-16.Spring sounds serenades – Episode 206, 3-14-14 and Episode 516, 3-16-20.Warblers and spring bird migration – Episode 157, 4-15-13. Following are links to some other episodes on chorus frogs.Brimley’s Chorus Frog – Episode 563, 2-8-21.Chorus frogs group in Virginia – Episode 464, 3-18-19.

In this episode we discuss the sounds of the Black-capped Chickadee! We also touch briefly on the Peterson Field Guide to Bird Sounds of Western North America. We talk about the difference between a phrase and a series, and we go over how those apply to some of the songs and calls that the Black-capped Chickadee makes. We hope you enjoy! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/calling-all-birds/message

Loggerhead shrikes are more common in the winter out where we live in Cochise County, Arizona. Some winters and springs…

Loggerhead shrikes are more common in the winter out where we live in Cochise County, Arizona. Some winters and springs it seems there is a shrike on every other fence post or power line here in the grassland. A favorite field guide says they are an “uncommon to common transient in open situations throughout” southeastern Arizona.  So it seems some shrikes will move about seasonally to different elevations in the borderlands.  Must be nice. I took the photographs of my Peterson Field Guide to Western Birds purchased in 1970. I was inspired to bring it out of retirement after doing some birding with my family and I realized that many of the birds we were seeing had checks by their pictures in this old guide. Some of the scientific names and even common names have changed, but the birds don’t know that and they still look the same. As you can see it has been rebound…did that myself… and it’s ready to go onto the truck seat with my binoculars.

Loggerhead shrikes are more common in the winter out where we live in Cochise County, Arizona. Some winters and springs it seems there is a shrike on every other fence post or power line here in the grassland. A favorite field guide says they are an “uncommon to common transient in open situations throughout” southeastern Arizona.  So it seems some shrikes will move about seasonally to different elevations in the borderlands.  Must be nice. I took the photographs of my Peterson Field Guide to Western Birds purchased in 1970. I was inspired to bring it out of retirement after doing some birding with my family and I realized that many of the birds we were seeing had checks by their pictures in this old guide. Some of the scientific names and even common names have changed, but the birds don’t know that and they still look the same. As you can see it has been rebound…did that myself… and it’s ready to go onto the truck seat with my binoculars.

Going to Hawk Cliff to go watch migrating Raptors is becoming a bit of a pilgrimage for me. It's only the second time I've gone there, but the quality of the experience is profound. To get to see these Birds whom, when you see individually during your everyday, it is always a highlight of the day. But to go see hundreds of these amazing predatory birds is just astounding. What a gift. Hawk Cliff is a chance to be social, a chance to learn, a chance to share and be in awe and wonder at some of the most beautiful birds on the continent. This episode is recording a trip down to Hawk Cliff with some dear friends, including Matt, Britta, Adrian, and Danielle. The structure is similar to old audiozines I used to make, describing in situ as well as voice overs to tell the story a little better and to give context to the audio. List of books mentioned: Hawks and Owls of the Great Lakes Region, Chris Earley. Firefly. The Life History of North American Birds of Prey, Arthur Cleveland Bent. Dover. Hawks at a Distance, Jerry Liguori. Princeton University Press. Birds of Ontario, Andy Bezener. Lone Pine. Peterson Field Guide to Birds, Roger Tory Peterson. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. Field Guide to the Migrating Raptors of Hawk Cliff. Hawk Cliff Foundation. The Crossley ID guide to Eastern Birds, Richard Crossley. Princeton University Press. Useful references and links: Hawk Cliff website https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gynandromorph

I’m thrilled to welcome Nadia of Urban Farm Sista to the show today to discuss garden pests and her mission with the Agricademy. Nadia is the plant lady behind several amazing businesses and planty projects including the Urban Farm Sista Educational Social Media Platforms, Quiwi Produce and Agricademy. She graduated from Ohio State in 2005 with a bachelor’s degree in Agriculture where she majored in Animal Sciences/minored in Entomology. Entomology is bugs, plant friends and today we do a DEEP DIVE into the common garden pests and insects that we struggle with and learn how to identify and treat them. I appreciate this conversation with Nadia because she helps us zoom out and understand our gardens as a full ecosystem. In gardening, it's always important to "zoom out" and see the larger picture, this conversation very much illustrates that! Check out the Bloom and Grow Youtube Show!   What we learn: How Nadia became the founder of Quiwi Produce, the Agricademy and Urban Farm Sista Why Nadia chose to get a degree in Entomology (studying insects!) How to differentiate a "good" vs a "bad" insect Zooming out and understanding the garden as an ecosystem and why insects are important Why Hemp is important (beyond CBD and Cannabis) Most common garden pests: how to identify and treat them Aphids and Ants (Minute 36:00) Caterpillars (Minute 48:25) Leaf Beetles (discussed throughout the episode) Leaf Miners (Minute 1:00) Wasps (1:03) Recipe for pest control spray Why and how does Neem oil work What is BT Bacteria What is Diatomaceous Earth Why and how to use Insect Nets Does releasing predatory bugs outdoors work? Nadias non profit: Agricademy Its mission the Food is Essential project Resources Mentioned in this Episode: Aphid: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GsTTC7CKO2c&feature=youtu.be Recipe for Nadias Neem Spray: Found in her amazing Insect Investigator PDF Bacillus thuringiensis - Information on BT Bacteria Diatamaceous Earth / Flea Beetles - https://youtu.be/PQ222Sa6XXI  Insect Net- She discusses insect nets in her video on Catepillars   Peterson Field Guide to Insects*: Nadia's recommended insect anthology *Bloom and Grow Amazon Affiliate Code*     Thank you to this weeks episode sponsors: Makespace makes storage simple, seamless and affordable without you EVER having to leave your apartment. They pick up, store and return your stuff and provide the packing materials! To learn more, visit makespace.com and use code SPACEPLZ for $100 off! Espoma Organics: for responsibly made, fabulous indoor and outdoor organic soils, fertilizers, pest control sprays and more visit espoma.com to find your local dealer or check out my amazon storefront of my favorite Espoma products here.       Follow Nadia IG: Urbanfarmsista Youtube: Urbanfarmsista Agricademyinc.org Amazon Storefront -https://www.amazon.com/shop/urbanfarmsista     Donate to Farming is Essential Project Website: http://www.agricademyinc.org/farming Gofundme: gf.me/u/xz6muf Facebook Campaign :https://www.facebook.com/donate/885370131959752/?fundraiser_source=external_url Cash App: $agricademyinc Mail Donations to: Agricademy Inc. 8711 Reading Road Cincinnati, OH 45215 (checks payable to Agricademy Inc.)   Follow Maria and Bloom and Grow Radio: Take the Plant Parent Personality Test!:  Unlock your Plant Parent Potential by taking the test below and get curated recommendations for plants, projects and resources inspired by your lifestyle. Support Bloom and Grow Radio by becoming a Plant Friend on Patreon! Instagram and Facebook: @BloomandGrowRadio Subscribe to the Bloom and Grow Youtube Show! /Bloomandgrowradio Website: www.bloomandgrowradio.com Join the (free) Garden Club: www.bloomandgrowradio.com/garden-club

Click to listen to episode (3:58)Sections below are the following: Transcript of Audio Audio Notes and AcknowledgmentsImagesExtra InformationSources Related Water Radio Episodes For Virginia Teachers (Relevant SOLs, etc.)Unless otherwise noted, all Web addresses mentioned were functional as of 6-5-20.TRANSCRIPT OF AUDIO From the Cumberland Gap to the Atlantic Ocean, this is Virginia Water Radio for the week of June 8, 2020. SOUND – ~5 sec – Gray Treefrog This week, we have a trilling episode.  That is, we feature the different trilling calls of two frog species that are indistinguishable to the naked eye.  Have a listen for about 20 seconds to the two species’ male breeding calls, and see if you know these two kinds of frogs.  And here’s a hint: think of tall woody plants and then the color of a rainy sky. SOUNDS - ~19 sec If you guessed treefrogs, you’re on the right track.  And if knew that the first call was the Gray Treefrog and the second was Cope’s Gray Treefrog, you’re a frog-call phenom!  The two frog species look identical, but they don’t interbreed and they differ in the number of chromosomes in their cells.  In Virginia they have somewhat different ranges, with the Gray Treefrog typically found in about the middle half of the Commonwealth and Cope’s Gray Treefrog primarily found in the Coastal Plain and the far southwest.  Those male breeding calls you heard are the usual way of distinguishing the two species.As their name implies, these amphibians live mostly in trees or shrubs, except during their spring and summer breeding season when they move to shallow, standing waters to mate.  Both species are relatively small, from about one to three inches long; both feed on various insects and other invertebrates; and both are colored gray, green, brown, or white, except for orange or yellow marks on their hind legs. Thanks to the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries and to Lang Elliott’s NatureSound Studio for permission to use the Cope’s Gray Treefrog sounds, from the 2008 CD, “The Calls of Virginia Frogs and Toads.” We close this week with an extra sound, one that doesn’t have anything to do with frogs or even particularly with water, but results from a natural event occurring in southwestern Virginia this late spring that’s too unusual not to mention, and too loud not to notice.  That’s the 2020 emergence of Brood IX of the 17-year periodical cicada, bringing with it a chorus of mating calls by the male insects.  Have a listen for about 10 seconds to that sound, recorded on a mountain trail near Blacksburg on June 4. SOUND - ~11 sec SHIP’S BELL Virginia Water Radio is produced by the Virginia Water Resources Research Center, part of Virginia Tech’s College of Natural Resources and Environment.  For more Virginia water sounds, music, or information, visit us online at virginiawaterradio.org, or call the Water Center at (540) 231-5624.  Thanks to Stewart Scales for his banjo version of Cripple Creek to open and close this show.  In Blacksburg, I’m Alan Raflo, thanking you for listening, and wishing you health, wisdom, and good water. AUDIO NOTES AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The Cope’s Gray Treefrog sounds in this episode were from “The Calls of Virginia Frogs and Toads” CD, copyright 2008 by the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (VDGIF) and Lang Elliott/NatureSound Studio, used with permission.  For more information on this CD, contact VDGIF online at https://www.dgif.virginia.gov/; by mail to P.O. Box 90778, Henrico, VA 23228-0778; by phone to (804) 367-1000 (VTDD); or by e-mail to dgifweb@dgif.virginia.gov. Lang Elliott’s work is available online at the “Music of Nature” Web site, http://www.musicofnature.org/. The Gray Treefrog sounds were recorded by Virginia Water Radio at a seasonal pond in Heritage Park in Blacksburg, Va., on July 8, 2016, about 9 p.m.  The sounds in the background are the “peep” of Spring Peepers and the “thunk” of Green Frogs. The periodical cicada sounds were recorded by Virginia Water Radio on Brush Mountain just north of Blacksburg, Virginia, on June 4, 2020, about 12 noon.Click here if you’d like to hear the full version (1 min./11 sec.) of the “Cripple Creek” arrangement/performance by Stewart Scales that opens and closes this episode.  More information about Mr. Scales and the group New Standard, with which Mr. Scales plays, is available online at http://newstandardbluegrass.com. IMAGES Gray Treefrog in a pond at a residence in Blacksburg, Va., April 30, 2007.Cope’s Gray Treefrog, photographed in Chesapeake, Virginia, July 8, 2019.  Photo by David Weisenbeck, made available on iNaturalist at https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/28498566 (as of 6-8-20) for use under Creative Commons license “Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0.”  Information about this Creative Commons license is available online at https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/.Virginia range maps for the Gray Treefrog (upper) and Cope’s Gray Treefrog (lower). Maps taken from the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, “Fish and Wildlife Information Service,” online at http://vafwis.org/fwis/?Title=VaFWIS+Species+Information+By+Name&vUT=Visitor.  The Gray Treefrog map is online at https://vafwis.dgif.virginia.gov/fwis/booklet.html?Menu=_.Occurrence&bova=020007&version=18418; the Cope’s Gray Treefrog map is online at https://vafwis.dgif.virginia.gov/fwis/booklet.html?Menu=_.Occurrence&bova=020006&version=18418.Periodical cicada, photographed in Patrick County, Va., June 7, 2020.  Photo by Kathy Richardson, made available on iNaturalist at https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/48868419 (as of 6-8-20) for use under Creative Commons license “Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0.”  Information about this Creative Commons license is available online at https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/. EXTRA INFORMATION ABOUT GRAY TREEFROG AND COPE’S GRAY TREEFROG The scientific name of Gray Treefrog is Hyla versicolor. The scientific name of Cope’s Gray Treefrog in Hyla chrysoscelis. The following information is quoted from the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, “Fish and Wildlife Information Service,” online at https://vafwis.dgif.virginia.gov/fwis/booklet.html?&bova=020007&Menu=_.Taxonomy&version=18418 for the Gray Treefrog and at https://vafwis.dgif.virginia.gov/fwis/booklet.html?&bova=020006&Menu=_.Taxonomy&version=18418 for Cope’s Gray Treefrog. Gray Treefrog Physical Appearance “Usually gray but coloration ranges from gray to whitish to brown to green, dependent upon environment and activities.  There is a whitish mark beneath the eyes and a bright orange or yellow on the concealed surfaces of the hind legs.  This species ranges in length from 32 to 62 mm (1.25-2.5 in).” Reproduction “Males call between March and August.  The call of this species is a slower trill than that of Cope’s Gray Treefrog, 25 trills per second.  Breeding generally occurs from March to June.  The female lays clumps of 10 to 40 eggs per group on the surface of shallow ditches, puddles, and ponds.   Females may lay more than one clutch in a season…. Eggs typically hatch in 4 to 5 days, and metamorphosis occurs in 45 to 64 days.” Behavior “This species is not often seen on the ground or near the water's edge except during the breeding season.  It tends to forage while in small trees or shrubs near to or in standing water.  This species is an opportunistic feeder focusing primarily on larval Lepicoptera [butteflies and moths], Coleoptera [beetles], and other arthropods.” Aquatic/Terrestrial Associations “This species is typically associated with the following forest types: black willow, sweet gum-willow oak, white oak-red oak-black oak and mixed pine-hardwood.  They are frequently found in recently disturbed areas with shrub and herbaceous cover.” Cope’s Gray Treefrog Physical Appearance “This species is identical to [Gray Treefrog] in appearance but they do not interbreed.  The two gray treefrog species can be distinguished genetically and by breeding call…. The male mating call of Cope’s Gray Treefrog is shorter, harsher and more forceful than [Gray Treefrog].  It is a faster call averaging 45 trills/second.  This species is generally slightly smaller than [Gray Treefrog]. Reproduction “This species breeds between May and August and is usually not found outside of this period. ..Females lay scattered clumps of 10 to 40 eggs on the surfaces of shallow ditches and small ponds.  These eggs hatch in 4 or 5 days.  Metamorphosis occurs in 45 to 64 days…. This species may have two clutches per season.” Behavior “This species is more arboreal and is more tolerant of low humidity than [Gray Treefrog.].  Its diet consists of insects which are foraged from trees, shrubs, and off the ground preferably near water.  This species is an opportunistic feeder.  Typical prey items include larval Lepidoptera [butterflies and moths], Coleoptera [beetles], and other arthropods.” Aquatic/Terrestrial Associations “This species is typically associated with small ponds, ditches, beaver ponds, or other standing water.  It is frequently found in areas that have been recently disturbed but contain shrubs, herbaceous vegetation, and/or vines.” SOURCES Used for Audio Eric Day et al., “Periodical Cicada,” Virginia Cooperative Extension Publication 444-276 (ENTO-105NP), February 25, 2015, online at https://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/444/444-276/444-276.html. John D. Kleopfer and Chris S. Hobson, A Guide to the Frogs and Toad of Virginia, Special Publication Number 3, Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, Richmond, 2011.  [This is the source used for the description included in the audio/transcript of the two frog species' ranges.] Lang Elliott, The Calls of Frogs and Toads, Stackpole Books, Mechanicsburg, Penn., 2004.Bernard S. Martof et al., Amphibians and Reptiles of the Carolinas and Virginia, University of North Carolina Press, Chapel Hill, 1980. Dan Mozgai, “Cicada Mania,” online at https://www.cicadamania.com/.  Information on periodical cicada Brood IX and its emergence in 2020 is online at https://www.cicadamania.com/cicadas/category/broods/brood-ix/. James Mason, “What’s that noise? The 17-year cicadas are back,” Virginia Tech Daily, May 2020, online at https://vtnews.vt.edu/articles/2020/05/CALS-periodical_cicada_2020.html. Robert Powell et al., Peterson Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians of Eastern and Central North America, Fourth Edition, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Boston and New York, 2016. Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, “Fish and Wildlife Information Service,” online at http://vafwis.org/fwis/?Title=VaFWIS+Species+Information+By+Name&vUT=Visitor.The Gray Treefrog entry is online at https://vafwis.dgif.virginia.gov/fwis/booklet.html?&bova=020007&Menu=_.Taxonomy&version=18418.The Cope’s Gray Treefrog entry is online at https://vafwis.dgif.virginia.gov/fwis/booklet.html?&bova=020006&Menu=_.Taxonomy&version=18418. Virginia Herpetological Society, online at http://www.virginiaherpetologicalsociety.com/index.html.  Herpetology is the study of amphibians and reptiles.The Gray Treefrog entry is online at http://www.virginiaherpetologicalsociety.com/amphibians/frogsandtoads/gray-treefrog/gray_treefrog.php.The Cope’s Gray Treefrog entry is online at http://www.virginiaherpetologicalsociety.com/amphibians/frogsandtoads/copes-gray-treefrog/copes_gray_treefrog.php.Information on all frogs and toads in Virginia is online at http://www.virginiaherpetologicalsociety.com/amphibians/frogsandtoads/frogs_and_toads_of_virginia.htm.The “Frog Calling Schedule” is online (as a PDF) at http://www.virginiaherpetologicalsociety.com/amphibians/frogsandtoads/_phenology/va-frog-and-toad-phenology.pdf. For More Information about Frogs and Other Amphibians AmphibiaWeb, “Order Anura—Frogs and Toads Species List,” online at https://amphibiaweb.org/lists/alpha/A-Ate-Anura.shtml.FrogWatch USA, online at https://www.aza.org/frogwatch.  According to this Web site, this is the American Zoological Association (AZA)'s citizen science program and “encourages volunteers to collect and contribute information about the breeding calls of frogs and toads to a national dataset that is publicly available online.”Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, “Virginia is for Frogs” Web site, online at http://www.dgif.virginia.gov/wildlife/virginia-is-for-frogs/.For More Information about Periodical Cicadas Ralph Berrier (text) and Stephanie Klein-Davis (photos), Watch Now: The 17-year cicadas emerge across Southwest Virginia, Roanoke Times, 6/8/20. RELATED VIRGINIA WATER RADIO EPISODES All Water Radio episodes are listed by category at the Index link above (http://www.virginiawaterradio.org/p/index.html).  See particularly the “Amphibians” subject category. Following are links to other episodes on featuring sounds of the Gray Treefrog. Episode 371, 6-5-17 – Herp Blitz by Virginia Herpetological Society (sounds of Bullfrog, Gray Treefrog, Northern Cricket Frog, Fowler's Toad, and Green Frog). Episode 408, 2-19-18 – Frog and Toad Medley (sounds of American Toad, Bullfrog, Carpenter Frog, Gray Treefrog, Green Frog, Mountain Chorus Frog, Northern Cricket Frog, Pickerel Frog, Spring Peeper, and Wood Frog). Episode 427, 7-2-18 – a July 4th “debate.” Episode 431, 7-30-18 – on the Tazewell County, Va., community of Frog Level (sounds of Gray Treefrog, Green Frog, and Spring Peeper). Episode 524, 5-11-20 – a sampler of animal sounds. FOR VIRGINIA TEACHERS – RELATED STANDARDS OF LEARNING (SOLs) AND OTHER INFORMATION Following are some Virginia Standards of Learning (SOLs) that may be supported by this episode’s audio/transcript, sources of information, or other materials in the Show Notes. 2010 Science SOLs Grades K-6 Earth Resources Theme 4.9 – Virginia natural resources, including watersheds, water resources, and organisms. Grades K-6 Life Processes Theme K.7 – basic needs and processes of plants and animals. 1.5 – animals’ basic needs and distinguishing characteristics. 2.4 – life cycles. 3.4 – behavioral and physiological adaptations. Grades K-6 Living Systems Theme 2.5 – living things as part of a system, including habitats. 3.5 – food webs. 3.6 – ecosystems, communities, populations, shared resources. 5.5 – cell structures and functions, organism classification, and organism traits. Life Science Course LS.4 – organisms’ classification based on features. LS.8 – community and population interactions, including food webs, niches, symbiotic relationships. LS.9 – adaptations for particular ecosystems’ biotic and abiotic factors, including characteristics of land, marine, and freshwater environments. Biology Course BIO.1 – current applications to reinforce science concepts. BIO.6 – bases for modern classification systems, including structures, biochemistry, and developmental stages. BIO.8 – dynamic equilibria and interactions within populations, communities, and ecosystems; including nutrient cycling, succession, effects of natural events and human activities, and analysis of the flora, fauna, and microorganisms of Virginia ecosystems. Virginia’s SOLs are available from the Virginia Department of Education, online at http://www.doe.virginia.gov/testing/. Following are links to Water Radio episodes (various topics) designed especially for certain K-12 grade levels. Episode 250, 1-26-15 – on boiling, for kindergarten through 3rd grade. Episode 255, 3-2-15 – on density, for 5th and 6th grade. Episode 282, 9-21-15 – on living vs. non-living, for kindergarten. Episode 309, 3-28-16 – on temperature regulation in animals, for kindergarten through 12th grade. Episode 333, 9-12-16 – on dissolved gases, especially dissolved oxygen in aquatic habitats, for 5th grade. Episode 403, 1-15-18 – on freezing and ice, for kindergarten through 3rd grade. Episode 404, 1-22-18 – on ice on ponds and lakes, for 4th through 8th grade. Episode 406, 2-5-18 – on ice on rivers, for middle school. Episode 407, 2-12-18 – on snow chemistry and physics, for high school. Episode 483, 7-29-19 – on buoyancy and drag, for middle school and high school. Episode 524, 5-11-20 – on sounds by water-related animals, for elementary school through high school.

Show Notes: Episode #3 What a pleasure to spend an hour with Casey McFarland. I think you'll find this episode very engaging and fascinating.   Casey's Bio: Casey McFarland trains biologists, research teams, eco-tourism guides, and the general public to read and interpret tracks and signs of wildlife. A Senior Tracker & Senior International Evaluator for Cybertracker Conservation he works around the globe to develop and support wildlife tracking skill and ecological knowledge. He currently serves as President of Cybertracker North America and was integral to the establishment of Cybertracker Europe. Casey is a co-author of the soon-to-be-published Peterson Field Guide to North American Bird Nests (Houghton Mifflin, release summer 2021), a co-author of the 2nd edition of Dr. Mark Elbroch's Mammal Tracks and Sign: A Guide to North American Species (Stackpole 2019), and co-author of Bird Feathers: A Guide to North American Species (Stackpole 2010).   LINKS: Casey McFarland’s website: https://www.caseymcfarland.net/ Cybertracker North America: http://trackercertification.com/ Cybertracker Europe (Facebook Group): https://www.facebook.com/groups/1772139582804147/ Casey’s Publications: https://www.caseymcfarland.net/publications Coyote and Badger video Pathways for Wildlife (website)

When birders think of southeastern Arizona, they think of hummingbirds. And when they think of hummingbirds, they think of Sheri Williamson. The author of the Peterson Field Guide to Hummingbirds of North America and director of the Southeastern Arizona Bird Observatory, she played a crucial role in protecting one of the region's most beloved birding hotspots, the Ash Canyon Bird Sanctuary. She talks with Nate Swick about her path to hummingbirds and her work with SABO.  If you're going to be in Chicago, come join us as we reveal the 2020 ABA Bird of the Year. 

Author and environmental activist Terry Tempest Williams on W.S. Merwin’s poem The Last One, leaving Mormonism and writing from pain. To learn more about the books we discussed in this episode, check out Michael DiGiorgio and Roger Tory Peterson’s Peterson Field Guide to Birds of Western North America, Kafka’s Metamorphosis, Marie Louise Von Franz’s Creation Myths and Gladys Reichard’s Navajo Religion. To hear the latest at Macmillan, be sure to check out our newsletter here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our trip to Point Pelee National Park in Canada was sooooo much fun, we split the goodness into two episodes. In this episode, you'll hear some of our favorite bird calls (like the Carolina Wren and a turkey pecking at a window) and meet a fellow birder who saw a Prothonotary Warbler with us. Lastly, we end with our trip takeaways for becoming better birders—and a real-life bird shit! BIRD SH*T WE DISCUSSEDUSEFUL RESOURCESThanks to Friends of Point Pelee for all the great info as we planned our trip! Follow Bird Shit on InstagramSend us an email (we'd love to hear from you!)Peterson Field Guide to Birds (recommended by Mark, who we interview in this episode)BIRDS WE MENTIONED (in order)Yellow-Billed CuckooAmerican RobinRed-winged BlackbirdWild TurkeyCarolina WrenDunlinSemipalmated SandpiperLeast SandpiperProthonotary WarblerYellow WarblerPileated WoodpeckerDowny WoodpeckerSandhill CraneCanda GooseMallard Rose-breasted GrosbeakBarn SwallowOTHER COOL SH*TOur full species lists from Point Pelee National ParkLeave us an iTunes review if you don't hate this.Best private-room karaoke in Chicago#birdblessed"War of the Worlds" tripod robot or bullfrog call?Thanks for a crazy Friday night, Rick's in Ann Arbor.Support the show (https://www.bonfire.com/talk-birdy-to-me-bird-shit-podcast/)

Nathan Pieplow, author of the new Peterson Field Guide to Bird Sounds of Western North America sits down with Mardi Dickinson for this exclusive talk on all things Bird Sounds.      

It was almost six year ago to the day that I had my moth epiphany thanks to Seabrooke Leckie, who in 2012 co-authored the “Peterson Field Guide to Moths of Northeastern North America,” and joined me on my radio program... Read More ›

Seabrooke Leckie freelance writer and naturalist who became interested in moths and stops by to talk with BirdCallsRadio about her lastest book series, Peterson Field Guide to Moths of Southeastern North America.

Nathan Pieplow's new Field Guide is a departure from the traditional book of bird images. It depicts images of bird sounds as spectrograms, showcasing the diversity of vocalizations in North America. Nathan joins Nate Swick to talk about his new book, the Peterson Field Guide to Bird Sounds of Eastern North America, and the need for birders to establish a common vocabulary for bird sounds. Also Greg Neise and Ted Floyd check back in during the waning days of winter to talk snowbird diversity. Juncos are one of the most fascinating groups of birds on the continent and now is a great time to appreciate them. Plus, the ABA is excited about the new book Good Birders Still Don't Wear White.  Join now and you could win a copy! If you are interested in sponsoring an episode of this podcast, and reaching the thousands of birders who listen to is, please be in touch with John Lowry at jlowry@aba.org

On our latest show: Bird song expert Nathan Pieplow tells us about his new Peterson Field Guide to the Bird Sounds of Eastern North America. Plus, Mike offers more nest box advice; and we learn the story of the New York Warbler.

Dr. Pasachoff explains his journey from being the shortest math major in Harvard history to a 50+ illustrious career in solar astronomy. Jay Pasachoff, Chair of the International Astronomical Union’s Working Group on Eclipses, is Field Memorial Professor of Astronomy at Williams College and a Visitor in Planetary Science at Caltech. He has viewed 60 solar eclipses, and is an expert on both their use for scientific observations and their use for public education. Pasachoff is past president of the International Astronomical Union’s Commission on Education and Development and Chair of the Historical Astronomy Division of the American Astronomical Society. He received the Education Prize of the American Astronomical Society and, last year, the Janssen Prize of the Société Astronomique de France. Pasachoff is the author or co-author of The Cosmos: Astronomy in the New Millennium, the Peterson Field Guide to the Stars and Planets, and Nearest Star: The Surprising Science of Our Sun as well as, on a more technical level, The Solar Corona.

Susun Weed answers your health questions followed by an 30 minute interview with real people making change. This weeks guest interview is with Carrie Aulenbacher. Carrie was born, raised and live in beautiful Erie, PA.  Carrie is currently the Executive Administrative Assistant for the CEO of one of the largest family-owned logistics, trucking, and warehousing corporations, Lake Erie Logistics and Benco Leasing, in Erie where she has worked for the past 15 years.  When she's not writing romance, she works for iUrban.org magazine and Fridge Magazine as a contributing writer and also enjoys working with other authors in customizing FB pages for them or doing author audits.  this episode Q&A includes: • no liscensure or certification of any kind for an herbalist in the United States.. • Susun is a supporter of home herbalists using the herbs that grow right outside their door and sharing that knowledge freely- herbal medicine is peoples medicine! • invest in people being healthy.. • cold sore and herpes infections- hypericum oil and tincture.. • white pine needle can be harvested anytime of year.. • FDA and raw milk.. • 48 hours after rain to harvest herbs between the hours of 12pm and 2pm.. • burdock infusion and echinacea infusion to completely rid the body of herpes infection.. • when giving alcohol tincture to a cat always put in milk or cream.. • identifying flowering plants out of Peterson Field Guide • milk thistle tincture is a powerful protector of the liver from chemicals in the environment.. • when we know what we want we can attract that to us.. • carbon monoxide is not a pollutant to the plants.. • radiation is heavy and it sinks- cannot spread.. • only kelp seaweed has algin.. • wanting to conceive.