Nature Guys

Tune in to find out the winners of our cicada contest. Check out all the wonderful entries on our Celebrating Cicadas page. Related episodes: Cicadas, 17 Years to Awesome and Cicadas are Kinda Cute Be sure to tune in next week for our special guests The Bug Chicks.

If you love hummingbirds, tune in to listen to Bob’s conversation with John Shewey. His book, The Hummingbird Handbook, is filled with facts and practical tips to care for hummingbirds right in your own neighborhood.  Related episodes: Hummingbirds, Bicycling with Butterflies with Sara Dykman, The Nature of Oaks with Doug Tallamy The source for this interview is The Hummingbird Handbook: Everything You Need to Know about These Fascinating Birds by John Shewey from Timber Press.

Greg and Bob talk about wild ginger, a plant that makes a great native ground cover. You have to get down on your knees to see the flower. Who pollinates this flower that is hidden from view? Related episode: The Nature of Oaks with Doug Tallamy Our sources for this episode include: Don’t Judge a Book by its Cover: The Curious Case of Wild Ginger Pollination Wild Ginger Caring For Wild Ginger: How To Grow Wild Ginger Plants Connect with us on our website, Facebook, Twitter  and Instagram.

Bob is excited to talk to Holly Merker about her wonderful book Ornitherapy For Your Mind Body Soul. Tune in to his conversation with Holly Merker and listen to the story of how birds saved Holly’s life! The source for this interview is Ornitherapy by Holly Merker, Richard Crossley and Sophie Crossley

Charles Van Rees, Nature Guys Podcast’s very own science guy, has a fascinating conversation with Kim McCoy about Kim's new book Waves and Beaches: The Powerful Dynamics of Sea and Coast by Willard Bascom and Kim McCoy published by Patagonia. Kim mentions salmon in the conversation. To learn more about salmon, check out Bob’s interview with Mark Kurlansky in the episode Salmon are a Gift about Mark's book Salmon: A Fish, the Earth and the History of Their Common Fate also published by Patagonia.

Gia and Bob are excited about the arrival of the 17 year periodic cicadas. We hope to inspire you to either love cicadas or maybe just hate them a little less. Bob and Gia share 17 cool things about cicadas. There is nothing to fear when the cicadas are here! Please listen to the episode to learn all about our contest to celebrate the cicadas! Email us your entry to info@natureguys.org. Related episodes: Cicadas are Kinda Cute, The Nature of Oaks with Doug Tallamy Our sources for this episode include: Cicada Safari App created by Dr. Gene Kritsky  Cicada Mania: Cicada Insect News, Facts, Life Cycle, Photos, Books ... When the Woods Hum by Joanne Ryder (the book is out of print but check your library) Cecily Cicada (2021 Edition) by Kita Helmetag Murdock and Patsy Helmetag Periodical Cicadas The Brood X Edition by Gene Kritsky

Bob reads an amazing new book Bicycling with Butterflies: My 10,201 Mile Journey Following The Monarch Migration. Tune in to his conversation with Sara Dykman, the first person to follow migrating monarch butterflies on her bicycle. Learn more about Sara and some of the lessons she learned on her nine month adventure from Mexico to Canada and back. Please check out Sara's website Beyond a Book. Bicycling with Butterflies is published by Timber Press. Related episodes: Monarchs on the Move, Mighty Milkweed

Charles and Bob discuss vernal pools. Bob has always been intrigued by vernal pools and with time at home due to the pandemic he decided to build one in his backyard. Learn about his first aquatic visitor the water strider. Also learn about an amazing creature that lives in a vernal pool at Cincinnati Nature Center. If you have not seen fairy shrimp be sure to check them out. Charles explains what they look like and why they are found in vernal pools. Related episodes: The Nature of Oaks with Doug Tallamy, Dragonflies, Damselflies and Wood Frogs Quack It Up Our sources for this episode include: Vernal Pool Chronicles: a YouTube channel about vernal pools with some fantastic footage Colburn et al., 2007: Diversity and ecology of vernal pool invertebrates (Chapter from: Science and Conservation of Vernal Pools in Northeastern North America) U.S. EPA informational page - Vernal pools

Greg Torres and Bob discuss one of the most important trees in Florida. The Red Mangrove is the protector from storms and provides safe harbor to many living things. Cheer on Greg who is competing in the 2021 Go Wild for Jeopar-Ding fund raiser that will premiere virtually on Wednesday, March 31, 2021 to support the J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge. Check out related episodes on our Wildlife Refuges page. Watch Greg's YouTube video on red mangroves. Our sources for this episode include: Florida’s Extraordinary Mangroves Essential Facts about Mangroves Florida’s Mangroves

Bob chats with Doug Tallamy about his latest book The Nature of Oaks. The book shows you what to look for on and near oak trees every month of the year. Hear a few of the amazing stories of oaks. If you have or want oaks in your yard or just want to appreciate their irreplaceable role in the health of our environment this podcast will inspire you to learn more about this magnificent tree. Books by Doug Tallamy are published by Timber Press: The Nature of Oaks: The Rich Ecology of Our Most Essential Native Trees Nature’s Best Hope: A New Approach to Conservation That Starts in Your Yard Bringing Nature Home: How You Can Sustain Wildlife with Native Plants The Living Landscape: Designing for Beauty and Biodiversity in the Home Garden with Rick Darke Click here to learn more about Seed Libraries. Related episodes: Northern Red Oak and Blue Jays are Not Blue Special thanks to Cincinnati realtors Molly and Sara at Haven Home Group (Coldwell Banker Realty) for sponsoring this episode.

Gia and Bob discuss one amazing woodpecker. If you live or travel to the west make sure you check this woodpecker out. This episode is part of our Keystone Species series. Thanks to Christina Zorn for the great research! Related woodpecker episodes: Wow it’s a Pileated Woodpecker, Downy Woodpeckers Support Their Mates, Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers Slurp Sap Keystone Species series: All About Alligators, Firefighting Beavers Our sources for this episode include: All About Birds USDA Fire effects Information Systems Wikipedia Animalia

Charles and Bob discuss the Hooded Merganser. It is a duck that has some very un-duck like qualities. Related episodes: Mallards Mate with Other Ducks, Firefighting Beavers, What It’s Like to be a Bird with David Sibley, Erin Brockovich Our sources for this episode include: 10 Interesting Facts about the Hooded Mergansers The Cornell Lab All About Birds Hooded Merganser

Chris Clements of Imago joins Bob to talk about the Japanese concept of 72 seasons. Chris challenges us to go out and visit nature regularly in our own neck of the woods. See how it changes every few days. Try to come up with your own micro-season and give it an evocative name. Our sources for this episode include: Micro-seasons - Headspace YouTube video Japan’s 72 Microseasons

Seeds have many ways to get out into the world. Greg shares fascinating strategies plants use to disburse seeds. Related episodes: Hedge Apples, Down Yonder in the Paw Paw Patch Our sources for this episode include: Falling Far from the Tree: 7 Brilliant Ways Seeds and Fruits Are Dispersed Daniel Janzen - Bio and Research The Ghosts Of Evolution: Nonsensical Fruit, Missing Partners, and Other Ecological Anachronisms by Connie Barlow Lengyel, S.; et al. (2009). Chave, Jerome (ed.). "Ants Sow the Seeds of Global Diversification in Flowering Plants" Howe, H. F. & Smallwood J. (1982). "Ecology of Seed Dispersal" (PDF). Annual Review of Ecology and Systematics. 13: 201–228. The Ant Dance - YouTube video with Greg Torres The Bird Dance- YouTube video with Greg Torres

Gia and Bob are in Bob’s backyard on a cold winter afternoon talking all about alligators. Alligators are a great American success story. Thanks to Christina Zorn for the great research! This episode is part of our Keystone Species series. Keystone Species series episodes: Firefighting Beavers Our sources for this episode include: Definition of Alligator Alligator Biology and Behavior JW Lang and HV Andrews, J Exp Zoology (1994) Temperature-dependent sex determination in crocodilians. Cramp Meyer Sparks and Franklin. (2008) Functional and morphological plasticity of crocodile (Crocodylus porosus) salt glands. Journal of Experimental Biology 2008 211: 1482-1489; doi: 10.1242/jeb.015636. https://jeb.biologists.org/content/ 211/9/1482 American Alligator from National Geographic Crocodilian Biology Database

Recently I ran across a title of a new book that peaked my interest. Curious to know more I did an Internet search and found out that this book is written by someone I think you may recognize. Erin Brockovich has become a household word thanks to a movie by the same name released in the year 2000. I got a hold of a copy of the book and after reading it realized it would be the perfect end to the water series. If you haven't had a chance to listen to the first two parts I encourage you to do so. Charles does a great job giving us a deeper understanding of why water is so important to all life on earth. I hope Erin will inspire you to pick up a copy of her book, Superman's not Coming: Our National Water Crisis What We The People Can Do About It. As Erin so passionately says no one is going to solve our water problems for us. It is up to we the people and Erin’s book shows you how. Related Episodes: What the Heck is Water, Freshwater Life Our sources for this episode include: Superman's not Coming: Our Nati

Charles Van Rees joins Bob to discuss the importance of freshwater and its relationship to biodiversity. This is part two of a three part series. Related episodes: What the Heck is Water Firefighting Beavers Salmon are a Gift Sit Spot Our sources for this episode include: WWF Living Planet Report 2018 Van Rees et al., 2020 - Safeguarding freshwater life beyond 2020 United Nations Water Development Report 2020 Global Water Partnership: Water and Ecosystems    

Charles Van Rees joins Bob to discuss something we can take for granted. Water is an amazing substance and Charles has some insights as to why it is essential to all life on earth. This is part one of a three part series on water and its importance to all living things on earth. Related episodes: So You Want to Be a Naturalist, Sycamores Can Be Huge Trees Our sources for this episode include: Water: The Science of Nature's Most Important Nutrient by Len Kravitz Vandas et al., 2002: Water and the Environment

It has been a challenging year for everyone including Nature Guys. Losing Bill Creasey in August was a loss for everyone who values connecting to the natural world. It would take a village of naturalists to replace him. Well we don’t quite have a village but we have been able to assemble an amazing team to carry on the work of Nature Guys. Tune in to find out what Bob discovers at his sit spot. This episode also serves as a preview of the first five episodes in 2021. Related episodes: Sit Spot Our Friend Bill Watch for the Cooper's Hawk at Your Bird Feeder So You Want to Be a Naturalist with Charles Van Rees Firefighting Beavers with Gia Giammarinaro Witch Hazel Magic with Greg Torres

Awhile back my sister Suzanne called me. She was excited because a pair of mourning doves had nested on an upstairs window ledge of her house. As it happens I was reading David Sibley's book What It's Like to be a Bird: From Flying to Nesting, Eating, to Singing What Birds are Doing and Why. My sister is a great lover of books so I made her an offer I knew she could not refuse. I suggested that I would send her a copy of the book if she would put together some questions that I might use in this interview. Suzanne has never to my knowledge passed up the opportunity to read a book she is interested in so she quickly agreed. A few weeks later she sent me this email: "I really enjoyed reading What It’s Like to be a Bird. As you know, I am not someone who spends much time thinking about birds and my knowledge of them is very limited, but I like them and found this book to be a great source of information for someone like me. I am very impressed that Sibley did both the text and the illustrations, which are great.