Nature Guys

Listeners often ask me what can you do to help out Nature Guys? This is our annual Giving Tuesday podcast and I have a very specific call to action for this episode. Donate what you can to a great organization that means a lot to Bob. Tune in to find out how you can donate. Our sources for this episode include: Imago Giving Tuesday Today’s episode is sponsored by Cinfed Credit Union. You have questions, Cinfed has answers! Providing financial services for more than 85 years to a wide area around Cincinnati. Become a member at cinfed.com!

Witch Hazel is an amazing and strange plant. It took naturalists a long time to figure out what might pollinate it. Greg Torres, a very talented horticulturist, joins Bob to discuss a plant that you can find blooming in December. Our sources for this episode include: The Living Landscape: Designing for Beauty and Biodiversity in the Home Garden by Rick Darke and Douglas Tallamy Bringing Nature Home by Douglas Tallamy Evolution and biogeographic diversification of the witch-hazel genus (Hamamelis L., Hamamelidaceae) in the Northern Hemisphere by Xei, Lei; Yi, Ting-Shuang; Li, Rong; Li, De-Zhu; Wen. Jun (2010) Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution  History of Hamamelis (Witch Hazel), Extract and Distillate by Lloyd, J. U. and J. T. Lloyd. Journal of the American Pharmaceutical Association. 24(1935) (3):220–24. FDA Skin Protectant Drugs  Special thanks to Cinfed Credit Union for sponsoring this episode.

Introducing Gia Giammarinaro as my cohost for todays episode. Gia is the lead Naturalist at Cincinnati Parks California Woods Nature Preserve. Her favorite rodent is the beaver. How many people do you know who lunch with beavers? Gia was actually on the Parachuting Beaver episode and returns with an amazing story she found in National Geographic. Related episode: Parachuting Beavers  Our sources for this episode include: How beavers became North America’s best firefighter https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/2020/09/beavers-firefighters-wildfires-california-oregon/ Controversy builds around beaver dams https://www.daytondailynews.com/news/controversy-builds-around-beaver-dams/0kkaK8Bs4dNCzR6etmPP4M/ The Benefits of Beavers https://waterwisewisdom.com/2020/02/01/the-benefits-of-beavers/ Special thanks to Cinfed Credit Union for sponsoring this episode.

I got a wonderful email from Kim who homeschools her children and wanted some advice. Her oldest son is hoping to do something in the field of nature. I also received this email from Charles Van Rees a Conservation Biologist and Naturalist offering to be a guest on the show. “I want first and foremost to thank you for bringing your expertise, humor, warmth, and energy to a great podcast on natural history. I recently moved from a crowded city in Europe to rural Montana, and have been looking for good podcasts on natural history to keep my mind occupied during frequent, long drives. Your podcast has brought me a lot of joy, laughs, and learning during a tough transition and helped me get back in touch with North American nature. Thank you so much! On my way into work this morning I heard your 'Welcome 2020' podcast and your mention of wanting to feature more 'humans' on the show. In case you were looking for additional humans, I wanted to offer myself as a potential guest, since I absolutely adore the show and

Nature Guys Podcast spends lots of time connecting you to nature on this amazing planet. We are excited to have Dean Regas the astronomer for the Cincinnati Observatory (https://www.cincinnatiobservatory.org/), as a special guest on Nature Guys. After this episode I think you are going to be inspired to step outside and look up. 100 Things To See In The Night Sky by Dean Regas https://www.cincinnatiobservatory.org/dean-regas/about-dean/ Looking Up podcast https://www.wvxu.org/programs/looking#stream/0 Special thanks to Cinfed Credit Union (https://www.cinfed.com/) for sponsoring this episode.

Cohost and Cofounder of Nature Guys Podcast sadly passed away in August 2020. Bill's dream was for Nature Guys to continue connecting people to the natural world. Read Bill's obituary at http://www.springgrove.org/obituary.aspx?id=5351

Next time you pass by an old chimney keep your eye out for this amazing bird. They can eat three times their own weight every day.  Our sources for this episode include: Chimney Swift Conservation Association (project directors Paul and Georgean Kyle) http://www.chimneyswifts.org/ "Chimney Swifts America’s Mysterious Birds above the Fireplace" by Paul and Georgean Kyle "New Habitat for America’s Mysterious Birds" by Paul and Georgean Kyle Chimney Swift https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Chimney_Swift/overview Chimney Swift https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/chimney-swift Fun Facts About Cigars With Wings https://www.birdsoutsidemywindow.org/2014/05/14/fun-facts-about-cigars-with-wings/

People often put out Purple Martin houses to help control insects. In fact the Martins in the eastern United States could not exist without these houses.  Our sources for this episode include: How to Attract Purple Martins https://www.purplemartin.org/purple-martins/attracting/ Fun Facts About Purple Martins https://www.thespruce.com/fun-facts-about-purple-martins-387110 Interesting Facts About Purple Martins That Will Make You Go Wow https://birdeden.com/interesting-facts-about-purple-martin Purple Martin Conservation Association https://www.purplemartin.org/

Find out the amazing story of how the House Finch made its way all the way across the United States.  Our sources for this episode include: House Finch https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/House_Finch/lifehistory Interesting Facts about House Finches https://animals.visualstories.com/interesting-facts-about-house-finch House Finch or Purple Finch? Here's How to Tell Them Apart https://www.audubon.org/news/house-finch-or-purple-finch-heres-how-tell-them-apart Crossley Field Guide Books https://crossleybooks.com/book/the-crossley-id-guide-eastern-birds/

It is challenging to be a bluebird. Learn what you can do to help this beautiful bird. Our sources for this episode include: Eastern Bluebird (includes plans for how to build a nesting box) https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Eastern_Bluebird/overview 8 Surprising Facts You Didn’t Know About Bluebirds https://www.familyhandyman.com/article/facts-about-bluebirds/ Interesting Eastern Bluebird Facts http://www.birdhouses101.com/eastern-bluebird-facts.asp Fun Facts About Bluebirds https://valparaiso.wbu.com/bluebird-fun-facts

Damselflies are beautiful creatures. Best of all they do not bite or sting.  Our sources for this episode include: Damselflies - Interesting Facts on These Beautiful Insects http://EzineArticles.com/6148223 What is the difference between Dragonflies and Damselflies? https://british-dragonflies.org.uk/odonata/frequently-asked-questions/ 10 Things you may not know about Damselflies https://natureformysoul.com/2016/06/10-things-you-may-not-know-about-damselflies/

Dragonflies are something you want to have around. They love to eat mosquitoes! Our sources for this episode include: Migratory Dragonfly Partnership http://www.migratorydragonflypartnership.org/ 14 Fun Facts about Dragonflies https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/14-fun-facts-about-dragonflies-96882693/ 7 things you never knew about dragonflies https://www.treehugger.com/things-you-never-knew-about-dragonflies-4864302 Fun Facts about Dragonflies https://www.threeriversparks.org/blog/fun-facts-about-dragonflies

Native bees are incredibly efficient at pollinating plants and they are very docile. Our sources for this episode include: 6 Amazing Facts About Mason Bees https://www.keepingbackyardbees.com/5-amazing-facts-about-mason-bees/ The Leafcutter Bee https://www.buzzaboutbees.net/leafcutter-bee.html Crown Bees (where Bob got his bees) https://crownbees.com

Bob learns that you can see this frog in the winter!  Related episodes: Green Frogs Sing the Blues, Gray Treefrogs Freeze, Wood Frogs Quack It Up, Jeepers Spring Peepers  Our sources for this episode include: American Bull Frog (National Geographic) https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/amphibians/a/american-bullfrog/ American Bull Frog (NatureMapping) http://naturemappingfoundation.org/natmap/facts/american_bullfrog_712.html American Bull Frog Facts https://www.softschools.com/facts/animals/american_bullfrog_facts/481/

Bob has a conversation with Mark Kurlansky the award winning author of Salmon: A Fish, the Earth, and the History of Their Common Fate. Our sources for this episode include: Mark Kurlansky (visit his web site at http://www.markkurlansky.com/) Salmon: A Fish, the Earth, and the History of Their Common Fate by Mark Kurlansky The World Without Fish: How Kids Can Help Save the Oceans by Mark Kurlansky Cod: A Biography of the Fish that Changed the World by Mark Kurlansky

Bill reveals something he learned in school. Green frogs can be blue!  Our sources for this episode include: Green Frog https://animals.net/green-frog/ Northern Green Frog http://www.rosamondgiffordzoo.org/assets/uploads/animals/pdf/NorthernGreenFrog.pdf Northern Green Frog https://www.cbf.org/about-the-bay/more-than-just-the-bay/chesapeake-wildlife/northern-green-frog-at-home-in-the-bog.html

Gray treefrogs are hard to see but easy to hear. Special thanks to our friend and naturalist John Howard for the amazing photos. Our sources for this episode include: Gray Treefrog https://nationalzoo.si.edu/animals/gray-tree-frog Cope's Gray Treefrog (Hyla chrysoscelis) https://srelherp.uga.edu/anurans/hylchr.htm Gray Treefrog https://nhpbs.org/natureworks/graytreefrog.htm Science Around Cincy: Clara do Amaral – Frog Cryobiologist https://sciaroundcincy.com/2019/07/25/clara-do-amal/

Bob challenges you to try to find more ‘nuts’ than a squirrel. Our sources for this episode include: The Kids’ Wildlife Book by Warner Shedd http://warnershedd.com/

Grey Squirrels are easy to see in certain areas. They are really cute even when they are eating all your birdseed! Our sources for this episode include: Eastern Gray Squirrel https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/eastern-gray-squirrel/ Squirrels: Diet, Habits & Other Facts https://www.livescience.com/28182-squirrels.html 22 things you may not know about squirrels https://www.mnn.com/earth-matters/animals/blogs/happy-squirrel-appreciation-day

Bob invites artist Adrian Hawk to tell us how we can do Land Art right in our own neighborhoods. Our sources for this episode include: Andy Goldworthy Digital Catalogue https://www.goldsworthy.cc.gla.ac.uk Imago Rangers - Land Art https://imagoearth.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Day-7-Land-Art-.pdf