If you hear what sounds like ducks in the early spring take the time to check it out. You may end up at a vernal pool that has wood frogs.

Our sources for this episode include:

• In Alaska Wood Frogs freeze for seven months
• Wood Frogs are Explosive Breeders
• Wood Frog
• Ten Facts About Wood Frogs
• Science Around Cincy – interview with Frog Cryobiologist Clara do Amaral 

You may need to go out of your way to see mole salamanders but it is totally worth it. We hope this podcast will inspire you to go out some warm and rainy early spring night to look for mole salamanders.

Our sources for this episode include:

• The Secret Lives of Salamanders
• Ohioʼs Salamanders: 24 Good Things to Know
• Spotted Salamanders
• Ambystomatidae – Mole Salamanders
• Jefferson Salamanders

This is one of Bob’s favorite birds. In the Cincinnati area it arrives in late fall and it leaves in early spring. Tune in to find out why this bird is often used in research projects and where to look for it in your neighborhood.

Our sources for this episode include:

• Ordinary Extraordinary Junco (videos)
• Dark-eyed juncos – a sure sign of winter
• 10 Fun Facts
• Dark-eyed Junco the Snow Bird

Bill says you should not have a skunk as a pet! You probably figured this out on your own but what if you run into a skunk outside? Nature Guys will share what to do if you or a pet get sprayed. Spoiler alert do not use tomato juice!

Our sources for this episode include:

• Pet Skunks
• Snuggling Skunks: Is It Better To Brave Winter Alone Or In A Group?
• For the Love of Skunks
• Striped Skunk Foraging

Bob finds out that not all snowflakes are unique. Bill remembers cutting out snowflakes in class after he walked though the snow to get to school. Bob hopes to take his grandson Drew to the hill he sledded down as a kid. Bill and Bob are excited to go outside and try to find different kinds of snowflakes.

Our sources for this episode include:

• 15 Incredibly Cool Facts About Snow
• 9 Interesting Facts About Snow
• 10 Facts About Snow That Might Surprise You
• Book that Bill Loves: The Snowflake: Winter’s Frozen Artistry by Kenneth Libbrecht and Rachel Wing, 2015
• How to make a 6 pointed snowflake from paper

Bobʼs brother-in-law Al sends an email detailing his encounter with a groundhog in his garden. As Al found out groundhogs will put up a fight for garden vegetables.  Photo thanks to Mark Applebaum.

Our sources for this episode include:

• 9 Things You Didnʼt Know About Groundhogs
• Groundhogs in Your Garden
• Groundhogs by National Geographic
• Groundhog Fun Facts

 

Bob has a spider friend named Fred that does not survive a visit from relatives. These spiders can be really scary but they are pretty much harmless. They are also called fishing spiders and have interesting ways that they ‘fish’ for food. Photo thanks to John Howard.

Our sources for this episode include:

• Big Spiders Are a Little Scary
• Fishing Spider
• Facts about the Fishing Spider
• Common Fishing Spider

We all live with house spiders! Find out why this is not such a bad thing. These little spiders have been living with humans for quite a long time. Photo taken by Bob in his basement.

Our sources for this episode include:

• Bethany Barton’s book “I’m Trying to Love Spiders”
• Myth: Spiders bite sleeping persons
• 8 Facts about the misunderstood house spider
• 10 Fascinating Facts About House Spiders

Bill and Bob do their first podcast in front of a live audience at the amazing Roads Rivers and Trails store in Milford, Ohio. Bill brought a bunch of bird feeders from Cincinnati Nature Center and explains how to use them. Bob has a very special low cost bird ‘feederʼ! Listen in to find out what Bill thinks about Bobʼs feeder. Photo thanks to Eve Smallwood.

The main source for this podcast is Bill and his 43 years of experience with birds. Also donʼt miss the last part when our audience asks some great questions!

Bob has two plants growing in his backyard that Bill is not excited about. Bob decides it is finally time to do something about Winter Creeper and English Ivy. Join us to find out how and why these invasive plants are taking over. Photos taken by Bob in his backyard.

Our sources for this episode include:

• English Ivy: The Hazards and Removal Strategies
• 5 Fast Facts About English Ivy
• Winter creeper isnʼt a keeper
• Journey with Nature Winter creeper