Bob looks outside and notices that all the birds are suddenly gone from his bird feeders. He soon discovers the reason. A Cooper’s Hawk is on the ground right next to the feeders. Learn all about this amazing bird in this episode.  Photos thanks to Mark Applebaum.

Our sources for this episode include:

• Kids’ Inquiry of Diverse Species
• 8 Interesting Facts about the Cooper’s Hawk
• The Raptor Trust Accipiters
• Cooper’s Hawk Life History
• Predator Management for small and backyard poultry flocks
• Hawk Mountain

Bobʼs grandson, Drew is excited to be dressed up as an eagle for Halloween. He did not want to paint his shoes yellow so we have the very special Blue Footed Bald Eagle. Tune in to find out all about this unique bird.

Our sources for this episode include:

• How did the bald eagle become Americaʼs national bird?
• How a young birder started
• Cincinnati Zooʼs Bald Eagle (including video of Sam flying at the Red’s game)
• Bald Eagle at the National Zoo
• Bald Eagle ODNR
• Lewis and Clark Trail

Even a naturalist can be a bit afraid of centipedes. There are plenty of reasons to welcome centipedes in your house. Bill can deal with them as long as they stay in the basement. Find out what bothers Bill about house centipedes and what these creatures are doing both inside and outside.

Our sources for this episode include:

• House Centipedes
• How to Tell the Difference Between a Centipede and a Millipede
• Sowbugs, millipedes, and centipedes in the home
• What Eats Centipedes and Millipedes?

The paw paw has the largest fruit of any native tree in the United States. Learn how to identify this tree and when you should go looking for the paw paw fruit. For most people paw paw is the best food that they have never eaten. Find out what parts of the paw paw you want to eat and those to leave alone. Spoiler alert! Do not eat the seeds they will make you throw up.

Our sources for this episode include:

• Paw Paw In Search of America’s Forgotten Fruit by Andrew Moore
• Picking up Paw Paws
• What is Paw Paw?
• America’s Forgotten Fruit Tree: The Appalachian Banana | Appalachian Magazine
• Paw Paws, A Uniquely American Fruit by Earthy Delights
• Paw Paws: America’s Best Secret Fruit by Serious Eats

 

Bill and Bob never saw deer when they were growing up in the 50s and 60s. This is an animal that many people now see on a regular basis. You may even see them in your neighborhood. Learn how to deal with them if you see them while driving. Find out what can happen if they lock antlers.

Our sources for this episode include:

• Avoiding Deer Collisions
• The First Months Of A Whitetail Fawn
• Tarsal Glands: What We Know | QDMA
• Interesting facts about white-tailed deer

Bill loves to smell millipedes! They have all kinds of interesting smells and they are easy to find. Join us to find out how many legs millipedes really have. This arthropod loves moisture and will sometimes find its way into your home. Turns out that monkeys have found some very interesting uses for these creatures.

Our sources for this episode include:

• How to tell the Difference Between a Centipede and Millipede
• Yellow-banded millipede invades Broward and Palm Beech
• Sowbugs, millipedes, and centipedes in the home
• 10 Fascinating Facts about Millipedes
• The Ecological Importance of Arthropods

Bill is on fire about moss! He even compares moss to his childhood haircut. Bob wonders if a rolling stone can gather moss. If you would like to know more about moss check out “Gathering Moss: A Natural and Cultural History of Mosses” by Robin Wall Kimmerer.

Our sources for this episode include:

• Bryophyte – Importance Of Mosses – Peat, Producing, Cells, and Source – JRank Articles
• Does a rolling stone gather moss?
• Nature Lover Karen Nierlich is the author of the book “Moss and Lichen” and takes photos around the San Francisco Bay Area.
• Moss for Healing & Moss Can Grow on Anything
• The Magic of Moss

Bob sees the movie Dunkirk. He is excited to find a possible connection to Dunkirk and Milkweed. Tune in to find out all about the plant that Monarch Butterflies just cannot live without.

Join us as we explore the amazing story of the Monarch butterfly and caterpillar. Bill will tell the story of what the Cincinnati Nature Center is doing to help out the Monarch. We will cover the life cycle and also the incredible story of migration.

To find out what you can do to assist the Monarch Butterfly check out these websites:

• milkweedtomonarchs.org
• www.monarchwatch.org