Do you know how Blue Jays get other birds to leave so they can have your feeder all to themselves? Join us to find out if Blue Jays really are the bullies of the bird world.

This week Bill and Bob explore a common snake that lives in a variety of habitats. Tune in to learn all about the life of this cute little snake.  Thanks to John Howard for the excellent photos.

Bob has a giant pokeweed by his deck that has been getting bigger every year. The day we recorded this podcast it was eleven feet tall. Now just a few weeks later it is just shy of twelve feet. Join us as we discuss the pros and cons of having a pokeweed in your backyard.

Learn how to make ink from pokeweed berries that you can also use for watercolors at the fountain pen network or the New York Times.

Bob discovers a mud dauber building a nest right by his back door. On this episode we explore the fascinating connection between spiders and mud daubers.

Bob’s son in law Ryan sees his first pileated woodpecker at a family gathering. Join us to find out all about this amazing bird.

Listen to Julie Zickefoose’s blog story about woody the woodpecker on the NPR website.

These birds know how to raise a family. Learn how they support each other as we explore the life of the smallest woodpecker in our neck of the woods.

Learn how to join in the Christmas bird count on the Audubon website.

Bob shares how he carries a buckeye in his pocket for luck. Meanwhile we find out Bill is learning some presidential history about the origins of the now famous state tree of Ohio.

If you’d like to make buckeye candy, here’s a recipe from Nestle.

Caterpillars are an important link in the web of life. They even help baby birds survive. Join us as we share some amazing stories of these easily overlooked creatures.

Check out these books we recommend for more information:

• Caterpillars of Eastern North America
• Bringing Nature Home by Doug Tallamy

What a delightful creature to meet when you are walking in the woods. Find out when to look for eastern box turtles and how to help them survive a trip across a road.

Read the LA Times article about turtles being smuggled out of the US as collector’s items and cuisine.

Fireflies are loved by people all round the world. Join Bill and Bob as they share stories of fireflies from their childhoods mixed in with a bit of firefly science.

Learn more about fireflies from Sara Lewis in her TED talk or read her book Silent Sparks: The Wondrous World of Fireflies.