Listen to the show live online on Sundays at 9:30am Eastern / 6:30am Pacific, subscribe to the podcast on your favorite platform, and connect with us on social media!
“Thank you for bringing science and community together in a joyful radio show.”
— Colleen, East Walpole, Massachusetts
On our latest show (#1,091 May 24): Mike O'Connor's advice about nest boxes; Spanish for traveling birders and conservationists; and a marvelous member of the Mimidae family. Hear it here.
The U.S. Farm Bill
More than half the populations of grassland birds like the Bobolink and Lesser Prairie-Chicken have disappeared in the last 50 years. By restoring grasslands on farms and ranches, we can help bring them back. Three years overdue, the U.S. Farm Bill is the largest source of conservation funding in the world. The House of Representatives has passed its version, but the bill still falls short. It is now in the Senate. If you live in the United States, you can urge your Senator to strengthen it -- and pass it. (5/30)
House Finch Nest Cam
There's a webcam pointed at this sweet little House Finch nest in South Carolina where there are four eggs. and we're delighted that we can all watch and wait for the chicks to hatch. When we tuned in about noon (Eastern time), we saw the female placidly sitting on the eggs. Her soft brown plumage really makes for great camouflage. (5/27)
Hog Island Audubon Camp
A busy, birdy island just off the coast of Bremen, Maine. Take a look and sign up soon for a camp session, 'cause they fill up fast. Join 90 years of naturalists! (5/18)
Burrowing Owl webcam
This cam is located in north-central Oregon on a former U.S. Army Chemical & Weapons Depot which is now being restored as a critical wildlife habitat. Scroll down below the video window, to read about the remarkable comeback of Burrowing Owls in the area. This cam is in Pacific time. (5/20)
Español para la conservación
This is the website for LLaves, "Teaching Spanish for conservationists by conservationists,” as we promised on our show #1,091 (May 24). Check out their offerings. And yes, they do design classes to meet an organization’s specific needs. (5/25)
CBC trends for species in the U.S. and Canada
Even if you did not participate in a Christmas Bird Count (CBC) this past winter, you can still examine CBC data. This webpage lets you look at individual bird species over periods of time and in different geographic regions. Bonus: Your toes don't freeze while you look at it.
South Korea deploys new ferry that cleans up oil spills while people ride
The startup Ecopeace has developed an autonomous solar-powered boat that cleans floating pollutants and oil spills in real time. It also cleans up excess green algae, which can harm fish and animals. As if that weren't enough, it also ALSO collects field data about water quality conditions. (5/19)
Song Sparrows for BirdNote
Our own Debbie Blicher wrote this piece about Song Sparrows and outdoor recording for our friends at BirdNote. In only two minutes, it describes about a hundred years of the history of outdoor recording. You might never hear Song Sparrows the same way again! (5/21)
Our sponsors and partners:
Bird vocalizations provided by The Macaulay Library at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology
Website photography by Shawn Carey/Migration Productions.