We're heading back to the Old West, because the portrayals of nature in most movies and TV shows set in that era tends to be....well, misleading. Learn about some of the less-than-accurate portrayals of nature in the Old West on this episode! Support the podcast pardner, become a Patron! www.patreon.com/dispatchesfromtheforest Make a donation using…

Wyoming wildflowers are in bloom and an unusual mustelid sighting! Find out what I've been seeing this week! Support the Podcast with a donation! Become a patron at www.patreon.com/dispatchesfromtheforest Or donate via the Cash App with the Cashtag #ForestNerd or PayPal and my email address: [email protected] Check out the merch sto…

Cephalopods! If they had a longer lifespan and a way to pass on generational knowledge they'd rule the planet! Learn more about these amazing invertebrates on this episode! Support the podcast by becoming a patron! www.patreon.com/dispatchesfromtheforest Donate via PayPal or send me an email: [email protected] Donate with the Cash A…

Spring is in the air! Western Meadowlarks, Turkey Vultures and Kestrels! Plus I talk about heat lightning. Learn more about all of these things on this episode! Support the podcast! Become a patron! www.patreon.com/dispatchesfromtheforest Email me or make a donation through PayPal: [email protected] Check out the merch store! www.ca…

Nutria and muskrats are often mistaken for beavers, but once you get to know them, it's easy to tell these semi-aquatic rodents apart. Get to know nutria and muskrats better - learn who's an invasive species and where - and what makes these them so interesting. Support the podcast! Become a patron! www.patreon.com/dispatchesfromtheforest Email me o…

Spring is here (at least according to the calendar) and even if we're still getting snow, the signs of spring are all around: Northern Flickers, Mountain Bluebirds, the return of my Pelican Army and ground squirrels coming out of hibernation. Also, I had another uncommon animal sighting this week. Find out more in this Dirt Dispatch! Support the po…

It's springtime feral friends - at least by the calendar - and that means it's Prairie Chicken mating season! Learn about these amazing birds - whose mating dances inspired traditional dances of the Native American people. Support the podcast by becoming a Patron! www.patreon.com/dispatchesfromtheforest PayPal/Email Address: dispatchesfromtheforest…

Sometimes you're in the right place, at the right time, and the universe gives you a gift. Support the podcast by becoming a patron! www.patreon.com/dispatchesfromtheforest Make a one time donation via PayPal (or email me!) [email protected] Donate using the Cash App with $ForestNerd Get some merch! www.cafepress.com/shop/dispatches…

Thanks to a listener request, this episode is all about earthworms! There are over 6000 species of earthworm and they come in a wide range of sizes (and I mean a WIDE range!) Dig into the underground life of earthworms on this episode! Support the podcast by becoming a patron! www.patreon.com/dispatchesfromtheforest Support the podcast with a donat…

Nothing says "I love you" like bringing home a dead squirrel, Phenology and how to tell the difference between a crow and a raven. Check it all out on this episode of Dirt Dispatches! Become a patron: www.patreon.com/dispatchesfromtheforest Email me or donate via PayPal: [email protected] Donate via the Cash App with the Cashtag "Fo…

It's shark week - well, at least here at Dispatches from the Forest. We don't have sharks here in Wyoming, but sharks found in all of the world's oceans and seas - and sometimes, surprisingly, far away from the ocean up a river. Learn more about these amazing elasmobranch fishes! Support the Podcast: Patreon page: www.patreon.com/dispatchesfromthef…

Bald Eagles, Moose and the importance of community science. Find out what I've been up to the last couple weeks on this episode!By Dispatchesfromtheforest

Today we're going to look at a couple of birds that are frequent visitors to bird feeders - especially in the winter. One of which is, according to Cornell Labs "universally considered to be cute". How can you resist? Support the podcast by becoming a patron! www.Patreon.com/dispatchesfromtheforest Email me or donate via PayPal: dispatchesfromthefo…

Deer antlers, Pronghorns horns and coyote tracks. Also: don't forget to register for the first Final Feral Friday Webinar coming up on January 31st at 11a Mountain Time! Support the Podcast by becoming a Patron. www.patreon.com/dispatchesfromtheforest Email/PayPal address: [email protected] Cash App: $ForestNerd Merch Store: www.caf…

Llamas and Alpacas have a long history with humans. They were domesticated 5-6000 years ago. But their wild ancestors still roam South America, and the origin of their ancient ancestors just might surprise you. Learn about all the drama of being a llama on this episode! Support the podcast by becoming a Patron! www.patreon.com/dispatchesfromthefore…

Winter weather has finally come to Dispatches HQ. I tell you one of my favorite things about being outside after a light snow. I saw some birds that are rare to this part of Wyoming and tell you why you should embrace your inner goose. Also details on the very first "Feral Final Friday" Webinar and how to register. Support the podcast by becoming a…

Happy 2025! In honor of winter weather I'm going to tell you about a bird that, well, at least has "snow" in it's name: The Snowy Plover. I'll also give you information on how to register for my first "Feral Final Friday Webinar" which will be on Friday, January 31st at 11a Mountain Time (that's 10a Pacific, 12p Central, 1p Eastern). Registration i…

Happy New Year! In this dispatch: my final observations of 2024 and goals for 2025. Support the podcast in the new year! Become a patron: www.patreon.com/dispatchesfromtheforest PayPal/Email address: [email protected] Cash App: $ForestNerd Merch Store: www.cafepress.com/shop/dispatchesfromtheforest…

Happy Holidays feral friends! For this special episode I give you the gift of the "lost" episode of the Dispatches from the Forest Podcast. Truly the very first, never-before-released episode that started it all. It's a history of Fontenelle Forest Nature Center, both as an organization, and a a spot on on the map - and it's an incredibly interesti…

Happy winter solstice (for my Northern Hemisphere listeners) and summer solstice (for those of you down under!). I share my solstice tradition and tell you about the oldest known wild bird - a Laysan Albatross named "Wisdom". Support the podcast! Become a patron: www.patreon.com/dispatchesfromtheforest Email me or donate via PayPal: dispatchesfromt…

Pigeons have become a fixture of cities - but why? Well it turns out that pigeons and humans have been intertwined for thousands of years. And they've played a role in revolutions, scientific breakthroughs and wars. Not only that, they're pretty cool birds. Learn more about this ubiquitous and often ignored bird on this episode! Support the Podcast…

Clark's Nutcrackers - an amazing member of the Corvid family that can cache up to 98,000 pine nuts per season, and did the City of Chicago release coyotes in Graceland Cemetery to control raccoons? I'll tell you what I think! Become a patron! www.patreon.com/dispatchesfromtheforest Email me or donate via PayPal! [email protected] Do…

In this episode I tell you about two unrelated things - one is a plant, one is a bird - both are interesting but neither is enough for a full episode by itself. Support the podcast by becoming a patron: www.patreon.com/dispatchesfromtheforest Support the podcast with a donation using Cashapp: $ForestNerd Support the podcast with a donation via PayP…

This episode of Dirt Dispatches: It's a small world, letting nature sooth you, and a bunch of critter sightings. Check it out! Support the podcast by becoming a patron! www.patreon.com/dispatchesfromtheforest Send me an email or donate via PayPal: [email protected] Dontate via Cashapp if you're so inclinded using cashtag $ForestNerd…

You've seen em' at the seashore, you've seen em' at the lakeshore, heck you've probably seen em' in the parking lot of the big box store. Seagulls are everywhere! Let's take a look at the often maligned seagull - a devoted mate, parent and incredibly intelligent bird! Support the podcast by becoming a Patron! www.patreon.com/dispatchesfromtheforest…

Grizzly 399, the cautionary tale of P'Nut the squirrel and the importance of licensed rehabbers and 3 common social media comments that need to be retired ASAP. Support the podcast by becoming a patron! www.patreon.com/dispatchesfromtheforest Make a donation via PayPal or send me an email: [email protected] Donations can now also be…

Gather round feral friends and in honor of Halloween, let's dim the lights and tell spooky stories about the creepy cryptid with glowing red eyes known as the mothman. From his best-known origins in Point Pleasant, WV to his more recent shenanigans in the greater Chicago region - including both my wife's and my own hometowns! It's a bit of spooky H…

A reminder to check those amazing facts you see on social media to make sure they're actually true, and the surprisingly tender mating ritual of pronghorn. Become a patron! www.patreon.com/dispatchesfromtheforest PayPal and Email address: [email protected] Merch store! www.cafepress.com/shop/dispatchesfromtheforest…

It's spooky season feral friends! So to honor that we're taking a look at some critters that go with Halloween like peanut butter goes with jelly: spiders - specifically some species of spider that often turn up in your house. Seriously, you're surrounded by spiders, you might as well get to know them! Support the podcast! Become a patron: www.patr…

Recovering from surgery has kept me in the house the last week or so, but I've got owls, orb weavers (or rather a lack of orb weavers) and book recommendations! Become a patron, support the podcast! www.patreon.com/dispatchesfromtheforest Email/PayPal (donations accepted!): [email protected] Merch Store! www.cafepress.com/shop/dispa…

Before we get too deep into "Spooky Season" let's take a break from creepy crawlies and return to the world of birds. Grebes are a diving bird with one of the most elaborate courtship rituals in the bird kingdom. Learn everything you didn't know you needed to know about this amazing bird on this episode! Become a Patron by joining my Patreon: www.p…

Happy Fall to my Northern Hemisphere listeners - Happy Spring to the New Zealanders and anyone else in the Southern Hemisphere! In this Dispatch: Fall colors, mummified bats and a foray into the home school community! Become a patron: www.patreon.com/dispatchesfromtheforest Send an email or donate via PayPal: [email protected] Check…

Grasshoppers have been around for 250 million years. They're so common that we kind of take them for granted. But what do you really KNOW about grasshoppers? Well, learn more about them on this episode! Support the podcast by becoming patron! Subscriptions start at a measly $5/month. Check out all the info at www.patreon.com/dispatchesfromtheforest…

What's been happening here at Dispatches HQ? It's starting to feel like fall - a brief pelican update, coyotes playing the long con, cat-faced orb weaver spiders and lazy teenage great horned owls. Check it out! Support the podcast by becoming a patron: www.Patreon.com/dispatchesfromtheforest Check out the merch store! www.cafepress.com/shop/dispat…

Last episode I talked about butterflies, this episode is about moths. How are they different from butterflies? How are they the same? I'll also tell you about a moth that's a punk-rock pirate. Support the podcast by becoming a patron! www.patreon.com/dispatchesfromtheforest PayPal address for donations and my email address for questions, comments, …

An addendum to Episode 81 (Butterfly Royalty) regarding Monarch butterfly conservation, the Swainson's hawks are back in town, and a couple of corvid incidents. Check out what I've been seeing and doing the last couple weeks! Support the podcast by becoming a patron: www.patreon.com/dispatchesfromtheforest Merch Store! www.cafepress.com/shop/dispat…

Monarchs and milkweed go together like Peanut Butter and Jelly. Viceroy butterflies look an awful lot like monarchs. Learn more about these beautiful pollinators in this episode! Support the podcast by becoming a patron! www.patreon.com/dispatchesfromtheforest Email me or donate via PayPal! [email protected] Check out the merch stor…

Scorpion hunting and ball moss in San Antonio, TX plus Katarina receives a gentleman caller. Find out what I've been up to for the last couple weeks! Support the podcast by becoming a patron: www.patreon.com/dispatchesfromtheforest Donate via PayPal or send me an email! [email protected] Merch store: www.cafepress.com/shop/dispatche…

Another arachnid that's not a spider - but this one is not likely to be mistaken for a spider like Solifuges and Harvestmen! Learn more about scorpions (the animal, not the band!) including their surprisingly romantic mating ritual. Support the podcast by becoming a Patron! www.patreon.com/dispatchesfromtheforest PayPal a donation or send me an ema…

The final pelican update of the summer (unless they surprise me!), the rules of collecting roadkill and a really big kitty that I (sadly) couldn't bring home. Email me or donate via PayPal: [email protected] Become a Patron and support the podcast! www.Patreon.com/dispatchesfromtheforest Git' yourself some sweet Dispatches from the …

All spiders are arachnids, but not all arachnids are spiders. Learn more about a couple of these non-spider arachnids - what makes them similar? What sets them apart? What makes them really, really, cool? Well, I'll tell ya'! Become a Patron and support the Podcast! Patreon.com/dispatchesfromtheforest Send an email or donate via PayPal: Dispatchesf…

Do wolves decimate deer populations or is the survival of deer fawns just low no matter what? And meet the Solifuge aka Camel Spider, Sun Spider or Wind Scorpion - spoiler alert: not a spider and also not a scorpion, so what is it? Find out on this Dirt Dispatch! Become a patron! Patreon.com/dispatchesfromtheforest Email me or donate via PayPal: di…

By listener request I'm talking about those dumpster diving little bandits: raccoons! Do they really wash their hands or their food? Find out the answer to this question and more! Support the podcast by becoming a Patron! Patreon.com/dispatchesfromtheforest Send your suggestions, questions or comments or make a donation via PayPal! Dispatchesfromth…

Pelican update, pronghorn babies and a long-tailed weasel! Hear what I've been up to and what I've been seeing here at Dispatches HQ! Become a patron: Patreon.com/dispatchesfromtheforest Donate via PayPal or email me! [email protected] Check out the merch store! Cafepress.com/shop/dispatchesfromtheforest…

Coyotes are one of the largest predators most of us are likely to encounter. They're also one of the most misunderstood animals around. Join me as I deconstruct the myths and misconceptions about coyotes. Support the Podcast by becoming a Patron: Patreon.com/dispatchesfromtheforest Send me an email or donate via PayPal: Dispatchesfromtheforest@gmai…

Pelicans, Pronghorn and the prodigious Miller moths. Check out the happenings here at Dispatches HQ! Support the podcast by becoming a Patron! Patreon.com/dispatchesfromtheforest Get some sweet merch at the Merch Store! Cafepress.com/shop/dispatchesfromtheforest Send me an email or donate via PayPal: [email protected]…

This episode is a little shorter than normal since it was a busy week here at Dispatches HQ, but I want to introduce you to two birds who could win awards with their acting abilities: the Killdeer and the American Avocet. And it just so happens that I've seen both recently! Tune in to find out more about how these bold little birds employ their inn…

Pelican update, more coyotes, moth season and a thorn pig sighting! Tune in to see what I've been up to! Patreon: Patreon.com/dispatchesfromtheforest PayPay/email address: [email protected] Merch store! cafepress.com/dispatchesfromtheforestBy Dispatchesfromtheforest

This year we're witnessing an event that hasn't happened since 1803 - when Thomas Jefferson was president. The dual emergence of a 13 year species of cicada and a 17 year species of cicada. So in honor of that we're revisiting cicadas - and learning some cool new things about them! We're also revisiting cicada killer wasps and cicada zombie butt fu…

Pelican update, coyotes out during the daytime, a possible crow's nest and becoming a Certified Interpretive Guide. Become patron to support the Podcast! (C'mon, it's as low as $5 a month!) Patreon.com/Dispatchesfromtheforest PayPal a donation or send me a message (reach out, let me know you care!): [email protected] Get some sweet …