Walkin' on the Wild Side

Well, we did an earlier podcast on "Fireflies" for episode #2, but after an amazing weekend in the mountains, we saw so much more than fireflies, so here we "glow" again!  Join Marvin and Gabrielle as we talk about nature's night life and the amazing adaptation of bioluminescence.  There are many critters that bioluminesce, and lots can be found from the mountains to the s...

Dragonflies are colorful, fast, acrobatic, and ecologically important, but they are also formidable predators, but in their aquatic nymph and terrestrial flying adult stage, making them truly miniature monsters.  Join Marvin and Gabrielle as they talk about the biology, life history, and adaptations of these amazing insects that have been around for 300 million years! Here's a few websites an...

Talk about perfect timing!  Gabrielle and I hit it perfectly and found ourselves absolutely surrounded by the very rare but locally abundant Rocky Shoals Spider Lilies of the Catawba River, right here in little 'ol Chester County and Landsford Canal.  Join us and learn about these amazing flowers and their spectacular show.  We'll share observations, biology, when and where to go, and ju...

Okefenokee Swamp is one of the last true wilderness areas in the U.S. and it is truly a beautiful and wild place.  Join Marvin and Gabrielle on their 4 day, 3 night trip paddling the black waters of the "Land of the Trembling Earth".  They take you along from "chickee" to "chickee" (camping platforms) and podcast live from the swamp, complete with sounds of this amazi...

The "possum-bilities" are endless when we get together with Jerry Reynolds , a wonderful and fun-loving naturalist and "possum-ologist" with the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences .  Join us as we chat, laugh, and marvel at the fascinating facts and biology of North America's only marsupial, the often maligned, but misunderstood Virginia Opossum!  Here's a few...

Mushrooms are magic in so many ways!  The help trees to talk, they break down wood, leaves, and other organic material to help build soils, they are edible, medicinal, and may hold the key to future treatments for debilitating illnesses.  Join Marvin and Gabrielle and share their enthusiasm for the "fungus among us" and learn about these fantastic fungi! Here's a few websites and re...

For many of us, the Northern Cardinal is more than just a beautiful bird, it is a bird of comfort. Often associated with the embodiment of a loved one who has passed, this creature offers comfort and peace to many.  It is also an amazing bird with some pretty enduring habits, biology, and behaviors, including some mutations that cause this well known red bird to be...YELLOW.  Join us to learn abou...

Spring has sprung and there are wildflowers galore!  Join Marvin and Gabrielle on a special edition of Walkin' on the Wild Side on location in the mountains of North Carolina.  From the largest concentration of Sweet White Trilliums to one of the rarest wildflowers in the Southeast, these two places have waterfalls and wildflowers and surprises wait around every bend of the trail! Here's...

Spring is springing and the woods are coming alive with the calls of spring frogs and toads!  We're talking about the first harbingers of spring like trout lilies, maple tree blooms, and yes, spring peepers. Join us as we broadcast right in and amongst the frogs themselves in the bottomland woodlands of the Sumter National Forest in the  Piedmont of South Carolina, surrounded by the cacophony...

The bald eagle has been fighting for survival every since its paths crossed humans.  From being hunted, poisoned, and imperiled time and time again, the magnificent bald eagle is still standing, but for how long?  Join Marvin and Gabrielle to learn more about these amazing birds and the struggles they've faced and the uncertain future that lies ahead for one of our largest birds of prey. Here...

Happy Valentine's Day!  In honor of this amorous holiday, we decided to talk about sex, baby!  Animals mate and in doing so, have developed some weird and wild ways to reproduce.  Join Marvin and Gabrielle for a podcast of the naughty nature and learn about some of the weird and wild ways animals mate.  *WARNING* Although there is no profanity and not what we would consider explicit, we will...

Unfortunately, bad weather and a stomach flu put an end to our Okefenokee trip before it even started.  However, we've got a fun little podcast episode we think you'll enjoy! Many species of animals gather in groups for many reasons, and early observations of animals have led to some pretty crazy names for these groupings.  Join Marvin and Gabrielle to explore some of these names and may...

Would you believe you can see snowy owls, our largest owl, in the continental United States?   Join Marvin and Gabrielle as they talk about their "quest" to find snowy owls in Ohio, and learn a little about this beautiful, awe-inspiring, and impressive snowy white arctic owl! https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Snowy_Owl/id https://www.owlpages.com/owls/species.php?s=1210 https://www.pro...

Black bears are some of the most charismatic, recognizable, and popular critters of the Southeast.  Join Marvin and Gabrielle for a fun look at the life of black bears, their stories and interactions with bears, and some info on how to be safe around these amazing mammals! Here are some great websites: https://www.dnr.sc.gov/wildlife/species/bear https://bear.org/quick-black-bear-facts/ https://ww...

Caribou or reindeer?  Reindeer or caribou?  These animals are amazing critters that are adapted to the most unforgiving, inhospitable, and frigid environments.  Marvin and Gabrielle talk about these adaptations, unique and fascinating facts, as well as the relationship between reindeer and Santa, of course! Reindeer and Caribou Websites to Visit: https://blog.nwf.org/2010/12/reindeer-twelve-fascin...

If it's cold outside, we can throw on a jacket, turn up the heat, or stay inside, but how do animals and plants handle the cold?  Join Marvin and Gabrielle as they talk about the different strategies, adaptations, and abilities different animals and plants have to cope with the cold! Here are a few websites for more information: - Surviving cold weather: http://thescienceexplorer.com/nature/f...

Many birds have amazing adaptations to compete and survive in the world, and the woodpecker is no exception.  Even though early naturalists didn't use much imagination naming the bird (I mean seriously...a bird that pecks wood so they call him a wood pecker...c'mon y'all!) , they certainly were amazed at the coloration, adaptations, and behavior of woodpeckers.  Join Marvin and Gabr...

Beasts, Bigfoot, and Boohags make up this special Halloween podcast!  Join Marvin and Gabrielle as they share stories and tales of the beasts, monsters, ghouls, and ghosts of the U.S. Southeast.   Here's some links to our stories and more! Story of Boohags Bigfoot Expedition, Cherry Log, GA The Legend of the Lizardman of Scape Ore Swamp The Gray Man Third Eye Man Chupacabra You can follow us...

Like 'em or loathe 'em, skunks are instantly recognizable, whether you see them or smell them.  Join Marvin and Gabrielle as they share a few skunk stories, as well as facts and observations about the these "scent-sational" little mammals, including the scoop on just how to get the smell out of anything or anyone who bears the brunt of these marvelous "mephitids"!  He...

Foxes are some of the most mysterious and magnificent little canine predators in the Southeast.  These sly little creatures are amazingly agile, smart, and crafty, and sometimes get a bad rap.  Join Marvin Bouknight, wildlife biologist and naturalist as he "flies solo" on this podcast to learn more about these fascinating foxes, including fun and interesting facts and biology about some...

It's time for another podcast about the amazing diversity of wildlife found here in the southeastern U.S.  This episode features the much maligned but absolutely amazing argiope spider.  This incredible spider may cause some of you a little or a lot of anxiety, but one thing is for sure, this time of year they are  easy to notice and identify due to their large size and impressively beautiful...

Flying squirrels are incredible little rodents that have mastered aerodynamics and can glide over 100 yards.  Join Marvin and Gabrielle to find out more about these mysterious nocturnal squirrels that are more common than you realize, but have been hiding a secret for years and has only recently been discovered! A special shout out to Timbre  and FreeSound for the Game Show music for this podcast....

Nothing is more southern than the call of the whippoorwill and chuck will's widow.  Join Marvin and Gabrielle to learn about this amazing family of strange birds often called goatsuckers, but commonly known as whippoorwills, chuck will's widow, and common nighthawks.  They discuss the calls, behaviors and odd appearances of these nocturnal nightjars, and even discuss why they were once &...

Honeybees are amazing eusocial insects that are known for their hive behaviors, pollinating, and of course, making honey!  Join Marvin and Gabrielle to learn more about not only that delicious "nectar of the Gods" everyone loves , but also fascinating facts about pollinators, including learning what a BOB is, and why bumblebees buzz... To learn more: https://honeybeehealthcoalition.org h...

Hummingbirds are amazing little powerhouses that are an incredible example of evolution, adaptive radiation, and metabolic efficiency, can fly hundreds of miles, and they weigh less than an ounce!  Join naturalist and wildlife biologist Marvin Bouknight and his co-host and wife, Gabrielle and learn all about these amazing little birds.  Learn about their evolution, incredible adaptations, biology,...