Category Archives: People and Nature

Where humans and wildlife collide and interact – the fun, the frustrating, and the inspirational.

9/11 Tribute in Light Attracts Many Eyes…and Birds

The “stars” in this photo are actually migrating birds circling around the 9/11 Tribute in Light memorial. The lights appear to draw the birds off their course, but thankfully the Municipal Art Society, which produces the memorial, is cooperating with more »

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Posted in Animal Behavior, Animals, Articles, Birds, Fall, Nature by the Seasons, News, People and Nature, Spring, Wildlife Conservation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off

Got No Milk on this Farm…

…for humans anyway. To update you on one of the stars from a past episode, Clover the Cow has given birth to a cute little calf. For the time being, she’s on vacation from the milking demonstrations she does for more »

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Posted in Animals, Articles, Mammals, News, People and Nature | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off

When Wildlife Moves In – a Modern Parable

by Michele Dudas, PSQ Naturalist Interpreter I awoke to the faintest scritching sound (you know, not quite a scratching sound…something much more quiet and tentative), in my bedroom one night. When I was fully awake, I stayed very still in more »

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Posted in Animal Behavior, Articles, Habitats of City Wildlife, Mating and Courtship, News, People and Nature, Spiders and Insects, Summer | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Confessions of a First-time Amphibian Wrangler

I remember the first time I saw a tadpole in mid-metamorphosis. It still had that small fishy mouth, and swimming tail…and then these strange little legs sticking out. I had studied all that in books, but to see it happening more »

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Posted in Animal Behavior, Animals, Articles, Mating and Courtship, Nature by the Seasons, News, People and Nature, Reptiles and Amphibians, Spring, Wildlife Conservation | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Who stole the Sap?

Which animal looks like a thief to you? Animals aren’t necessarily polite when it comes to getting food, and they have been known to steal from each other. In next week’s episode about Sapsuckers (a type of woodpecker), we caught more »

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Posted in Animal Behavior, Animals, Articles, Birds, Mammals, News, People and Nature, Plants, Poop, Droppings, and other Calling Cards, Spiders and Insects, Trees | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off

Story of the Day: Games with Squirrels

by Kelly Rypkema First published in Out Walking the Dog I’m heading out to treat myself to a nice Vietnamese dinner. I have yummy thoughts of cilantro, curry, and coconut milk swimming through my mind as I step onto the more »

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Posted in Animal Behavior, Animals, Articles, Communication, Mammals, News, People and Nature, Talking with Animals | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off

Burdock, a Nature in a New York Minute video

A plant quietly grows in our city that incited a revolution in how we fasten things together. Host Kelly Rypkema shows us what it looks like and shares this story of nature-inspired design involving Swiss engineer George de Mestral, some more »

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Posted in Fall, Nature by the Seasons, People and Nature, Plants, Videos | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off

Gifts from Sandy

I hope everyone is faring better from the effects of Hurricane Sandy as time passes. My neighborhood is slowly making progress. Dry wall, insulation, and sofas, all heavy with water, are being loaded into dumpsters. Downed limbs are being trimmed more »

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Posted in Animals, Articles, Birds, Fall, Mammals, News, People and Nature, Photos, Plants, Story Bites, Trees, Weather and Sky | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

School Greens: Garden in the Sky

Students from the School Greens Club at North Star Academy are on a mission to educate their school and community about healthy eating and more sustainable sources of food. But first they have to educate themselves. Host Kelly Rypkema follows more »

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Posted in Animals, Birds, Habitats of City Wildlife, Mammals, People and Nature, Plants, Rocks and Earth, Videos | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Amphibian Crossing

Every spring, thousands of amphibians emerge all at once to begin an important but rarely seen migration. But some of these frogs, toads, and salamanders face man-made obstacles in their path which threaten their survival. Host Kelly Rypkema joins a more »

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Posted in Mating and Courtship, People and Nature, Reptiles and Amphibians, Spring, Videos, Wildlife Conservation | 3 Comments