The Field Guides
Nature nerds rejoice! The Field Guides is a monthly podcast that will bring you out on the trail, focusing on the science of our North American wildlife.
- Update frequency
- every 31 days
- Average duration
- 57 minutes
- Episodes
- 94
- Years Active
- 2015 - 2025
Ep. 14 - Vases and Candles and Spikes! Oh My!
Episode notes:
This week Steve leads the discussion on "ice spikes." This is a rare winter phenomenon that Bill and Steve stumbled across at Stiglmeier Park (Cheektowaga, NY) during January, 2016. Joi…
Ep. 13 - What the Flock is a Murmuration of Starlings?
Episode notes:
What the flock is up with murmurations? And what's the difference between a swarm, a herd, a school, and a flock? In this first of a two-part episode, Bill and Steve explore the world o…
Ep. 12 - Pokeweed Every Day
Episode Notes:
This month's episode features Pokeweed (Phytolacca americana). This is a fascinating plant with some surprising tie-ins with American history. Join Steve and Bill as they tell you about…
Ep. 11 - Spruce Grouse in the House
Have you ever heard of a Fool's Hen? It’s just one of the many nicknames of the Spruce Grouse (Falcipennis canadensis), a bird of extremes and paradoxical behaviors. It often allows people to come wi…
Ep. 10 - Witch Hazel: An Explosive Late Bloomer
Exploding seed pods?!? Flowers in the winter?! Many species have evolved unusual strategies for reproduction, and this month’s target species is no exception. Witch Hazel (Hamemelis virginiana) is a …
Ep. 09 - Two Guys and a Calcareous Outcropping
Episode Notes:
Have you ever heard of Valcour Island? Bill and Steve heard tantalizing rumors about it and journeyed to Lake Champlain to check it out. Champlain borders both New York and Vermont, and…
Ep. 08 - Meat Schmeat, or Bill & Steve Commit Marketing Suicide: The Vegan Episode
Download the episode transcript
Episode Notes:
OK, Field Guides listeners - *Bill and Steve crack their knuckles* - this one's a touchy subject for some people, but it's an important one. Just how much…
Ep. 07 - Stalking the Redback Salamander
Episode Notes:
It may be "the most numerous forest vertebrate" in many areas of the northeast, but the Redback Salamander (Plethodon cinereus) is rarely seen unless you're looking for it. In this…
Ep. 06 - Staghorn Sumac
Episode 6 of The Field Guides is here!
SPOILER ALERT!!!
This episode Bill and Steve talk about Staghorn Sumac (Rhus typhina).
Ep. 05 - Multiflora Blows
This month we talk about the hippest plant we know, Multiflora Rose (Rosa multiflora). Let us know what you think, enjoy!
Ep. 04 - Brrrrrds in Winter
Episode notes:
At one point we wonder if a bird we see is a grebe. We know that there aren't any grebes that have winter ranges in Western New York, but this has been a strange winter and less likely …
Ep. 03 - Hi-BEAR-nation
Episode Notes:
I think the title speaks for itself...
Questions that came up in the episode:
Flying Squirrels More Populous than Reds and Grays?
During this episode, Bill mentioned a statistic he’d heard…
Ep. 02 - Fall Colors
Episode Notes:
When discussing branching, Steve and Bill wondered whether Horsechestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum) was native. While some members of this genus are native to North America, the Horseches…
Ep. 01 - Goldenrod Galls
Answers to Questions That Arose During the Podcast:
1. Is an inquiline the same thing as a parasite?
Sometimes yes, sometimes no, and, sometimes, we can’t be sure. An inquiline is an animal that live…