Apr 09, 2007 — Millions of honeybees across the country are dying mysteriously. Entire hives or colonies of bees are collapsing. Scientists say it's some new threat. They're scrambling to find answers. As Bob Allen reports, bees are crucial in pollinating billions of dollars worth of crops every spring.  Go to full article

Mar 29, 2007 — It's almost time to get out hiking, but while we wait for the snow to melt and the mud to dry up, we still have time to learn more about our northern woods. Betsy kepes reviews two new books by knowledgeable Adirondack naturalists: Why the Adirondacks Look the Way They Do, by Mike Storey, and The Great South Woods II, by Peter O'Shea.  Go to full article

Mar 29, 2007 — Dr. Curt Stager and Marth Foley talk about a new hominid species, Homo floresiensis, whose 18,000-year-old remains have been unearthed on an Indonesian island. The diminutive stature of this close relative of modern humans has earned it the nickname "hobbit."  Go to full article

Mar 23, 2007 — Leah Filo is a biologist with the Wild Center in Tupper Lake. She's spent most of her professional life doing field work with migratory songbirds. In January, she joined the search for a ghost among birds, the ivory-billed woodpecker - and she came back a believer. The ivory-billed was long thought to be extinct - but in April 2005, a partnership led by Cornell University's ornithology lab formally announced the rediscovery of the ivory-billed in an area of Arkansas bottom land swamp known as the Big Woods. They cited "visual encounters", a video clip, and sounds linked to ivory-bills. Not everyone believes. Since then, scientists and volunteers have been scouring likely habitat for more sightings. Leah Filo volunteered to help and found herself spending two weeks in the very Big Woods of the 2005 sightings -- along the White River in Arkansas. It was wet and chilly -- nights in the 30s, days in the 40s. It's bottom land forest, mostly deciduous woods that flood frequently. Leah spent most of her time in waders. She kept lots of notes, and kept an audio journal as well. She spoke with Martha Foley.  Go to full article

Mar 12, 2007 — The US Fish and Wildlife Service plans to look at whether the Eastern cougar exists. The agency will be looking in 21 states from Maine to Michigan, and down to Tennessee. As Linda Stephan reports, the review could end with a recommendation to remove its endangered status.  Go to full article

Mar 08, 2007 — Naturalists have observed telltale bubbles emitted by some fish and have even provided recordings. Others have detected secret alarm sounds in the cries of ground squirrels. Martha Foley and Dr. Curt Stager talk about the hidden sounds of nature.  Go to full article

Feb 19, 2007 — The city of Ottawa is encircled by a "greenbelt", an area of natural space protected from heavy development. It was intended to confine urban sprawl. But population growth simply leapt over, spawning homogeneous suburbs, which now ring the greenbelt. The Fletcher Wildlife Garden encompasses nearly 13 acres in the Greenbelt, next to the city's historic Experimental Farm. Besides offering tranquil wilderness trails minutes from Parliament Hill, it also features a scale model demonstrating ways to bring wildlife back into small suburban yards. Sandy Garland is a senior member of the Garden's steering committee. She spoke with Ottawa correspondent Lucy Martin, after presenting a how-to lecture and slide show. As tables and chairs were stacked away, Garland explained that even small steps can add up.  Go to full article

Feb 16, 2007 — Tens of thousands of people will be outside (or looking out the window), counting birds this weekend. It's the tenth annual Great Backyard Bird Count. The idea is to create a real-time snapshot of where the birds are across the continent, and how local birds fit into the larger landscape. Anyone can participate - last year participants reported a record-breaking 7.5 million birds of 623 species. Martha Foley talked with Joan Collins of Potsdam, who was watching her feeder as the count began this morning.  Go to full article

Dec 21, 2006 — The merlin, or pigeon hawk, has long been absent from the North Country. But nesting pairs began to be discovered again beginning in the 1990s. Curt Stager recounts an encounter with the returning hunter to Martha Foley.  Go to full article

Nov 30, 2006 — Dr. Curt Stager and Martha Foley talk about what makes a gemstone instead of a lump. How do high-school chemistry terms such as carbon and aluminum oxide become the stuff dreams--and bling--are made of?  Go to full article