Motherhood In Miniature: Hidden Insight from a Hummingbird Nursery
Hummingbirds are often admired for their dazzling speed and iridescent beauty, but their nesting habits remain one of nature's best-kept secrets. Citizen scientist Eric Pittman takes us into this hidden world, sharing his firsthand observations of hummingbird mothers as they build intricate nests and nurture their young—right in his very own backyard. Join us as we explore the hidden wonders of nature that await when we take the time to look.
Guest: Eric Pittman, Hummingbirds Up Close; subject of "The Bird in My Backyard" documentary
Photo credit: Eric Pittman
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36:11
A Civil Rights Leader Establishes Secret Schools
Educator and activist Septima Clark used her passion for teaching to increase literacy rates in the Deep South, preparing Black citizens to pass the voter registration tests that were designed to disenfranchise them.
Guest: Elaine Weiss, author of "Spell Freedom: The Underground Schools that Built the Civil Rights Movement"
Septima Clark reader: Janice L. Jones
Photo Caption: Septima Poinsette Clark, 1973; Photo Credit: Avery Research Center for African American History and Culture, College of Charleston, Charleston, SC.
News footage courtesy of EasyStreet, Pond5, www.pond5.com
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56:57
She Walked 500 Miles for a Bird Under Threat
The best way to see the world is on foot, it might be argued. Mary Colwell has had amazing encounters with wildlife on her walking treks around the globe. She's even used her walks to raise awareness and increase protection of the fascinating but imperiled curlew.
Mary Colwell, Director of Curlew Action; TV and radio producer, conservationist; author, "Curlew Moon"
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53:18
A New Era of Peace in the Wolf Wars
Daniel Curry had had recurring dreams about wolves, long before he chose to devote his career to helping them. After working with captive wolves for several years, he became a "range rider," a human intermediary between predators and the cattle they might want to eat. In this episode of Constant Wonder, we'll discover Curry's extraordinary empathy for both domestic and wild creatures, and we'll hear how he works to keep them all safe.
Photo credit: Tyler Tjomsland/The Spokesman-Review
Guest: Daniel Curry, range rider and wolf advocate in Eastern Washington
Originally aired on May 17, 2023
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53:53
Is There Such Thing As a "Bad" Naturalist?
When Paula Whyman started trying to rehabilitate 200 acres she'd just bought, she knew very little about conservation. Among many other challenges, she faced off with mile-a-minute vine and rattlesnakes, but, with self-effacing humor and passion for this corner of the Blue Ridge Mountains, she persisted (and still persists!) in restoring the land to a healthy equilibrium.
Guest: Paula Whyman, author of "Bad Naturalist: One Woman’s Ecological Education on a Wild Virginia Mountaintop"
Stay in tune with our phenomenal world. Join us for explorations of science, art, history, and more. We're on a quest to find awe and wonder in all nature—human or wild, vast or small. Encounters that move us beyond words. Hosted by Marcus Smith, Constant Wonder is a production of BYUradio.
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