Episodes
Spring peepers spend the winter under leaf litter in a state of suspended animation. Once overnight temperatures are regularly in the 40s, they start thawing out and begin singing.
Published 04/18/24
Published 04/18/24
With spring migration underway, scientists are eager to study how birds, and wildlife in general, will react to this year’s total eclipse. Research from the 2017 eclipse suggests some things to look for in N.H. on April 8, 2024.
Published 04/04/24
Cold, clear lakes require the winter reset provided by long-lasting winter ice. Beyond the winter tourism of ice-fishing and pond hockey, ice is a crucial part of the ecological health of our living lakes.
Published 03/21/24
As little as six minutes of listening to bird song has been shown to reduce anxiety. No wonder an estimated 50 million people enjoy feeding feathered friends at a bird feeder. But who really benefits from feeding birds?
Published 03/06/24
Listening to as little as six minutes of bird song has been shown to reduce anxiety. No wonder an estimated 50 million people enjoy feeding feathered friends at a bird feeder. But who really benefits from feeding birds?
Published 03/06/24
A phenomenon called "thermonasty" causes rhododendron leaves to curl up when it’s really cold out. This adaptation allows these broad-leaved evergreens to thrive in the doubly-challenging conditions of damp soil and freezing temperatures.
Published 02/22/24
There's a reason you may never have found an antler in the woods, despite N.H.'s population of 100,000 deer (not to mention a few thousand moose). Shed antlers provide nutrients to a whole host of forest-dwellers who recognize their value.
Published 02/07/24
The weather in New Hampshire’s White Mountains has, over millennia, created forests that are specifically suited to extreme weather conditions.
Published 01/25/24
Adaptations in many species in New Hampshire allows them to flourish in the cold winter temperatures. It’s also why you see more trees with light-colored bark the farther north you go.
Published 01/11/24
The elusive yet bold spruce grouse is a little-known New Hampshire inhabitant that relies on forests that are specifically adapted to colder temperatures.
Published 12/28/23
'Tis the season for Christmas carols! Something Wild decided to rewrite the "12 Days of Christmas" and put the focus on New Hampshire birds.
Published 12/14/23
The North American river otter population is doing swimmingly! They are found in abundance in New Hampshire’s waterways, but they can be hard to spot until winter brings them out to play on the ice and snow.
Published 11/30/23
From unexpected sightings in backyard gardens to near-misses – or worse – on our roads, white-tailed deer seem to be everywhere. A decade-long study is uncovering new insights about this iconic creature of eastern forests.
Published 11/16/23
As part of Something Wild's 25th anniversary, we revisit one of our favorite episodes from 2020. Learning about where native bats roost in winter can help us protect the bat population in N.H.
Published 11/02/23
This has been an epic season for finding mushrooms. We're just beginning to learn how important the fungi kingdom is for forest health.
Published 10/19/23
Autumn in New Hampshire is a wonderful time to watch and observe some easily recognizable stages of natural cycles. But we should note that there are varying degrees of “cyclical” activity that can be quite complicated.
Published 10/05/23
N.H.’s osprey population, in jeopardy forty years ago, now thrives. We talk about the key to the raptor’s success with a researcher who monitors the population, and find out how to identify an osprey as it migrates.
Published 09/20/23
We don't often think of trees when we speak of harvest. But as a society, we consume forest products as much as we do farm products. And sometimes when a tree comes down, it's to make room for another tree.
Published 09/07/23
The sound of crickets invokes warm summer evenings; Nathanial Hawthorne called it "audible stillness." By listening closely to the cricket song, and doing some math, you can determine how warm it is!
Published 08/25/23
In our series about Mount Washington’s ecological zones, we explore the distinctly different forest zones on the flanks of Mt. Washington, and discover why birch trees shed their bark.
Published 08/10/23
New England’s highest peak is unforgiving above treeline. But for some species of flora and fauna, the alpine zone provides exactly what they need to survive.
Published 07/27/23
The dark form of a turkey vulture soaring overhead is a sight seen across the U.S. There are many things to appreciate about the bird.
Published 07/06/23
How can you outsmart poison ivy? 85% of the population is allergic to the ingredient in the plant that causes the itchy, blistering rash.
Published 06/29/23
Some relatively new discoveries, and new technologies, tell a remarkable story about New Hampshire’s ancient coastline and its rapidly-changing future.
Published 06/15/23