Nature of Things

Nature of Things

By John WeeksScienceNature
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Nature of Things episodes

  • Phantoms of the Marsh
    In this archived broadcast from October 4, 1990, John Weeks discusses the phantoms of the marshes, better known as rails. Weeks talks about how he stumbled onto their nest and the reaction the birds had to his visits. Weeks also offers a description of the species.
    7 min
  • The Only Good Hawk is a Dead Hawk
    In this archived broadcast from September 16, 1988, John Weeks talks about the negative perception surrounding hawks and owls, particularly the red tailed hawk. Weeks talks about the bird's history and his own relationship with attempting to protect the species.
    6 min
  • Tulip Trees and Baltimore Orioles
    In this archived broadcast from June 29, 1990, John Weeks talks about tulip trees and the Baltimore oriole. He gives a brief history of both species and their modern day roles in the natural world.
    6 min
  • The Qualities of Bird Songs
    In this archived broadcast from June 25, 1992, John Weeks speaks about bird songs and their qualities. Songs by different species of thrush, wrens, thrasher and others are interspersed throughout the talk. Weeks examines each song, touching on qualities such as tone and energy.
    7 min
  • A Study in Bird Nesting
    In this archived broadcast from June 10, 1993, John Weeks discusses the observations he made during a study of a local wetland. These observations include several notes on the nesting habits of over a dozen different bird species.
    6 min
  • Changes in Birdwatching
    In this archived broadcast from June 4, 1992, John Weeks discusses some observations in migration patterns he has witnessed while bird watching and offers a metaphor involving his daughter moving to a new home.
    6 min
  • Flying Architects
    In this archived broadcast from June 7, 1991, John Weeks discusses nature's flying architects, commonly known as birds. Weeks covers the nest building of several species including Baltimore orioles and hummingbirds.
    7 min
  • Mice
    In this archived broadcast from May 27, 2005, John Weeks discusses the role mice play in maintaining an ecosystem. Weeks goes into detail on how mice provide meals for several predator species and how this makes mice important members of the natural world.
    5 min
  • Celebrating Nature's Art
    In this archived broadcast from May 23, 2003, John Weeks discusses some of the local nature art exhibits. Weeks talks about the Great Swamp Conservancy and the Sterling Nature Center, among other topics.
    5 min
  • Strange Sounds of Nature
    In this archived broadcast from May 21, 2004, John Weeks reviews the strange sounds one might hear on a spring evening. Weeks goes into depth on the calls of the pie-billed grebe, the woodcock, the rough grouse and more.
    6 min

About Nature of Things

From the publisher's feed

WRVO presents an archived edition of the popular weekly essay, The Nature of Things, from Naturalist John Weeks.John Weeks was born on August 21, 1924, on a little farm in West Webster, NY. His father…