September 2, 2020

Bill Michalek

birds, conservation, Ecology, endangered species, Environmental Studies, nature, ornithology

Ep. 46 - The Piping Plovers of Sandy Island Beach

September 2, 2020

Bill Michalek

birds, conservation, Ecology, endangered species, Environmental Studies, nature, ornithology

Ep. 46 - The Piping Plovers of Sandy Island Beach

This month’s episode is all about the Piping Plover (Charadrius melodus), a small shorebird that is endangered in New York State. Bill and Steve head off to Pulaski, New York to visit Sandy Island Beach State Park where plovers have been breeding since their return in 2016. The guys are joined by Claire Nellis, the ‘Piping Plover Project Coordinator’ for the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historical Preservation. They’re also joined by Tom Kerr, local naturalist with Buffalo Audubon, who previously worked with Piping Plovers at Rockaway Beach in Queens, New York. We hope you enjoy the episode!

July 26, 2020

Bill Michalek

Botany, conservation, Ecology, Environmental Studies, mycology, natural history, nature, nature porn

Ep. 45 - In Search of A Nice Set of Pipes

July 26, 2020

Bill Michalek

Botany, conservation, Ecology, Environmental Studies, mycology, natural history, nature, nature porn

Ep. 45 - In Search of A Nice Set of Pipes

Rising from the forest floor in a ghostly array of pale, slender stalks, Ghost Pipe (Monotropa uniflora), AKA Indian Pipe, is a forest floor denizen both beautiful and extraordinary. Many people mistake it for a fungus because It lacks chlorophyll. For many years, botanists argued over how it gathered nutrients. It's range stretches almost continent-wide, but its not always easy to find. In this episode, the guys hit the trail and delve into the backstory of this elusive and mysterious beauty.

June 2, 2020

Bill Michalek

Ecology, Environmental Studies, Environmentalism, natural history, nature, wildlife, conservation, wildlife technician, environmental careers, conservation careers

Bonus 09 - Finding a Job in the Wild - An Interview with Matt Gaffney

June 2, 2020

Bill Michalek

Ecology, Environmental Studies, Environmentalism, natural history, nature, wildlife, conservation, wildlife technician, environmental careers, conservation careers

Bonus 09 - Finding a Job in the Wild - An Interview with Matt Gaffney

Have you ever dreamed of ditching your day job and pursuing a career in the woods? Maybe working with wolves in the desert southwest or conducting plant surveys in the wilds of Alaska? Well, Matt Gaffney did it! Leaving behind a job in digital marketing, he went back to school to get his degree in environmental studies and went on to work a series of seasonal positions with the National Forest Service. Bill caught up with him in August of 2019 in the Monongahela National Forest in West Virginia. Join them on a hike on Spruce Knob (the highest point in WV) as Matt shares his adventures and advice on pursuing a career in the wild!

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