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PODCAST

The Wandering Naturalist

Three Rivers Park District

Explore the history and present of over 27,000 acres of park land inside Minnesota"s Hennepin County and surrounding areas. Hosts Ellen (interpretive naturalist) and Brandon (interpretive naturalist) guide you through this suburban wilderness managed by the Three Rivers Park District.

science nature

All Episodes

29:56

Episode 293: Assorted Corvids - Crows and... Swans?

The Wandering Naturalist ·

2026/10/07

In this episode, artist Missy Dunaway discusses her work on The Birds of Shakespeare, a series of paintings and essays that will cover every bird mentioned in Shakespeare's works! This episode looks at how birds are used symbolically by Shakespeare, and the reputation corvids had back in the Bard's day.

en

22:49

Episode 292: Assorted Corvids - Generational Grudges

The Wandering Naturalist ·

2026/10/07

We are thrilled to have Dr. John Marzluff, author and professor of wildlife biology at the University of Washington join us on the podcast. Dr. Marzluff shares stories of grudge holding crows, people's strange stories of interacting with corvids, and, best of all, how you can befriend your backyard corvids!

en

32:19

Episode 291: Assorted Corvids - A Battle for the Crown

The Wandering Naturalist ·

2026/10/07

Everyone has been wondering: "What's the best corvid in Minnesota?" Well, we are going to try and answer that question in this episode! Ellen has assigned teams and we are going to bring out the best facts we have about blue jays, Canada (gray) jays, crows, and ravens. Which bird will win? Natural sounds provided by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology | Macaulay Library.

en

17:28

Episode 290: Life is a Flyway - Local Impacts

The Wandering Naturalist ·

2026/09/03

For the final episode on the Mississippi Flyway, it's time to zoom in with John Lindstrom from Ducks Unlimited. The flyway is thousands of miles of habitat, but here in the park district, Ducks Unlimited has partnered with Three Rivers to improve Lake 2 in Carver Park Reserve. We cover the many steps a restoration project like this takes, and how it's helping our local migrants.

en

23:36

Episode 289: Life is a Flyway - The Economics of Birds

The Wandering Naturalist ·

2026/09/02

Dr. Wayne Thogmartin from the US Geological Survey joins us in this episode to discuss the economic impacts of birds along the flyway. We cover the prairie pothole region and what threatens it, as well as the many different ways migrating birds impact people.

en

24:08

Episode 288: Life is a Flyway - The Mississippi Flyway

The Wandering Naturalist ·

2026/09/02

The Mississippi flyway is the name of the route migratory birds take following the Mississippi, Missouri, and Lower Ohio Rivers in the US. In this episode we chat with our coworkers Adrian Iacovino and Michelle Bierma from Mississippi Gateway to talk about all the activity on the river!

en

28:47

Episode 287: River Otters - Bringing Otters Back

The Wandering Naturalist ·

2026/08/05

Dr. Carrol Henderson is Minnesota's first Non-game Wildlife Program Supervisor. He defined what this position is in Minnesota and nationally. He joins us to talk about one of his favorite projects he worked on, bringing river otters back to the Minnesota River Valley. He shares stories, the challenges and successes, and how the public helped make this a success.

en

32:54

Episode 286: River Otters - Are they Intelligent?

The Wandering Naturalist ·

2026/08/05

Dr. Caroline DeLong has studied the cognitive ability of animals ranging from goldfish, to orangutangs, river otters, and many others. She joins us to discuss how she measures the cognitive abilities of animals, what she has learned through her tests on River Otters, and whether she believes they are intelligent.

en

33:32

Episode 285: River Otters - Why they are Special

The Wandering Naturalist ·

2026/08/05

Bound along with Brandon and Ellen as they investigate river otters. Often viewed as playful, these members of the weasel family are full of adaptations that help them survive. From vibrissae, to unique spines, and the ability to hunt in murky water, they are efficient predators that love to eat fish, crayfish, and other water creatures.

en

33:32

Episode 284: Rivers Inspiring Art - Art and AWE

The Wandering Naturalist ·

2026/07/01

Sarah Nassif joins us to talk about the group she created, Art, Water, and Ecology (AWE) Network. Using her past experience as an educator, and her current profession as an artist she connects artists, scientists, and teachers to inspire people to connect with waterways through art. We discuss how she came up with the idea, the work that has been accomplished, and how you can get involved.

en

27:02

Episode 283: Rivers Inspiring Art - Cultural...

The Wandering Naturalist ·

2026/07/01

Cole Redhorse Taylor talks to us about the art he creates and how he draws on his Dakota ancestors connections to water to inspire him. He discusses his contribution to the Minnesota Marine Art Museum, as well as the work he did on the Minnesota Wild's goalie helmet used during its Indigenous Heritage Night.

en

38:20

Episode 282: Rivers Inspiring Art - Poet Laureate and...

The Wandering Naturalist ·

2026/07/01

Minneapolis' first Poet Laureate, Heid Erdrich joins us to discuss her poetry and how it relates to waterways. She talks to us about why water inspires her, how her Ojibwe culture influences her work, and her work with other artists in the area.

en

23:59

Episode 281: Fishy Business - Let's Go Fishing

The Wandering Naturalist ·

2026/06/03

For many people, their connection to fish isn't through research, it's through fishing! For our final episode of the month we talk to Trey Fails from Dreaded Outdoors on creating a welcoming culture in fishing and outdoor recreation.

en

30:19

Episode 280: Fishy Business - Thousands of Jars

The Wandering Naturalist ·

2026/06/03

How many fish is too many fish? Or- wait- how many fishes is too many fishes? Find out in this episode with Dr. Kassandra Ford, the Bell Museum's Curator of Fishes and Assistant Professor at the University of Minnesota! We get to the bottom of mysteries like when to say fish vs fishes, does the Bell Museum have a secret fish library, and whether or not fish actually exist.

en

28:06

Episode 279: Fishy Business - Survey Says...

The Wandering Naturalist ·

2026/06/03

We are halfway through the Big Year of Rivers and what species is more closely connected to our rivers than the many native species of fishes in Minnesota! In this episode Ellen and Brandon sit down with Jenna Nelson, a freshwater ecologist with Three Rivers, to hear all about fish surveys in the park district.

en

28:39

Episode 278: Floods and Floodplains - Helping...

The Wandering Naturalist ·

2026/05/06

What is Minnesota doing for its rivers and floodplains? Andrea Fish, from the Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources talks to us about how soil and water quality are connected, the work they do with watershed districts to benefit rivers and farmers, and how you can help water health in your area.

en

18:00

Episode 277: Floods and Floodplains - Why Should We...

The Wandering Naturalist ·

2026/05/06

Join us as we float down the Mississippi and talk to American Rivers. American Rivers is an organization dedicated to protecting waterways. One of their scientists, Eileen Shader, talks with us about why floodplains are so important, both for nature, and for reducing the impacts of flooding in communities around the river.

en

28:11

Episode 276: Floods and Floodplains - Surviving the...

The Wandering Naturalist ·

2026/05/06

What does it take to survive a flood? Brandon and Ellen explore the living things that thrive in a floodplain habitat. From climbing snakes to the fastest growing tree in the United States, floodplains are full of living things that have unique adaptations to live in this important but threatened habitat.

en

29:05

Episode 275: The Vernal Pool Parade - Who's With the...

The Wandering Naturalist ·

2026/04/01

Our final episode this month goes fully into the vernal pool weeds! Brandon and Ellen bring out their favorite stars of this ecosystem. We talk fairy shrimp, fishing spiders, caddisflies, water boatmen, and backswimmers. For creatures so small, this episode is PACKED with interesting information!

en

31:12

Episode 274:The Vernal Pool Parade - A Deeper Dive

The Wandering Naturalist ·

2026/04/01

In our second episode we sit down with Dr. Mark Hanson to hear about his research on vernal pools during his career with the Minnesota DNR. We zoom out a bit from vernal pools themselves and learn about their impact on what's around them. From bears to ducklings, these innocuous pools play an important role in the lives of many woodland organisms. This leads us to discuss how forest management impacts the pools and what people can do to keep them safe and healthy.

en

293 results

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