Nature Notes
Why do rattlesnakes rattle and hummingbirds hum?
How do flowers market themselves to pollinators?
Why do tarantulas cross the road?
Nature Notes investigates questions like these about the natural world of the Chihuahuan Desert region and the Llano Estacado. Through interviews with scientists and field recordings, this Marfa Public Radio original series reveals the secrets of desert life.
Join host Dallas Baxter for new episodes on each week on Thursdays. Episodes are written and produced by Andrew Stuart and edited by Marfa Public Radio and the Sibley Nature Center in Midland, Texas.
Nature Notes is supported by Shield-Ayres Foundation.
Latest Episodes
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What small gourd looks like a tiny watermelon, stinks to high heaven and is highly valuable both to insects and humans? -
These tiny crustaceans come to life for just a short while during our rainy season, but their eggs can wait decades to hatch and ride the wind for hundreds of miles. -
Eons before the first windmill was erected, fungi and plants were using wind to spread themselves around. How do plants and animals in the Chihuahuan Desert exploit wind’s perpetual energy? -
For a male spider, finding a mate can be fraught with peril. They must win over a giant, short-sighted cannibal. How do they demonstrate they’re mates, not meals? -
These tiny fish disappeared from our region almost fifty years ago. But today, silvery minnows swim again in the Big Bend reach of the Rio Grande. What does this mean for the future of this endangered species and its namesake river? -
A fungal disease has been destroying bat colonies in the northeastern United States and is now spreading south and west across the country. What is this devastating disease? And are our region’s bats at risk? -
This is the time of year to see our highest peaks painted with patches of gold, thanks to quaking aspens. What are these remarkable trees doing in Texas? -
As the days get shorter and the temperatures begin to drop, you may begin to notice flocks of “little brown birds” beginning to arrive. What's the relationship between the grasslands of the Chihuahuan Desert region and these winter guests? -
Winter brings hordes of these handsome birds to our region, where they’ll throng our junipers and devour every berry they can find. What makes these winter wanderers unique?
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Pine trees are much more than symbols of Christmas and sources of timber. They serve up a smorgasbord for many wild animals and insects. Who dines on pines in the Chihuahuan Desert region?
