Discover Nature Notes

Roadside Divers and Diners

Peg Craft

Dec 11, 2017

While on the holiday road, look for these roadside dive-bombers. They may be perching on highway signs, telephone wires and polls, or dive-bombing the ground for their dining preferences. American Kestrels are the smallest and most colorful raptors and are a common winter sight in open areas and alongside roadways. They nest in cavities, usually older, dead trees. Learn more about these pint-sized predators, what they look and sound like, and how you can build a nest box to attract a pair and watch them raise a family in this week's Discover Nature Note.

Missouri's Spicy Evergreen

Peg Craft

Dec 04, 2017

Missouri's Spicy Evergreen: It's aromatic wood is used for chests and closets, it's oils for soaps and gin, and it's high-energy berries feed hungry birds. Meet the eastern red cedar. A shapely, spicy evergreen that is Missouri's most common and a yuletide favorite for people and wildlife. Red cedar branches provide greenery during winter and protect deer and rabbits from the wind. Learn more fun facts about red cedar trees in this week's Discover Nature Note.

Celebrating 40 Years of Natural Areas

Peg Craft

Nov 27, 2017

Celebrating 40 Years of Natural Areas: Did you ever wish you had a time machine? You don't need one to visit many of Missouri's original landscapes that still look the same as when early Native Americans or Lewis and Clark traversed them. These are some of Missouri's most scenic spots and feature rare plants, animals and geography. You can still walk through an old majestic forest, canoe through a primitive swamp, or photograph wildflowers among tall prairie grasses by visiting some of these 184 special places around the state. Learn more about Missouri's Natural Areas and pick your favorite to visit in this week's Discover Nature Note.

The Thanksgiving Turkey

Peg Craft

Nov 20, 2017

THE THANKSGIVING TURKEY: Whether served up wild or domestic, your holiday turkey is a bird simmered in American tradition. Turkeys have a wild history since they were first domesticated by Native Americans, including a near miss as our national symbol. Learn fun facts about wild turkeys and how they were brought back in Missouri in this week's Discover Nature Note. As a special bonus, watch a video on preparing wild turkey.

Dabblers vs Divers

Peg Craft

Nov 13, 2017

DABBLERS vs DIVERS: Are you a dabbler or a diver? Do you like floating along the surface or going deep? Dabblers and divers are two main types of ducks. You can tell them apart by the way they eat, fly and look. Ducks are amazing creatures. They fill the skies with sound and form this time of year and the waters with aerobic swimming feats. Learn how you can tell the difference between dabbling ducks and diving ducks in this week's Discover Nature Note. Scoll down to the media gallery and watch an action packed video, and see photos and sounds of your favorite ducks.

Why Healthy Deer Matter and How You Can Help

Peg Craft

Nov 06, 2017

White-tailed deer are magnificent creatures and a common sight across Missouri's landscape. Over the last 100 years, they were brought back from an all-time low of 400 to more than 1.2 million today. They are one of our most valuable species for outdoor recreation, jobs and tourism. The work of keeping our deer herd healthy today is as important as the early work to restore them to the state. Scientists work with hunters and landowners to prevent the spread of disease, especially Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD), which is always fatal. Learn more about deer health, CWD, and mandatory testing in this week's Discover Nature Note.

Fall Sounds

Peg Craft

Nov 01, 2017

Fall moves in with a blaze of warm colors and rustic smells. The soundtrack of fall is vibrant as well with rustling leaves, squirrels foraging and geese honking. It's a crisp and layered feast for the senses each year when the summer fades into fall and fall slides into winter. Take a sensory trip into fall in this week's Discover Nature Note.

Creepy Critters

Peg Craft

Oct 23, 2017

They may have hairy legs and fangs full of venom, or large ears and flappy, vampire-looking wings, but these real life critters eat the blood suckers that ruin our summer evenings and perform some amazing feats. Spiders and bats are feared by many and their plastic versions on Halloween decorations play off this spooky reputation. Learn fun facts about bats and the Missouri tarantula in this week's Discover Nature Note. Also view a video quiz and see if you can guess the spooky critters by their sound before each puzzle completes.

Come Fly With Me

Peg Craft

Oct 16, 2017

It's a party in the sky each fall and winter as droves of ducks and geese wing their way into Missouri on their journey south for the winter. Stopping over in lakes, ponds and rivers, different types of waterfowl arrive at different times as the weather changes. Learn about these dabblers, divers, and geese and their travel timetables in this week's Discover Nature Note. Scroll through the Media Gallery to see photos and hear sounds of our various visitors.

What About Bobcat

Peg Craft

Oct 09, 2017

In the movie, What About Bob, Bill Murray plays a character who is challenged with taking baby steps outdoors. On the other end of the spectrum, bobcats are sure-footed and stealthy, able to pounce, climb and swim. Bobcats are fascinating creatures that might compete well in looks and skills with the cat sensation that has swept social media. Learn more about bobcats and see them up close in video in this week's Discover Nature Note.