• Why darkness is so important.
• What light pollution is and how prevalent it is.
• 4 simple ways you can combat light pollution around your home.

• Light pollution wastes energy and money and damages the climate
• The new world atlas of artificial night sky brightness
• Citizen scientists report global rapid reductions in the visibility of stars from 2011 to 2022

• BirdCast: Revealing the Mysteries of Bird Migration
• Light Pollution and Its Impacts on Birds and Other Wildlife

Summary
Twice a year billions of birds migrate across the U.S. We’ve only recently discovered just how large that number really is. Being able to quantify that number is thanks to a large degree to a program called BirdCast which anyone from backyard birders to scientists to emergency managers can use. Join us as we dive into the fascinating world of bird migration.

Today’s guest
Dr. Andrew Farnsworth is a visiting scientist at Cornell Lab of Ornithology and a member of the BirdCast Team, which is using radar to track and study bird migrations over the U.S.

3 things you’ll learn from this episode:

• About bird migration including when they migrate, why they migrate, impacts of both human induced and natural climate change, and much more.
• The importance of making natural history observations and how technology can enhance, but not replace, those observations.
• The many ways in which BirdCast is being used by birds and by scientists, starting with giving us concrete data on the mind-blowingly large numbers of birds that migrate over the U.S. each year.

Resources Andrew mentioned:

• BirdCast
• eBird

Other Backyard Ecology resources:

• The Backyard Ecologist’s Newsletter

Thank you

Thank you to our amazing Patrons who go above and beyond every month to provide financial support which helps us create so much free content for everyone to enjoy and learn from.

Summary

As gardeners, it’s common to get the gardening itch in late winter and early spring. The temptation to finish cleaning up our gardens during this time is a natural temptation. However, when doing your spring garden cleanup, it’s important to remember why you didn’t do those activities in the fall. Remembering that can help you choose what to do and when so that you can best support the pollinators and wildlife that visit your property.

3 things you’ll learn from this episode:

• When and how to deal with the leaves that you left from the fall.
• When and how to cutback any standing dead vegetation that you left in the fall.
• Creative ways to balance your needs with those of the pollinators and wildlife when doing your spring garden cleanup.

Other Backyard Ecology resources:

• Fall Cleanup in the Pollinator and Wildlife Garden: A Comprehensive Guide to What You Need to Know and Do
• 2 SIMPLE Solutions for Fall Pollinator Garden Care!
• Should I Mow My Yard in May? The No Mow May Debate

Thank you

Thank you to our amazing Patrons who go above and beyond every month to provide financial support which helps us create so much free content for everyone to enjoy and learn from.

Get customized help

There are lots of great “big picture” information available about creating pollinator gardens or larger habitats for pollinators and wildlife. But, there are far fewer opportunities to say, “This is what I want to do. This is what I’m struggling with. How do I make it work on my property?” That’s part of what the Backyard Ecology™ Community offers its members every day.

If you live in the eastern U.S. and would like personalized help creating your own pollinator and wildlife habitat, then we invite you to join the Backyard Ecology™ Community.

Learn more: https://www.backyardecology.net/community/