BIRD HUGGER

Catherine Greenleaf
  • 5.0 (18)
  • Nature
  • Updated Semimonthly

Love gardening and birds and want to help Mother Nature? Join host Catherine Greenleaf, former gardening columnist for the Boston Herald Sunday Magazine and a certified wildlife rehabilitator with 20 years of experience rescuing and rehabilitating injured wildlife, for discussions about organic gardening and restoring native habitat to help the birds and other wildlife in your backyard. Catherine Greenleaf talks about the natural history of birds and interviews the leading experts about how to turn your backyard into a native oasis for birds and pollinators.

  1. 1d ago

    Gardening For Bumblebees With Judy Cardin

    Join us today as we speak with Judy Cardin about the best plants to grow in your garden for attracting bumblebees. Her plant recommendations: Dutchman's Breeches; Virginia Bluebells; Giant Lavender Hyssop; Giant Yellow Hyssop; Joe Pye Weed; Culver's Root; Thistle; Great Blue Lobelia; Bottle Gentian; Asters; Goldenrod; Virginia Waterleaf; Jacob's Ladder; Wild Geranium; Wld Bergamot; Mountain Mint; Anise Hyssop. Shrub recommendations: American Plum; Dwarfbush Honeysuckle; Shrubby St. Johnswort; Lead Plant; and New Jersey Tea. We also discuss the concern about the vanishing Rusty-Patched bumblebee. Judy Cardin is a bumble bee expert and educator with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resource's community science program Wisconsin Bumble Bee Brigade. When Judy retired as Bureau Director with the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection 7 years ago, she transitioned her 50 year passion for nature and gardening into her retirement career: sharing her knowledge of bumble bees, how to restore yard and community spaces to native habitat that will support native wildlife, in particular bumble bees and pollinators. She has trained a wide range of audiences, including Master Gardener and Master Naturalist classes, school teachers, and the PBS Garden expo. Judy is also the administrator of the Wisconsin/Midwest Bumble Bee Observers Facebook page. Educator, WDNR Bumble Bee Brigade Citizen Science Program UW-Madison Arboretum volunteer, mentored on native plants by Susan Carpenter, Arboretum Native Plant Curator Chair, Friends of the UW-Madison Arboretum Grass to Garden Program, Co-chair FOA Native Plant Sale Wild Ones Native Plant Certification Instructor Converted her urban yard to over 350 native plant species and 25,000 native plants. She is a Bee surveyor: conducted hundreds of surveys for Bumble Bee Brigade, UWArboretum, and the USGS. Contributing author, Nature Magazine research article on finding Rusty patched bumble bees:https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-026-46861-8 Author "Rusty Patched Bumble Bee Floral Phenology" https://online.flippingbook.com/view/810946527/ Administrator, Wisconsin/Midwest Bumble Bee Observers Facebook page. Join Catherine Greenleaf, a certified wildlife rehabilitator with 25 years of experience rescuing and rehabilitating injured wildlife, for twice-monthly discussions about restoring native habitat and helping the birds in your backyard. Send your questions about birds and native gardening to birdhuggerpodcast@gmail.com. (PG-13) St. Dymphna Press, LLC.

  2. Aug 13

    Protecting Shorebirds On The Beach With ABC's Sarah Belles

    Join us today as we speak with Sarah Belles from the American Bird Conservancy about how to keep shorebirds protected while enjoying the beach this summer. Sarah Belles holds a Bachelor’s degree in Ecology for Environmental Science from the University of North Texas and has dedicated almost six years to avian monitoring and research. Sarah’s experience and expertise spans across a variety of bird species of conservation concern in different places and habitat types across the country. Sarah has served as American Bird Conservancy’s Gulf Coast Avian Ecologist since January of 2024 and works with local and regional partners to monitor and protect nesting shorebirds and seabirds, such as Wilson’s Plovers, Snowy Plovers, Least Terns, and Black Skimmers. She also helps promote and implement local Bird City Texas initiatives and conservation efforts on Galveston Island. .Join Catherine Greenleaf, a certified wildlife rehabilitator with 25 years of experience rescuing and rehabilitating injured wildlife, for twice-monthly discussions about restoring native habitat and helping the birds in your backyard. Send your questions about birds and native gardening to birdhuggerpodcast@gmail.com. (PG-13) St. Dymphna Press, LLC.

  3. Jul 30

    BIRD HUGGER CLASSIC: How Your Yard Influences Drought and Flood Cycles With Judith Schwartz

    THIS IS A RE-BROADCAST OF AN EARLIER SHOW. Today our guest is Judith Schwartz, award-winning author of the incredible book, Water In Plain Sight: Hope For A Thirsty World. Judith explains to us how trapping, slowing down and absorbing water on your property contributes to healthy small-water systems and helps decrease out-of-control flood and drought cycles in your region. To read more about Judith and her book go to https://www.judithdschwartz.com. For further information on the work of hydrologist Michael Kravcik, go to Water For The Recovery Of The Climate: The New Water Paradigm at: https://tinyurl.com/7xbukx5z. For more info on water literacy, go to: https://tinyurl.com/3xsutxwn. To become a water restoration specialist, go to waterstories.com. Join Catherine Greenleaf, a certified wildlife rehabilitator with 20 years of experience rescuing and rehabilitating injured birds, for twice-monthly discussions about restoring native habitat and helping the birds in your backyard. Access the BIRD HUGGER Newsletter here: www.birdhuggerpodcast.com. Send your questions about birds and native gardening to birdhuggerpodcast@gmail.com. (PG-13) St. Dymphna Press, LLC.

  4. Jul 16

    GARDENS TO VISIT: Norcross Wildlife Foundation With Dan Jaffe Wilder

    Join us today as we talk to Dan Jaffe Wilder, chief ecologist of the 8,400-acre native oasis, Norcross Wildlife Foundation in Wales, Massachusetts. Dan is the Director of Applied Ecology at Norcross and he tells us all about the historic gardens, walking trails, lakes, ponds, picnic areas, native plants and trees, birds and pollinators you can see while visiting. Located at 30 Peck Road, Wales, MA. For more information go to their website at www.norcrosswildlife.org. Child friendly. Admission is free. Open daily from dusk to dawn. Dan Jaffe Wilder is an ecologist, horticulturist, and botanist with over twenty years’ experience working with native plants and their associated ecology. His work has ranged from classrooms to nurseries to botanical gardens to wildlife refuges and specializes in native plant ecology, propagation, wildlife habitat restoration and enhancement, and native edible landscapes. The Norcross Wildlife Foundation's mission is to protect, enhance, and expand wildlife through conservation, education, and support. Dan’s book Native Plants for New England Gardens was released in 2018. Join Catherine Greenleaf, a certified wildlife rehabilitator with 25 years of experience rescuing and rehabilitating injured wildlife, for twice-monthly discussions about restoring native habitat and helping the birds in your backyard. Send your questions about birds and native gardening to birdhuggerpodcast@gmail.com. (PG-13) St. Dymphna Press, LLC.

  5. Jul 2

    Saving Seeds With Mid-Atlantic Regional Seed Bank's John Price

    Join us today as we speak with John Price, Associate Director and Seed Collection Coordinator of Mid-Atlantic Restoration Seed Bank. John and his colleagues collect and save native seeds which are then made available to native growers and sellers. He tells us all about the process. MARSB’s mission is to conserve and wisely manage the Mid-Atlantic Region’s wild seed resources, through scientific sampling, ethical collection, banking, and curation, and to encourage and actively contribute to the development of the native plant material supply chain throughout the region. Go to MARSB.org for more information. Join Catherine Greenleaf, a certified wildlife rehabilitator with 25 years of experience rescuing and rehabilitating injured wildlife, for twice-monthly discussions about restoring native habitat and helping the birds in your backyard. Send your questions about birds and native gardening to birdhuggerpodcast@gmail.com. (PG-13) St. Dymphna Press, LLC.

  6. Jun 18

    Saving Raptors In Colombia With Esther Vallejo

    Join us today as we speak with Esther Vallejo, a bird biologist who is attempting to create a raptor observation and education center in Colombia. Nearly five million raptors migrate through Colombia to spend the winter in South America. But raptors are being shot by hunters in the thousands every year. She is working hard to end hawk persecution in Colombia. For more information go to: https://www.instagram.com/tropicoscolombia https://www.facebook.com/migracionrapacesco/ https://gofund.me/38d406617 Join Catherine Greenleaf, a certified wildlife rehabilitator with 25 years of experience rescuing and rehabilitating injured wildlife, for twice-monthly discussions about restoring native habitat and helping the birds in your backyard. Send your questions about birds and native gardening to birdhuggerpodcast@gmail.com. (PG-13) St. Dymphna Press, LLC.

  7. Jun 4

    Birds That Are Making A Comeback With Scott Weidensaul

    Join us today as we speak with celebrated author and ornithologist Scott Weidensaul about the many success stories regarding bird conservation and about his brand-new book, The Return of the Oystercatcher: Saving Birds To Save The Planet. Weidensaul, the New York Times bestselling author of A World on the Wing: The Global Odyssey of Migratory Birds and a Pulitzer Prize finalist for Living on the Wind: Across the Hemisphere with Migratory Birds, has despaired over the numbers and reckoned with the loss of so much beauty and majesty in the natural world. (W. W. Norton & Company; April 21, 2026; $32.99, Hardcover). His new book chronicles the prodigious, life-affirming efforts of scientists, conservationists, and Indigenous peoples to shelter, heal, and foster bird populations across the globe. Join Catherine Greenleaf, a certified wildlife rehabilitator with 25 years of experience rescuing and rehabilitating injured wildlife, for twice-monthly discussions about restoring native habitat and helping the birds in your backyard. Send your questions about birds and native gardening to birdhuggerpodcast@gmail.com. (PG-13) St. Dymphna Press, LLC.

  8. May 21

    "Eyes On Swallow-Tailed Kites" Program With Gina Kent

    Gina Kent is back on the show to continue our discussion about the magnificent Swallow-Tailed Kite. Gina is a senior scientist with the Avian Research and Conservation Institute in Gainesville, Florida. She is going to tell us all about the Eyes On Kites program and its efforts to document the nesting locations of Swallow-Tailed Kites throughout Florida, Georgia, and Alabama. Find out more by going to: www.arcinst.org. For the ARCI Eyes On Kites program, go to: https://www.arcinst.org/eyes-on-kites. For more info on the Swallow-Tailed Kite go to https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Swallow-tailed_Kite/id#. Join Catherine Greenleaf, a certified wildlife rehabilitator with 25 years of experience rescuing and rehabilitating injured wildlife, for twice-monthly discussions about restoring native habitat and helping the birds in your backyard. Send your questions about birds and native gardening to birdhuggerpodcast@gmail.com. (PG-13) St. Dymphna Press, LLC.

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5
out of 5
18 Ratings

About

Love gardening and birds and want to help Mother Nature? Join host Catherine Greenleaf, former gardening columnist for the Boston Herald Sunday Magazine and a certified wildlife rehabilitator with 20 years of experience rescuing and rehabilitating injured wildlife, for discussions about organic gardening and restoring native habitat to help the birds and other wildlife in your backyard. Catherine Greenleaf talks about the natural history of birds and interviews the leading experts about how to turn your backyard into a native oasis for birds and pollinators.

Information

  • Creator
    Catherine Greenleaf
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    163
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Show Website
    BIRD HUGGER

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