Critter Chat

Critter Chat
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Lifelong friends Susan Brandt & Marney Blair talk with experts about the amazing wild critters that live in the Sierra Nevada mountains and foothills.

  1. 19h ago

    Celebrating Cliff Swallows

    As one of the first North American birds to be described in our history books, the Cliff Swallow has something to teach us about adaptability and resilience. Migrating to and from South America every year, their long journey back to California in the springtime is celebrated by many. In the Sierra Nevada foothills, they seek horizontal cliff-like structures —man-made bridges and some buildings work just fine for many — as long as mud and water are nearby. A Cliff Swallow must take approximately 900-1200 trips with beak-fulls of mud to form one little nest. Raising their young together in colonies, these quick flying birds have wide mouths to gather as many insects as possible to feed their nestlings.  In this episode of Critter Chat, we ponder the Cliff Swallow nests at Walgreens with biologist Emma Cox with The Institute for Bird Populations and take a field trip to Lake Wildwood spillway with Rudy Darling, president of the Sierra Foothills Audubon Society. Our special guest, Paule Castro of KVMR’s ZenTech weighs in with his observations as a part of the newly formed Critter Corps. School teachers are encouraged to use Critter Chat in their classes with vocabulary words that include colonial, adaptability and migration.  Critter Chat tells stories of Sierra Nevada wildlife featuring interviews with experts in the field. Critter Chat is locally produced in Grass Valley and is a project of Rational Animal, rational-animal.org Image: Cliff Swallow © Photo by Rudy Darling

    Celebrating Cliff Swallows

  2. Jun 3

    Consider The Courteous Rattlesnake

    Humans have evolved alongside snakes since our earliest existence. From then to Eve’s story and countless myths, snakes have created mystery, fear and folklore within our minds. Now in this modern age equipped with the latest scientific data about rattlesnakes, our awareness is changing towards a more peaceful co-existence. Rattlesnakes bite primarily to capture their main meals, small animals like rodents, rabbits and frogs. It is believed that millions of years ago, the ground-dwelling rattlesnake evolved their natural rattle to avoid being stepped on by heavy hooved animals. Could we consider their warning “Don’t tread on me!” - a courtesy? In this episode of Critter Chat, we talk with Roy Arthur Blodgett, program manager of the Venomous Snake Training courses at Save the Snakes. Roy is also the Poet Laureate of Lake County, and in our interview he eloquently shares facts and poetry about the rattlesnake found in the Sierra Nevada, the Northern Pacific Rattlesnake, and in general, the nine species of rattlesnakes found in California.  Hear some life-saving tips on how to detect rattlesnakes, and what to do in the unusual case of being bitten and perspectives on aversion training and vaccines for our canine friends. Schoolteachers are encouraged to use Critter Chat in their classes with vocabulary words that include pit viper, venom and anti-venom.  Image: Northern Pacific Rattlesnakes, San Luis Obispo County © Photo by Roy Arthur Blodgett @roy_arthur

    Consider The Courteous Rattlesnake

  3. May 6

    The Gifts of the Caddisfly

    Why is the Caddisfly a favorite of some nature lovers? Is it their clever engineering of silk? Their essential role as stream garbage cleaners? Maybe it’s the artistic houses they create using stream artifacts, or their role as a favorite fish snack? So many reasons to appreciate this incredible millions-of-years-old native.  Critter Chat hosts Susan Brandt and Marney Blair take a field trip to Little Deer Creek, Nevada City, California with biologist Dr. Dave Herbst of Sierra Streams Institute to discuss these profound critters of our streams.

    The Gifts of the Caddisfly

  4. Apr 3

    Wildlife Babies Amongst Us

    With Spring comes wildlife emergencies anew. Unfortunately, it's us humans who are often the cause of these emergencies. In this episode, we are pleased to welcome two guests to Critter Chat to help us think carefully about living around wildlife as they have their offspring.  Wildlife rescue expert Christy Berger of Gold Country Wildlife Rescue tells us about the challenges this critical non-profit organization faces during this busy season, the animals in their care and what people can do to help. Then we speak with Nora Kirk, manager of Wild Birds Unlimited in Grass Valley, who outlines three important elements around our living spaces that we can address in order to best help Spring babies in the wild.  Photo: Black bear cubs by Maya Khosla

    Wildlife Babies Amongst Us

  5. Mar 4

    Jumping Spiders

    What is it about Jumping spiders that have people intrigued? Is it their big beguiling eyes that look back at you, or their furry bodies? The entertaining way they stand on garden hoses waving their arms to attract a mate?  If you haven’t experienced any of these qualities of a Jumping spider, then here is one of life’s enchantments that may await you on this wonderful spinning globe.   Jumping spiders are the most distinctive spiders living in North America and there are approximately 130 species of Jumping spiders known in the state of California, somewhere between 50 or 60 of these are found in the Sierra. In this episode of Critter Chat, hosts Susan Brandt and Marney Blair talk about Jumping spiders with naturalist, biologist, artist Dr. Tim Manolis, illustrator of the Field Guide to the Spiders of California and the Pacific Coast States. Photo: Paramarpissa griswoldi, jumping spider found in oak woodlands, by Ken Schneider.

    Jumping Spiders

  6. Feb 4

    Thinking Raccoons

    Rocky Raccoon stars in Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy, a scrappy, genius, tinkering with tools to solve problems of the universe. It’s not surprising that our raccoon neighbors inspired this character as these adorably masked nocturnal critters solve the trickiest problems to access food and shelter.  In this episode, Critter Chat talks with cognitive ecologist Dr. Lauren Stanton, UC Berkeley and The Schell Lab, where she studies raccoon behavior and what makes them so adaptable to living among humans and thriving as their wild habitats have become increasingly more inhabited by humans.  For more information, see critterchat.org or Instagram: critterchat1 Critter Chat tells stories of Sierra Nevada wildlife featuring interviews with experts in the field. Critter Chat is locally produced and hosted by Susan Brandt and Marney Blair. Critter Chat is a project of Rational Animal.    Image credit: Raccoon, Lemongrass, works the puzzle box © Dr. Lauren Stanton

    Thinking Raccoons

  7. Jan 8

    Nature Poetry

    Our guest is acclaimed poet Una Kobrin, author of Words Between Darkness & Light, who will share some of her poems about stags, crickets, cows and hummingbirds to give us a new perspective on sharing the earth with these wonderful beings.

    Nature Poetry

  8. 12/04/2025

    The Rain Beetle

    With the rainy season upon us in the Sierra Nevada foothills, a critter emerges to look for his mate. The Rain Beetle, a species related to the Scarab, a beetle symbolizing restoration, rebirth and good luck in ancient Egyptian culture, makes its first appearance with the early rains. Possessing a chunky body that can tolerate colder weather and “eyelashes” to sense its surroundings, this beetle lives only a few days to make a purposeful flight.  Critter Chat interviews UC Davis PhD student Kaitai Liu as he begins his journey to better understand this charismatic and harmless native critter and the various species of the Rain Beetle, Pleocoma, living in the Sierra Nevada foothills and Pacific states of North America. Inspired by his grandparents to get outside and “off the computer” to look at bugs, he is now following his dream and researching the natural world. Teachers are encouraged to use Critter Chat in their classrooms. Vocabulary words like “lamellae” and “pheromones” are discussed to better understand the life of a beetle. Critter Chat tells stories of Sierra Nevada wildlife featuring interviews with experts in the field. Critter Chat is locally produced and hosted by Susan Brandt and Marney Blair with support from KVMR, Rational Animal, Chan Family Optometry and Wild Birds Unlimited.

    The Rain Beetle
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5
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About

Lifelong friends Susan Brandt & Marney Blair talk with experts about the amazing wild critters that live in the Sierra Nevada mountains and foothills.

Information

  • Creator
    Critter Chat
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    26
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Critter Chat
  • Show Website
    Critter Chat