63 episodes

A podcast dedicated to exploring nature all around us and hopefully instilling in our listeners a curiosity and appreciation for the wildlife around us. Join us as we share some amazing observations, interesting and educational facts, and stories about the incredible diversity of flora and fauna found here in the Southeastern United States. Your hosts are Marvin and Gabrielle Bouknight, and Marvin has been a professional naturalist and wildlife biologist for over 30 years and he and his wife, Gabrielle have shared many adventures exploring habitats and observing the amazing flora and fauna of the southeastern United States. To contact us, you can follow us on Facebook at Nature Nook Wildlife Photography (https://www.facebook.com/NatureNookWildlifePhotography), or email us at walkingonthewildside21@gmail.com. To SIGN UP/SUBSCRIBE to our podcasts, simply download your favorite podcast app on your mobile device (we can be found on all the Apple iOS and Android OS apps) and look up "WALKIN'ON THE WILD SIDE" or you can visit our website at https://walkinonthewildside.buzzsprout.com and click on your favorite app (see below, if you're viewing this from our web site). It will take you to the site and our podcast. Click "subscribe" and you're ready to go WALKIN' ON THE WILD SIDE!

Walkin' on the Wild Side Marvin and Gabrielle Bouknight

    • Science
    • 5.0 • 17 Ratings

A podcast dedicated to exploring nature all around us and hopefully instilling in our listeners a curiosity and appreciation for the wildlife around us. Join us as we share some amazing observations, interesting and educational facts, and stories about the incredible diversity of flora and fauna found here in the Southeastern United States. Your hosts are Marvin and Gabrielle Bouknight, and Marvin has been a professional naturalist and wildlife biologist for over 30 years and he and his wife, Gabrielle have shared many adventures exploring habitats and observing the amazing flora and fauna of the southeastern United States. To contact us, you can follow us on Facebook at Nature Nook Wildlife Photography (https://www.facebook.com/NatureNookWildlifePhotography), or email us at walkingonthewildside21@gmail.com. To SIGN UP/SUBSCRIBE to our podcasts, simply download your favorite podcast app on your mobile device (we can be found on all the Apple iOS and Android OS apps) and look up "WALKIN'ON THE WILD SIDE" or you can visit our website at https://walkinonthewildside.buzzsprout.com and click on your favorite app (see below, if you're viewing this from our web site). It will take you to the site and our podcast. Click "subscribe" and you're ready to go WALKIN' ON THE WILD SIDE!

    Small but Fierce Eastern Screech Owls

    Small but Fierce Eastern Screech Owls

    Gabrielle is back in the podcast chair and this time, we're talking about my favorite owl, the Eastern Screech Owl (Megascops asio).   These little owls may be small, but they are fierce and formidable predators that keep our rodent and insect population in check!  Join us on our back porch "podcast studio" and learn more about our travels this spring, interesting facts and new information about the amazing little screech owl, and listen for our updates on our nesting pair in our backyard, Otis and Gracie!

    Here's more information about screech owls:

    https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Eastern_Screech-Owl/id
    Relationship with Texas Blind Snakes:  https://www.audubon.org/news/what-would-screech-owl-want-blind-snake
    Fluorescing Feathers:  https://www.birdnote.org/listen/shows/glowing-feathers
    Tetrachromacy and the importance to birds:  https://www.arcadiabird.com/advice/the-importance-of-uva-lighting-to-birds/

    Interested in having Marvin and Gabrielle speak at your event?  Email us below for more information!

    Email us at www.walkingonthewildside21@gmail.com
    Follow us on our two webpages to see photos and blogs about our podcasts and nature in general:
    Nature Nook Photography
    Walkin' on the Wild Side

    You can listen directly from our website at: https://walkinonthewildside.buzzsprout.com, or from any of the major podcast platforms, such as Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Audible, Spotify, iHeart Radio, TuneIn, Stitcher, and more!
    Subscribe to our podcasts on any of these platforms and leave us a review!
    We hope you enjoy listening to our podcast and welcome your emails, comments, and feedback.  Hopefully, we will inspire you to get out there and start "Walkin' on the Wild Side"!

    • 26 min
    The Carolina Pleistocene - The Age of Mega Mammals with Dr. Steve Fields

    The Carolina Pleistocene - The Age of Mega Mammals with Dr. Steve Fields

    Well, with Gabrielle traveling, I had to do this podcast on my own, but I'm not flying solo, I have a special guest!  Join Dr. Steve Fields and I on location from the Museum of York County for a fabulous exhibit and discussion about the Pleistocene Epoch in the Carolinas.  It's hard to believe that there were mammoths, terror birds, cheetahs, giant porcupine, ground sloths and more, but there were!  Listen as  Dr. Steve discusses what this unbelievable epoch would've looked like, from the climate, vegetation, all the way to the incredible diversity and amazing size of the unique animals that would've roamed the Carolina countryside.

    Here's some more information on the Pleistocene Epoch:
    https://www.thefossilforum.com/blogs/entry/265-the-early-pleistocene-marine-fauna-of-the-southeastern-united-states/
    https://www.britannica.com/science/Pleistocene-Epoch
    https://www.georgiasfossils.com/20-the-ice-ages-pleistocene--holocene-epochs.html
    https://www.livescience.com/40311-pleistocene-epoch.html

    Want to Visit the Museum of York County and other York County museums?
    Featured in this podcast:  https://chmuseums.org/myco/
    Additional museums of York County:  https://chmuseums.org/


    Interested in having Marvin and Gabrielle speak at your event?  Email us below for more information!

    Email us at www.walkingonthewildside21@gmail.com
    Follow us on our two webpages to see photos and blogs about our podcasts and nature in general:
    Nature Nook Photography
    Walkin' on the Wild Side

    You can listen directly from our website at: https://walkinonthewildside.buzzsprout.com, or from any of the major podcast platforms, such as Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Audible, Spotify, iHeart Radio, TuneIn, Stitcher, and more!
    Subscribe to our podcasts on any of these platforms and leave us a review!
    We hope you enjoy listening to our podcast and welcome your emails, comments, and feedback.  Hopefully, we will inspire you to get out there and start "Walkin' on the Wild Side"!

    • 32 min
    The Fantastic Frozen Frog

    The Fantastic Frozen Frog

    We're back!  After a little "hiatus" due to technical issues (love today's technology), we're kicking off 2024 with a new podcast on the fantastic frozen frog.  Wood frogs are small little frogs with some incredible adaptations to allow them a competitive advantage, such as explosive breeding, early mating periods, and the amazing ability to be frozen solid.  Yep, that's right...FROZEN SOLID.  Join Marvin and Gabrielle at their new "studio" (also known as the back porch, lol), as they discuss the fantastic frozen frog and share some insights on the potential for studying this little frog...

    Here's some additional information:
    https://www.nwf.org/Educational-Resources/Wildlife-Guide/Amphibians/Wood-Frog
    https://wildexplained.com/animal-encyclopedia/the-amazing-adaptations-of-the-wood-frog/
    https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1096495922000355
    https://www.nps.gov/gaar/learn/nature/wood-frog-page-2.htm

    Interested in having Marvin and Gabrielle speak at your event?  Email us below for more information!

    Email us at www.walkingonthewildside21@gmail.com
    Follow us on our two webpages to see photos and blogs about our podcasts and nature in general:
    Nature Nook Photography
    Walkin' on the Wild Side

    You can listen directly from our website at: https://walkinonthewildside.buzzsprout.com, or from any of the major podcast platforms, such as Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Audible, Spotify, iHeart Radio, TuneIn, Stitcher, and more!
    Subscribe to our podcasts on any of these platforms and leave us a review!
    We hope you enjoy listening to our podcast and welcome your emails, comments, and feedback.  Hopefully, we will inspire you to get out there and start "Walkin' on the Wild Side"!

    • 24 min
    The Fabulous Falcons

    The Fabulous Falcons

    It's time for another episode, this time from our new podcast studio, aka, our new back porch!  After traipsing for truffles, we go back to all things nature and explore the incredible acrobatic and speed demons, the falcons.  Join Marvin and Gabrielle to learn more about these incredibly specialized birds of prey, falconry, and the bioinspirations and biomimicry that lead to jumps in technology by studying these amazing raptors.

    Here's some more information about falcons, raptor centers, and more:
    https://sites.udel.edu/bioinspiredpire/biomimicry/
    Peregrines and jet engines:  https://www.pbs.org/video/peregrine-falcons-are-feathered-fighter-jets-basically-tulkgi/#:~:text=At%20high%20speed%2C%20the%20air,the%20same%20kind%20of%20thing.
    Jet Engine Inspiration: https://zackandscottkarmachameleons.wordpress.com/2016/04/08/jet-engine-evolution-inspired-by-the-peregrine-falcon/
    https://birdwatchinghq.com/falcons-in-the-united-states/
    https://wildlifeflorida.org/species-spotlight-southeastern-american-kestrel
    Hunting Techniques of Peregrine Falcons

    Local Raptor Centers:
    https://carolinaraptorcenter.org/
    https://thecenterforbirdsofprey.org/center-for-birds-of-prey/
    Renaissance Festival Raptor Show - Wildlife Revealed

    Interested in having Marvin and Gabrielle speak at your event?  Email us below for more information!

    Email us at www.walkingonthewildside21@gmail.com
    Follow us on our two webpages to see photos and blogs about our podcasts and nature in general:
    Nature Nook Photography
    Walkin' on the Wild Side

    You can listen directly from our website at: https://walkinonthewildside.buzzsprout.com, or from any of the major podcast platforms, such as Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Audible, Spotify, iHeart Radio, TuneIn, Stitcher, and more!
    Subscribe to our podcasts on any of these platforms and leave us a review!
    We hope you enjoy listening to our podcast and welcome your emails, comments, and feedback.  Hopefully, we will inspire you to get out there and start "Walkin' on the Wild Side"!

    • 36 min
    Traipsing' for Truffles in Tuscany

    Traipsing' for Truffles in Tuscany

    Join Marvin and Gabrielle for a Walk on the Wild Side in the hills of Tuscany!  For this episode, the Bouknights took to the hills to indulge in the tradition of truffle hunting.  We joined an amazing organization to learn about truffles, and how they are traditionally harvested using good ol' fashioned hard work.  Traipsing through the hillside with a trusty and well trained 4-legged companion in search of one of the most sought after culinary products in the world, we joined a seasoned truffle hunter and were mesmerized by the keen eye, nose, and stamina required for finding, digging, and harvesting the amazing fungi known as truffles.  Join us and learn not just about truffles, but about the bond between man and canine, tradition, and a love and passion for nature!

    Here are some websites to learn more about this region of Italy:
    Truffle capital of Tuscany - San Miniato - https://www.visittuscany.com/en/towns-and-villages/san-miniato/
    https://www.to-tuscany.com/travel-guide/travelling-to-tuscany/life-in-tuscany/hunting-truffles-in-tuscany-italy/
    -AND-
    Our  AMAZING truffle experience provided by:
    https://www.selektiatartufi.it/en/

    Interested in having Marvin and Gabrielle speak at your event?  Email us below for more information!

    Email us at www.walkingonthewildside21@gmail.com
    Follow us on our two webpages to see photos and blogs about our podcasts and nature in general:
    Nature Nook Photography
    Walkin' on the Wild Side

    You can listen directly from our website at: https://walkinonthewildside.buzzsprout.com, or from any of the major podcast platforms, such as Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Audible, Spotify, iHeart Radio, TuneIn, Stitcher, and more!
    Subscribe to our podcasts on any of these platforms and leave us a review!
    We hope you enjoy listening to our podcast and welcome your emails, comments, and feedback.  Hopefully, we will inspire you to get out there and start "Walkin' on the Wild Side"!

    • 41 min
    Viva Italiano! - Part 2

    Viva Italiano! - Part 2

    We recently visited Italy for the incredible Slow Food Cheese 2023 festival in Bra, Italy, spending time in the Piemonte region of Italy, located in the northwest of Italy.  Join us on this departure from our nature-based podcasts and experience Part 2 of our visit to Italy that found us traveling by train to the Ligurian Sea and the 5 villages of Cinque Terre!  Once there, they took to the hills of Cinque Terre and hiked to a few villages along the mountainous coast, discovering the wine, seafood cuisine, and amazing people of this incredible region.  Then it was on to Florence and a visit to some of the wonderful historical sites, museums, and a long awaited bucket-list opportunity!  Join us for some interesting discoveries in the Tuscan region of Italy, yet ANOTHER "uphill" adventure, and of course, the amazing food and wine of this glorious country!

    Here are some websites to learn more about this region of Italy:
    Slow Food Cheese Festival - https://cheese.slowfood.it/en/

    https://www.britannica.com/biography/Filippo-Brunelleschi
    https://www.britannica.com/topic/the-Duomo
    Leonardo Da Vinci Museum - https://museoleonardodavincifirenze.com/
    https://www.cinqueterre.eu.com/en
    https://www.italymagazine.com/featured-story/sciacchetra-wine-harvesting-le-cinque-terre
    https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/article/cinque-terre-vineyards-ecotourism-overtourism
    https://www.cinqueterre.com/en/the-wines-of-the-cinque-terre
    San Miniato - https://www.visittuscany.com/en/towns-and-villages/san-miniato/

    -AND-

    Our favorite restaurant in San Miniato - https://www.ristorantelupupa.it/

    Interested in having Marvin and Gabrielle speak at your event?  Email us below for more information!

    Email us at www.walkingonthewildside21@gmail.com
    Follow us on our two webpages to see photos and blogs about our podcasts and nature in general:
    Nature Nook Photography
    Walkin' on the Wild Side

    You can listen directly from our website at: https://walkinonthewildside.buzzsprout.com, or from any of the major podcast platforms, such as Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Audible, Spotify, iHeart Radio, TuneIn, Stitcher, and more!
    Subscribe to our podcasts on any of these platforms and leave us a review!
    We hope you enjoy listening to our podcast and welcome your emails, comments, and feedback.  Hopefully, we will inspire you to get out there and start "Walkin' on the Wild Side"!

    • 25 min

Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5
17 Ratings

17 Ratings

Katie⚰️ ,

Wild side fun!

So enjoyable to listen to these two that you don’t even realize you’re learning. Makes me want to go explore!

York Street ,

Great family activity 🥰

We listen with our granddaughters! A fun educational podcast for all. We sure learned a lot. Keep it going! Maybe an episode on black bears or the state animal ( white tailed deer)?

CorbinNatureWalker ,

A thoughtful, passionate, fascinating and authentic amalgamation

Marvin and Gabrielle Bouknight’s first three installments are both enjoyable and important. Through a cunning triumvirate of wonder, direct local knowledge and thorough scientific comprehension the couple help the listener to synthesize the “why” of conservation without being preachy. Marvin and Gabrielle remind us that despite all of the challenges in the world, the wonder of nature persists. Humorous and folksy delivery really represents masterful teaching. I learned so much without knowing it while being entertained. From efforts leading to the repatriation of fireflies in Japan, to the meaning of Latin root words, the podcast teaches the listener all through the context of local places and fauna that can be experienced by just getting outside!

Don’t think I won’t be using the word heterodactyl at my next cocktail party. Bravo to Marvin and Gabrielle. The pressure is on now to keep the episodes coming!

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