Something Wild

Something Wild has been exploring the wonder of the landscape that surrounds us in New Hampshire for over 25 years! From the many birds that call our state home, to the trees around New Hampshire that have been granted "Big Tree" status, to stone walls that punctuate the state, we explain the behavior and science behind what we see and hear (and might take for granted) in our backyards. Something Wild is hosted by Dave Anderson and Chris Martin, and is produced by Jessica Hunt. This program is made by New Hampshire Public Radio, in partnership with the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests, and the New Hampshire Audubon.

Succession is nature's unfolding

Succession is a natural process, even at Something Wild, as Chris Martin retires and we meet a new host.

12-11
04:21

Listers, extreme birdwatching and the "Big Year"

Gino Ellison spent a year trying to see as many birds as possible, and has advice for how you can create your own Big Year.

11-13
04:42

Up close with NH's tiniest -and cutest - owl

As part of Project Owlnet, the Something Wild team observed northern saw-whet owls being banded to learn more about their migration.

10-30
04:56

Not just nuts - ‘soft mast’ also fuels the forest

Acorns and other nuts get all the attention in a mast year, but berries and fruits are also mast crops, and equally important for wildlife and forest ecosystems.

10-16
04:38

Saving kestrels one nest box at a time

The American Kestrel, a tiny, colorful raptor, is declining in the state, and the Harris Center for Conservation Education is installing nest boxes in hopes of bolstering local kestrel populations.

10-02
04:57

'How to Love a Forest' with Ethan Tapper

Ethan Tapper, forester and author of "How to Love a Forest," says the actions we must take to protect forest ecosystems are often counterintuitive, uncomfortable and even bittersweet.

09-18
04:36

Admiring the stature of the sycamore

A visit to a magnificent urban tree, the sycamore, to admire its unique characteristics and ecological role.

09-05
04:28

Something Wild: How to co-exist with wasps and hornets

They all sting, but you can figure out the differences in three common wasps by looking at their nests and how they overwinter.

08-21
04:52

Something Wild: Forest magic and fairy houses are not just for kids

Chris and Dave make some fairy houses and discover how important imagination is in connecting kids, and adults, with nature.

08-07
05:04

Something Wild: Why we’re seeing more fireflies this summer

Here’s why the third wettest spring on record in New Hampshire has made for a firefly renaissance this summer.

07-24
04:36

Something Wild: Appreciate the American beech

It’s time to appreciate the iconic American beech tree; it comprises nearly 40% of our northern forests, and the species could be decimated by beech leaf disease.

07-10
04:47

Something Wild: What NH’s 'drowned forest' reveals about the past - and future

Some relatively new discoveries, and new technologies, tell a remarkable story about New Hampshire’s ancient coastline and its rapidly-changing future.

06-26
04:58

Something Wild: Banding peregrine chicks in Manchester

For 25 years, Something Wild host Chris Martin, a raptor biologist, has been banding peregrine falcon chicks as part of an effort to re-establish the population.

06-12
05:53

Something Wild: Rescuing NH's wild turtles

Turtles are at high risk when seeking out nesting grounds, because they may have to cross roads. New Hampshire Turtle Rescue is the only facility in the state that rescues and rehabilitates injured turtles to return them to the wild.

05-29
04:29

Something Wild: Celebrate the swarms of black flies!

Take solace in the fact that annoying black flies are a harbinger of clean water and abundant wildlife.

05-15
04:30

Something Wild: Home Tweet Home, a bird nest quiz

How well do you know the nests of our feathered friends?

05-01
04:25

Something Wild: Big-toothed and trembling; some respect for poplars Player 2025-04-17 12:13

Cottonwoods, along with related big-toothed and trembling aspens, are poplars, some of New England’s fastest-growing tree pioneers.

04-17
04:32

Something Wild: NH’s other foliage season

Have you noticed the bright colors in the twigs and stems of early spring? It's subtle, but the wash of color on hillsides shows that some trees are getting a jump-start on photosynthesis.

04-03
03:57

Something Wild: Before the syrup comes the sap

In addition to weather, the soil in which maple trees grow makes a difference in how much maple syrup can be produced and even how it tastes.

03-20
05:01

Something Wild: The fragile balance of deer and coyotes in winter

The health of the forest ecosystem depends on a balance of life and death.

03-06
04:40

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