Wild With Nature

Fall migration has fascinated me for a long time… but this year has been different for me. It’s the first time I’ve been able to be in Oaxaca, Mexico for the full seasonal progression, from the first spotted sandpipers (Actitis macularis) and Louisiana waterthrushes (Parkesia motacilla) through the waves of migrating shorebirds, rare surprises like an off-course swallow-tailed kite (Elanoides forficatus)—and who knows what else is still to come. This month’s podcast is all about the wonder of fall migration, from a special place at the mouth of a river on the Pacific coast of Oaxaca. I’m thrilled that I was able to collaborate with Nick Bayly, Director of Migratory Ecology for the Colombian nonprofit SELVA (https://www.selva.org.co/), to showcase the amazing research of his international team into migratory ecology, stopover sites, and all of the mysteries that remain about these amazing journeys, especially south of the US border.I invite you to listen to this month’s podcast and immerse yourself in a hemisphere of birds in motion!!!I depend on your support to continue doing this work. Please share these podcasts, leave a rating, and, if you’re able, join my community of Patreon supporters: https://www.patreon.com/wildwithnature. Thank you!!!You can find the written, illustrated version of this story here: https://wildwithnature.com/2026/10/01/fall-migration-neotropics-oaxaca-coast/.

Llevo mucho tiempo fascinado por la migración otoñal de las aves… pero este año ha sido diferente para mí. Es la primera vez que he podido estar en Oaxaca, México a través de la temporada completa de la migración, desde los primeros playeros alzacolita (Actitis macularis) y chipes arroyeros (Parkesia motacilla) hasta las olas de aves playeras migratorias, sorpresas raras como un milano tijereta (Elanoides forficatus) fuera de su ruta esperada—y quién sabe qué más todavía está por aparecer. El podcast de este mes se trata del asombro de la migración otoñal, desde un lugarcito especial en la desembocadura de un río por la costa Pacífico de Oaxaca. Me encanta haber podido colaborar en este podcast con Nick Bayly, Director de la Ecología de la Migración para la organización colombiana SELVA (https://www.selva.org.co/). Destacamos las investigaciones muy interesantes de su equipo internacional en la ecología de la migración, los sitios de parada y todos los misterios que permanecen sobre estos viajes increíbles, sobre todo al sur de la frontera de Estados Unidos.Te invito a escuchar el podcast de este mes y entrar en el mundo de un hemisferio de aves en movimiento!!!Como siempre, dependo de tu apoyo para seguir con este proyecto. Favor de compartir estos podcasts, dejarme un rating y (si puedes) unirme a mi comunidad de patrocinadores en Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/wildwithnature. Muchísimas gracias!!!Puedes encontrar la versión escrita con la historia aquí, con muchas fotos del campo: https://wildwithnature.com/2026/10/01/migracion-otonal-en-el-neotropico-oaxaca/.

As climate change makes life harsher, I’m thinking a lot about what I can do, together with my local plants and animals, to respond. Here, that looks like planting a lot of different things, annuals and especially perennials, edible leaves, tubers, and seeds. I hope that lots of different plants will mean more resilience. If a drought wipes out the corn, there's still a good chance that the papaya, nopales, and passionfruit will survive. Adapting to climate change looks like keeping the soil covered and protected, chopping down weeds as compost and mulch, sharing seeds and plants with family, friends, and neighbors. Even if our crops fail, hopefully someone else's will make it through. It looks like planting not just food but also habitat for the animals that have no escape from the wild weather. And sometimes, after pouring months of sweat and love and aspirations into this earth, I have no choice but to step away for a week and a half in a drought, and hope. The less help these plants need from me, the better-equipped we'll be for the unknown of the months ahead. I depend on the support of you, my listeners, to continue doing this work. Please share these podcasts, leave a rating, and, if you’re able, support me through Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/wildwithnature. Thank you!!!You can find the written, illustrated version of this story here: https://wildwithnature.com/2026/09/01/a-cup-of-water-in-the-drought/

Mientras el cambio climático hace la vida más dura, estoy pensando mucho en qué puedo hacer, junto con mis plantas y animales vecinos, para responder. Aquí, eso implica sembrar mucha variedad de plantas, anuales y especialmente perennes, plantas que nos dan hojas, tubérculos y semillas comestibles. Espero que tanta diversidad nos concederá más resistencia ante las condiciones tan impredecibles. Si la sequía marchita al maíz, por ejemplo, hay un buen chance de que la papaya, nopal y maracuyá todavía vayan a aguantar.Adaptarnos al cambio climático quiere decir mantener a la tierra cubierta y protegida, cortar maleza para composta y para cubrir el suelo, compartir semillas y plantas con nuestra familia, amigos y vecinos. Incluso si nuestros cultivos no se dan, a lo mejor los de otra persona en la comunidad sí. Estoy pensando no sólo en sembrar plantas para nuestra comida sino también para aportarles hábitat a los animales que no tienen escape del tiempo tan variable. Y a veces, después de darle meses de sudor y amor y aspiraciones a esta tierra, no tengo otra opción sino estar ausente por una semana y media en la sequía, y esperar. Por menos que ocupan estas plantas mi ayuda, más listas estarán para aguantar lo incierto de estos meses por delante.  Como siempre, dependo del apoyo de ustedes, mis oyentes, para seguir con este proyecto. Favor de compartir estos podcasts, dejarme un rating y (si puedes) hacerme una cooperación a través de Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/wildwithnature. Muchísimas gracias!!!Puedes encontrar la versión escrita con la historia aquí, con muchas fotos del campo: https://wildwithnature.com/2026/09/01/una-taza-de-agua-en-la-sequia/

I can hear another flock of lilac-crowned amazons approaching. I scan the southern sky and spot them, an irregular line of broad-winged specks, necks thrust forward, wings beating hard. There are 17 in this group.Below them, the landscape spreads out to the horizon: from the Pacific Ocean behind them, across the lush green coastal plain, to the blue foothills of the Sierra ahead. I don’t know where they’re going or what they see, how they’ll survive this year’s El Niño of drought and hurricanes. But I can imagine, and wonder. I can be inspired by Richard Louv to seek nature wherever I am, to cultivate my curiosity, to notice deeply and imagine otherworlds. *******This month’s podcast is about the power of noticing nature. We delve into the urban ecology of great-tailed grackles in my barrio in Oaxaca, Mexico; hear some excerpts narrated by internationally acclaimed nature author Richard Louv from his most recent book, Noticing: Intimate Encounters with the Natural World; and spend a morning away from the noise of town on the Oaxacan coastal plain, where a flight of endangered lilac-crowned amazons gives us a glimpse into their lives. I had a lot of fun crafting this collaboration with Richard Louv, who was kind enough to narrate several excerpts from Noticing for me. In my Spanish version of the podcast, I got to play around with voice-over as well, as I arranged my Spanish narration of his excerpts on top of his reading in English. Let me know what you think! I depend on the support of you, my listeners, to continue doing this work. Please share these podcasts, leave a rating, and, if you’re able, support me through Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/wildwithnature. Thank you!!!You can find the written, illustrated version of this story here: https://wildwithnature.com/2026/08/01/a-flight-of-amazons-noticing-nature-richard-louv/