Advertise on podcast: WXPR Field Notes sponsors by WXPR Public Radio

Podcast episodes

Check latest episodes from WXPR Field Notes podcast

Field Notes: Ten Birds that Changed the World

2026/01/13

Stephen Moss’ book, “Ten Birds That Changed the World” is a fascinating exploration of ten bird species with remarkable natural histories and often, disastrous interactions with humans.

Field Notes: Modern maple sap collection

2025/12/09

Every spring, Kemp Station taps maple trees and produces a few gallons of maple syrup. In March 2026, we are planning a public demonstration project—moving beyond the simple sap buckets and sap bags—to a modern tubing system for gravity-flow sap collection.

Field Notes: Rings of Time

2025/11/11

Many people are aware that trees can be dated by counting the layers of tree rings in a cross section. But, less folks know that fish, snails, mussels, and the teeth of many local mammal species build seasonal growth rings that are used to age individuals.

Field Notes: Horseshoe crabs and health care

2025/10/07

Horseshoe crabs are one of the strangest critters ever; they are ancient animals who have been on earth for 450 million years and have scarcely changed in all that time.

Field Notes: Ruffed Grouse in the Northwoods

2025/09/09

In this month's installment of Field Notes, Scott Bowe of Kemp Station discusses Ruffed Grouse – a hallmark species in the Northwoods.

Field Notes: The Fruits of Summer

2025/07/08

One of the many wonderful things about summer is the arrival of fresh and tasty local fruits.

Field Notes: Mosquitoes in the Northwoods

2025/06/10

In this month's installment of Field Notes, Scott Bowe of Kemp Station discusses mosquitoes – a favorite insect of the Northwoods.

Canadian Nightcrawlers: More Than Just Bait

2025/05/13

While they’re famous among anglers, few people realize that Canadian Nightcrawlers—Lumbricus terrestris—have a fascinating biological story all their own, one that stretches across continents and ecosystems.

Field Notes: Nitrogen Fixation and Bombs

2025/04/08

Though it may be a nuisance in some situations, tag alder has a magic trick – it can fix nitrogen.

Field Notes: Frost and Roads

2025/03/11

In this month's installment of Field Notes, Scott Bowe of Kemp Station discusses frost and roads – all part of managing our sustainable natural resources.

Field Notes: Calling a fish a ‘fish’

2025/02/18

‘Fish’ is one of those words, useful in the image it evokes but less reliable as a lineage, clearly defined.

Field Notes: Otters

2025/01/14

Otters are mustelids and related to other Northwoods mammals including mink and weasels. They were common throughout North America until Europeans overharvested the animals for their warm, dense and beautiful coats.

Field Notes: The Fish of Vilas County

2024/12/10

In this episode of Field Notes, Lonnie Parry Gillis takes us on an exploration of the fish of Vilas County, Wisconsin—an area blessed with an astounding 1,300 plus lakes.

Field Notes: Producers and Consumers

2024/11/12

In this month's installment of Field Notes, Scott Bowe of Kemp Station discusses producers (plants) and consumers (fungi) in the forest world around us.

Field Notes: Bountiful Blooms in our Water Bodies

2024/10/11

Seasonal blooms are common and often monitored in warm and high nutrient lakes throughout southern Wisconsin, but are less commonly reported in lakes up north. This makes it challenging to track and manage across the 1,000s of regional lakes.