Turning my universe right-side up.
Childhood dreams sometimes do come true.
Radio and PodcastLive Radio & PodcastsScience & Medicine
Laura Erickson's For the Birds
"For the Birds" began airing on KUMD in Duluth, MN, in May, 1986, and is the longest continually-running radio program about birds in the U.S. Hundreds more episodes are available for free a...
Episodes
20 of 285 episodesPiping Plovers nesting at Wisconsin Point!
This summer, for the first time in almost half a century, a pair of Piping Plovers nested along Wisconsin Point in Superior. This was both p...
Botflies
True botflies don't bother birds in Canada or the northern states, but that doesn't mean Laura hasn't been thinking about them lately.
Blowflies and other external parasites
Why should you clean out your bird house after the baby birds leave?
Savoring and Wondering
Taking time to savor a wild creature can be very rewarding.
Neighborly Exchanges
My daughter lives next door to one of my good birding friends, so we let each other know about good birds.
Feeding peanuts and corn safely.
A great many birds love peanuts and corn, but there are several very important caveats about offering it to them.
When does autumn begin?
There are many different ways to pinpoint the end of summer and the start of autumn.
Forget Forgetfulness, Part 2: Blue Jays Just Wanna Have Fun
Squirrels hoard food supplies. Blue Jays hoard food AND toys.
Forget Forgetfulness, Part 1--Symbiosis between Blue Jays and oaks.
Laura talks about the relationship between Blue Jays and oaks
Peabody Street Happenings
Lots of comings and goings on Peabody Street.
Hope for the Future
Hunter Biden’s splendid blog is filled with hope, redemption, and even some birds. (NON-political.)
Bird Life on Islands
Why do oceanic islands have so many species we don't see anywhere else? And why does the geologic history of an island make a difference in...
A future trip jogs memories of a past trip
Laura and Russ are headed to the Galápagos Islands next year. The tour leader, Alvaro Jamarillo, is someone Laura met almost 20 years ago on...
Monarchs as Bird Food
Monarch caterpillars and butterflies are supposed to be toxic, but birds haven't always gotten that memo. (The blog post accompanying this p...
Air Quality, Part 2
Even as Laura is as furious as she is terrified of the horrible conditions in Duluth right now, she's finding beauty.
Air quality, Part 1
This past week, the Air Quality Index in Duluth reached at least 1134 even as the temperature on Laura's front porch exceeded 100ºF. This si...
Canada Jay: What's in a Name?
Laura talks about an exceptionally friendly bird and why it's hard for her to remember its name.
Blue Jays: Family Ties, Part 2
The summer of 1991, Laura and her children raised four baby Blue Jays, embedding the little things deeply in Laura's heart.
To Sin by Silence
On our nation's birthday, Laura is thinking about our right to free speech and our obligation to exercise it.