Encounters Podcast

Salmon: The Miracle

lisabusch@gci.net (Richard Nelson) — Thu, 03 Jan 2013 18:15:27 +0000

Celebrate Alaska’s wild salmon with a rare Encounters program—host Richard Nelson indoors! “Salmon: The Miracle” is a live recording of Richard’s Sitka WhaleFest talk given to a standing-room-only crowd in November.

Harbor Seal

lisabusch@gci.net (Richard Nelson) — Fri, 09 Nov 2012 13:33:27 +0000

Keep company with Richard Nelson and a crowd of basking harbor seals on a tiny bedrock islet off the Alaska coast. These remarkable animals are like emissaries from the ocean world—graceful, alluring, and brilliantly adapted to life underwater. This program is funded by the North Pacific Research Board.

Sea Otter

lisabusch@gci.net (Richard Nelson) — Fri, 19 Oct 2012 07:20:27 +0000

Who’s the cutest marine mammal? Hands down, it’s the sea otter! Join host Richard Nelson off the outer coast of Alaska as he drifts with a flotilla of sea otters. This program is funded by the North Pacific Research Board.

Seabirds

lisabusch@gci.net (Richard Nelson) — Sat, 13 Oct 2012 10:20:27 +0000

Spend some quality time with a staggering number of seabirds and one Richard Nelson on St. Lazaria Island, off the coast of Southeast Alaska. Part of the Alaska Maritime Wildlife Refuge, St. Lazaria Island is the nesting place for more than half a million seabirds! This program is funded by the North Pacific Research Board.

Salmon Subsistence

lisabusch@gci.net (Richard Nelson) — Thu, 13 Sep 2012 11:30:27 +0000

Land the big one—a bright red sockeye salmon—with host Richard Nelson as he practices subsistence fishing on a salmon stream in Southeast Alaska. The definitive example of a truly renewable resource, sockeye salmon spend part of their lives in freshwater lakes and part in the ocean. Learn about their miraculous life cycle, their importance for subsistence life ways in villages and towns all over Alaska, and how maintaining healthy salmon habitats across their range and the careful management of harvests will keep this vitally important resource available for future generations.This program is funded by the Alaska Sustainable Salmon Fund.

Old River

lisabusch@gci.net (Richard Nelson) — Thu, 13 Sep 2012 11:05:27 +0000

If you crave wildness on a massive scale, come for a journey along the Utukok River, in the far northwest corner of arctic Alaska. On a ridge overlooking the sprawls of green summer tundra, host Richard Nelson stumbles across a cache of stone artifacts, connecting this seemingly empty land with an ancient human story. This is not just a wild land; it is also a homeland for the Inupiaq people who still hunt, travel, and sustain their cultural lives here. These silent stone tools bring back Richard’s own memories of living in a nearby Inupiaq village and hearing stories that connect him to this place.

Surrounded by Caribou

lisabusch@gci.net (Richard Nelson) — Fri, 20 Jul 2012 15:50:27 +0000

Crouch in a narrow ravine in Northwestern Alaska with host Richard Nelson, surrounded by a great rushing river of tens of thousands of caribou. Brilliantly designed for their northern world, caribou have dense warm fur, phenomenal endurance, a genius for navigation, ability to find food in a frugal environment, and a constant yearning for travel—sometimes in spectacular groups of 50,000 or more.

Pennyroyal Dawn

lisabusch@gci.net (Richard Nelson) — Fri, 13 Jul 2012 16:50:27 +0000

Come along with Richard Nelson for a dawn walk on an Australian ranch where both cattle and wildlife abound. We’ll spot a sugar glider returning from a night in the treetops, hear the sunrise chorus of kookaburras, magpies, butcherbirds, and spectacular parrots, feed the “chooks” (as chickens are known in Australia), and meet two beautiful Australian herding dogs. Along the way, we’ll learn about cattle and land Down Under.

Cow

lisabusch@gci.net (Richard Nelson) — Mon, 25 Jun 2012 15:34:27 +0000

Most of us rarely give a thought to these fascinating creatures, but from a practical standpoint they're the most important animals in our lives. Even if we swear off meat and dairy, products from cows are everywhere around us and they're a major factor in our personal ecology. Put on your boots and head for the pasture with host Richard Nelson for a "face-to-face" meeting with your "inner cow".

Salmon in Indian River

lisabusch@gci.net (Richard Nelson) — Tue, 08 May 2012 07:26:27 +0000

Join Richard Nelson as he paddles his kayak at the mouth of Indian River which runs through Sitka, Alaska. Learn about the amazing life cycle of the salmon as you watch the fish jump and skip on the water as they prepare to swim up river to spawn. This program is funded by the Alaska Sustainable Salmon Fund.

Steller's Curse

lisabusch@gci.net (Richard Nelson) — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 15:26:27 +0000

The reknowned naturalist Georg Steller had a rocky road to fame. He was an amazing naturalist for his time, describing many plants and animals on the famous 1733 Vitus Bering voyage from Russia to Alaska. When he arrived in Alaska, after a 10 year journey he was allowed only 10 hours to go ashore. And many of the animals that Steller described(that were later named for him) are now either threatened, endangered or extinct. He was cursed. Go with Elizabeth Arnold over to Russia during her own cursed voyage on this history of science episode of Encounters.

Brown Bears and Wildness

lisabusch@gci.net (Richard Nelson) — Sat, 23 Jul 2011 15:26:27 +0000

Get a close listen to some of the biggest grizzly bears on earth in Katmai National Park where you get a feel for the importance of wildness.

Herring Fishery

lisabusch@gci.net (Richard Nelson) — Sat, 23 Jul 2011 14:26:27 +0000

he world's biggest herring fishery takes place in Sitka, Alaska. It's a sign of Spring when the million dollar fishery takes off in Sitka Sound.

Herring Rake

lisabusch@gci.net (Richard Nelson) — Sat, 23 Jul 2011 13:26:27 +0000

Richard Nelson drifts in his skiff above a cloud of herring in the Southeast Alaska Spring. He uses a fishing tool that is called a herring rake to harvest these fish. The rake has a wonderful history wrapped in Native American knowledge.

Wild Sounds

lisabusch@gci.net (Richard Nelson) — Sat, 23 Jul 2011 12:26:27 +0000

The silence of solitude in the natural world, is often far from quiet. Being outdoors often means one is lucky enough to hear the sounds of the wild. Yet many natural sounds may soon be extinct. Richard Nelson shares his appreciation of wild sounds.

Black Bear Science

lisabusch@gci.net (Richard Nelson) — Sat, 23 Jul 2011 11:25:27 +0000

Sit on a clear blue river in autumn as the coho salmon swim up followed by black bear in Glacier Bay National Park.

Black Bear Spirit

lisabusch@gci.net (Richard Nelson) — Sat, 23 Jul 2011 10:24:27 +0000

Learn about the life history of the Black Bear from the Native American tradition, knowledge that has been passed along from generation to generation as we watch black bears in Glacier Bay National Park.

Bison

lisabusch@gci.net (Richard Nelson) — Sat, 23 Jul 2011 09:23:27 +0000

It moans like a cow, but you can't mistake the bison for its more domesticated cousin. Head to Delta Junction, Alaska as host Richard Nelson sits among a heard of 200 bison.

Beaver

lisabusch@gci.net (Richard Nelson) — Sat, 23 Jul 2011 08:23:27 +0000

Often called nature's engineers or nature's hydrologist, the beaver is a rodent that has figured out how to manipulate its environment sometimes to the chagrin of human beings.

Mountain Sheep

lisabusch@gci.net (Richard Nelson) — Thur, 05 May 2011 07:24:27 +0000

Most people only hope to see Dall sheep as a tiny dot in binoculars, but on this blustery day above the Alaska Highway, Richard Nelson heads up some very steep rugged mountains to get incredibly close to these charismatic animals.

River Trip

lisabusch@gci.net (Richard Nelson) — Thur, 05 May 2011 09:14:27 +0000

Camping in the far north brings many sounds of the northern wild. Join host Richard Nelson as he floats down the Bonnet Plume River in the Yukon Territory of Canada.

Urban Wildlife

lisabusch@gci.net (Richard Nelson) — Sun, 01 May 2011 09:14:27 +0000

Many Alaskans live in Alaska because they love to see wildlife, but just how close to they like their wildlife. On this Encounters, head out with Elizabeth Arnold and local fish and wildlife officers to see just what kind of issues abound in the biggest city in Alaska.

Volcano

lisabusch@gci.net (Richard Nelson) — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 23:14:27 +0000

hile she can't see Russia from her house, Elizabeth Arnold heads to one of the wildest Russian geographies in the country to get sprayed and hopefully not boiled in the Valley of the Geyers, a protected area on the Kamchatka Pennisula.

Urban Birdwatching

lisabusch@gci.net (Richard Nelson) — Fri, 08 Apr 2011 23:16:27 +0000

The City parks in Anchorage have some of the most unusual wildlife in the nation. Far from urban jungles, these parks offer wonderful opportunities for birdwatching and even some charasmatic megafauna watching!

Tide

lisabusch@gci.net (Richard Nelson) — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 13:16:27 +0000

The tide waits for no man.... including Encounters host Richard Nelson who gets himself into quite a dramatic spot to have a close encounter with the tide.

Wind

lisabusch@gci.net (Richard Nelson) — Fri, 24 Dec 2010 23:16:27 +0000

Go high into the air with host Richard Nelson has he records WIND during a dramatic winter storm while he is clinging to a branch of a tree 60 feet off the ground.

Caribou Calving

lisabusch@gci.net (Richard Nelson) — Fri, 24 Dec 2010 23:15:27 +0000

One of the all time classic Encounters episodes. Richard Nelson sits among the Porcupine caribou herd during the calving season in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

Polar Bear Natural History

lisabusch@gci.net (Richard Nelson) — Fri, 24 Dec 2010 23:14:27 +0000

Join reporter Jeb Sharp as she heads to Newfoundland to look for a fish that once piled into fishermen's dorries. A fascinating fish with a rich history, cod are now showing up in some unexpected places.

Moose

lisabusch@gci.net (Richard Nelson) — Fri, 24 Dec 2010 23:13:27 +0000

Richard Nelson watches a grizzly bear that may be watching him while he watches a great big bull moose in the Denali National Park.

Loon

lisabusch@gci.net (Richard Nelson) — Fri, 24 Dec 2010 23:12:27 +0000

This program finds host Richard Nelson paddling in a lake above the Arctic Circle in the Brooks range in late summer while he listens to what the Alaska Natives say is the greatest sound a human can hear - The Loon.

Deer and People

lisabusch@gci.net (Richard Nelson) — Fri, 24 Dec 2010 23:11:27 +0000

Join Richard Nelson on the outer coast of Southeast Alaska as he guides us through one of the most interesting human wildlife relationships in the United States - deer and people.

Deer and Natural History

lisabusch@gci.net (Richard Nelson) — Fri, 24 Dec 2010 23:10:27 +0000

Richard Nelson appreciates the elegance and grace of the Sitka Blacktail deer as he tells us about the natural history of this important animal that defines wildness in the Tongass National Forest.

Aleutian Goose

lisabusch@gci.net (Richard Nelson) — Wed, 15 Dec 2010 23:10:27 +0000

For nearly 30 years the Aleutian Cackling Goose, disappeared. It was thought to be extinct in Russia and in Alaska. But in large part due to the efforts of two men, on opposite sides of the Bering Sea, the goose is back.

Thanksgiving

lisabusch@gci.net (Richard Nelson) — Thu, 25 Nov 2010 23:10:27 +0000

Cod

lisabusch@gci.net (Richard Nelson) — Wed, 17 Nov 2010 23:10:27 +0000

Gray Whale

lisabusch@gci.net (Richard Nelson) — Mon, 11 Oct 2010 23:10:27 +0000

Gray Whales frequent the shores of Southeast Alaska as they do all up and down the west coast. Find out why they are sometimes called the farmers of the sea and how mother gray whales defend their young against killer whales.

Seagulls

lisabusch@gci.net (Richard Nelson) — Mon, 20 Sep 2010 23:10:27 +0000

Hold your nose to avoid the smell as you stroll next to a river in Southeast Alaska when the salmon have spawned and the seagulls begin their feast. Find out what makes ordinary seagulls extraordinary birds.

Octopus

lisabusch@gci.net (Richard Nelson) — Mon, 13 Sep 2010 23:10:27 +0000

Head on down to the octopus garden with Elizabeth Arnold and one of Alaska's most enthusiastic octopus scientists. Dutch Harbor is well known for its fishing but it turns out it may also have a plethora of octopi

Albatross

lisabusch@gci.net (Richard Nelson) — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 23:10:27 +0000

The albatross is a pretty special bird. Weighing 20 pounds and evolving some of the most efficient flight systems in the bird world, it travels great distances and lives most of its life far away from land. Richard Nelson hitches a ride with an Alaskan longline fishing boat to catch a glimpse and hang out with some of these spectacular beings of flight.

Bird Migration

lisabusch@gci.net (Richard Nelson) — Mon, 19 Jun 2010 23:10:27 +0000

Boreal Forest

lisabusch@gci.net (Richard Nelson) — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 23:10:27 +0000

Aurora

lisabusch@gci.net (Richard Nelson) — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 23:10:27 +0000

Bald Eagle

lisabusch@gci.net (Richard Nelson) — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 23:10:27 +0000

Russian Polar Bears

lisabusch@gci.net (Richard Nelson) — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 23:10:27 +0000

Russian Eskimo people reach across the Bering Sea for an important cultural exchange in Alaska. Elizabeth Arnold reports on shared issues of polar bears in villages and on how Russian Native people are taking actio to prevent walrus stampedes.

Gray Jay

lisabusch@gci.net (Richard Nelson) — Mon, 17 May 2010 23:10:27 +0000

The jays are some of the most intelligent beings in the animal world. They are clever and ubiquitous. Listen to why the Koyukon people advise us to remember that these birds know more than we do.

Solitude

lisabusch@gci.net (Richard Nelson) — Mon, 17 May 2010 23:05:27 +0000

Alone at last! Go to a wilderness area with Lisa Busch in search of a moment alone... the kind that Congress had in mind back in 1964 when they passed the Wilderness Act.

Thrush

lisabusch@gci.net (Richard Nelson) — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 23:05:27 +0000

The voice of the Swanson's Thrush is considered by many to have the most beautiful song of any bird in North America. But there are 75 species of thrushes and many compete for that title. Join Richard Nelson as he listens to thrushes and tells us all we ever wanted to know about these lovely birds.

Sandhill Crane

lisabusch@gci.net (Richard Nelson) — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 23:05:27 +0000

The voice of the Sandhill Crane epitomizes everything that Alaska is about. Hear this the one of a kind sound in Delta Junction at a fabulously close range.

Tasmanian Devil

lisabusch@gci.net (Richard Nelson) — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 23:05:27 +0000

The Tasmanian Devil is one of the world's most famous wild animals, but hardly anyone would recognize one in the wild. Join host Richard Nelson in Tasmania as you catch a rare glimpse in the wild of these special creatures.

Thylacine

lisabusch@gci.net (Richard Nelson) — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 23:04:27 +0000

Some people will tell you that the Tasmanian Tiger is long extinct, but others will assure you that it still lurks like a shadow or a dream on the wild island of Tasmania. One of the world's most strange and elusive animals on this episode of Encounters.

Australian Dawn

lisabusch@gci.net (Richard Nelson) — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 23:04:27 +0000

Get up close to a bunch of polar bears as they feed on the remains of a bowhead whale. Listen to what makes these marine mammals such great hunters and why they are so revered by the indigenous cultures of the north.

Cane Toad

lisabusch@gci.net (Richard Nelson) — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 22:04:27 +0000

On this Encounters DownUnder segmentRichard Nelson heads out on a hot Australian night in Darwin to look for one of the worst invasive species Australia has ever seen - the Cane Toad.

Wolverine

lisabusch@gci.net (Richard Nelson) — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 21:04:27 +0000

Richard Nelson guides us through a lovely valley in the Brooks Range mountains as we track one of the most mysterious and difficult animals to find - the Alaska wolverine.

Pika

lisabusch@gci.net (Richard Nelson) — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 21:04:27 +0000

Go on a search for a fascinating animal called a Pika. Listen to the chirping voices of the collared Pika in the steep mountains of the Alaska Range. This hobbit of a creature looks something like a guinea pig with bright black eyes but sounds like a bird.

Muskox

lisabusch@gci.net (Richard Nelson) — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 21:04:27 +0000

Most Alaska sounds have been fairly well documented. We know what bears sound like, humpback whales, even eagles. But what is the sound of a muskox? In this episode of Encounters you will hear the ROAR of the Muskox.

Venison

lisabusch@gci.net (Richard Nelson) — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 21:04:27 +0000

Look of the shoulder of host Richard Nelson as he butchers a freshly killed deer. He tells stories of his learning to hunt from his Inupiaq teachers and we learn how knowing more about the food we eat can make us feel closer to the environment.

Erosion

lisabusch@gci.net (Richard Nelson) — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 21:04:27 +0000

Travel to the front lines of global warming with host Elizabeth Arnold as she heads out to Kivalina a small island in the Bering Sea that is washing away.

Rain

lisabusch@gci.net (Richard Nelson) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 21:04:27 +0000

What to do on a rainy day? - how about listening to the rain on a tent or taking a walk in the rain to learn about its important connection to the earth.

Peregrine

lisabusch@gci.net (Richard Nelson) — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 21:04:27 +0000

Peregrine falcons are the fastest animals in the world. Watch and listen to these amazing predatory birds whom are back from the edge of extinction!

Humpback Whale

lisabusch@gci.net (Richard Nelson) — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 21:04:27 +0000

The underwater song of the humpback whale is one of the most unusual sounds there is. Get your adrenaline pumping as host Richard Nelson goes along with researcher Jan Straley to observe a group of humpback whales bubblenet feeding.

Trumpeter Swan

lisabusch@gci.net (Richard Nelson) — Mon, 27 Sep 2009 21:04:27 +0000

The honk of the trumpeter swan reminds us that summer is officially over and birds are flying south.

Wolf

lisabusch@gci.net (Richard Nelson) — Mon, 20 Sep 2009 21:04:27 +0000

Listen to the quintessential Cry of the Wild on this episode of Encounters. Watch a small group of wolves play and pounce as you listen to Richard Nelson tell you about this animal that has come to represent all that is wild.

Sealion

lisabusch@gci.net (Richard Nelson) — Mon, 13 Sep 2009 21:04:27 +0000

Go for a paddle with a pod of sealions and get close enough to smell their fishy breath on this episode of Encounters.

Elk

lisabusch@gci.net (Richard Nelson) — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 21:04:27 +0000

Head up to autumn in the Yukon in Canada this week to hear the annual Elk rut. Find out what makes Elk the icon of hunters and nature lovers all around the country and get a first hand listen to their amazing bugle call.

Salmon

lisabusch@gci.net (Richard Nelson) — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 21:04:27 +0000

Instead of heading uptown, head upstream this week with Richard Nelson as he gets into a salmon stream to experience the amazing annual life cycle event of wild Alaskan salmon.

Eider and Walrus

lisabusch@gci.net (Richard Nelson) — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 21:04:27 +0000

Get relief from the summer heat and jump aboard a U.S. Coast Guard ice breaker with host Elizabeth Arnold. Experience life on board a 400 foot floating laboratory as an array of scientists study eiders(ducks) and walrus.

Wilderness

lisabusch@gci.net (Richard Nelson) — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 21:04:27 +0000

On a sandy beach on an island off the Alaskan coast host Richard Nelson makes a camp fire and discusses what is special about wild places and how wild places can humble us and remind us what is important about the world around us.

Bear Safety

lisabusch@gci.net (Richard Nelson) — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 21:04:27 +0000

Grizzly country can quicken the pulse of anyone who enters it. In this episode, Richard Nelson keeps a sharp on a gathering of grizzlies - or coastal brown bears -in the Katmai country of Alaska. These are some of the biggest bears on earth and nowhere are they more abundant than in the sumer meadows of Katmai. Learn about portable electric fences, cooking away from camp and other tricks to stay safe around one of the most feared and esteemed animals in the Alaskan wilderness.

Mountain Goat

lisabusch@gci.net (Richard Nelson) — Mon, 13 jul 2009 21:04:27 +0000

This Encounters segment takes listeners to new heights as we perch on the sheer face of an Alaskan mountain to observe a herd of mountain goats. Richard Nelson explains how these thiicly furred, pur white animals elude predators by scrambling around on rugged, rocky ledges high above the waters of Glacier Bay.

Wood Frogs

lisabusch@gci.net (Richard Nelson) — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 21:04:27 +0000

Listen to the sounds of early summer where wood frogs croak in the Alaskan North Country. Their croak mark the beginning of summer, but what makes them truly amazing happens in the winter. These amphibians can freeze their entire body – including their heart and their lungs. How do they do it.? Join Richard Nelson on a trip up North to get a closer listen to these remarkable beings.

Mosquito

lisabusch@gci.net (Richard Nelson) — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 21:04:27 +0000

Listen to the mantra of pure misery, the theme song of exasperation as Richard Nelson lands in the Gates of the Arctic National Park to do a story on what some call the Alaska State bird: the mosquito. Learn how Koyukon Indian people have managed to survive among these creatures and what they eat when there is no human flesh.

Chilkoot Bear

lisabusch@gci.net (Richard Nelson) — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 21:04:27 +0000

Many people have mixed emotions about black bears - we fear them but they fascinate us. On this episode of Encounters, Richard Nelson meanders a salmon spawning river in Alaska to experience mostly fascination of these special creatures.

Killer Whale

lisabusch@gci.net (Richard Nelson) — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 21:04:27 +0000

Travel to Southeast Alaska for the exciting and unusual adventure of being up close to a pod of killer whales. Leave your field glasses at home, but bring your ears to hear for yourself what makes these marine mammals so fascinating.

Ice Algae

lisabusch@gci.net (Richard Nelson) — Mon, 18 May 2009 21:04:27 +0000

Hear the ice smash to the sides of the U.S. Icebreaker The Healy as host Elizabeth Arnold gets a front row seat to Arctic science in the Bering Sea. Paying attention to what is happening with the small plant life that live below the ice could tell us a great deal about how climate change will impact the rest of the Bering Sea and the rich fisheries that depend on life there.

Hummingbird

lisabusch@gci.net (Richard Nelson) — Mon, 18 May 2009 21:04:27 +0000

Listen to the buzz and whirl of one of the most amazing little packages in nature - the hummingbird. Richard Nelson captures these little hummers in some great acrobatics as he watches them during a stop over in Southeast Alaska.

Shorebirds

lisabusch@gci.net (Richard Nelson) — Mon, 11 May 2009 21:04:27 +0000

Duck for cover as you witness the incredible migration of hundreds of thousands of shorebirds heading north to their breeding grounds. Richard Nelson goes to the Copper River Delta to witness one of the most spectacular bird migrations in North America. See you there!.

Porcupine

lisabusch@gci.net (Richard Nelson) — Sat, 02 May 2009 21:04:27 +0000

Find out why porcupine love is a little prickly when you go for a walk in the woods with Encounters host Richard Nelson and a porcupine.

Harp Seals

lisabusch@gci.net (Richard Nelson) — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 21:04:27 +0000

Award winning reporter Jeb Sharp is in eastern Quebec during the pupping season of the Harp Seals. Made famous by the hunt for their pelts that became the emblem of environmental conflict, scientists are now concerned how these critters will fare when there is less sea ice!

Glacier

lisabusch@gci.net (Richard Nelson) — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 21:04:27 +0000

Hear glaciers calve right before your very ears as Richard Nelson paddles unsettlingly close to one of mother nature's most thrilling actions in Glacier Bay National Park See you there!

Patch Dynamics

lisabusch@gci.net (Richard Nelson) — Sun, 12 Apr 2009 21:04:27 +0000

Head up to the Pribilof Islands and out in the Bering Sea with this week's host Elizabeth Arnold as she reports on a new way of looking at one of the world's richest areas for sea life. Climb up steep cliffs to watch arctic fox and sea birds and head down to the beaches to hear sea lions as she talks with scientists about a comprehensive scientific approach called patch dynamics that aims to help us understand how changing climate might impact this special place. See you there!

Dipper

lisabusch@gci.net (Richard Nelson) — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 21:04:27 +0000

Though the ground is still covered with snow it is Spring in the North Country. Host Richard Nelson watches a tiny Dipper as it makes its way around a stream that is cold with the melting snow. See you there!

Shearwater

lisabusch@gci.net (Richard Nelson) — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 21:04:27 +0000

The sky blackens with short tail shearwaters as Richard Nelson sits off the coast of a Tasmanian island to watch in amazement at the homecoming journey that these amazing birds make half way around the world each year. It is a journey that connects Australia with the Northland. See you there!

Lyrebird

lisabusch@gci.net (Richard Nelson) — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 21:04:27 +0000

Believed to have one of the most beautiful songs in the animal kingdom, the Lyrebird takes flight on this episode of Encounters. See you there!

Wombat

lisabusch@gci.net (Richard Nelson) — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 21:04:27 +0000

Head out to the rugged island of Tasmania to a grassy meadow on a sunny day to observe one of the areas's most famous creatures - the wombat. Find out about this unusual marsupial's love ritual and watch these quiet creatures graze. See you there!

Parrot

lisabusch@gci.net (Richard Nelson) — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 21:04:27 +0000

Encounters heads out to see and hear parrots in the wilds of Australia.Watch them fly and hear them sing. See you there!

Kangaroo

lisabusch@gci.net (Richard Nelson) — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 21:04:27 +0000

Encounters takes you DownUnder this week up close to the iconoclastic Australian animal- the amazing kangaroo See you there!

Kookaburra

lisabusch@gci.net (Richard Nelson) — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 21:04:27 +0000

Thanks to the movies almost everybody has heard the amazing voices of the Kookaburra, the Australian magpie. Listen to the conductors of the dawn opera in the Australian Outback on this episode of Encounters DownUnder. See you there!

Fur Seals

lisabusch@gci.net (Richard Nelson) — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 21:04:27 +0000

Elizabeth Arnold heads to a remote island in the Bering Sea to up close and personal with some ferocious sounding and looking beach loungers - the northern fur seals. Be careful not to get too close on this episode of Encounters! !

Platypus

lisabusch@gci.net (Richard Nelson) — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 21:04:27 +0000

Richard Nelson continues the Encounters DownUnder Series with the most unlikely of creatures the platypus - an egg laying mammal, with poisionous spurs on its legs that can sense electrical impulses with its leathery beak. See you there, mates!

Goanna

lisabusch@gci.net (Richard Nelson) — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 21:04:27 +0000

Heat up with Richard Nelson as he heads to Australia to begin his Encounters Down Under Series. In this episode you'll want to bear your snake gators as you will be following around one of the world's largest lizards in poisoinous snake country. G'day and See ya there!

Raven and Science

lisabusch@gci.net (Richard Nelson) — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 21:04:27 +0000

Why the expression "bird brains" when ravens are some of the most clever thinkers around?Listen to why many indigenous cultures believe the raven to posess magical qualities and why scientists are intrigued with raven brains.

Caves

lisabusch@gci.net (Richard Nelson) — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 21:04:27 +0000

Head under ground with producer Ed Schoefeld as we go into some of North America's deepest caves. Find out why indigenous people and geologists are so excited about these under ground caverns.

Muskox

lisabusch@gci.net (Richard Nelson) — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 21:04:27 +0000

Find out about one of North Amerca's oldest inhabitants - The Muskox. Sit on a grassy vista with host Richard Nelson as you hear about how these animals manage to survive in extreme cold and how they protect each other from predators.

Polar Bears and Climate Change

lisabusch@gci.net (Richard Nelson) — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 01:18:30 +0000

This week on Encounters join host Richard Nelson as he revisits polar bears. This time he explores how the changing global climate is quickly changing the world of polar bears. See you there!

Frontierism

lisabusch@gci.net (Richard Nelson) — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 01:13:37 +0000

This week on Encounters head up North to Cold Foot, Alaska, a community of 10 people just inside the Arctic Circle. Producer Lisa Busch explores what it means to live on the frontier in the Last Frontier. She visits a family living on the edge of civilization and wilderness and discovers that the frontier may be a state of mind as well as a geographic location. See you there!

Cold

lisabusch@gci.net (Richard Nelson) — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 23:54:15 +0000

Go on a winter walk with host Richard Nelson as he describes what it takes to survive and thrive in some of the world's lowest temperatures. Learn how the challenge of the cold can be exhilirating and how indigenous people of the North have adapted to freezing temperatures.

Place

lisabusch@gci.net (Richard Nelson) — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 01:02:39 +0000

Follow in the footsteps of a grizzly bear journeying into the heart of a beautiful wild island. Host Richard Nelson explores the rewards of commitment to a home place in Alaska drawing wisdom and guidance from Alaska Native traditions, and savoring the greatest of Alaska's riches the vast and unencumbered land. See you there!

Hunting

lisabusch@gci.net (Richard Nelson) — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 00:00:00 +0000

Go hunting for Sitka Black Tail deer with host Richard Nelson who has lived among some of the most impressive indigenous hunting communities in the Arctic.

Night Sky

lisabusch@gci.net (Richard Nelson) — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 00:00:00 +0000

Head out on a midnight kayak paddle to go star gazing with host Richard Nelson as he explores the biggest, most humbling natural feature that we all share -- The NIGHT SKY. See you there!

Tongass Bears and Salmon

lisabusch@gci.net (Richard Nelson) — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 00:00:00 +0000

Take a walk along a salmon stream while some grizzly bears feed on wild Alaska salmon. Host Richard Nelson explores the complex relationship between the ancient Tongass forest, the amazing salmon that swim in the forest streams and the grizzly bears that live there.