What's Happening in Your Habitat

Spring is finally making itself known, and that means our backyard habitats are changing fast. In this episode of The Backyard Naturalists, Debbie and Laurie talk about what listeners may be seeing, hearing, and experiencing in their own outdoor spaces — from nesting bluebirds, Carolina wrens, catbirds, frogs, butterflies, lizards, bats, possums, raccoons, snakes, deer, and even coyotes. Whether your habitat is an apartment balcony, suburban yard, garden, greenway, or several acres of land, this episode is a reminder that every space can support wildlife in meaningful ways. The conversation also turns practical, with timely spring habitat maintenance tips for nature lovers, birders, and backyard gardeners. Debbie and Laurie discuss when to cut back old plant stems, how to create brush piles and natural shelter, why nest box placement and monitoring matter, and how to keep birdbaths clean, shallow, and filled during dry weather. They also cover wildlife-friendly food sources, live mealworms for baby birds, no-melt suet, mosquito control without harmful sprays, and why avoiding chemical fertilizers and weed killers can make your yard healthier for pollinators, birds, and the entire backyard food chain. This episode is full of seasonal reminders to slow down, look closely, and enjoy the wildlife already happening right outside your door.