Two important interviews about art, widlife and books are on-line NOW at
www.wicn.org

1. In 1992 a tiny and virtually unheard of publishing firm began on of the
most ambitious projects in natural history: to publish a series of 16 high
quality volumes that would illustrate and describe in detail every bird on
the face of the planet! Nothing on this international scope had ever been
attempted before. Today, the end of the landmark series THE HANDBOOK OF THE
BIRDS OF THE WORLD is in sight, and Lynx Edicions is launching another
equally ambitious and mind-blowing project: THE HANDBOOK OF THE MAMMALS OF
THE WORLD. Tonight on Inquiry we talk with JOSEP DEL HOYO, Series Editor of
the Handbooks, co-founder of Lynx Edicions and member of the Global Council
of Birdlife International. Josep discusses how Lynx became such a force in
conservation and environmental education around the world and what it takes
to produce a truly state of the art natural history book. To visit Lynx, go
to: http://www.hbw.com/

To access this interview, go to:
http://www.wicn.org/audio/inquiry-josep-del-hoyo

2. Inquiry welcomes back internationally recognized artist and watercolorist
BARRY VAN DUSEN. Barry has just returned from an exciting, eye-opening and
productive trip painting the birds, flowers and landscapes of Israel's rich
Hula Valley as part of an Artists For Nature Foundation project. Tune in and
learn about what migration is like in the Middle East, the unique ecology of
Isreal and how nature and politics co-exist there. To see some of Barry's
work go to:
http://www.barryvandusen.com/

To access this interview, go to:
http://wicn.org/audio/inquiry-barry-van-dusen-israel

On-line now on WICN (90.5FM):

Inquiry welcomes back DONALD KROODSMA, who has been called "the reigning
authority on the biology of avian vocal behavior." Tonight Don talks about
just a few of the discoveries found in his latest book BIRDSONG BY THE
SEASONS: A YEAR OF LISTENING TO BIRDS. This thoroughly enjoyable book takes
the reader out into the field from January through December, from Costa Rica
to the Connecticut River Valley, as Dr. Kroodsma unravels some of the
mysteries of why birds sing. Whether it's a nighttime vigil in January at a
noisy roost of many thousands of robins or pondering why waxwings seem to
have no song at all, Dr. Kroodsma's investigations will inspire you to
listen more closely to even the common birds all around you. Join us tonight
for an always-fascinating conversation with one of the world?s leading
researchers in ethology and natural history.

To listen on-line, or download, go to:

http://www.wicn.org/audio/inquiry-donald-kroodsma

This SUNDAY, JUNE 14 starting at 9PM on WICN (90.5FM), two interviews with
notable natural historians:

World-renowned author and Professor Emeritus at the University of Vermont,
BERND HEINRICH returns to Inquiry to talk about his new book SUMMER WORLD: A
SEASON OF BOUNTY. Summer is "the most intense time of the year" in the
natural world, and tonight Professor Heinrich talks about such varied
subjects as the fabulous "sky dance" of the American Woodcock; the benefits
of cannibalism in Wood Frogs, and the hidden relationship between a
woodpecker and a hummingbird. If you enjoy the out of doors and are
fascinated by the complexity of the natural world, don?t miss tonight's
show!!

To listen to this show now on your PC, or download to your I-Pod, go to:
http://www.wicn.org/audio/inquiry-bernd-heinrich-summer-world-a-season-of-bo
unty


Also this Sunday, Inquiry speaks with one of the great natural historians of New
England. Have you ever wondered how one develops a serious interest in the
natural world? Is it due to your schooling? Your parents and family? Or,
perhaps, a book you happened to read?  Natural historian, teacher and noted
photographer JOHN GREEN drops by Inquiry to speak about his long and
passionate career in observing the plants and creatures of Massachusetts
(and elsewhere). John talks about his complex and extraordinary life and how
he developed into such an incisive and discriminating observer of our
natural environment. Along the way, you'll learn about Skunk Cabbage, False
Hellebore, and John?s continuing passion for photographing the ever-changing
patterns of ice in streams, rivers and waterfalls.

To listen to this show now on your PC, or download to your I-Pod, go to:
http://wicn.org/audio/inquiry-john-green

SUNDAY JUNE 28 AT 9:30PM ON WICN (90.5 FM) 
OR LISTEN ON-LINE ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD AT: www.wicn.org

Inquiry welcomes back internationally recognized artist and watercolorist
BARRY VAN DUSEN. Barry has just returned from an exciting, eye-opening and
productive trip painting the birds, flowers and landscapes of Israel's rich
Hula Valley as part of an Artists For Nature Foundation project. Tune in and
learn about what migration is like in the Middle East, the unique ecology of
Israel and how nature and politics co-exist there. To see some of Barry?s
work got to:
http://www.barryvandusen.com/

You can listen to this interview NOW on your PC or download it to your i-Pod
by going to:

http://wicn.org/audio/inquiry-barry-van-dusen-israel

When we envision Native Americans they are typically dressed in feathers.
How did indigenous peoples of North American look at birds? Were birds used
simply as food, as decorations or as something more symbolic and spiritual?
The answers are complex, surprising and reveal a lot about how much Native
Americans understood about the natural world around them. Tonight on
Inquiry, we talk with SHEPARD KRECH III, Professor of Anthropology and
Director of the Haffenreffer Museum of Anthropology at Brown University. His
latest book SPIRITS OF THE AIR: BIRDS AND AMERICAN INDIANS IN THE SOUTH is a
sumptuously illustrated and scientific look at how birds fit into the
day-to-day lives of Native Americans. Tune in tonight and learn about why
Ivory-billed Woodpeckers and eagles were revered but vultures, owls and
nightjars were feared.

To listen to this interview NOW on your PC or download to your i-Pod, go to:

http://wicn.org/audio/inquiry-shepard-krech-iii

Inquiry welcomes internationally recognized watercolorist, oil painter and
author LARS JONSSON. A plein aire painter following in the tradition of
Winslow Homer and Anders Zorn, Lars Jonsson typically paints birds and other
natural history subjects with a special interest in the complex and subtle
effects of light. Tune in tonight for a fascinating discussion of how he
approaches painting in the out of doors and why certain birds like eiders
are a never ending source of inspiration. The latest collection of Lars
Jonsson?s work is LARS JONSSON?S BIRDS: PAINTING FROM A NEAR HORIZON.

To listen to this interview on your PC or to download it to your I-Pod, go
to:

http://wicn.org/audio/inquiry-lars-jonsson

The Labrador Duck is the least known and most mysterious species that has
gone extinct in North America in historical times. Shortly after it was
discovered, it seemed it was gone. Unlike other extinct species like Great
Auks, Passenger Pigeons and Ivory-billed Woodpeckers, there are only a small
number of skins and mounted specimens of this legendary duck extant in the
world. Some of these antique stuffed ducks have survived the bombing of
Dresden and London, others have been stolen and illegally traded. All of
them are coveted as rare treasures. Over the course of more than ten years,
ornithologist and behavioural ecologist DR. GLEN CHILTON, made it his
obsessive mission to go and see each and every specimen of Labrador Duck, as
well as all the eggs and bones purported to exist and even visit the areas
where the duck was seen and shot. This mission took Dr. Chilton to some of
the great museums and collections of Russia, France, Britain, Belgium,
Germany, Austria, Canada and the United States. What he learned on this
odyssey of the extinct is the subject of tonight's interview and his
rollicking no-holds barred crazy memoir THE CURSE OF THE LABRADOR DUCK: MY
OBSESSIVE QUEST TO THE EDGE OF EXTINCTION.

To listen to this interview now or download it to your PC, go to:

http://www.wicn.org/audio/inquiry-glen-chilton

FERMILAB in Illinois is America's premiere research facility for studying
high energy physics and contains North America's largest proton accelerator.
Why would a cutting edge particle physics institution also have a staff
ecologist? The reason is that besides everything else that goes on at
Fermilab, since it's construction  it has meticulously restored the
long-grass prairie on its grounds and keeps track of the animals, birds,
butterflies and plants that now inhabit the facilities grounds. Around and
in the accelerator ring can be found prairie species like big bluestem,
prairie dropseed, wild quinine, Henslow's sparrows and even badgers! This is
an amazing story of "Big Science" and caring environmental management. Tune
in tonight when we speak with Fermilab "staff ecologist" ROD WALTON about
how protons and prairies work together.

To listen to this interview on your PC or download to your I-Pod, go to:

http://www.wicn.org/audio/inquiry-rod-walton-fermilab

"Zugunruhe" is a term for migratory restlessness, the nervous behavior
exhibited by birds just before they take off for a long migration.
"Zugunruhe" is also the name of artist RACHEL BERWICK's latest installation
piece at the David Winton Bell Gallery at Brown University, Providence Rhode
Island. (November 14-February 14, 2010).  Berwick's work "has focused our
attention on human interactions with and understandings of the natural
 world". Many of her pieces focus on rare or extinct species like Passenger
Pigeons, Tasmanian Tigers and Coelacanths. Tune in tonight and find out
about her uniquely fascinating and beautiful work that combines natural
history with sculpture and installation, and ultimately examines some of our
longest held beliefs about nature.
To listen to this interview on your PC or download to your I-Pod, go to:
http://www.wicn.org/audio/inquiry-rachel-berwick

Inquiry welcomes back DAVID ALLEN SIBLEY, artist and writer of a number of
critically acclaimed field guides. His latest monumental guide is THE SIBLEY
GUIDE TO TREES. Though trees are found  everywhere we go, and we see them
everyday in our back yards and on our streets, very few people can  identify
the common trees of their home turf. Sibley has spent seven years painting
the trees of North America and assembling his work in a new and beautiful
field guide. Tune in and find out what it takes to create a new field guide,
how Sibley changed some of his techniques when painting trees, and how id-
ing trees is very different from id-ing birds.

To listen to this interview on your PC, or download to your I-Pod, go to:

http://www.wicn.org/audio/inquiry-david-allen-sibley