Welcome to Naturalist Weekly’s Nature Digest #1.
The Nature Digest is a collection of nature news and connection stories that didn’t make it into the other posts. These stories may have not made the regular feed, but they deserve the be mentioned. In this week’s digest, we have four news items on three different topics: trees, bird photography, and moths. Enjoy!
About the Trees
In my post about building a virtual nature network, I mentioned the work of forest ecologist Suzanne Simard. Simard discovered that trees communicate with each other using an underground fungi network called the Common Mycelium Network (CMN). This network helps the trees share information about threats and resources.
Peter Wohlleben, author of The Hidden Life of Trees, takes this idea a step forward in his interview with YaleEnvironment360.
“Peter Wohlleben argues that to save the world’s forests we must first recognize that trees are “wonderful beings” with innate adaptability, intelligence, and the capacity to communicate with — and heal — other trees.”
In this short interview you can learn about Wohlleben’s thoughts about tree communication, forestry practices, and the consciousness of trees.
Here is the link to the full article titled “Are Trees Sentient Beings? Certainly, Says German Forester”
About The Birds
I am a novice photographer and lack a lot of the equipment needed to get great photos of birds. So when I scroll through my social media accounts, I am amazed at the pictures people are able to capture. Most of the times photos like these are out of my reach. But that doesn’t stop me from wanting to learning about what it takes to be a great photographer. These two articles from Audubon.com provide helpful tips for the amateur photographer.
- The Dos and Don’ts of Editing Bird Photos: End up with the best image possible—without compromising its integrity.
- Follow These Dos and Don’ts to Show Off Your Bird Photos on Social Media: Half the joy in taking a bird photo is in the act of sharing it.
Even if you are not a bird photographer, these tips are still beneficial for other types of photography. Two quick tips that I pulled out of these articles are don’t overedit your photo and learn about aspect ratios.
About the Moths
National Moth Week is July 17-25 and we are dedicated to sharing news about this upcoming event. Last week, we shared a post about the One-Spotted Variant. Today we have a 5-minute podcast from the Encyclopedia of Life.
“Like moths to a flame, some people are irresistibly drawn to the woods at night. Carrying bed sheets and armed with special lights and lures, they come seeking moths. In July 2012, in 49 states and numerous countries across the world, scientists and ordinary folk alike fanned out to get a closer look at these insects during the first ever National Moth Week – now an annual event across the world.”
You can listen to the full podcast here. Or you can download the transcript here.
Did you come across any nature news items that you would like to share, or should be mentioned in an upcoming Nature Digest? Please share in the comments below.
Naturalist Weekly 
wonderful; especially the facts about trees – inspire and feed me with wonder; each time I retain a little more (t least I hope I do). And the photos of moths and butterflies are wonderful, too. Thank you.
Hi Barbara, I am glad that you enjoyed the post. It was fun to write and it felt good to have a place to put all that extra research.
I really liked that!
Thank you! I really enjoyed putting this together. I believe there are going to be more like this in the future.
Glad to hear that!
That is amazing about the trees. I must have missed that post. They are wonderful, I see so many amazing looking trees over here in Scotland. And amazing to see them sway in high winds too! I like the creaking they make, kinda spooky but cool!
Shooting with my smart phone, I definitely lack all the equipment for taking photos of the birds and anything at a distance. I do love the insects and “beasties” as we would say in Scotland. My phone can handle macro to an extent….if the subject stays still then good 😉
And the moths, great little things. Saw a few yesterday but couldn’t get any photos. Them and the butterflies go too quick for me haha!
I did find this interesting article the other day and thought about your posts on butteflies:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-south-scotland-57636202
I live in Central region and that is the south of Scotland. I will need to visit it sometime soon!
Hi Ananka, I am in the same boat as you with the photos. And thank you so much for the article. I am learning a lot about the butterfly and moth population in Europe. There seems to be a lot of conservation efforts going on. Thanks again for the continued support.
Great to know that you’re also interested in bird photography! 🙂 I’ll also read your recomended articles with the tips
Thanks for checking it out. The tips may be a little elementary for photographers of your skill. Thanks for visiting. Be well!
Sorry I’m late to this, Mark . . . I’ve been a little unwell over the past few days. I’ll enjoy looking at the links you’ve given. Thank you!
Hi Lesley, Thanks for visiting. Maybe a little reading about the trees can be helpful in your recovery! I hope you recovery quickly.
I read the interview with Peter Wohlleben. Fascinating! I’ve always respected and admired trees, but to learn so much about them is wonderful. I can definitely see them in a new light now.