Science and Nature

Expeditions with Patrick McMillan

Naturalist, author, educator and Emmy-winning host Dr. Patrick McMillan embarks on fascinating adventures throughout North and South America in Expeditions with Patrick McMillan. This series overflows with compelling wildlife and wilderness footage captured in the United States and beyond. McMillan's passion and contagious enthusiasm for the natural world is evident as he journeys across America.

Rediscovering Catesby’s Carolina Part 2

26m 48s

We cannot understand the present without a clear understanding of the past. Imagine a Carolina where Bison, Elk and Wolves roam vast grasslands, where fire, set by humans shape the land and where Native Americans are still the dominant force managing the landscape.

Episodes

  • Rediscovering Catesby’s Carolina Part 2: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Rediscovering Catesby’s Carolina Part 2

    S4 E410 - 26m 48s

    We cannot understand the present without a clear understanding of the past. Imagine a Carolina where Bison, Elk and Wolves roam vast grasslands, where fire, set by humans shape the land and where Native Americans are still the dominant force managing the landscape.

  • Rediscovering Catesby’s Carolina Part 1: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Rediscovering Catesby’s Carolina Part 1

    S4 E409 - 26m 48s

    Mark Catesby journeyed to the Carolinas in 1722. The descriptions included in his book, the Natural History of Carolina, Georgia and the Bahama Islands seems outlandish considering the natural communities surrounding us today. Imagine a Carolina where Bison, Elk and Wolves roam vast grasslands, where fire, set by humans shape the land.

  • Sound – The Fullness of Nature Part 2: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Sound – The Fullness of Nature Part 2

    S4 E404 - 26m 51s

    Sound is everywhere. It tells us where we are, what time of year it is, and what is around us. Can you imagine an early morning walk without the sounds of nature filling out the picture? Scientists use sounds to help us understand populations, behavior and even ecosystem health. Everyone, regardless of our physical challenges can help to contribute to the conservation of our shared world.

  • Mountain Bogs – Threatened Heritage: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Mountain Bogs – Threatened Heritage

    S4 E408 - 26m 48s

    One of the most threatened ecosystems in the United States are the Southern Appalachian Mountain Bogs. These small wetlands support many unique and threatened species. The survival of these rare creatures rely on our management and understanding of these systems which are still very poorly understood. Join Patrick as he explores our mountain bogs in a race to understand this ecosystem on the edge.

  • Gardening for Life – Transforming Your Landscape for Life: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Gardening for Life – Transforming Your Landscape for Life

    S4 E407 - 26m 48s

    Gardens are much more than a pretty place. They can be an oasis of life in all forms, preserving the nature that brings us so much value and an oasis for us spiritually. Join Patrick as he explores how your landscape can be transformed into a crucible of life. Patrick’s changes at the South Carolina Botanical Garden have made a dramatic impact on the life there.

  • Jocassee – The Jewel of the Escarpment: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Jocassee – The Jewel of the Escarpment

    S4 E406 - 26m 48s

    One of the last best places on earth – that’s the designation given to this glistening, crystal clear lake and surrounding area by National Geographic. Jocassee is a place that is both well-known and still somewhat unexplored. Waterfalls, gorges, rare plants and animals as well as stunning scenery make this lake one of the most stunning places in the United States.

  • The New River Valley – Ancient Landscapes: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    The New River Valley – Ancient Landscapes

    S4 E405 - 26m 48s

    Ironically, the New River is one of the oldest rivers in the world. For millions and millions of years it has been charting a path through Appalachia. Join Patrick as he explores the unique life that has developed in this ancient valley right along with the traditional use and relationships of humans.

  • Sound – The Fullness of Nature (Part 1): asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Sound – The Fullness of Nature (Part 1)

    S4 E403 - 26m 48s

    Sound is everywhere. It tells us where we are, what time of year it is, and what is around us. Can you imagine an early morning walk without the sounds of nature filling out the picture? Scientists use sounds to help us understand populations, behavior and even ecosystem health. Everyone, regardless of our physical challenges can help to contribute to the conservation of our shared world.

  • Butterflies – Bringing Butterflies Home!: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Butterflies – Bringing Butterflies Home!

    S4 E402 - 26m 48s

    Butterflies capture our imagination and our heart with their ephemeral beauty. Join Patrick as he explores the secret lives of butterflies and learn how to manage your landscape to bring these winged jewels into your yard and your life.

  • California Superbloom – A World of Dramatic Change: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    California Superbloom – A World of Dramatic Change

    S4 E401 - 26m 50s

    Once or twice in a lifetime the desert is transformed to a carpet of color and exuberant life. Join Patrick as he explores the deserts of California as they burst with life and color that is gone within weeks of appearing. This short-lived flush is critical to life in the desert. How do plants and animals survive in such a place and just how important is a superbloom?

Extras + Features

  • Venus Flytrap: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Venus Flytrap

    2m 6s

    While visiting the Apalachicola National Forest in Florida, Naturalist Patrick McMillan explains the mechanics behind the moving parts of a plant that feeds on insects – the Venus flytrap.

  • Snow Buttercup: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Snow Buttercup

    2m 36s

    In the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, Naturalist Patrick McMillan explains how the winter snowpack actually provides insulation for the beautiful wildflowers that emerge in the spring.

  • Tufted Milkweed: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Tufted Milkweed

    2m 6s

    Naturalist Patrick McMillan describes the survival strategy of a milkweed species growing in the hot, dry grasslands of Arizona.

  • Snow Bunting: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Snow Bunting

    2m 6s

    On the North Slope of Alaska, Naturalist Patrick McMillan happens upon a territorial snow bunting – a bird that is right at home in the harsh conditions of the arctic.

  • Oak Toad

    1m 6s

    As Naturalist Patrick McMillan explains, the coloring of the oak toad living in the Francis Marion National Forest provides perfect concealment in its natural habitat.

  • Rocky Mountain Grassland: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Rocky Mountain Grassland

    2m 6s

    In Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado, Naturalist Patrick McMillan describes how a unique grassland habitat exists in midst of forests and woodlands.

  • Northern Pine Snake: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Northern Pine Snake

    1m 6s

    Naturalist Patrick McMillan handles a Northern Pine Snake in the wild at the Francis Marion National Forest in South Carolina.

  • Slave Cabin: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Slave Cabin

    2m 6s

    Located on an antebellum plantation near the coast of South Carolina is an abandoned slave cabin in which Naturalist Patrick McMillan discovers wildlife now making a home.

  • Montezuma Quail: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Montezuma Quail

    3m 6s

    At the National Audubon Research Ranch in Arizona, Naturalist Patrick McMillan discusses the study of the Montezuma quail, a secretive bird ranging from Mexico into the southwest US.

  • Receding Glacier: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Receding Glacier

    2m 6s

    Visiting Alaska’s Kenai Peninsula, Naturalist Patrick McMillan discusses climate change and the recent phenomenon of receding glaciers.

  • Longleaf Pine Flatwoods: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Longleaf Pine Flatwoods

    3m 6s

    Naturalist Patrick McMillan walks through a fire-maintained pineland in the Apalachicola National Forest in Florida, describing the flora that thrives in this habitat.

  • Giant Sacaton Grass: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Giant Sacaton Grass

    2m 6s

    Naturalist Patrick McMillan visits a grassland in Arizona containing giant sacaton grass – a species that in present day has declined to five percent of its original range.

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