Tag Archives: PBS

Winged Wonders Migration!

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The great North to Central to South American magnificent southward migration of wildlife is fully underway. These beautiful creatures do not see borders, religion, nor ethnicities and bind us together in myriad meaningful ways. As birds are taking to the skies by the hundreds of thousands, we are seeing the beginnings of the Monarch migration as well. During these first weeks of September local meadows and gardens are  graced with newly emerged Monarchs. At this time of year, these recently eclosed butterflies are nicknamed the “Super” Monarchs.

You can see the above Monarch has just emerged from his chrysalis as his wing cells are still a bit crumpled. 

A tell tale sign of a male Super Monarch, also called a Methuselah Monarch, is that they are not at all interested in finding a mate. A male Monarch that is not migrating stops only briefly to nectar. For the most part he ceaselessly patrols the milkweed looking for a female and chases away any other winged pollinator. He has evolved with the main objective of reproducing; whereas a Methuselah Monarch takes its time sucking up nectar and is very tolerant of other butterflies it encounters.

Methuselah Monarchs emerge in a state of sexual immaturity, called diapause. They evolved to drink lots and lots of nectar to build their fat reserves for the long journey south and to sustain them through the winter. This super generation of Monarchs are oftentimes larger but will lose some of their body weight by the time they reach the trans-Mexican volcanic forests

The Monarchs rest through the winter, then will break diapause next spring when they begin their journey north.

To help all of our winged friends during the spectacular southward migration please remember Lights Out for Birds

To learn more about the magnificent Monarch migration see our documentary Beauty on the Wing: Life Story of the Monarch Butterfly streaming on PBS Passport. To arrange a screening and QandA for your organization, please contact me at kimsmithdesigns@hotmail.com or leave a comment in the comment section.

I hope you enjoy these last glowing days of summer,

xxKim

Female (left) and male Monarch Butterflies, Stone Harbor Point NJ

Piping Plovers of Moonlight Bay to Air in LA on Tuesday April 15th at 8pm

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See what Los Angeles PBS has to say about our film!

The Piping Plovers of Moonlight Bay airs Tuesday, April 15 at 8 PM

“Against the ever-changing tides of the Atlantic, a tiny but mighty family fights for survival. The Piping Plovers of Moonlight Bay follows a devoted pair of these rare shorebirds as they raise their marshmallow-sized chicks on a bustling urban beach. Every day is a test of their resilience—avoiding predators, braving unpredictable weather, and navigating a world where humans and wildlife collide. Will their fragile brood make it to adulthood?

This heartwarming and visually stunning special takes you inside the incredible journey of one of nature’s most determined parents. Witness breathtaking moments of survival and the deep bonds that keep these feathered families together. A story of hope, adaptation, and the delicate balance of our ecosystems.

Tune in for an unforgettable look at one of nature’s most compelling underdog stories. Sometimes, the smallest creatures have the most powerful stories to tell.”

California Friends, please check listings as The Piping Plovers of Moonlight Bay is airing at your local stations – KCET, KOCE, KVCR, KPJK, KQED, KQEH, KRCB, and KVPT.

California Friends, please check listings as The Piping Plovers of Moonlight bay is airing at the following California stations – KCET, KOCE, KVCR, KPJK, KQED, KQEH, KRCB, and KVPT.

The Piping Plovers of Moonlight Bay Now Airing Nationwide on PBS!

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Hello PiPl Friends!

Checkout this lovely graphic created for us at American Public Television for our release on PBS!  Beginning today, April 1st, The Piping Plovers of Moonlight Bay is airing on public television. Please check your local listings for times.

As a Passports member, you can stream the film at anytime. We find our family’s membership to PBS invaluable; the programming is stellar and costs a fraction of any other streaming service, just $5.00 per month. We are members of New Hampshire PBS, which is also one of the 290 stations nationwide airing The Piping Plovers of Moonlight Bay. Here is the link on how to join: https://nhpbs.org/watchmore/ 

 

MONARCH BUTTERFLY FILM UPDATE AND JESSE COOK’S “BEYOND BORDERS” PREMIERES TONIGHT!

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I am beyond excited to share that we have been able to license the music that I dreamed about for my Monarch Butterfly documentary. This may not sound like a huge deal, but we have been working towards this for several years. The four songs were composed and arranged by world renowned guitarist Jesse Cook and they are: “You,” “Fields of Blue,” Afternoon at Saties,” and “El Cri.” My husband, Tom, introduced me to Jesse’s music, and from the moment I heard it, I knew that we would find music to score Beauty on the Wing from his repertoire of beautiful songs 

Jesse Cook: Beyond Borders is his newest concert special and begins airing on WGBH tonight at 8:30pm!

Beyond Borders is Cook’s most recent album and while touring the record over a 31 day period, from Canadian coast to Canadian coast, they filmed the performances in 4k every night. “The result is an immersive musical journey that treats the audience to a sense of being on stage with the band from the opening note to its energetic finale.”

From PBS:

JESSE COOK: BEYOND BORDERS

Premieres March 2, 2019 on PBS

– A Musical Journey with the Genre Bending Guitarist –

JESSE COOK: BEYOND BORDERS, the latest concert special by the acoustic guitar virtuoso, was filmed over the 31 days of his coast-to-coast tour of Canada. Instead of filming just one show in one night, the cameras rolled every night, allowing Jesse to place the best version of each song into this unique concert experience. The result is an immersive musical journey that treats the audience to a sense of being on stage with the band from the opening note to its energetic finale — a Jesse Cook “Rhumba Party.” JESSE COOK: BEYOND BORDERS is part of special programming premiering on PBS stations in March 2019.

Canadian guitarist, composer and producer Jesse Cook blends rumba and flamenco with elements of jazz and world music. He is a three-time winner of Canada’s Smooth Jazz Award for Guitarist of the Year, as well as a Juno Award-winner (Canada’s version of The Grammy) in the Best Instrumental Album category for Free Fall. In 2009, he was Acoustic Guitar’s Player’s Choice Silver Winner in the Flamenco category.

JESSE COOK: BEYOND BORDERS features these performances:

    • “Beyond Borders”
    • “Tempest”
    • “Come What May”
    • “Hembra”
    • “Jumpstart”
    • “Chendy’s Caja” solo
    • “Dance of Spring”
    • “Bombay Slam”
    • “Ho Hey”
    • “Double Dutch”
    • Medley (“Bombay Diner,” “Closer to Madness,” “That’s Right,” “Baghdad”)
    • “Beneath Your Skin”

Jesse Cook, a master guitarist known for his intoxicating fusion of world music, has travelled the globe looking for sounds that resonate with him. “I like finding common ground for different music traditions, a space where music from around the world can come together,” Cook explains. “A place where modern sounds can mix with ancient timbres.”

BBC AND PBS AUTUMN WATCH: NEW ENGLAND CAPE ANN MONARCH EPISODE AIRS FRIDAY NIGHT

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Dear Friends of Beauty on the Wing,

My friend Patti Papows shares that she heard a promo on PBS for the Autumnwatch Cape Ann Monarch migration episode, which we believe airs Friday night at 8pm. The BBC team is still editing the segment so if anything changes, we will let you know.

The Monarch migration interview was filmed at Patti’s beautiful garden in Gloucester, at Good Harbor Beach, and the episode includes footage from my forthcoming film Beauty on the Wing: Life Story of the Monarch Butterfly.

Patti is a fantastic hostess and the producer Sophie, cameraman Bobby, and his wife Gina were thrilled with her warm hospitality and the refreshments she provided. It was cold and damp and drizzly, yet despite that, half a dozen Monarchs emerged from the chrysalises I had brought to the interview. Everyone was excited to see this and I think it was all meant to be.

The three night series airs Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday at 8pm (October 17th-19th).

Photos from an October passel of Monarchs migrating along our shores and nectaring at the late blooming asters.

PBS AND BBC ANNOUNCE AUTUMNWATCH – NEW ENGLAND

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Some press for the show that I have been working on with the BBC! The shows air October 17-19th, at 8pm. I don’t know yet which night the Cape Ann Monarchs episode will play, but will let you know.

– Travel journalist Samantha Brown, wildlife cinematographer Bob Poole and BBC presenter Chris Packham host the live nature show celebrating fall in New England –

PBS announced, as part of its co-production partnership with the BBC, that a new three-part live event, AUTUMNWATCH – NEW ENGLAND, will air Wednesday-Friday, October 17-19, 2018, at 8:00-9:00 p.m. ET (check local listings).

Travel journalist Samantha Brown, BBC presenter Chris Packham and wildlife cinematographer Bob Poole will host the multi-platform television experience from alongside Squam Lake, New Hampshire. Similar in format to PBS’ previous summer spectacles BIG BLUE LIVE and WILD ALASKA LIVE, the new series will include a mix of live feeds and pre-taped footage from across New England.

Unique to AUTUMNWATCH – NEW ENGLAND, the live event will focus on cultural traditions and historical sites in addition to local wildlife and the colorful gold and red landscapes in the region that’s best known for them.

To accomplish this, local experts in food, wildlife, music, literature, and history will join the trio of hosts each night to showcase characteristics special to New England.

“In AUTUMNWATCH – NEW ENGLAND, audiences will experience exquisite outdoor adventures while surrounded by nature’s most picturesque imagery,” said Bill Gardner, Vice President, Programming & Development, PBS. “We look forward to partnering with the BBC once again to present this ambitious live production and share this American experience with PBS and BBC viewers.”

AUTUMNWATCH – NEW ENGLAND cameras will be there to capture time-lapse changes of fall foliage; a quest for majestic moose in Maine; the Monarch butterfly migration through Cape Ann, key wildlife species like squirrels, chipmunks and turkey gangs as they invade backyards in preparation for the winter months; and the critters like owls, bats and bears that make the most of nighttime.

Audiences can expect to see segments that highlight Native American history and traditions, Halloween traditions, regional fairs and the many farms that provide the region with its rich varieties of apples, pumpkins, cranberries and maple syrups.

“I’m thrilled that AUTUMNWATCH is moving to New England for this very special week of live programming,” Tom McDonald, BBC Head of Commissioning, Natural History and Specialist Factual, said. “The teams are heading to one of the most iconic locations in the USA to experience the great American ‘fall’ for what promises to be an unforgettable chapter in the Watches’ history.”

Female (left) and male (right) Monarch Butterfly. These two beauties (warming their wings on native wildflower New England Aster) eclosed (emerged) during the BBC filming of the Monarch migration through Cape Ann.

AMERICAN EXPERIENCE “RACHEL CARSON” PREMIERES TONIGHT ON PBS (AND DEBORAH CRAMER IS IN IT!)

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I’ve been very much looking forward to the debut of Rachel Carson and posted it on facebook yesterday as it is premiering tonight. Cape Ann environmental author Deborah Cramer then shared that she is in the documentary!!!

From an American Experience, “Rachel Carson is an intimate portrait of the woman whose groundbreaking books revolutionized our relationship to the natural world. When Silent Springwas published in September 1962 it became an instant bestseller and would go on to spark dramatic changes in the way the government regulated pesticides.

Rachel Carson premieres January 24 at 8/7c on PBS.”

Visit Deborah’s website for more about her beautiful book The Narrow Edge: A Tiny Bird, An Ancient Crab, and An Epic Journey, which was named Best Book by the National Academy of Sciences, and is the winner of both the Rachel Carson Book Award and the Reed Award in Environmental Writing.

carson