EXPEDITIONS WITH PATRICK MCMILLAN II


#201 Belize – The Mayan Forest
There are very few places that we think of as more inhospitable than a hot humid tropical forest, but they are incredibly intriguing, especially this one. This forest is not only diverse but you can see animals such as Ocellated Turkeys, Spider Monkeys, Yucatan Black Howlers and a diversity of tropical birds much easier than you can in much of the remaining forest in Central America and this forest has a history unlike any other. Join Patrick as he explores the Mayan Forest.

#202 Belize, a Land of Resilience
Belize is the smallest country in Central America both in size and population. Nearly 75% of the forests here still stand. But this place has been impacted by man for thousands of years and despite that it still harbors incredible diversity. 1200 years ago there may have been over 3 million people in Belize, today there are only slightly over 300,000. The wildlife managed to survive and many of the species have a seldom noticed connection to man. Even species we enjoy here like neotropical migrant songbirds depend on what happens in Belize. Join Patrick as he explores Central America’s last best chance, Belize, a land of resilience.

#203 Cape Romain – Threatened by Change
This is a very special bit of land, it is a destination for millions…of visiting animals! Dolphins, sea turtles, Seabirds, shorebirds, even Piping Plovers, Curlew and Red Knots use this place. Most stay for part of the year and then move on to other lands but without this place of refuge they may not survive. This is a place where humans are only visitors too. Join Patrick as he explores Cape Romain National Wildlife Refuge a safe Harbor for visiotrs and a land that despite being protected is increasingly threatened by change.

#204 The Quest for the Ivory-bill
The Ivorybill Woodpecker is a legend in the Southern swamps, but for years it was thought to be only that, a legend. Recently a small glimmer of hope has emerged to suggest that the largest woodpecker in North America might still haunt the floodplain forests of the South. Join Patrick as he explores the wild bottomland forests in a quest to find evidence of the “Lord God Bird,” the Ivorybill.

#205 Bison – Return of a True American
When you think about prairie you probably at least indirectly think about grazing. If you think about cattle or cowboys, you’re thinking about grazing. Grazing has been an integral part of what has happened in the Great Plains for eons. The ecology of this place originally developed around a native grazer. The web of life here revolves around the biology of Bison. Join Patrick as he seeks to find out if there is a place for a true American on the plains, the Bison.

#206 The Prairie Dog Wars
Is it possible to enjoy a steak and at the same time heal the weary Great Plains? You might be shocked to find out that ranchers today must break the law to conserve the prairie on their own property. Join Patrick as he visits a ranch in western Kansas where a landowner is fighting to keep his prairie dogs, without which black-footed ferrets, burrowing owls, ferruginous hawks, mountain plovers and swift foxes might soon disappear. There is a silent war brewing on the Great Plains where tradition and politics are pitted against the survival of the prairie.

#207 Grandfather Mountain, Island in the Sky
The lofty peaks of the Blue Ridge rise like islands in the sky. They provide unique habitats that act as ecological islands generating diversity and preserving fragments of the past. No peak has a more prominent position or poignant story than this one. Join Patrick as he takes a unique look at a very familiar place, Grandfather Mountain.

#208 The ACE Basin, a Coastal Treasure
During a time when development reigns supreme in the Southeast, few places still exist where wild areas are conserved intact. With over 350,000 acres of protected land, the ACE Basin of South Carolina offers one of the best and largest pieces of protected land on the Atlantic coast. A unique management plan involving government agencies, private organizations and landowners has resulted in this huge protected area. Join Patrick as he explores the seaside habitats and weltlands of the magnificent ACE Basin.

#209 The ACE Basin, a Conservation Miracle
What happens when large pieces of land are conserved? Amazingly enough, what we find is a congregation of some of the rarest species of wildlife – at least that’s what happened in the Ace Basin. Large, intact sections of protected habitat bring common and seldom-seen organisms alike, and may depend on this area for some or all of the year. Long-distance migrants, beautiful songbirds, even the ubiquitous and often less-revered creatures all need this habitat to survive. We, in turn, are afforded an excellent opportunity to see not only the organisms that we know well but also those that occur nowhere else in our area. Join Patrick as he continues to explore the beautiful coastal ecosystems of the ACE Basin.

#210 The Florida Scrub – Islands in Time
Join Patrick as he explores the Florida Scrub, one of the most unique and endangered habitats in North America. A place that is filled with bizarre plants and animals found nowhere else, some of which look as though they come straight from science fiction. As we learn about each species’ engaging stories and histories the history of Florida itself emerges. The pressures of man have all but erased this precious habitat but hope remains for the Florida Scrub.

#211 Can We Save the Florida Scrub?
One of the most unique and fascinating places on the planet is also one of the most endangered. Legless lizards that swim through the sand, giant Indigo Snakes, burrowing tortoises and brilliant jays all depend on this fragments of scrub that remain. Join Patrick as he explores whether a collaboration of science and will can save the scrub.

#212 The Hidden Side of Table Rock
Table Rock is one of the most recognizable and most visited landmarks in the southern Blue Ridge. The rugged cliffs here would seem to expose most of the nature of this place, but if you’re willing to venture a little farther afield on trails that are less travelled, you’ll find that there is more here than meets the eye. Join Patrick as he traverses rock outcrops in search of 10,000 year old Native American petroglyphs, explores one of the world’s most unique wetlands and discovers the surprising life hidden in the recesses of the mountain’s craggy rock.

#213 Hummingbirds – Life in Fast-forward
Few creatures capture our attention and admiration more than hummingbirds. These miniature jeweled treasures move at mind-boggling speeds but also have the power to shape and change our world. Join Patrick as he explores the lives and biology of these creatures using high-tech technologies to uncover the secret lives of these little birds that live life in fast-forward.