Discovering Nature with Essential Apps: Audubon, iNaturalist, and Merlin

Welcome to a special re-run of one of our most popular episodes of The Backyard Naturalists, your favorite podcast about everything connected with nature! Broadcasting across 115 countries, all 50 states, and throughout the Carolinas, our award-winning show, honored by the readers of the Matthews-Mint Hill Weekly, delights and educates 64,000 regular listeners every week.   In this episode, we dive into the world of nature apps that can transform your outdoor experiences. Join Laurie, Debbie, and Chris as they explore three fantastic tools: Audubon, iNaturalist, and Merlin.   Audubon offers stunning photos, bite-sized learning opportunities, and daily highlights of different birds. With field guides, bird songs, and recent sightings, it’s a perfect companion for bird enthusiasts.   iNaturalist is your go-to app for identifying birds, insects, plants, and more. Simply upload a photo, and the app uses location and date to provide accurate IDs, helping you discover the diverse wildlife around you.   Merlin is an interactive bird ID app where you input location, date, size, color, and behavior of a bird to get likely options. The hosts especially love the sound ID feature, which helps you uncover birds you might not have noticed otherwise.   All these apps are free and highly recommended by our hosts. Start with your local area and see what amazing discoveries await you right in your backyard. Happy exploring! Connect with the Backyard Naturalists on the Web, Facebook and Instagram.   Connect with the Backyard Naturalists on the Web, Facebook and Instagram.   Please visit and support our presenting sponsor, Backyard Birds at http://www.thebirdfoodstore.com/. A mecca for bird lovers and bird watchers, Backyard Birds is an independent family-owned business located in Matthews, NC (next to Dairy Queen), just southeast of Charlotte.   Thanks for listening to The Backyard Naturalists.  We hope you have a day filled with the wonders of nature. Get outside and take a walk on the wild side! Please don’t forget to leave a 5-star review for The Backyard Naturalists podcast.   Production services for The Backyard Naturalists podcast are provided by Downtown Podcasting. To start a conversation on how you can have a podcast, simply send an email to info@downtownpodcasting.com.   While recording the Backyard Naturalists podcast, Debbie and Laurie enjoy coffee provided by the Good Cup Coffee Company  in Matthews, North Carolina. Follow Good Cup Coffee on Instagram and look for them at the Matthews Community Farmer’s Market  this Saturday morning.