Narrated by David Attenborough (whose voice would mesmerize even while reading the phone book), this video shows clips from the amazing Planet Earth series. Enjoy!

Click here to view the embedded video.

NWF has just launched a new online portal called “Choose Your Cause.” Just click on the cause you care about most and enjoy inspiring stories and photos from folks on-the-ground who are working tirelessly to protect the wildlife and wild places we all love.

Check out Tom Lowe’s latest creation, a preview of his debut film Timescapes 4K. Gorgeous waterfalls, breathtaking landscapes, a Milky Way that truly astounds: It is a portrait of the American Southwest. Lowe uses timelapse video, which was filmed and edited at four times higher resolution than regular HD video.

National Wildlife Federation is dedicated to conserving wild places, like the ones seen in this video. What was your favorite scene? Tell us in the comments below.

Also, don’t settle for just watching nature on a screen. We’ve got great ideas for how to Be Out There!

Need more inspiration? Check out our other “refreshing” posts and National Wildlife magazine’s  photo of the week!

Watch the video to see why that definition doesn’t begin to describe what they witnessed.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Screen capture from above video

* Starlings are often considered nuisance birds in North America, but they are native to Europe.

Share photographs of the wildlife in your area on NWF’s Flickr group and log it in at Wildlife Watch.

You’re in luck! Spring started September 1 in South Africa — and a beautiful spotted eagle owl decided to start a family in a potted plant on a couple’s balcony in Johannesburg. Mother’s name = Potted Plant Owl or PPO. Pop the popcorn! (Sorry about the ad. I promise it’s worth it!)

Check out the owl cam’s Facebook page and read great stories on the Potted Owl blog.

This spotted eagle owl and her owlets have made their home in a potted plant in Johannesburg, South Africa. (Video screenshot)

Facts About the Spotted Eagle Owl:

• Range: Lives in Africa, south of the equator, and in some parts of the Arabian peninsula.
• Wingspan: 39-55 inches
• Call: Hear what a spotted eagle owl sounds like.
• Relatives: This owl is related to the Great Horned Owl of North America
• Breeding: They mate for life!

These owls found refuge in an urban environment. By providing food, water, cover and places for wildlife to raise their young, your backyard, patio, or balcony could be a Certified Wildlife Habitat^® site!

Tell us what you think in the comments below!

Ranger Rick's gone digital!

Children are natural wildlife watchers. Last week, every time my 20-month-old son Nate walked out of our apartment building, he would emphatically blurt out something that sounded like “Bag-bag-bag!” Honestly, I was only slightly conscious of it for the first few days, my mind filled with the day’s appointments, deadlines, and other “grown-up” stuff.

Finally I actually took the time to look up while he did the “bag” chant. Sure enough, midway up a lamp post was an intricate spider web with a big black spider right in the center. It looked like an illustration from Charlotte’s Web. “Bug! That’s right, buddy — it’s a spider!”

He looked at me with an expression that said, “Try to keep up mom, I’ve been telling you this for days.”

Nate’s not ready for photography yet (we’re still mastering the basics, like not eating the rocks he finds in the playground), but those of you with older kids can encourage their inner-photobug by entering their pictures in the Ranger Rick’s “Your Best Shots” contest.

5 Reasons Your Child Should Enter the Contest

1. Kids will un-glue their eyes from the TV/computer screen and actually get some fresh air.
2. Your child’s work might get featured online or even in the actual Ranger Rick Magazine. 
3. Kids get two free printable picture frames just for entering. (Preview frames at bottom of post.)
   
4. It’s an easy answer to that all-too-familiar cry: ”Mom! I’m BORED!”
5. It’s free. (Seriously. FREE!)

The Gist:

• Send the kids outside with a camera.
• Encourage them to take pictures of the butterflies, beetles, squirrels, crazy-looking trees, brilliantly-colored flowers and all the other outdoor wonders in your neighborhood. (Check out these Six Trix for Better Pix to get the best shot.)
• With your kids, read the details of the contest, then enter the photos in Ranger Rick’s Your Best Shots photo contest.

Need Inspiration?

Check out previous winners below!

Last But Not Least … Vote for Your Favorite!

Everyone who enters the contest will get these printable Ranger Rick photo frames!

If your little one isn’t ready to become a photobug just yet, they can still vote for their favorite picture submitted by other children. You can vote for yourself, too, but only once!

Share your photo shoot stories on Ranger Rick’s Facebook Page. It’s just one way National Wildlife Federation is helping families to Be Out There.

Good Luck!

Click here to view the embedded video.

Look at the kids’ faces in that video. That’s all the reason you need. Register today! Here are the details:

Hike & Seek: The Gist

Ranger Rick sends some hikers on their way at the 2010 Chicago Hike & Seek.

What: A cross between a scavenger hunt and a hike, Hike & Seek gives kids and adults a fun morning in the great outdoors, where they can learn about local wildlife from on-site naturalists, see wildlife displays, and more!

Where & When: Atlanta and New Jersey on October 15. Washington D.C. on October 22.

Bonus: You’ll have the opportunity to raise awareness about the health impact of an indoor childhood and raise funds for vital NWF programs that help get kids back outside.

REGISTER TODAY!

Note: Apologies for the ads at the start of some of these videos. I promise it’s worth the wait! 

1. Lobsters Marching Away From Stormy Waters

The combination of the soldier-like crustaceans, David Attenborough’s narration, and the heroic orchestral music make this one of my favorite migration movies. Brace yourself, though, for one scene that shows a spiny lobster meeting a gruesome end at the hands (fins?) of a trigger fish.

Click here to view the embedded video.

2. Wildebeests — Millions of Them — Migrating in East Africa

In the spring, 1.5 million wildebeests join zebras and other animals to walk across the Serengeti to escape drought. The females make the 1000-mile trip just after giving birth!

Click here to view the embedded video.

3. Monarch Butterflies — They Fly 50-80 Miles Per Day

Can you believe 300 million monarchs fly 2,500 miles to Southern California and Mexico? No wonder they hibernate once they get there. (Oprah narrates this one!)

Click here to view the embedded video.

4. Thousands of Noisy Snow Geese

Though not a true video, I like this narrated photo slide show about the North American snow geese migration. Informative!

Click here to view the embedded video.

5. Eels Slithering to Sea

Here’s one that shows migrating eels getting tricked by a predator: humans! I’m glad the fishermen let the big ones make it to the ocean.

Click here to view the embedded video.

You can help migrating animals by turning your yard in a haven for wildlife. Certify your habitat!

Sprague Lake, Rocky Mountain National Park by Tom Wood

It’s mid-September: The days are growing shorter. The temperature is dropping. And this week, dozens of new TV shows are premiering. Are you northern-hemisphere inhabitants preparing to hibernate?

Resist! Resist! When the earth starts tilting away from the sun, we at NWF are even more motivated to shun the couch and celebrate the outdoors. And if you are the type of person that likes to organize fun around holidays, this is a BIG FUN WEEK:

• Sept. 19-22 is Great Outdoors America Week.
• Sept  23 is the first day of fall.
• Sept 24 is Public Lands Day AND Nickelodeon’s Worldwide Day of Play.

How can you celebrate, you ask? Make a bee-line to your favorite local, state, or national park, and bring your camera so you can enter National Wildlife Federation’s photo challenge. This month’s theme is “Celebrating America’s Public Lands.” We’ll pick six finalists to display on NWF’s Web site and on Flickr. Then the public will get to vote for the winner.

So whether you live next to Yellowstone or a tiny city park, we want to see your photos of the natural places that you share with your community.

Not sure where to go? Just enter your zip code into Nature Find to locate the nearest green spaces near you.

Thank goodness for YouTube! (Never thought I’d say that.) We’ve scoured the Internet and found these ten awesome slow-mo videos of wild animals.

1. Hungry Great White Shark

The movie Jaws gave this creature a bad reputation, but in reality Great White Sharks aren’t vicious man-eating beasts. The seal community may have a reason to complain, however. (Note: Definitely wait for the third clip of the shark breaching. It’s the best.)

Click here to view the embedded video.

2. Adorable Chipmunk

New discovery: Cuteness increases as speed decreases. A chipmunk washing his face in slow-motion proves to be utterly compelling video.

(Note: We don’t advocate trying to hold a chipmunk, but this little guy is being held very gently.)

Click here to view the embedded video.

3. Graceful Northern Goshawk

Watch this amazing bird fly through smaller and smaller holes in slow motion. This dexterity helps it dodge tree branches as it cruises through the forest.

Click here to view the embedded video.

4. Blood-Sucking Mosquito

Watch its underbelly swell up and turn red. All I have to say is …  AAAAAH!

Click here to view the embedded video.

5. Magestic Eagle Owl Coming Right At You

This is the video we saw first that inspired this blog post. Pure awesomeness.

Click here to view the embedded video.

6. Hopping Frog

The grainy, academic quality to this video makes it special in an old-school way. Also, don’t you wish you could jump like that?

Click here to view the embedded video.

7. Hunting Cheetah

This is cool, but if you have a weak stomach you might want to press stop before the 1 minute, 20 second mark. Just a warning.

Click here to view the embedded video.

8. Fly-Eating Damsel Fly

This guy accidentally filmed a big bug eating a little bug. I’m just amazed that he noticed!

Click here to view the embedded video.

9. Thirsty Hummingbird

If you watch this video too long, you will definitely fall into a hypnotic state.

Click here to view the embedded video.

10.  Fastest Man Alive

Hey — humans are animals, too! But watching Usain Bolt run this 100-meter dash makes me wonder if he is actually related to a cheetah.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Which one is your favorite? Tell us in the comments, or share videos we’ve missed!

Kids have sharp eyes. It’s hard to sneak anything past them!

So, if you know a child who loves National Wildlife Federation’s magazine for 4-to-7 year olds, they probably have already noticed that Your Big Backyard® has changed its name.

New name = Big Backyard®! Ta-daa!

We’ve updated our look but Big Backyard has the same great features:

• Ricky and Pals Adventure Stories
• My Little Book
• The Family Fun Guide for Parents
• A poster in every issue
• And of course TONS of eye-popping animal photos

We hope you like the new name and logo as much as we do! Find out how to subscribe to Big Backyard and the other magazines in the Ranger Rick® family.

Also, “like” us on Facebook and get activities, crafts, and other fun stuff for the 4- to 7-year-old kids in your life. (Or for yourself! Don’t worry, no one will know that you secretly made the Gnu puppet at work.)

And tell us what you think of the new logo!