Naturalist’s Notes

While their strange appearance and unusual habits, Virginia opossums (Didelphis virginiana) are one of our most interesting mammals. They are the only marsupials found in …

For anyone who is not familiar with these large, long-legged wading birds and their prehistoric sounding calls, an encounter with a great blue heron can …

Despite the cold, short days and long nights of Winter, some plants remain green throughout the year. The term “evergreen” refers more to this characteristic …

The American kestrel may be one of North America’s smallest birds of prey, but they are still formidable predators. About the size of a mourning …

Anyone who goes fishing for rockfish in the Chesapeake Bay has probably seen an American eel. On the end of a hook, and used as …

Winter is a great time to attract birds to your backyard and to observe them at a feeder. The National Audubon Society suggests that as …

In 1608, Captain John Smith sailed up the Chesapeake Bay from Jamestown, Virginia, on a voyage of exploration. Indeed, Smith’s shallop and its 14-man crew …

For those of us that live close to the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries, the return of ospreys each year in March is one of …

As Winter begins to give way to the mud season, the fluctuations between freezing nights and days in the 40s and 50s cause something magical …

I was going to begin with writing about how anyone on a trip to a park, nature center, or natural area would encounter invasive plants. …