Spring has always been my favorite season and May is probably my favorite month. Trees are leafed out, creating curtains of bright green that … Read Story
Bay Naturalist
A column by Kathy Reshetiloff of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
Diversity is the spice of life. Nowhere is this more apparent than where land and water meet. The blending of terrestrial and aquatic environm… Read Story
Warmer, longer days, spring flowers and the chorus of frogs and songbirds lure me outside to get moving. And for fish it is no different. Earl… Read Story
Along the Atlantic Coast, a quiet sparrow blends in with the grasses of the salt marsh. Often hard to spot as it gathers food to bring back to… Read Story
You may not live on the Chesapeake Bay or any other waterfront, but chances are there is a stream, creek or river close to where you live. Read Story
During November there is a tradition that links almost all Americans. And I am not talking about the U.S. holiday, Thanksgiving. Read Story
With Halloween quickly approaching, images of bats are appearing everywhere. October also happens to be Bat Appreciation Month. Read Story
Although the month of September can still hold some sultry days, wildlife throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed is already receiving signals… Read Story
Every summer, as the Earth enters a region of space containing high concentrations of solar debris, nighttime skywatchers are rewarded with a … Read Story
Plants, like animals, must create offspring for the next generation. Read Story
A few weeks ago, I took advantage of the lovely spring weather to begin sprucing up my yard, neglected during months of cold and rain. Not man… Read Story
Arbor Day and Earth Day. Both of these celebrations encourage tree planting. Whether you are working on a community greening project or just w… Read Story
The first day of spring is March 21, but March can be a fickle month with weather bringing everything from icy winds or snow to downright balmy days. Read Story
With the holiday season upon us, our attention turns to giving gifts to friends and family or ways to contribute to charities. Thoughts also t… Read Story
Many people do not realize that native bees have been pollinating the continent’s flowering plants long before honey bees were brought from Europe. Read Story
Halloween. It’s probably your children’s (and maybe your) favorite day of the year with candy, costumes, pumpkins, scary movies and ominous images. Read Story
Towering over coffee-colored waters, a majestic tree, the bald cypress (Taxodium distichum), dominates isolated swamps of the Chesapeake Bay w… Read Story
Summer nights in my backyard include the usual wildlife visitors: crickets, toads, bats and the occasional deer. But one particularly steamy A… Read Story
It’s incredible the variety of fish that can be caught around the Chesapeake Bay. Freshwater creeks, brackish rivers and the Bay proper all su… Read Story
Except for perhaps insects, birds are usually the first wild animals we encounter in our lives. Before ever going to a zoo or aquarium, or on … Read Story
In the shallows of the Chesapeake Bay, underwater Bay grasses sway in the aquatic breeze of the tides and currents. Also known as submerged aq… Read Story
Although the vernal equinox — the official first day of spring — occurs on March 20, changes in our natural world are already heralding the en… Read Story
Loons are the submarines of the bird world. Webbed feet gracefully propel this bird underwater, giving the impression of submerged flight, as … Read Story
Even as our society continues to depend more on technology for everyday activities and recreation, our love of nature and connection with the … Read Story
This spring, a pair of ospreys returned to a webcam nesting platform in Baltimore’s Masonville Cove. Read Story
With Halloween quickly approaching, images of bats are appearing everywhere. It’s a good time to take a look at one of the most incredible ani… Read Story
With warm days still hanging on, it’s hard to remember that summer is waning. Though it may not be that obvious, September is a month of chang… Read Story
Chesapeake summers. They’re hot and humid. We are drawn to the Chesapeake Bay and its many rivers for a cooling dip. Read Story
June is packed with opportunities to interact with wildlife and the outdoors. But can you imagine what the outdoors would be like without poll… Read Story
Timing is everything. Each spring, shorebirds migrate from wintering grounds in South America to breeding grounds in the Arctic. These birds h… Read Story
For many Chesapeake Bay watershed residents, mallards and resident Canada geese are the most common waterfowl encountered. These two species a… Read Story
April showers may bring May flowers, but begin looking for early blooming flowers now. Read Story
Few Americans have seen the shy and elusive bobcat (Lynx rufus). And yours truly is no exception. Read Story
Mistletoe has been part of many European cultures and used for medicinal purposes for hundreds of years. When these peoples migrated to the Ne… Read Story
“A wild trout in its native habitat is a compact example of the Earth working well.” — Christopher Camuto Read Story
The National Wildlife Refuge system is a network of public lands set aside specifically for the conservation of fish, wildlife and plants. Nat… Read Story
When you hear the words Chesapeake Bay, one creature quickly comes to mind: the famous blue crab. Read Story
There is a light at the end of the tunnel as the fight to eradicate nutria from the Delmarva Peninsula nears the final phases. Nutria, South A… Read Story
Pollination occurs when pollen grains from a flower’s male parts (anthers) are moved to the female part (stigma) of the same species. Once on … Read Story
May is an explosive month. As the landscape greens up and trees and flowers blossom, there is an explosion of worms, spiders and insects. And … Read Story
It’s finally spring and your attention may be turning to sprucing up or creating green spaces around your home, school or business. Read Story
Yellow perch ( Perca flavescens) make their spawning run from late February to mid-March and offer some of the earliest opportunities for spor… Read Story
Some Americans dread winter and, if they have the time and the means, will travel to warmer parts of the country to wait it out. Others enjoy … Read Story
The Delmarva Peninsula fox squirrel (Sciurus niger cinereus) is found only on the Delmarva Peninsula, the land between the Chesapeake Bay and … Read Story
Every fall, a great migration begins as thousands of swans, geese and ducks leave northern breeding grounds and begin flying south. Read Story
More than 17 million people live and work in the Chesapeake watershed, encompassing 64,000 square miles and parts of Delaware, Maryland, Penns… Read Story
The Chesapeake Bay watershed encompasses 64,000 square miles where more than 17 million people live and work. That translates into roads, park… Read Story
One of the easiest ways that anyone can support bird habitat conservation is to buy Federal Duck Stamps — one of the most successful conservat… Read Story
The monarch butterfly is one of the most recognizable species of wildlife in all of North America. Easily identified by dark orange wings with… Read Story
The rufa red knot ( Calidris canutus rufa) is one of the longest distance migrants in the animal kingdom. On a wingspan of 20 inches, the bird… Read Story