Alex Sanders, as program manager of the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club, spends a lot of time in parks and on local trails. And he is so tuned into frog calls, […]
Backyard Nature: A turkey making house calls
by Marlene Berlin Sometimes we have unexpected wildlife encounters – without leaving the house. We received this dispatch from neighbor Dzenita Mehic Saracevic: It was just an ordinary Friday. I […]
A moment of peace and joy at the playground, and a neatnik crow
by Marlene Berlin It was a bright and sunny Saturday morning. I was walking by Forest Hills Playground on Chesapeake. And I heard the mingling of many joyful voices. Kids […]
Backyard Nature: How our wild neighbors are preparing for winter
by Marjorie Rachlin As the days get shorter and colder, squirrels, chipmunks and bees are laying in stores to feed themselves. Some birds are heading south. Many plants and animals […]
Backyard Nature: In August, the birds mute their songs, and new sounds fill the air
by Marlene Berlin As July turns into August, the sounds of nature change, too. It is too late now to hear the songs of most birds. Even the wood thrush, […]
Backyard Nature: Ponds are a popular waterfront hangout, if you’re a green tree frog
Two fun facts about green tree frogs: They are not always green. And they are not always in trees. The frogs are now in full chorus at the Linnean stream, […]
An unleashed dog attacked a beaver in Rock Creek Park. The beaver had to be put down.
Many dog owners and dog walkers flout the leash laws inside and outside of Rock Creek Park. We’ve seen dogs harass wildlife in the park itself. And on May 14th, […]
Backyard Nature: Cottontails and cottonwood; dry spring means fewer tadpoles
by Marlene Berlin It is time to talk rabbits again. Every few years, the rabbits (and reports we get of rabbit sightings) are more numerous. And, as if they feel […]
Backyard Nature: An amphibian chorus is warming up for its yearly performance
by Marlene Berlin It begins every year with a faint, high-pitched hum. In early March, I start listening for the song of the American toad. These creatures open the annual […]
Backyard Nature: Barred owl on Ellicott
Joseph Priniotakis is a young photographer and birder based in Forest Hills DC. His middle school team won the World Series of Birding for their age group in Cape May, […]