by Marlene Berlin In Rock Creek Park and along its tributaries, you can see some fascinating critter behavior if you keep your eyes searching – and your curiosity on high alert. Recently I saw what appeared to be ripples in Rock Creek from droplets of water landing from above. But it was not raining, and […]
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Backyard Nature: A slithery surprise at the Tregaron bullfrog pond, and the not-entirely-green green tree frogs at Linnean Stream
by Marlene Berlin One recent Sunday, I headed with a friend to Tregaron Conservancy in Cleveland Park, taking the Rock Creek trail from Pierce Mill south to Klingle Trail. From that trail, the conservancy is located just beyond Connecticut Avenue to the right. I wanted to check out the activity in the bullfrog pond,
Backyard Nature: Make birds feel at home in your backyard or on your balcony
by Marjorie Rachlin Do you ever wonder what those birds in your backyard are doing? Do your children ask, “What’s that bird?” There’s an easy way to find out. Just install a few simple attractions like a bird bath, a hummingbird feeder or a wren house. I have all these “amenities” in my Forest Hills […]
Backyard Nature: Hello, hummingbirds
by Marjorie Rachlin It’s time to get your hummingbird feeder out. The ruby-throated hummingbirds are here, having flown all the way from Central America in early May. A feeder with sugar water will give you a close look at this busy, tiny bird. An adult male ruby-throated hummingbird, as its name suggests, has a lovely […]
Backyard Nature: An owl stands its ground in Rock Creek Park, and an uncommon backyard sighting
by Marlene Berlin The people you meet on Rock Creek Park trails are generally friendly. The same can’t always be said about the wildlife. I took a hike in Rock Creek Park on a sunny but cool day in late April. As I headed back toward home, I saw this common short-eared owl. It was […]
Backyard Nature: Turkeys on the trail
Before the Soapstone trail’s March closure for the sewer rehabilitation project, it was a popular place to take a stroll. And apparently, it still is. Minsuh Son, who can see the trail from her backyard, spotted two wild turkeys on the main trail last Friday. This fellow’s female companion was just out of frame. Son […]
Backyard Nature: The Broad Branch frogs are putting on a show
by Marlene Berlin I must admit I have been worried about the frogs. I’m used to hearing the hum of the American toad permeate the neighborhood beginning in early March. This spring, I heard nothing. Not until last week along the Linnean trail. Many years ago, when I first noticed the high-pitched hum, I was […]
Spotted in Rock Creek Park: Bald eagles
by Marlene Berlin On Sunday, a friend and I were walking up Broad Branch Road, close to the Soapstone trailhead, when we saw a large bird flying across the sky and swooping down onto a tree. My first thought? That it could be an owl, but my friend exclaimed that it was a bald eagle. […]
Backyard Nature: Two neighbors out for a stroll on Albemarle Street
Two of Barbara Lardy’s neighbors enjoy walking her block of Albemarle Street. “Lovely couple,” she says. Lardy, who is the president of Van Ness Main Street’s board as well as a neighbor, says she first encountered the wild turkeys a couple of weeks ago. “I was returning from a walk (around 11 a.m.) and found […]
Backyard Nature: This cold weather really is for the birds
by Marjorie Rachlin Have you noticed the mallard ducks swimming lazily in Rock Creek when it’s cold and there is snow on the ground? “Why aren’t they freezing?” a friend asked. I went to the web to find out. It turns out that birds have several different kinds of feathers that keep them warm. When […]