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This is the time of year when migratory birds are on the move!  Migratory birds are traveling from their wintering grounds in Mexico, Central and South America to the U.S. and Canada, where they feast on abundant insects and plant foods during spring and summer.  How do they know when to leave and where to [...]

This is the time of year when migratory birds are on the move!  Migratory birds are traveling from their wintering grounds in Mexico, Central and South America to the U.S. and Canada, where they feast on abundant insects and plant foods during spring and summer.  How do they know when to leave and where to [...]

This is the time of year when migratory birds are on the move!  Migratory birds are traveling from their wintering grounds in Mexico, Central and South America to the U.S. and Canada, where they feast on abundant insects and plant foods during spring and summer.  How do they know when to leave and where to [...]

This is the time of year when migratory birds are on the move!  Migratory birds are traveling from their wintering grounds in Mexico, Central and South America to the U.S. and Canada, where they feast on abundant insects and plant foods during spring and summer.  How do they know when to leave and where to [...]

With the first warm sunny days of spring comes the buzzing of mosquitoes. As you are preparing the backyard for your next barbeque, make sure these pesky bugs don’t stop by for a bite. Mosquitoes rely on stagnant pools of water for breeding grounds.  These pools can form in things like abandoned bird baths, buckets, [...]

It’s that time of year again, when we open our windows, work on our lawn and gardens, watch the flowers bloom and get ready for the cookout. Just one slight problem: those little blood-suckers would like to enjoy the spring temperatures, too – while hanging out with you. It’s bug season! Viewer Tip: Here are [...]

The 2013 Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) takes place from Friday, February 15 through Monday, February 18. Each year, volunteers across the country tally the birds they see in backyards, parks and natural areas. Last year, GBBC participants racked up more than 17 million observations and identified 623 species! Counting birds during GBBC helps scientists [...]

Winter can be a hard time for birds. With short days and cold nights, our feathered neighbors must spend more time searching for food, water and shelter. To give them a boost, people often feed birds throughout the winter season. Sunflower seed, suet cakes and peanuts are three good sources of protein and fat for [...]

Move over, Punxsutawney Phil.  Groundhogs aren’t the only animals who are known to “predict” the weather.  Phil may be the most famous, but he’s certainly not the most accurate.  Here are four animals that are known for their weather wisdom.  Some of these proverbs are true, while others are not.  Can you guess which ones [...]

Oh, the weather outside is frightful, but the bird feeder is so delightful.  Well, that’s what birds think, anyway.  A recent study of 18 Northeastern winter birds found that many of them flocked to bird feeders when the weather went south.  So this winter, keep your head up when the temperature goes down and watch [...]

December 14 marks the beginning of Audubon’s annual Christmas Bird Count. The Count runs through January 5, 2013.  The first Christmas Bird Count (CBC) took place on December 25, 1900 when 27 participants counted and identified about 18,500 birds, mostly in the northeastern U.S. Today, volunteers brave snow and chilly temperatures to identify and count [...]

Many yard materials that we clip, rake and throw away before winter can be useful to help wildlife to survive.  Shelter and food start becoming more scarce as fall ends and winter begins.  Dead plants, twigs, leaves and seed heads are perfect food and shelter items for many small animals like birds, squirrels and chipmunks. [...]

Looking for a new project? Fall is a great time to join a citizen science program, where you can share your own observations about nature with scientists. Citizen science volunteers can collect far more data than science researchers can alone, playing an important role in scientific discovery! Viewer Tip: Make discoveries where you live. Here [...]

Drought conditions in much of the country are sending wildlife in search of food, water and cover – which means some animals are traveling farther than usual and into more developed areas.  Drought impacts wildlife in many ways: Hungry deer, bears, raccoons and other wild animals are searching for food.  Deer, elk and bighorn sheep [...]

Local wildlife – such as birds and small mammals – need a supply of clean water to survive periods of extreme heat and drought. Small animals often seen in our backyards typically don’t have large ranges, meaning that having access to nearby fresh water important for survival. Viewer Tip: You can lend a hand to [...]

Ever wonder why more people don’t swim in Chesapeake Bay? One big reason is jellyfish. When summer hits the Bay, so do stinging sea nettles, a small jellyfish that can lead to big stings. Stand on docks in the lower Bay in August and you’re pretty much guaranteed to see pulsating masses of these free-floating [...]

The Summer Flounder, Paralichthys Dentatus, is well named. Summer Flounder migrate inshore to shallow coastal and estuarine waters beginning in late spring and early summer to feed and spawn. Then, as water temperatures begin to fall, they migrate offshore into deep water in August or September. Viewer Tip: Flounder live in shallow water in the [...]

With all the buzz about European honey bees declining rapidly, it’s easy to forget hundreds of North American bee species need your help. They face threats such as a loss of native plants from which many obtain pollen. You can assist these useful insects by providing nesting sites. Viewer Tip: A native bee home can [...]

May is American Wetlands Month! No matter where you live, chances are there’s a wetland nearby that provides important environmental benefits to your community. Wetlands support diverse fish and wildlife species, filter pollutants from rain water runoff, help recharge groundwater supplies, prevent flooding and enhance property values. Despite their many benefits, the United States loses [...]

Depending on your latitude (how far north or south you live), you may spot young painted turtles emerging from nests sometime between late May and mid-June. These turtles have been overwintering underground where they may have even been partially frozen! As turtles emerge from their nests, they will likely head for the closest body of [...]