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Each year, World Wetlands Day is celebrated on February 2nd. Wetlands come in many forms and go by many names – estuaries, bogs, mangrove swamps, vernal pools, marshes, riparian wetlands, cypress swamps, playa lakes and more! Wetland areas improve water quality, provide flood protection and support tons of fish, wildlife and plants. If you’ve been [...]

Many birds stick around for the winter and feeding them at backyard feeders is a fun way to interact with them.  Frequent winter visitors to feeders in the Great Lakes Basin include black capped chickadees, wood peckers and as the weather warms a bit, cardinals.  These birds nutritional needs change with the seasons.  During the [...]

Bald eagles are found throughout North America, and the Northern Mississippi Valley is a great winter viewing spot. Up to 5,000 bald eagles winter on the Mississippi River between Cairo, IL and St. Paul, MN.  Bald eagles prefer habitats near open water where there is an abundance of fish, as well as old-growth forest and [...]

December 14 marks the beginning of Audubon’s annual Christmas Bird Count. The Count runs through January 5, 2011.  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 [...]

Winter flounder are unique among fishes of the Mid-Atlantic and New England regions. Unlike most coastal marine fishes including salmon, shad and herring, winter flounder (Pseudopleuronectes americanus) enter estuaries in the late fall and early winter to spawn. These right-eye flat fishes like it cold thanks to an “anti-freeze” protein in their blood that protects [...]

Fall fishing and ice fishing are popular past times for many in the Great Lakes Region.  As you rig your line in hopes of landing that big catch, think twice about what weights your lure.  Lead has been used for weighting fishing tackle for centuries, but this heavy metal poses a hazard to human and [...]

The current drought that Texas is suffering through is threatening the oysters of Galveston Bay. Galveston Bay needs freshwater to keep the salinity level of the Bay low to protect oyster reefs. Some predators and disease thrive in very salty waters, which can weaken and kill oysters. Oysters are the Bay’s keystone species, providing habitat [...]

Did you know that cities often support more individual birds than rural or suburban areas? Many city birds are European species that thrive in urban environments, such as Rock Pigeons, European Starlings and House Sparrows. City residents can attract a broader range of bird species by covering or replacing pavement with native plants, flowers and [...]

The five Great Lakes—Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie and Ontario—have often been described as “inland seas” and “freshwater oceans.” Besides terminology, they have something else in common with oceans: estuaries. While estuaries are traditionally defined as places where rivers (freshwater) meet the sea (salt water), scientists increasingly recognize that estuary-like conditions prevail along parts of the [...]

New England and other northerly points are renowned for the beauty of their fall leaves. Red, orange and gold foliage draws visitors from all over the country for peak viewing times. Salt marshes in temperate zones all over the United States go through much the same transformation during autumn. Dominant Spartina marsh grasses turn from [...]

Wild birds primarily feed their young insects, which prefer to live on native plants that they evolved with rather than exotic plants.  Adult birds also rely heavily on native plants for food, shelter and nesting sites. Viewer Tip: Consider adding native plants to your yard during fall planting season.  For example,  the shrub American beautyberry [...]

One commonly asked question is why oysters are traditionally eaten only during months with an “r” in them. There are two answers. One, earlier times lacked refrigeration and oysters spoil quickly in warm weather (months without an “r”: May, June, July and August) unless they are chilled. And two, oysters just don’t taste as good [...]

Nitrogen and phosphorus are part of healthy aquatic habitats. These nutrients support the growth of underwater plants that provide oxygen and habitat for fish and other animals. They also support algae growth, which is a source of food for many fish and shellfish. Aquatic habitats can become unbalanced, however, when too much nitrogen and phosphorus [...]

Can a fish really fly? Actually, ”flying fish” use unique body adaptations to help them fly or glide out of the water. They use their efficient torpedo-shaped body and tail fin to help them gain speed at an angle towards the water surface. As they break the surface, their wing-like fins help them glide once in the [...]

Snowy tree crickets, found through the United States, are around from July to October and are called “snowy” because of thier pale color. These crickets have a chirp that is easy to count and related to temperature.  Viewer Tip: Head outside after dark to listen for crickets. Count the number of chirps you hear in 13 seconds and [...]

More than 85 percent of the Chesapeake Bay’s shoreline is privately owned. And most of that is lined with hardened bulkheads or riprap designed to protect waterfront property from erosion and sea level rise.  These “hardened shorelines” take away from some of the Bay’s most productive acreage: the coastal marsh and intertidal areas that serve [...]

Have you noticed more frequent encounters with yellow jackets recently? Yellow jackets are a type of paper wasp found across the country. Depending on the species, they either nest above or below ground in colonies with workers and one queen that lays eggs. During the spring and early summer, workers build-up the colony with chambers [...]

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 fresh water close-by is extremely important for survival. Viewer Tip: You can lend a hand to [...]

Did you know that a swimming pool in the summer is just as attractive to wildlife as it is to us? While enjoyable for us, swimming pools can be dangerous for wildlife. Wildlife can become trapped and drown or be harmed by chemicals in the water. Viewer Tip: Luckily, there are many ways to help [...]

Warm summer days mean lots of people head out to the Great Lakes to go boating and fishing. While you’re on the water, it is important to keep an eye out for silver and bighead carp, which are invasive fish that pose a threat to native Great Lakes species and even boaters. These fish were [...]