Blog Feed: The Natural Capital

Photo credit: Mary KeimI'm a big fan of eye spots. In the animal world, they're meant to be scary, but to us humans those big "eyes" just make critters look like cartoon babies. Bug-haters may struggle to join in on my fun, but come on, is this not one cool-looking insect? Alaus oculatus -- the eyed click beetle or eyed elater -- can be almost 2 inches long. Their true eyes are up by the antennae. Those big spots are just evolution's way of saying, "don't mess with me, I'm either a snake or a [..] > read more

LOOK FOR: Putty root

Published on 2012-05-16 10:40:00

For the longest time, this leaf was a mystery to me. Photo credit: cotinis We see it scattered infrequently through forests around the DC metro area in the winter. Always just one leaf. The pinstripes are pretty noticeable, right? If you know a little botany, you know that the fact that those leaf veins are parallel is significant. It places this plant in the monocot class. What's in that class? Grasses, but this clearly isn't a grass. Onions, daffodils, tulips...pretty sure it's not any of [..] > read more

LOOK FOR: Migratory Warblers

Published on 2012-05-09 19:49:22

In the last 2 years, we've had a bunch of migrating warblers come through our yard in mid-May. In fact, we've noted four of the same species two years in a row. I like to think they remember our little pond as a nice stopping-over point (but I'm sure it's just random). Have you seen any of these birds lately? I'm keeping an eye out to see if this will be the third year in a row for our backyard guests. Photo credit: Ken SchneiderBlackpoll warbler Photo credit: Jeremy Meyer Canada warbler Ph [..] > read more

More things to look for in May

Published on 2012-05-03 18:00:02

At the end of April I posted about several things we were seeing that normally appear in May. Here's the rest of my list of things we've posted on in May -- these usually are later in the month, but who knows when they'll turn up this year. And there are still many things we haven't gotten to yet...what have you been seeing outside lately? Leave us a comment and tell us what to look out for! Photo credit: ac4ltMountain Laurel - > read more

Things to Look For NOW that Usually Come in May

Published on 2012-04-25 09:17:39

Even the less nature-aware people that I know are noticing what a weird spring this has been. Topping the list: yesterday, I ate the first ripe strawberry from my garden. Below are several things we've highlighted before on the Natural Capital well into May, that are blooming/active NOW. Don't miss them! What else have you been seeing way ahead of time that we shouldn't miss? yellow ladyslipper at TWMA by Carly&ArtWe often make it out to Thomspon Wildlife Management Area in early May to see [..] > read more

Things to Look For in April

Published on 2012-04-15 21:01:04

This time of year is one of our busiest times: Matt's landscaping business is in full swing, our own garden is plenty of work, and there are so many things we want to look for in the wild! This year I've added to the craziness by enrolling in the Brookside Gardens School of Botanical Art & Illustration, which is a little more than I bargained for -- in a good way, except it's left even less time to update this blog. And then there's the crazy weather this spring -- everything is 2-3 weeks early [..] > read more

Avian Architecture

Published on 2012-03-29 15:00:04

**** I'm giving away a copy of this book! Details at the end of the post. **** Photo credit: ingridtaylarOver the last week I've been watching robins hop around my yard, picking out old plant stalks and other bits and pieces to build their nests. There's a pair working on a nest in the rose trellis over our front sidewalk -- always an exciting location, because we can watch the parents feed their babies from our porch. Plus, every time someone passes through our front gate a bird comes flying [..] > read more

Calendar: Nature at the USA Science and Engineering Festival

Published on 2012-03-26 10:46:00

Mark your calendars for the weekend of April 28 and 29. At the DC Convention Center there will be a huge, free event aimed at getting kids excited about science: the USA Science and Engineering Festival. (There are also some pre-events listed here.) Speakers and performers include Bill Nye the Science Guy, folks from Mythbusters, Benjamin Franklin (or a guy who looks and acts like him), astronauts, magicians, and more. Sessions and exhibits will include the science of the magic of Harry Potter, [..] > read more

Local highlights at the Environmental Film Festival

Published on 2012-03-12 12:34:00

Photo credit: davefancherThis year is the 20th anniversary of the DC Environmental Film Festival, from March 13 to 25. Films from all over the world will highlight the amazing beauty of our planet and the forces that threaten it. As I've done for the past few years, I'll highlight a few picks here that have a local bent: March 20 at 6:30, Carnegie Institution for Science: Two films on the Potomac River EXPEDITION BLUE PLANET (Clips). "Alexandra Cousteau, Founder and President of Blue Legacy I [..] > read more

How to Find a Spring Peeper

Published on 2012-03-09 08:35:00

Last year I wrote about spring peepers: how it is one of our spring rituals to go out in the evening to listen to their calls, and how unbelievable it is that I couldn't find any when they're so loud. Photo credit: buckeye98Thanks to the wonders of the internet, we found a technique that actually worked! We found a peeper, and held it in our hands! See if it works for you. You will need: at least three people, a flashlight or headlamp for each person, patience, and the ability to sit quietl [..] > read more

Things to Look For in March

Published on 2012-03-01 16:00:01

If the 70 degree days last week didn't convince you that spring is coming, I'm here to remind you of what's ahead this month: Spring beauties! Spring Peepers! And all kinds of other cool stuff. What have you been seeing lately? Photo credit: Carly & ArtBloodroot is one of our favorite spring flowers. Each plant blooms only briefly, and there's a window of only a few weeks that the bloodroots bloom at all. It's one more thing that inspires us to spend as much time as possible in the woods at th [..] > read more

LOOK FOR: Maple Flowers

Published on 2012-02-24 08:29:31

Maples are one of the earliest trees to bloom in our area -- a sure sign of spring. But not many people see them...they're up high, and they're not super-showy. When the light hits it right, though, the entire crown of a maple tree in flower will light up in red or yellow. So, as you're walking around this week, look up for something like this: Photo credit: jpwbee Maple flowers are insect-pollinated, and an important early-season source of food for insects. As the weather warms up enough for [..] > read more

Postcards from Honduras

Published on 2012-02-12 13:29:40

On this blog we celebrate all the great nature here in the DC area, but I have a confession: we go away almost every winter. I'm a southerner who craves warmth and longer days, and Matt's a landscaper whose work gets pretty slow in December and January. This year, after heading to my hometown in Florida for Christmas, we headed even further south: to Honduras. It was a great trip -- below are some of my favorite photos. We've got lots more pictures here. And I'll try to get some new, local cont [..] > read more

LOOK FOR: Mica

Published on 2012-01-19 06:00:02

Photo credit: The Marvelous In NatureWhen I was a kid, I was fascinated by mica. Still am, really: the world could always use a little sparkle. And on many trails in the DC area, the soil is full of little sparkly bits of mica. Out of the trails we frequent, it seems most common on the Northwest Branch near Burnt Mills Dam on Colesville Road. Not only are the trails quite sparkly, but there are several sandy spots along the river where you can find larger pieces of mica. The paper-thin sheets [..] > read more

My Favorite Searches of 2011

Published on 2012-01-12 12:28:01

Some people find the Natural Capital in the darnedest ways. Every one of these seemingly-unrelated searches ended up on this website in 2011. Click on each link to find out where they landed, and see if you can figure out why. At least 42 goats. Photo credit: Toby Simkin funny looking people my deer feeder is better than yours purple bird poop Hunter S. Thompson Clara Barton cow intestines cool chemical reactions end of the world I'm not that girl female greek warrior I shook my family tr [..] > read more

Things to Look for in January

Published on 2012-01-05 15:18:02

The days are ever so slowly getting longer, but spring is still long away. And yet, there are still plenty of things to look for outside. Writing this list almost makes me wish I wasn't skipping town for Central America. Almost. >> What have you been noticing in nature this winter? Leave a comment below. Rock Tripe by Paul J. MorrisAmong wild edibles, rock tripe is not prized or even particularly appetizing...actually, it's pretty cardboardy. But as a survival food, it's been used for centuri [..] > read more

LOOK FOR: Turkey Tails

Published on 2011-12-29 15:24:13

Photo credit: CoastlanderAs we think about the things that we are thankful for in nature, we should all pause to be thankful for mushrooms. Not just because they are yummy, or beautiful -- which many are -- but because they enable us to walk around in the woods in the first place. After all, imagine a world where every tree that fell over in the forest just stayed there. A few hundred years and it would be an impassible maze of giant Pick-Up Sticks. No, we should be grateful for the saprobes [..] > read more

Greatest Hits of 2011

Published on 2011-12-29 15:23:30

With only 2 days left in the year, it seems safe to take stock of our visitors in 2011. There were over 21,000 of you this year. As far as Big Brother Google can tell, about a quarter of you live in DC, a fifth in Virginia, and a fifth in Maryland, with the rest coming in from around the world -- including all 50 states and over a hundred countries. Thanks so much for joining us on our adventures through the natural world. Help us find even more readers for 2012! If you have friends who enjoy t [..] > read more

Read Any Good Books Lately?

Published on 2011-12-15 10:41:00

Every year around this time I like to browse best-of-the-year book lists. Here are some of the books that caught my eye as possibly of interest to Natural Capital readers. What have you read this year that you think we should look at? Leave a comment below. From the Association for the Study of Literature and the Environment Environmental Creative Writing Award: Birdwatching in Wartime by Jeffrey Thomson "In Thomson's poetry collection, the animals are real and so is the singing. Whether mou [..] > read more

Things to look for in December

Published on 2011-12-09 10:30:14

Hello dear readers, we've been slowing down the rate of posts here at the Natural Capital due to...well, life. And it's about to get a whole lot slower as we leave town, first to visit family in Florida, and then to visit the coral reefs, jungles, and cloud forests of Honduras for a big chunk of January. We've scheduled a few posts to show up here automatically while we're gone, just so you don't think we've forgotten about you! In the meantime, there's plenty to explore for those of you staying [..] > read more

Happy Thanksgiving!

Published on 2011-11-24 12:48:01

Photo credit: wmartin63Hope you're having a wonderful day with friends and family as we are. For those of you who can't turn away from the computer even on Thanksgiving, here are some posts on the Natural Capital that relate to turkeys and giving thanks, in one way or another: Wild Turkeys Turkey Run Park Turkey Vultures Some things we're thankful for Now get outdoors and work off that turkey! > read more

LOOK FOR: Starlings

Published on 2011-11-10 15:00:05

You know I stick mostly to native species on this blog. There are so many wonderful creatures and plants to explore without needing to focus on the imported counterparts that are crowding them out. But a friend forwarded a beautiful little video that I thought I would pass along, because this truly is one of the natural phenomena that takes my breath away a few times a year. Photo credit: Kristof BorkowskiStarlings were brought to the United States in the late 19th century by a group called t [..] > read more

Calendar: Upcoming Wild Edibles Events, July 9-15

Published on 2011-07-05 09:40:00

Photo credit: heartfeltrobotHave you eaten any wineberries yet this year? We picked several quarts up in Burtonsville this weekend. The season is winding down in DC, but head out to one of these events for a chance to find them (or maybe some blackbe > read more

LOOK FOR: Bald Eagles

Published on 2011-07-01 10:59:38

Matt and I were driving down the Beltway not too long ago when we realized a bald eagle was flying overhead. That this is even possible is such a potent reminder of how far these birds have come in our lifetime. Bald eagle at the National Zoo by ge > read more

Calendar: Hunting Deer, Hunting Herons

Published on 2011-06-27 07:00:12

Photo credit: Art PoskanzerThere was a flurry of activity on our local listserve this week because someone apparently shot a deer in a neighbor's backyard, uninvited. While this raises some seriously alarming safety issues in the neighborhood, the fa > read more

Public Campgrounds Near Washington, DC

Published on 2011-06-23 05:30:02

Photo credit: Last year we listed places to swim near DC and places to rent a canoe near DC. Today we return to complete the summer trifecta, with a list of over a dozen places to camp within an hour's drive of the US Capitol.* This Saturday is the > read more

Things to Look for in June

Published on 2011-06-14 11:23:47

It's June and the world is abuzz with life. It's no coincidence that we've written a lot about insects at this time of year! Mosquito by James JordanMosquito larvae: As a gardener, I've been complaining about how all the rainstorms coming through > read more

Where would you spend the end of the world?

Published on 2011-05-28 09:40:49

Thanks for bearing with a reduced Natural Capital schedule during some crazy 60 hour weeks at my day job. It's been almost a week since the world didn't end, but I've been thinking about this question ever since last Saturday afternoon, when Matt a > read more

LOOK FOR: Ticks

Published on 2011-05-20 07:53:44

I know, I took a week off and I come back with ticks? That's no fun. But you really should look for them. On yourself. Regularly. Photo credit: XplosivBadgerWe now know three people in the DC area who have had Lyme disease. One otherwise healthy ad > read more

Is it time to reassess the Natural Capital Calendar?

Published on 2011-05-10 21:48:18

How do you use the Natural Capital calendar? The last couple weeks have been a perfect storm of super-busy at my day job, plus amazing weather that has me doing anything but looking at a computer when I'm not at work. And I've fallen a little behin > read more

When it all comes together

Published on 2011-05-06 06:00:12

We've lived in this house for six years. In that time, we've removed grass and weeds from probably 5000 square feet, planted hundreds of plants, and hauled many, many truckloads of leaf mulch from the Takoma Park DPW. This is not a complaint...it is > read more

Family Hiking 101

Published on 2011-05-04 05:00:14

This is a guest post by Jennifer Chambers, founder of Hiking Along. Do you want to contribute to the Natural Capital? Email us at thenaturalcapital@gmail.com. Do these questions or thoughts enter your mind when you think of a “family hike?” How d > read more

Calendar: Mushrooms, Flowers, and other Wild Edibles

Published on 2011-05-02 05:00:11

This week's picks are all about wild edibles: our favorite way to explore the outdoors! Morels and Tomato in Pinot Noir Reduction by norwichnutsTuesday is the annual wild food tasting of the Mycological Association of Washington, at the Kensington L > read more

Things to Look For in May

Published on 2011-04-29 05:00:13

We're wrapping up our second year here at the Natural Capital, so these monthly reviews of previous posts are now going to be twice as long. But there are still many things we haven't gotten to yet...what have you been seeing outside lately? Leave us > read more

Mmmmorels!

Published on 2011-04-27 05:00:14

The morel season has been off to a sluggish (but still delicious) start. We had two moderately successful hikes on the last two weekends: everybody went home with at least one mushroom, but not with the big scores we've had in some years. (And wow, t > read more

Calendar: Arbor Day

Published on 2011-04-25 05:00:12

There's so much good stuff on the calendar this week -- from fern ID on Tuesday night, to Fern Valley on Sunday -- that it was hard to choose a few picks... but the last Friday in April is Arbor Day, and that wins out. Photo credit: calliopeCasey T > read more

LOOK FOR: Bear Corn (or Cancer Root...or Squaw Root)

Published on 2011-04-22 05:00:01

Conopholis americana breaks one of the fundamental rules you learned about plants in biology: it has no chlorophyll. It doesn't photosynthesize. Photo credit: The Natural CapitalBut it is a plant -- a parasitic one. It latches on to the roots of o > read more

Turn off your computer and get outside...

Published on 2011-04-20 05:00:03

Photo credit: jpstanleyIt's Screen Free Week. They couldn't have picked a better time of year. Hat tip to the Grass Stain Guru for reminding us, and for her ideas of things to do instead of staring at a screen. > read more

Calendar: Earth Day (April 22)

Published on 2011-04-18 05:00:00

Whether you're celebrating Good Friday or Earth Day, there's no school on Friday. Several local organizations have planned accordingly. Photo credit: Michael DainesRock Creek Park has two special events scheduled to celebrate the day on Friday: a m > read more

LOOK FOR: Dogwood Flowers

Published on 2011-04-15 06:30:00

Dogwoods are one native flowering tree that has really made it as an ornamental landscape tree. Trees in sunny spots and the warmer parts of our urban heat island should start blooming soon. But how closely have you looked at a dogwood lately? There > read more

Our newest hobby

Published on 2011-04-13 07:00:29

I try to stay away from blogging about our garden on the Natural Capital -- so many people already do that so well. But I just can't resist sharing the newest addition to our backyard: a beehive! Here's a video of Matt putting in the bees. > read more

Calendar: Animal City (April 16-17)

Published on 2011-04-11 05:00:06

This week's picks are three unique opportunities to see wild animals in different ways. Smithsonian Naturalist Center Photo credit: mediafurySaturday from 11 to 4 is an open house "draw-in" at the Smithsonian Naturalist Center in Leesburg, VA. Th > read more

LOOK FOR: Garlic Mustard, Invasive and Delicious

Published on 2011-04-08 05:00:09

In the title to this post, I was tempted to call garlic mustard "evil." But I'll stop short of that. Every plant is just trying its best to take over the world. Photo credit: Olivia and MikeSo you can't really blame garlic mustard, I guess, for t > read more

Potomac River Watershed Cleanup this Saturday, April 9

Published on 2011-04-06 07:00:00

Bye Bye Beer Can, by Emily Wander. Winner of the 2010 Photo Contest.Every April, there's a one-day cleanup at hundreds of sites across DC, Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia to get trash out of the Potomac River watershed. Last year > read more

Calendar: Dueling Field Guide Authors (April 5)

Published on 2011-04-04 07:00:07

I'm in a conundrum about how to spend Tuesday evening. Gary Lincoff will be this month's speaker at the Mycological Association of Washington. He's author of the National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Mushrooms and the recently pub > read more

Things to Look For in April

Published on 2011-04-01 05:00:05

This time of year just makes my heart soar, every year. It's also one of our busiest times: Matt's landscaping business is in full swing, our own garden is plenty of work, and there are so many things we want to look for in the wild! Morels by It's > read more

The New Crossley Bird Guide: A Review & Your Chance to Meet the Author

Published on 2011-03-30 06:30:01

There's a new bird ID guide out, and all the bird blogs are talking about it. I figured I'd join in, since the publisher was kind enough to send me a review copy. Even better, author Richard Crossley will be giving a free lecture and booksigning at t > read more

Calendar: Whole Goats and Other Fools (March 29-April 3)

Published on 2011-03-28 05:30:01

"3 Weed Note" by Patterson Clark: multiflora rose inks, english ivy paper, white mulberry printing block.Our picks for this April Fools week: Tuesday night, come see Patterson Clark discuss using invasive plant materials to make art in his alienwee > read more

LOOK FOR: Bittercress

Published on 2011-03-25 05:00:04

Photo credit: freethehopsIf you've ever kept a garden, you've almost certainly weeded bittercress out of it. Go ahead and keep pulling it out -- the stuff seeds like crazy -- but consider saving some of those weeds and throwing them in your next sala > read more

Trip Report: Last Day of Winter Walk

Published on 2011-03-23 05:00:08

On Saturday we were joined by a dozen people for a foraging walk. The sap of the river birches was flowing freely, and there were abundant edible greens before we were even out of sight of the parking lot. There were also many non-edible diversions a > read more

Calendar: Beginning Birding, Advanced Lampreys (March 23-26)

Published on 2011-03-21 05:00:10

It caught our eye that there are two events listed as beginning birding on our calendar this week. One is at Fort CF Smith Park in Arlington from 6 to 8 pm on Wednesday night (March 23). It will be a walk to "teach the basics of using binoculars, l > read more

LOOK FOR: Spring Peepers

Published on 2011-03-18 05:58:00

Photo credit: bbodjackIt has been a long-time goal of mine to actually find a spring peeper. I hear them every spring, but I never actually see them. I'm convinced they throw their voices: I'll sit for 15 minutes looking directly at where the sound > read more

What's a great place to go hiking with kids?

Published on 2011-03-16 06:38:00

Photo credit: crimfantsA friend asked us recently: he's got visitors with young kids coming, where's a good place to go hiking with them? Obvious question, right? I mean, we write this blog and all. But I'll admit it: we are kid-challenged. We some > read more

Calendar: Equinox Eve (March 19)

Published on 2011-03-14 07:05:00

Did you know you can balance an egg on end on the equinox? Photo credit: James JordanIn the weather and the flowers, it's starting to look like spring out there. This Saturday is, finally, officially, the last day of winter. Perhaps you'll find a li > read more

LOOK FOR: Woodcocks (or Timberdoodles)

Published on 2011-03-11 06:00:12

Photo credit: Gene HanWoodcocks are funny-looking birds with a shorebird's long beak and a big eye that looks a little misplaced. People have given them all kinds of silly names: mudbat, bogsucker, and -- perhaps most celebrated -- timberdoodle. Mo > read more

DC Environmental Film Festival -- Films About Our Area

Published on 2011-03-09 06:00:22

The DC Environmental Film Festival features 150 beautiful and disturbing films from around the world -- from Australia to Arabia to Argentina. But hidden among them are always films that look at nature and environment closer to home. Here are the one > read more

Calendar: DC Environmental Film Festival Events this Week (March 9-10)

Published on 2011-03-07 06:00:08

Mark your calendars to check out at least one screening at the DC Environmental Film Festival, March 15-27. Two kickoff events take place this week: There's a free pre-festival screening of BAG IT this Wednesday at 7 PM at an undisclosed location on > read more

LOOK FOR: Migrating Canada Geese

Published on 2011-03-04 06:30:01

photo credit: Henry McLinI've mentioned before that Matt and I keep a nature journal where we write down the dates that we see things. And every year, for the last 3 years since we've been keeping this journal, we've written down that we saw large nu > read more

Rock Creek Park: Boundary Bridge-Riley Spring Bridge Loop

Published on 2011-03-02 07:07:00

The loop in the northern end of Rock Creek Park that includes Boundary Bridge is one that Matt and I return to over and over. This time of year, the highlight for us is two large patches of skunk cabbage in flower. Later in the spring you'll find mou > read more

Calendar: Looking for Spring (Mar. 1-6)

Published on 2011-02-28 06:00:13

I've been craving mushrooms this week. I think it's part of an itching for spring. But morels, which kick off the mushrooming year, won't be up for another six weeks yet. In the meantime, I made myself a big batch of stroganoff with store-bought mush > read more

Things to Look for in March

Published on 2011-02-25 06:00:16

Putting together this post, I'm reminded how much I love this time of year. The sap is running and the earth is waking up and breaking out into flower. What have you been seeing lately? Photo credit: Carly & ArtBloodroot is one of our favorite > read more

Calendar: Winter Nature (Feb 26-27)

Published on 2011-02-22 19:20:44

I hope you had a wonderful long weekend, if you work somewhere that gives you the long weekend. The maples are starting to bloom, and the spring beauties are starting to send up their leaves...slowly but surely, spring is on the way. In the meantime, > read more

LOOK FOR: Backyard Birds (and count them)

Published on 2011-02-18 07:00:09

The Great Backyard Bird Count is an annual event that takes a massive snapshot of where birds are in North America. In 2010, volunteers reported on a mind-boggling 11.2 million birds. I did it for the first time last year, and it gave me a warm fuzzy > read more

Forcing Flowers

Published on 2011-02-16 07:00:11

The hedge between our yard and our neighbor's yard includes a long stretch of forsythia. Every January, we cut a vase full of bare branches and stick them in our kitchen. Gradually, those bare branches are transformed as the buds swell and then exp > read more

Calendar: Outdoors Presidents (Feb. 19-21)

Published on 2011-02-14 14:02:00

There are lots of maple-tapping events on this week's calendar -- including one of Matt's famed wild edibles walks on Saturday. It's also President's Day weekend. I always forget about this holiday until it's pretty much upon us, but some local hike > read more

LOOK FOR: Vultures (They Make Better Valentines than Teddy Bears)

Published on 2011-02-11 07:54:40

Vultures at Great Falls by badjobyI'm willing to bet the vast majority of you have either given or received a teddy bear on Valentine's Day at some point in your life. It's part of what we do. But I am here to speak truth to the power of the Valentin > read more

What's the Most Romantic Outdoor Spot in the DC Area?

Published on 2011-02-09 11:46:19

Photo credit: Phoney NickleLet's say, hypothetically, I wanted to go for a hike with my honey on Valentine's Day. What's the most romantic spot I could go to, in your opinion? Do you go for the sweeping vistas, or the secluded spots that noone kno > read more

Calendar: Learn Something (Feb 7-13)

Published on 2011-02-07 07:30:14

This week's calendar is heavy on lectures and classes -- you could attend one a day if you wanted to: Tonight is the monthly program at Brown Planetarium in Arlington ($2/3). Tuesday at noon there's a tour of medicinal and poisonous plants at the U > read more

Things to Look For in February

Published on 2011-02-04 07:00:08

Skunk cabbage by Colin PurringtonSkunk cabbage is one of the select group of plants in the world that attracts pollinators by imitating rotting flesh. And, it's just about the only native flower you're going to find blooming at this time of year. > read more

Calendar: Night Creatures (Feb. 5)

Published on 2011-01-31 16:19:17

Photo credit: pm107ukRegardless of what Punxatawney Phil does this week, the days are getting longer. So while it's still getting dark early, you may want to take advantage of programs looking for creatures that are more active at night -- by summer, > read more

Snow Photos

Published on 2011-01-28 07:00:16

Some of my favorites from the Flickr pool from the last couple of days...Did you enjoy the snow? Lose any branches? See any animal tracks? Photo credit: woodleywonderworks Photo credit: @jbtaylor Photo credit: erin m Photo credit: ehpien Pho > read more

How Cold Is Too Cold To Play Outside?

Published on 2011-01-26 06:00:07

A friend recently passed along a petition noting that many Montgomery County public schools keep elementary school children indoors when the temperature is 32 degrees or below. I'm sure there's some temperature below which it's not reasonable to have > read more

Calendar: Tapping Trees and Predicting the End of Winter (Jan 28-29)

Published on 2011-01-24 09:01:38

Photo credit: Chiot's Run The sap is starting to run in the maples. It's time to start tapping! (Read our post on maple syrup.) That's as sure a sign as anything that the end of winter can't be too far off. But if you want to celebrate in another wa > read more

LOOK FOR: Footprints in the Snow

Published on 2011-01-20 21:30:15

Winter is the time of year here in the mid-Atlantic where things become more visible: the lay of the land, the structures of the trees, and the tracks of mammals and birds. Fox tracks crossing the Northwest BranchWhen I was a kid, we had invisible > read more

A Southerner's Guide to Staying Warm Outdoors in Winter

Published on 2011-01-20 21:29:38

DC is in a funny middle ground, geographically speaking. Is it the northern edge of the south, or the southern edge of the north? Having spent good chunks of my life in much warmer climes, DC is about as far north as I'm willing to live. I'm just not > read more

Calendar: Trees & Friends (Jan. 22-23)

Published on 2011-01-18 06:00:04

There are a couple of opportunities this weekend to learn more about trees: Photo credit: AshtonPalWinter Tree ID. On Saturday at Jug Bay, join the Maryland Native Plant Society for a beginner-oriented class with a focus on twigs, buds, and bark. > read more

LOOK FOR: Ice

Published on 2011-01-14 14:55:48

Tomorrow morning, before it gets up to 40 degrees and the world turns into a mud pie, head out to your favorite body of water and check out the ice. Here are some pictures from a hike today at Scott's Run. Other good spots to check out: Rock Creek P > read more

Nature Centers in the DC Area

Published on 2011-01-12 06:00:08

When the weather is rough, but you don't want it to keep you at home all weekend, it might be a perfect time to find a nature center near you and explore nature indoors -- especially if you have kids. The extent of the exhibits varies widely from cen > read more

Calendar: MLK Day of Service (Jan 17)

Published on 2011-01-10 06:00:15

More and more people are observing Martin Luther King, Jr's birthday as a day of service. Our calendar for next Monday is full of opportunities to volunteer outside, removing invasive plants or otherwise sprucing up local parks. Links are to the anno > read more

Things to Look For in January

Published on 2011-01-07 06:00:16

The days are ever so slowly getting longer, but spring is still long away. And yet, there are still plenty of things to look for outside. >> What have you been noticing in nature this winter? Leave a comment below. Rock Tripe by Paul J. MorrisAmo > read more

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