So, did we perform just as well on ID Challenge #2? Although some of the species were not things you’d encounter every day, all are relatively common to the MD Piedmont, if one knows where/when to look. You should have identified the following 12 organisms (each listed with a few ‘fun facts’ to know): … Read more »
So, did everyone get off to a great start on the first ID challenge? Hopefully you correctly identified: Red Fox* Eastern Box Turtle Common Eastern Bumble Bee Great Blue Heron Poison Ivy (y’all better know this one!) American Dog Tick Mallard (male) American Bullfrog* American Holly White-tailed Deer Monarch* Bald Eagle *Photos taken right on… Read more »
The countdown has begun! The international Backyard Nature Challenge is less than two weeks away. We are hoping that many members of the Irvine community will become involved, either by documenting nature found in their own yards or neighborhoods or by helping others identify what they’ve found. Much has been written over the… Read more »
Charge Your Camera or Phone! Dust off your field guides! The countdown has begun! BACKYARD Only two weeks until the international City ^ Nature… Read more »
An encouraging (and somewhat amusing) update to bring nature to YOU, since you’re not able to come here . . . In between several meetings yesterday, Brooks and I took a quick hike down to the wetlands. Apparently we hit the absolute peak of American Toad mating season! There were hundreds, if not thousands, of… Read more »
If you’ve read through our now-obsolete Spring edition of Understory, you may have seen that Irvine had partnered with the National Aquarium to be one of many ‘site sponsors’ for the International City Nature Challenge in late April. This program, in only its 5th year, is an incredible success story about the powers of technology… Read more »
If you’ve been able to get outside these past few days, you may have noticed something unusual: crisp, clean air! With much of the world currently ‘sheltering in place,’ levels of smog-producing greenhouse gases have plummeted and citizens world-wide are experiencing the best air quality in decades. In China, the Philippines, India, Switzerland, Spain,… Read more »
In keeping with the theme of natural connections . . . It wasn’t really until the 1970’s that ecologists started sounding the warning bell about the deleterious effects of rampant habitat fragmentation on American fauna and flora. As suburban sprawl extended further and further into natural areas, large expanses of forest and meadow became increasingly… Read more »
Today marks a bit of a milestone for me; I’ve officially survived my first quarter as Irvine’s new Director of Education. Who would’ve dreamed that so much would happen during Rob Mardiney’s first three months of retirement?!? Thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s a whole new world, with all of us more or less house-bound,… Read more »
Looking for fun things to do to combat COVID cabin fever? Ever thought of taking up birding? There’s no better place to be these days than outdoors in nature, and Irvine happens to be one of the best birding ‘hotspots’ in the Baltimore Metro area. And if you don’t mind spending just a little more… Read more »
