There is one time when there are lots of birds on our wetlands and this occurred on 13-15 January; it is when the barrier of sand separating No-Name Marsh from the Chesapeake breaks open and the waters of the marsh pour into the bay. 

No-Name is a periodically-flooded tidal-marsh, or a cut-off pond as it is sometimes called, that is at times, for extended periods of time, blocked off from the bay. Usually the channel that connects the marsh to the bay will become clogged during a storm with easterly winds that drive the sand inland. This creates a dam that builds in height with subsequent storms and behind which the water level in the marsh continues to rise with ongoing input of runoff. Eventually, the rain will fill the marsh, the water will overflow the sand separating the marsh from the bay and the water will rush toward the sea. It is about the only time you will find whitewater in St. Mary's County. 

For almost 6 months No-Name Marsh has been collecting water, uninfluenced by the tide. On the evening of 13 January, the waters of the marsh finally cut a channel to the Chesapeake and for more that 48 hours the marsh drained. So what does this have to do with birds? While the marsh was blocked off it provided habitat for young fish and shrimp to grow; and grow they did! The mummichogs, striped killifish, sheepshead minnows and massive grass shrimp poured into bay and became trapped on the emerging mud flats in the marsh. Now that is a feast no self-respecting seagull would miss! So today at the Elms there are thousands of seagulls and hundreds of diving ducks in and around No-Name Marsh and the adjoining bay.

Sadly our third grade program has ended and the students will not see the influx of birds. Alas. You get what nature gives you, when it gives it to you. A hard lesson for we who would like our students to experience nature in all its glory when they come to participate in our programs. Alas, again.

December 26, 2010 - January 3, 2011.

The blog will remain available throughout 2011.

The colors this fall were outstanding -- wildfire, every morning for about two weeks. Alas. Winter will soon be here.

Where are the monarch butterflies? Where are their eggs coating the undersides of the milkweed leaves? Where are their larvae, of all sizes, busily chewing the leaves? Where are the chrysalises  under the leaves, branches, and picnic tables? Normally this time of year there would be hundreds of monarchs around. Normally there would be nothing but bare stalks on all our milkweed family plants. Normally I would be explaining to visitors why it is a good thing our plants have no leaves.

On the bright side it is spring and nature babies are abundant. We have encountered baby opossums, rabbits, geese, wrens and a huge variety of fish and crabs. Ah spring.

The baby rabbits are in their nests. I am told you can tell if they are weaned by the length of their ears. If the ears are 3/4" or longer the baby cottontail should be weaned from its mother.

The box turtle below was probably born last year. Box turtles lay their eggs around June, depositing up to 5 eggs in or very near the previous year's nest.

The diamondback terrapins, painted turtles, mud turtles and snapping turtles are on the move at the moment. The females are looking for suitable places to lay their eggs. The terrapin will lay eggs on sandy beaches above the high tide line so it is best to look for them at high tide. They will lay between 4 and 12 eggs about 5" below the sand. The babies wont hatch out until late august. The painted turtles at the Elms seem to like laying eggs on the grassy lawn, or the edge of the forest. They can be seen passing from Frog Pond to No Name Marsh searching for the perfect spot. The females will lay about the same number of eggs as the terrapin. They will hatch about six weeks later. Both species lay their eggs and leave. The little'uns are on their own and are fully independent from birth. Sadly, many will be eaten before they mature. Alas.

Many of our native trees have bloomed or are blooming at the moment. Wild Black Cherry and  Black Locust are at the end of their flowering period while Paw Paw, Shadbush, Hackberry, River Birch and Flowering Dogwood finished a few weeks ago. Look for Sweetbay Magnolia just starting to produce its large white showy flowers. Sweetbay can be found in wet pine forests where acid levels are rather high.

If you are collecting seeds, now is the time to collect from the maples (and plant immediately) and in a couple of weeks the Hackberries will be ripe.

Blue Flag Iris is starting to bloom now as well, though it seems a bit early ... our "August in April" may be influencing the plants. We will have to see if other species flower a bit earlier than normal this year ...

The second generation of midges are up and about, swarming around lights at night and providing a feast for tree frogs. Sadly, we are just now entering the biting fly season. You have no doubt already experienced the gnats and mosquitoes -- in a couple of weeks the black flies and deer flies will be out in force! On the bright side, Frog Pond has recovered is dragonfly population with more buzzing around at the moment than we saw all last summer! They eat flies and mosquitoes by the thousands! If only dragonflies ate ticks all would be well in the world!

Well the frogs have laid eggs and all have hatched by now. The are still very noisy. Frog pond is full of tadpoles. We have seen our huge red-bellied turtles sunning alongside the abundant painted turtles. Last year we found a baby map turtle and this year hope to find mom and dad. There are still few signs of crabs in the bay -- no sheds and no sightings of adults around the marshes. Dragonflies are back in force with more flying around now than we saw all last summer! (Frog Pond became inundated with salt and it took a couple of years for the dragonfly population to recover.) This is very good news as the deer flies are just starting to come out. Deer flies are those delta-winged nasties that bite, though fortunately they are really stupid and easily swatted or caught. Anyway, dragonflies eat these fellows by the gazillions -- hurray for dragonflies! Speaking of biting flies we are not looking forward to the arrival of the black flies ... shudder ... way too smart for such little ankle biters. You will have noticed a number of flowers and trees in bloom. The false blue indigo (Baptista australis), Blue Flag Iris, Columbine, and skullcaps are ale all looking very nice. The white blooms on trees indicate either Wild Black Cherry or Black Locust -- both of which are magnificent at the moment. (The cherry has white bristle brush-like flowers that poke out in all directions. The locust has larger drooping flowers. Both are white.)

After a week of "August in April" everything seems to have come back to life. The frog eggs have mostly hatched, though the vernal pools remain cool and this is slowing the development of the salamanders. Fish crows, Eastern Towhees and Laughing Gulls have all been spotted. Of course, the trees and other plants have green now and spring definitely is showing itself.

4/1/2010: Four inches of rain in the past 48 hours has recharged the wetlands. We were worried as the water levels in the vernal pools began to drop last week. First graders assisted with our annual tradition of shifting amphibian eggs to deeper water. With the rain it looks like the critters will be safe for a couple of more weeks. Our resident mute swans have been hanging around the marshes more and more of late. Soon they will choose a nesting site. There are still loons on the bay and we await the appearance of the blue crabs in the warm shallows of No Name Marsh. We still have not found the lodge of our recent beaver arrival on Frog Pond. We know he is still around as every day there is a new tree chopped down or partially eaten. Almost every day there are a couple of raccoons in the dumpster, three of whom seem to have something in common with ostriches -- covering their eyes with their paws, they think if they can't see us, we can't see them! We are also awaiting the first sighting of Scruffy, our resident ground hog. It is rather disturbing that he nor his mate have been seen yet. There have been many warm days and usually that is all it takes for Scruffy to emerge and eat the new tender grass.