Wildlife

hands cupping multiple mussels

Luring you In: Freshwater Mussels in the Chesapeake Bay

North America is home to nearly 300 unique species of freshwater mussels. Southeastern states, particularly those with tributaries flowing to the Mississippi River, host a massive hotspot of freshwater mussel species diversity.

Read More

Fungal Armageddon and the Spooky Biodiversity of our Backyards

It’s Halloween season! Experience the wild and wonderful abilities of this parasitic fungi that could be in your own back yard.

Read More

a bat on a cave wall

Bats of the Bay – Not as Spooky as You Think

It’s officially spooky season, which makes it the best time to talk about my favorite misunderstood creature, bats. Although not aquatic wildlife, bats play an important ecological role in the Chesapeake Bay.

Read More

a hummingbird rests on a branch

Creating a Haven for Ruby-throated Hummingbirds

Summer is here, and that means the peak of hummingbird season in the Chesapeake Bay region. Explore the steps we can take in our own spaces and communities to help these flying jewels thrive!

Read More

A chestnut-sided warbler peering up and to the side as it rests on a highbush blueberry branch.

Setophaga pensylvanica: The ‘Pennsylvania Moth Eater’

The chestnut-sided warbler is a diminutive but beautiful neotropical migrant songbird that breeds throughout the forests of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed.

Read More

a close up of shells that wash up on the beach

What is Proggin’? – A Natural Treasure Hunting Pastime

Proggin’ is a very Chesapeake-specific term for beachcombing. My family and I have spent hours just walking the shore, looking down at what washed up.

Read More

A small group of fish swimming through underwater grass

What a trip to Key West taught me about Chesapeake Bay conservation

As someone who works in communications, where my job can be boiled down to making people care more about the Chesapeake Bay, this little lesson on marine ecology, delivered by a weather-beaten boat captain no less, was no doubt the highlight of my trip.

Read More

Don’t Miss out on this Magnificent Migration

The audible and visual sensory overload as tens of thousands of birds simultaneously take flight is something you have to see to believe. At times, it can feel like you’re standing in a real-life snow globe surrounded by an inconceivable number of snow geese as they lift off the water.

Read More

a close up of blue crabs in a bucket

Wild & Scenic Film Festival Tickets on Sale Now!

This March, the Film Festival will be premiering our very own short film, Surf & Turf: A Chesapeake Bay Watershed Story! It is a story of the captivating journey from inland mountains and headwater streams, to the wide-open, salty expanse of the Bay itself.

Read More

a close up of a hand flipping a crab cake in a pan

Where “surf” meets “turf” – a Chesapeake watershed tale

In the Shenandoah Valley, the Alliance brought together a waterman and a farmer to share their personal stories and professional passions, while breaking bread together. Theirs is a story of the captivating journey from inland mountains and headwater streams to the wide-open, salty expanse of the Bay itself.

Read More