Wildlife

a small black and white bird rests on a tree branch

Set Course to Help Migratory Birds this Spring

From February to May, the Atlantic Flyway — the broad migration super highway that runs through eastern North America from Florida to northern Quebec (and the other way around in the fall) — turns our region into one of the busiest routes of migratory birds in North America.

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The 2026 Wild & Scenic Film Festival Lineup is Here!

Wild & Scenic Film Festival tickets are on sale now! We hope to see you in Annapolis, MD, Washington, DC, Lancaster, PA, or virtually for these 9 incredible films, guest speakers, door prizes, and more!

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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!

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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