From Vicki McCawley: A Letter To My Harford County Town: Dear Bel Air, As a local resident, I wish to express my disappointment that you will be hosting another ‘frog and turtle race’ at the Independence Day celebration in town. Every July fourth, in an effort to bring the community together, we find children gathering […]
Susquehannock Wildlife Society: End Bel Air Independence Day Turtle Derby, Frog Jumping Contests
From the Susquehannock Wildlife Society: (Bel Air, MD) – – Not all traditions are harmless, as evidenced by the Independence Day Turtle Derby and Frog Jumping contests held each year in Bel Air. These races have been local tradition for decades and appear fun for everyone involved, but disease and inadvertent mistreatment of the animals […]
Green By Chance: Turtles at My Dock
Over the years, I have developed a small breeding colony of red-bellied cooters, red-eared sliders, and painted turtles in a skypond that drains the evergreen fields at my small farm in Berkley. Mulched uplands for egg laying and basking logs encourage the reptiles to remain here. With the help of friends, I installed a long, […]
On the Wild Side: Mapping a Path for Local Wildlife Rescue; Teamwork Saves Endangered Turtle on the Susquehanna
When most of us think of wildlife rescue and conservation, images of oil covered seagulls, giant pandas, and beached whales are probably what come to mind. What about all of the precious wildlife that isn’t found in some exotic place, but a few miles from our homes, schools, and places of business? Many people have […]
On the Wild Side: Ducks, Turtles, Fish, Mud Pulled from Friends Pond During Wildlife Rescue
It wasn’t always pretty and it wasn’t the most well-oiled machine, but a team of more than a dozen volunteers, got the job done nonetheless – braving seemingly-bottomless mud, snapping turtle-infested water, and the constant threat of downpours to rescue seven ducks, several turtles, and more than 330 pounds of fish from Friends Pond in […]
Pike’s Peak and the Muses: From Every Angle, it’s Art at Dave DeRan’s Multi-Annual Shows Near Delta
It’s a magical thing, this business of Dave DeRan showing his latest works of art. He usually sends me a card announcing the ‘upcoming event’ but I never seem to get it in time to put a little blurb in the paper. So, here I sit today, in his solar sunspace listening to “Blackberry Rag” […]
Trusting The Turtle Made It
The day started out with me and Dude and Frisco chasing ‘resident, over-fed Canada geese’ off our pond where the small amount of water flowing in, and lots of goose excrement piling up on the shore and in the water is not to our liking. Folks across the way in Major’s Choice are feeding these […]
Significant Spring Freshet Brings Bountiful Breeding Opportunities For Harford’s Amphibians
In the background I can hear the moaning sirens of Conowingo, warning down-streamers of the arrival of a significant spring freshet. Seldom in my recall of vernal pool options, have the diverse breeding playgrounds been so varied in choices. The spotted salamanders left their subterranean tunnels to once again swirl in a mass of yellow […]
