Lots of Life

The Nature Center pond is teeming with life! It seems that summer has brought back the frogs, and with them come their predators and prey. A common watersnake lounged in the waterfall today while green frogs galore sang their twangy tune. There are also tons of tadpoles and insects under the glossy surface. Dragonflies come and go. Squirrels and chipmunks stop for a quick drink and hummingbirds buzz at our feeders. Around the pond, native plants of all sorts grow to amazing heights. The rain has made them big and strong, and some have fragrant flowers too.

It is a magnificent site to behold and so simple and quaint. If you stop in, look in the pond! It's right by the front door so I am sure that you will find it hard to miss.

Wrens and Stuff

Recently we had a family of Carolina Wrens make a nest in our fire bell on the front of the Nature Center. The little ones have fledged and gone on their way, but we hope to have another family soon. It only takes 14 days for the little ones to fledge, so if you find a wren nest at your house, watch closely! Here are some pix of the nest and daddy bird.

Different species of wrens exist in north and south America. The only species that exists in Europe is the Winter Wren. It is thought that this wren crossed the land bridge that used to exist in the Bering Strait.

Wrens have always been thought of as clever birds due to their darting abilities. The name probably originates from an old Saxon word, wroene.

Music in the Woods 2009

Music will once again fill our wooded parkland when Music in the Woods takes place on May 16th from 10am-4pm. Bring your instrument and jam with your friends or bring a chair and relax as talented musicians play traditional music and songs.

There will be instrument instruction workshops, kids recycled instrument crafts, a raffle for a handmade Native American Flute from Bryan Burns, vendors, a Musical "Petting Zoo" and a dance workshop.

Individual acts will start in the morning, the Carroll County Cloggers will perform at 11:30am and then bands will play in the afternoon. If you have never attended a musicfest before, stop in at this unique, local celebration. You won't be disappointed!

Chestnut Trees are Here

If you hiked our red or tan trail this past Saturday you may have noticed some busy workers in the forest. They weren't brownies or forest elves but our loyal volunteers and their families. In an effort to reforest the part of the park that was cut last year due to gypsy moth destruction, Oregon Ridge partnered with the American Chestnut Society and had a tree planting. Seedlings were planted in a grove and now are protected from deer by cages.

These trees are offspring from mother trees that survived the dreaded blight which killed chestnut trees across America. Oregon Ridge and the Society will monitor the growth of these trees over time to see if any of them have the same genetic disposition as the mother. If a strain shows hope, then it will be planted more frequently than a strain that doesn't. 

We planted 103 trees altogether. It was a beautiful, windy day and everyone was in good spirits. Thanks to all of our volunteers who showed up to help. You are ensuring the survival of a forest ecosystem on the Ridge for years to come!  

New Terrapins at ORNC

We have some new arrivals at ORNC. Three baby terrapins will be living here until June when they will return to their natural habitat of the Chesapeake Bay. The terrapins are from Kent Island and were hatched by the Terrapin Institute. We have them in our library now since we are running low on space, but you can still get a good view of these tiny turtles. Here are some pictures of the new additions.

The Milk Snake

Milk Snakes are a common variety of kingsnake that are found in our area. They are small, shy snakes that can be found around your yard, in your basement and in a wood or brush pile. They eat invertebrates, small reptiles and rodents. True to their heritage, the milksnake will eat other snakes in its territory if given the opportunity.

Milk snakes do not pose a threat to you, your family or pets. They are not poisonous and do not grow very large. In fact, milksnakes are one of the most popular snakes for reptile collectors to keep. They don't require much space and are easy to feed.

Most milk snakes that are pets have been bought from a reputable breeder. This ensures that the snakes are used to human contact and that wild populations are not depleted. Wild milk snakes can be feisty and prone to bite. Although their mouths are small, they do have rear-pointing teeth that can hurt or cause infection. If you are interested in owning a milk snake, I would recommend buying one at the Mid-Atlantic reptile show or from a reputable snake breeder. Wild snakes should be released where they are found and left to live their lives.

This time of year, you are likely to find snakes in your basement. Don't fear! They are there to eat your mice and keep warm. In fact, a snake in your basement is better than a cat. They actually eat what they catch and prefer to hide so that you never see them. When your house runs out of "food", the snake will usually move on to happier hunting grounds.

New Snake Exhibit!

When you enter the nature center you may notice something new. It's our Black Rat Snake out in the lobby! We recently acquired a new glass case to house him and accomodate his growing body. He is quite active and seems to be enjoying his new digs, which makes all of us happy!







Black Rat snakes are quite common in Maryland and are one of our largest snakes. The largest measured has been 8 feet, but they usually top out at 6 in the wild. They are important predators and rodent population controllers eating over 1,000 rats and mice a year! Besides eating rodents, these snakes love to climb trees and be arborial. In a tree's branches, they like to eat birds and eggs. We had one in our chicken coop last summer who loved chicken eggs. We called him "Ol' Pete".

If you find one of these snakes around or in your house, don't be afraid. Although they can be large and seem a menace to your household, they are actually there to help. Just think of all the mice you don't have in your house thanks to this misunderstood animal. Plus, if you give it a day or two, the snake will most likely leave for another, more rodent-filled home. These snakes are not vicious and do not want to bite you or your pets. They would much rather hide from a human who they see as a predator of them.