March 28, 2024

Message From the Cap’n/Oysters, Another Lesson From Mother Nature

shellfish harvesting

It doesn’t add up. After a year of rainfall, then a late summer drought, ends up there’s a good oyster harvest yet prices drop for holiday buyers. The Cap’n says it just goes to show: We don’t know as much as we think we know.

What’s Killing Our Pine Trees in Southern MD

pine trees

The Southern Pine Beetle is wrecking havoc among the loblolly pine trees of Southern Maryland and the lower Eastern Shore. Outbreaks are most prevalent after a hot, dry, period like the one we just had.

Great Blue Herons: Solitary and Amazing

Great Blue Heron

Great Blue Herons are year-round residents of the Chesapeake Bay, but some of that population might only be visiting during our cooler, winter months.

Message From the Cap’n/Oyster Season Begins

oysters

“Oyster season  in the months with R” used to be the norm, but conservation and disease dropped September out of the season decades ago. This year’s Oct. 1 start of oyster season, with the water temperature in the 70s, won’t have oysters as plump as they will become later when the water temperature falls.

Message From the Cap’n/Hummingbirds, Our Tiny Visiting Friends

hummingbirds

The Cap’n welcomes tiny visiting guests with hummingbird feeders dangling around his St. George Island home.

Parasites Summer in St. George Marshes

Plant parasites, dodders, are increasingly invading the High Tide and Water bushes along the shoreline of St. George Island. Like the Cap’n, they send messages, too.

Message From the Cap’n/What You Need to Know About Water Snakes

watter snake

A water snake might make you hurt yourself when surprised by them but they are not harmful or poisonous. They may bite as a defensive tactic.

Purple Martins Leaving Their Nests

Purple Martins

Purple Martins usually arrive between April 10-13, rest a bit, scout the area, and then begin nestbuilding. Now they’re leaving. Take heart, and look toward their return next year.

Snapping Turtles Abound in the Chesapeake

Snapping Turtles

Message From the Captain: More snapping turtles are coming to the Chesapeake Bay — Stay away from them!

Worth Repeating: Soft Crab Season Opens Ever So Quietly

soft crab

It’s that time of year again, Message from the Cap’n has to address the great harbinger of the season, the soft crab. And, back in 2019, get your Smith Island Cruise information and reservations here.