The Naturalist’s Blog

Week of November 16, 2025 – November 22, 2025 by Elizabeth Suzedell, Environmental Educator As we continue to get further into November, we’re seeing more and more signs that winter is on the way. Most of the trees have dropped their leaves, squirrels are busily collecting the last of this year’s nuts, and the birds are starting to visit the feeders more frequently. We’ve been waking up to more frosty mornings, [...]

Week of November 9, 2025 – November 15, 2025 by Katie McLaughlin, Environmental Educator As we headed out with their class this field trip season, a teacher told me “I will give you a lifetime of after-school detention if we find a snake on this field trip.” Now, she happened to be someone I have known for the last 27 years, so I will give her a pass… Especially after actually [...]

Week of November 2, 2025 – November 8, 2025 by Kaylen Iorio, Environmental Educator As an environmental educator much of my time is spent outside, whether that is guiding school groups through different ecosystems or even maneuvering through each of the 14 trails with public program participants like we did two Saturdays ago! Each day spent outside brings new experiences and being able to share them with others who are overjoyed [...]

Week of October 26, 2025 – November 1, 2025 by Anna Stunkel, Environmental Educator Have you ever found a spot in nature where you like to sit for a while and observe your surroundings? Maybe you take a rest on a fallen log or rock, sitting still until small flocks of feeding birds approach as if you’re part of the surrounding trees. Or perhaps you stop by the shore of a [...]

Week of October 19, 2025 – October 25, 2025 by Elizabeth Suzedell, Environmental Educator There’s a white tree branch off of the Boundary Trail that I’ve pointed out to many students on field trips for the past few weeks. When I ask them what they think is going on with the branch, they ask, “Is it snow?” I tell them we haven’t had snow yet, and upon closer inspection, they see [...]

Week of October 12, 2025 – October 18, 2025 by Katie McLaughlin, Environmental Educator October is my busiest month of year with field trips, homeschool programs, and general seasonal and spooky activities. Even so, I find myself pondering life as I have been walking through the changing ecosystems. I take this time of year to really be inspired by our landscapes, and allow the natural magic of the season guide what [...]

Week of October 5, 2025 – October 11, 2025 by Kaylen Iorio, Environmental Educator Here at Baltimore Woods caterpillars become stars during the summer and fall. A very common caterpillar to spot is the Hickory Tussock moth caterpillar and students are fascinated to find them. These caterpillars are white and fluffy with black hairs running down their back but be careful if you touch one you might get a little itchy! [...]

Week of September 28, 2025 – October 4, 2025 by Anna Stunkel, Environmental Educator Fall and spring have always been my favorite seasons, in large part because they are alive with color. These are times when big changes happen, and nature widely broadcasts seasonal transitions here in the northeast. In fall, you might notice all the colors of the rainbow! As a nature illustrator, I joke about closely observing colors and [...]

Week of September 21, 2025 – September 27, 2025 by Elizabeth Suzedell, Environmental Educator When you are out in nature, how often do you find something new that you don’t know what it is? Even though I’ve spent a lot of time exploring the trails at Baltimore Woods, I’m always finding new plants, mushrooms, and bugs that I have never seen before. I like to use field guides to help me [...]