Natural History Society of Maryland Event Registration Page
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Upcoming events

  • Texas Quarry Tour

    • 09 Apr 2026
    • 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM
    • Cockeysville, Martin-Marietta Texas Quarry
    • 0
    Join waitlist

    Digging holes seems like child’s play. But not when you’re the crew at Martin Marietta’s Texas Quarry. Their hole isn’t measured in feet, but rather miles: a mile long and a half mile wide, to be exact. This massive pit was the source of marble that was used to build the walkway to the Capitol in Annapolis and the portico for St. Paul’s Cathedral in NYC. Our Washington Monument in Baltimore and a section of the Washington Monument in D.C. are also made from Texas marble. The history of this quarry goes back even further to 1802 and the first Irish immigrants to the region. On this tour, let’s watch the heavy equipment dig and haul while discovering the stories of those immigrants.

    We will learn the history of the quarry, including past and current ownership, and information on daily operations. This tour is based on a scenic overlook above the quarry. From there, we can view the equipment at work in the distance. There is no public access to the quarry pit or the operations since it is a working job site. The crew is working about a mile away — binoculars are recommended for closer viewing.

    Please note

    • Our meeting location can be found in your registration confirmation email when payment is complete.
    • Watch for additional details in a welcome email a few days before the date.
    • When you arrive, all must sign a Hold Harmless Agreement with Martin Marietta to be on the property.
    • Everyone aged 5 years and older is welcome to attend.
    • Proper outdoor etiquette is required. No climbing, running, or loud voices. Be respectful of our speakers by demonstrating good listening skills.
    • Families are welcome to leave the tour at any time if needed.
    • Photos are welcome.
    • Bring binoculars to see the trucks working across the pit. It is over a mile wide.
    • Picnic tables are available for seating. You may bring lawn chairs.
    • There is no walking except from the parking lot to the viewpoint. No one has access to the interior of the operation except personnel.

    In case of inclement weather, this tour may be canceled by Martin-Marietta, and you will be notified by NHSM. If you do not receive a weather-related email, the trip will proceed as planned.

    Martin-Marietta offers this trip for groups only, not individuals. Please consider our registration fees as a donation to NHSM to cover administrative costs.

    NEW Payment and Cancellation Policy: Payment is due online at the time of registration. Cancellations made 14 or more days in advance of the event will receive a refund minus a 5% processing fee. Cancellations made within 14 days of the event will not receive a refund. Events and field trips with fees of $25 or less are non-refundable at any time unless canceled by NHSM. NHSM retains the right to update or change these requirements at any time.

    For questions, please email Jayne at JAsh@marylandnature.org.

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  • The Chesapeake Bay Impact and Other Tales from my Life as a Paleontologist

    • 09 Apr 2026
    • 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM
    • Online via Zoom
    Register

    After 40 years as a paleontologist, Dr. Lucy E. Edwards retired from the U.S. Geological Survey. Lucy attributes her success to a combination of being in the right place at the right time, a lot of hard work, and a brain that just happened to be wired to think like a paleontologist.

    The fossils she studies are the cysts of dinoflagellates – a type of algae, small, wax-like hydrocarbon structures that are neither plant nor animal – which are most often found in nearshore muddy deposits. They help determine the age and environment of ancient deposits, often as part of groundwater studies.

    The work involved a fair amount of time “sitting on a drill rig,” and much more time looking at the dinoflagellate cysts brought up in the sediments. In all that looking, Lucy has named several new species and one new genus; and has had several species and one genus named after her.

    The highlight of Dr. Edward’s career was her involvement in the discovery and decades-long study of the Chesapeake Bay impact structure, which was formed 35.5 million years ago in what was then a shallow part of the Atlantic Ocean. The fossils in and around the now-buried crater were first a mystery to her and then a series of logical consequences of the massive impact.

    In this presentation, Lucy will share additional vignettes on how to interest others in science, other impact areas and craters, and what else dinocysts can tell us.
     
    Lucy E. Edwards focuses her research on the stratigraphy of the Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plains. Her specialty is dinoflagellates, and she studies their fossil cysts to reveal the time and environment of deposition and how they came to be preserved in the fossil record. She also specializes in stratigraphic nomenclature and methods of stratigraphic correlation. She received her BA (Honors College) in Geology from the University of Oregon in 1972 and her PhD in Geological Sciences from the University of California, Riverside, in 1977. She has taught courses at George Washington University, Indiana University, University of Kansas, University of Oslo, George Mason University, and Türkiye Petrolleri AO. She is a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the Geological Society of America, and the Paleontological Society. As a graduate student, she worked two summers for Exxon Production Research Co. in Houston. 
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  • Chomp & Charm –Shark Tooth Necklace Make n Take

    • 11 Apr 2026
    • 12 Dec 2026
    • 3 sessions
    • 6908 Belair Rd, Natural History Society of MD
    Register

    You are never fully dressed without a fossilized shark tooth necklace you make yourself! Drop into the museum between 10-2 to create a wearable piece of history featuring an authentic Otodus shark tooth from Morocco—an ancient ancestor of the massive megalodon.

    For centuries, shark teeth have been worn as symbols of protection, strength, and effortless cool.  We provide all materials—you bring your creativity.

    •  No experience needed
    • All materials included – You can buy more and different shark teeth, fossils and minerals in the gift shop to add…
    •  All ages welcome (kids must be accompanied by an adult)
    •  Pre-registration required—spots are limited!

    Join us for a fin-tastic time and leave with a piece of prehistoric power around your neck! Come anytime between 10am and 1pm to give yourself enough time to create a masterpiece. We will start cleaning up at 2PM.

    NEW Payment and Cancellation Policy: Payment is due online at the time of registration. Cancellations made 14 or more days in advance of the event will receive a refund minus a 5% processing fee. Cancellations made within 14 days of the event will not receive a refund. Events and field trips with fees of $25 or less are non-refundable at any time unless canceled by NHSM. NHSM retains the right to update or change these requirements at any time.

     

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  • Reptile and Amphibian Study Merit Badge Day

    • 12 Apr 2026
    • 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM
    • 6908 Belair Rd, Natural History Society of MD
    • 0
    Join waitlist

    People always have been interested in snakes, turtles, lizards, and alligators, as well as frogs and salamanders. Amphibians and reptiles—collectively known as herpetofauna—are increasingly important today as their populations are key indicators of the effects of climate change and habitat fragmentation on wildlife. Presented by certified merit badge counselor, Tom Scollins, herpetology curator and leader of NHSM Herp Club, this class will help you fulfill the following Merit Badge requirements*: 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,10. There will be plenty of live and preserved animals on hand.

    Things to remember to bring for this Merit Badge Class:

    1. Merit Badge Blue Card properly filled out and signed off by your Scoutmaster
    2. Scout Uniform
    3. Supporting documentation or project work pertinent to this merit badge which may also include a Merit Badge Workbook for reference with notes
    4. A positive Scouting focus and attitude

    Pre-Requisite: Read the booklet before class.

    The badge also requires either three months of recorded observation of a reptile or Amphibian in a nature center, zoo or similar location, OR one month care and recorded observations of a reptile or amphibian you keep at home. If you have a pet reptile or amphibian already, then the one month of care is a simple option for you. PLEASE do NOT go out and purchase a pet reptile or amphibian just to complete the badge! Pet ownership is always a long-term commitment for the life of your pet and should only be undertaken after careful consideration. You may make observations at any a nature center, zoo, pet store, or other similar center near your home.

    NOTE: The Mid-Atlantic Turtle and Tortoise Society is partnering with NHSM on this badge, and will make available foster turtles for purposes of fulfilling the merit badge requirements. You may convert the fostering into adoption. 

    Families can foster an adult box turtle in a Rubbermaid tote or a juvenile aquatic turtle such as a slider, in a 10- or 20-gallon aquarium.
    Anyone who wishes to foster, please  email matts_adoptions@hotmail.com as soon as possible to receive recommended reading and an application, to know what to expect or to find out which type of turtle they’d prefer, and to  set up enclosures to go with the turtles.  A refundable $50 deposit is required when fosters pick up the turtle and supplies. The deposit will be returned when the turtle and supplies are returned.
    NEW Payment and Cancellation Policy: Payment is due online at the time of registration. Cancellations made 14 or more days in advance of the event will receive a refund minus a 5% processing fee. Cancellations made within 14 days of the event will not receive a refund. Events and field trips with fees of $25 or less are non-refundable at any time unless canceled by NHSM. NHSM retains the right to update or change these requirements at any time.

    * Most Merit Badges are not designed to be completed in a single session with an instructor, so it is not always possible to walk away with a completed and signed blue card at the end a program. Every badge requires some independent work by your scout. We call this “pre-work” because, if these requirements are performed prior to our program, we can complete and sign the merit badge card. Otherwise we will sign partial cards at the completion of our program and will have qualified counselors review assignments on an individual basis at a later date. Note you will have to contact and schedule an appointment with Tom Scollins. NOTE: The Herp club meets monthly at NHSM on the Second Wednesday of every month at 7PM. 

    The Natural History Society of Maryland is a volunteer-led non-profit organization, so the fee you pay will go directly to support the programs, the nature collections, and the building that make this kind of nature education possible.

     

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  • Intro to iNaturalist and the City Nature Challenge

    • 12 Apr 2026
    • 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
    • 6908 Belair Rd, Natural History Society of MD
    Register

    In this workshop learn everything you ever wanted to know about iNaturalist but were afraid to ask. Get prepared to participate in the 2026 City Nature Challenge, and learn more about the natural world around you.

    If you would like to participate in the City Nature Challenge, please join us for a hike in Springfield Woods on Saturday, April 25, 10 to noon, with naturalist Bill Curtis. He'll review what was discussed in this session, then lead you on a meandering hike to record observations. For more info and to register, click here:  https://marylandnature.wildapricot.org/event-6631167

    What is iNaturalist?

    iNaturalist is a lot of different things, but at its core,

    iNaturalist is an online social network of people sharing biodiversity information to help each other learn about nature

    It’s also a crowdsourced species identification system and an organism occurrence recording tool. You can use it to record your own observations, get help with identifications, collaborate with others to collect this kind of information for a common purpose, or access the observational data collected by iNaturalist users.

    City Nature Challenge (CNC), the Super Bowl of bioblitzes, is just around the corner. CNC is an annual friendly competition between cities across the globe to find and document plants and wildlife over a four-day period (April 24-26 this year) using the iNaturalist app.

    The Natural History Society of Maryland would like to make sure you are ready for this bioblitz! You don’t need to be a wildlife expert—all skill levels are welcome to participate.

    Why participate? There is nature all around us, even in our cities! Knowing what species are in our metro area and where they are helps us study and protect them, but the ONLY way to do that is by all of us working together to find and document the nature in our area. By participating in the CNC, not only do you learn more about your local nature, but you can also make your city a better place—for you and other species!

    Our leader, Bill Curtis, has a long-standing interest in history and natural history, and is certified as a Maryland Master Naturalist and Beaver Believer.  (Ask him about that if you want your ear talked off.) He’s active in the community and has helped organize green infrastructure projects.  He’s led several programs for the NHSM and other organizations and contributes to participatory science. He’s happily married and the proud father of two.

    Bill, like most of the other people who provide educational programs at NHSM, is a volunteer.  Donate or become a member of the Natural History Society of Maryland by visiting https://marylandnature.org/support-maryland-nature/.

     

     

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  • Archaeology Club: The Rugged Road to Revolution: Washington-Rochambeau Military Encampments in Harford and Cecil Counties

    • 15 Apr 2026
    • 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM
    • Online via Zoom
    Register

    April is Maryland Archeology Month! This year’s theme is  250 Years, Many Voices: Digging into Maryland’s Story. To go along with the theme this months Archaeology club meeting will be a presentation from Stephanie Soder a Research Archaeologist for the Maryland Historical Trust on the Washington-Rochambeau Military Encampments from the Revolutionary war.

    In the fall of 1781, French and American troops marched south to besiege the entrenched British forces at Yorktown, Virginia. By late summer 1782, they made their way north in victory. The Maryland Historical Trust (MHT), with funding from the American Battlefield Protection Program, is currently undertaking a survey to identify and document the understudied encampment sites and cultural resources associated with these marches in Cecil and Harford Counties. This presentation will provide historical background on the troop movement, a crash course in the types of geophysical surveys MHT has used to study these sites, and the preliminary results of the surveys conducted.
    Stephanie Soder is the Research Archaeologist for the Maryland Historical Trust. She received her Master’s degree in Maritime Studies (Archaeology) at East Carolina University and has experience working on both terrestrial and underwater sites. Her interests include conflict archaeology, maritime history, public archaeology, and geophysical survey techniques. She and other archaeologists at the Office of Archaeology are responsible for researching, documenting, and preserving archaeological sites across the state.

    This meeting of the NHSM Archaeology Club will take place on Zoom. In order to receive the Zoom link you need to register. It is free and open to the public, although non-members are asked to please donate $5 to support the club.

    When you register for the program, you’ll receive the Zoom link and passcode via email with your registration confirmation. Please contact the community coordinator (rbaldwin@marylandnature.org) with any questions.

    NHSM’s Archaeology Club was founded in 2019 to promote the value of archaeology in Baltimore City, Baltimore County, and surrounding areas. The goal of the club is to educate citizens and residents in the ethics and methods of archaeology and to document, discover, and promote local history. The Arch Club is inclusive of all persons who have an interest in archaeology.

    Although you don’t need to be a member to attend a meeting, membership gives you access to additional experiences. Annual NHSM membership is $35 for individuals, $50 for families; Arch Club membership is an additional $5 for individuals and $10 for families.

    If you are not yet a member of NHSM, click here to join. When you join as a new member, you can add the club membership(s) of your choice to your registration. Current NHSM members who wish to join any clubs should email the Community Coordinator at rbaldwin@marylandnature.org.

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  • Invisible Connections an Introduction to Parasitic Plants

    • 16 Apr 2026
    • 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM
    • Online via Zoom
    Register

    Plant-eating plants, or parasitic plants, are among the most misunderstood and fascinating members of the plant kingdom. In this presentation, Dr. Vanessa Beauchamp of Towson University introduces the remarkable diversity of plants that survive by tapping directly into other organisms for resources. This talk will explore how parasitic plants live and how they locate and establish connections with their hosts. Drawing on examples from forests, fields, and local Maryland landscapes, this talk examines what it truly means for a plant to be parasitic and how these hidden relationships influence ecosystems. From dramatic dodders to stealthy root parasites, attendees will gain a new perspective on plant interactions that usually go unseen.

    Dr. Vanessa Beauchamp is a professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at Towson University. She earned her BS in Biology from the University of California, Irvine, and her PhD in Plant Biology from Arizona State University. Her research interests focus on plant community ecology, particularly the effects of invasive plant species on community diversity and successional processes. She also works on projects related to forest and stream restoration and the impact of deer on local forests. A significant portion of her research program addresses practical applications concerning the management, conservation, and restoration of plant communities.

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  • Geology of Baltimore City Walk

    • 19 Apr 2026
    • 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM
    • Baltimore, Inner Harbor
    • 5
    Register

    A large iron ring hangs from a wall, set in place many decades ago. And right below, there’s a big stone step. Look closely to see a peephole near the top. Who was spying? Join geologist Sam Glasscock to find the answer on this walk near the Inner Harbor. We will share the stories of rocks from many of our largest buildings and monuments, and you’ll discover how far away these beautiful slabs of stone traveled to find a home here in Baltimore.

    On this 1.25-mile walk, view structures built with igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks that formed roughly 3.8 billion years ago in Earth’s history and were erected during the last 200 years of American history. Who knew you could see ancient fossils, touch a stone almost as old as the Earth, and get a feel for Italy all in downtown Baltimore?

    Our trip leader, Kathleen Marasco, holds a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Geology and a Master’s in Secondary Science Education. The tour should take approximately 1.5 hours to complete. Bring a loupe or hand lens. Some will be available for sharing.

    • Our meeting location can be found in your registration confirmation email when payment is complete.
    • Watch for additional details in a welcome email sent a few days before the date.
    • Bring a hand lens or loupe to look at details in the rock, if you have one.
    • No pets, please.

    All events are held rain or shine. If any event is cancelled due to severe weather, you will receive an email or text. If you do not receive a weather-related email, the trip will proceed as planned.

    Payment and Cancellation Policy: Payment is due online at the time of registration. Cancellations made 14 or more days in advance of the event will receive a refund minus a 5% processing fee. Cancellations made within 14 days of the event will not receive a refund. Events and field trips with fees of $25 or less are non-refundable at any time unless canceled by NHSM. NHSM retains the right to update or change these requirements at any time.

    For questions, please email Jayne at JAsh@marylandnature.org.

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  • Birds of Prey Nature Connections

    • 19 Apr 2026
    • 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM
    • 6908 Belair Rd, Natural History Society of MD
    Register

    Nature Connections is back! Be a part of our first Nature Connections since the building renovation! 

    Hawks, osprey, eagles, falcons, owls, kites, and vultures, are all amazing birds of prey that we call raptors! What is a raptor you ask? Hooked beaks, grasping talons, a purely carnivorous diet, and keen eyes define them as a group…it’s not hard to imagine that they descended from dinosaurs. Join us at the museum to visit with live birds with their handlers from rescue organizations, use binoculars and scopes for outdoor viewing with some of our expert birders, see historic taxidermy from our collections, learn to identify raptors through sights and sounds, and play games and do crafts to learn more about these amazing birds with our educators.

    Presentation, 3:00pm: The Farmland Raptors Program by Alex Pellegrini.  Alex will speak about the Maryland Bird Conservation’s Farmland Raptor Program, what they have learned about farmland raptors, how raptors can help farmers, and what people can do to help their declining populations. He may also share some of his experiences working with raptors of all kinds!

    The program is free, but for planning purposes, we ask that you RSVP.

    ABOUT NATURE CONNECTIONS: Nature Connections is a signature program offered to you by the Natural History Society of Maryland with financial support from the Citizens of Baltimore County. Programs, held on select Sundays, are free and open to the public. Each Nature Connection focuses on a different natural history topic.

    Learn from presentations and displays from local experts and organizations • Explore specimens and artifacts from natural history collections • Hear about related citizen science projects • Talk to scientists who can answer your questions and guide your discoveries of the natural world • Enjoy games, art, crafts, stories, music, and drama

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  • Lep Club April: iNaturalist as a Resource: Harnessing Citizen Science Data to Up Your Lep Game

    • 22 Apr 2026
    • 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM
    • 6908 Belair Rd, Natural History Society of MD
    Register

    Naturalist is much more than an ID app on your phone.

    Join us for an in-depth look at how to use the web-based features of iNaturalist to enhance your study and enjoyment of Lepidoptera, our fascinating butterflies and moths. Learn how to determine when and where different species are active, discover species you may not have encountered before, and use the powerful filters this platform has to offer.

    We’ll also cover how to:

    • Analyze your own observations
    • Improve the accuracy of identifications
    • Contribute higher-quality data to support research and conservation
    • Track the leps you observe this season.

    Whether you’re a beginner or experienced at using iNaturalist we encourage you to attend this meeting to learn more about the ins and outs of the app and what it has to offer our Lep community.

    You can check out iNaturalist here: https://www.inaturalist.org/

    This will be an in person presentation. Don’t forget to bring your questions! There will be time for discussion, troubleshooting, and exploring specific species or projects that interest you.  

    Adrienne grew up in Monkton and got her start as a naturalist at Oregon Ridge Nature Center back in the 90s. She was an environmental educator before becoming a science teacher in 2002. Her lifelong love of insects was reignited when she discovered iNaturalist in 2020.

    If you love butterflies and moths, consider joining the NHSM Lep Club. Made up of novice and expert lepidopterists who meet to exchange knowledge and support concerning habitat, threats, food sources, identification, and life cycle of butterflies and moths, the Lep Club encourages the sharing of knowledge for the raising and breeding of moths and butterflies through hands-on lessons and guest speakers.

    The NHSM Lepidoptery Club meets the fourth Wednesday of every month from March-October at 6908 Belair Rd or over Zoom. Club members are also involved in outreach in the greater Baltimore community through educational programs and service projects. If you have questions feel free to email the club coordinator at rbaldwin@marylandnature.org

    Annual NHSM membership is $35 for individuals, $50 for families; Lep Club membership is an additional $5 for individuals and $10 for families. Although you don’t need to be a member to attend our meetings, your membership dues support our programs and give you access to exclusive field trips and other events.

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  • Freshwater Bivalves of Maryland

    • 23 Apr 2026
    • 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM
    • Online via Zoom
    Register

    Maryland is home to at least sixteen native species of freshwater mussels, though that number continues to shift as taxonomic work refines our understanding. These species occur statewide in a wide range of aquatic habitats, and identification can be challenging. Key features often lie inside the shell, and many species show significant variation in shape and appearance. Maryland has also gained two additional species from the Ohio River basin through the movement of host fish carrying mussel larvae.

    In this talk, Matt Ashton, manager of the Freshwater Mussel Assessment Program at the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, will introduce the freshwater mussels of Maryland. We’ll learn what they look like, how to tell them apart, and where they live. Matt has surveyed and monitored mussels across the state since 2007, supporting conservation, habitat restoration, and captive propagation efforts. He brings prior experience working with mussel communities in the Southeast and Midwest.

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  • BioBlitz Hike for City Nature Challenge

    • 25 Apr 2026
    • 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
    • Baltimore, Springfield Woods
    • 19
    Register

    City Nature Challenge started as a competition between Los Angeles and San Francisco and has grown into an international event, motivating people around the world to find and document wildlife in their own cities. This annual four-day global bioblitz takes place in two parts, with the first dedicated to taking photos of wild plants and animals and the last two days for uploading photos to the iNaturalist platform. We participate every year by documenting species in a neighborhood park.
    Join us in Springfield Woods to help bring our Baltimore totals sky high. We’ll have a brief recap of the iNaturalist app before we get started on our hike. Then we’ll head out for a leisurely meander and practice your skills. If you feel confident, you are welcome to take off on your own or stay with the group. At a designated time, we’ll come back together and discuss our findings.
    If you are unfamiliar or need help navigating the iNaturalist app, we have two options for getting you up to speed. For our hike, we’ll take a few minutes before we hike to run through any questions you may have about the app. And if you need more familiarity, join us for a free training session on April 12 at our building. Register here: https://marylandnature.wildapricot.org/event-6627680.
    All skill levels and all ages are welcome to participate in our City Nature Challenge events. No experience needed.
    Why participate? There is nature all around us, even in our cities! Knowing what species are in our metro area and where they are helps us study and protect them, but the ONLY way to do that is by all of us working together to find and document the nature in our area. By participating in the CNC, not only do you learn more about your local nature, but you can also make your city a better place—for you and other species!

    Our leader, Bill Curtis, is a National Park Ranger currently stationed at Hampton National Historic Site and Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine. While a history major at Gettysburg College, he began his career as a licensed battlefield guide. His NPS career has included full-time duty as an interpreter and law enforcement officer, and he now works in the Project Management Division.  Bill also holds his certificate as a Maryland Master Naturalist and is married with two children.https://baltimoregreenspace.org/springfield-woods/.

    • Our meeting location can be found in your registration confirmation email when payment is completed.
    • Watch for additional details in a welcome email sent a few days before the date.
    • All participants must be pre-registered. If you are on the waitlist and show up to the event uninvited, you will not be allowed to participate.
    • All children must meet age requirements and be registered as a guest of their adult.
    • Dress according to the weather. Layers of clothing work best. Include a hat for sun protection or warmth, depending on the season.
    • Wear sturdy closed-toe hiking or athletic shoes with non-slip soles that can safely handle slippery surfaces.
    • Bring water, snacks, sunblock, and bug spray, depending on the season.
    • Bring binoculars and a hand lens or loupe for birding or looking at details, if you have them.
    • Bring a first aid kit for your personal use.
    • No pets, please.

    All events are held rain or shine. If any event is cancelled due to severe weather, you will receive an email or text. If you do not receive a weather-related email, the trip will proceed as planned.

    Payment and Cancellation Policy: Payment is due online at the time of registration. Cancellations made 14 or more days in advance of the event will receive a refund minus a 5% processing fee. Cancellations made within 14 days of the event will not receive a refund. Events and field trips with fees of $25 or less are non-refundable at any time unless canceled by NHSM. NHSM retains the right to update or change these requirements at any time.

    For questions, please email Jayne at JAsh@marylandnature.org.

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  • Fossil Club Trip to Centralia, PA

    • 25 Apr 2026
    • 10:00 AM - 3:30 PM
    • Centralia
    • 0
    Registration is closed

    NHSM Fossil Club members are once again invited to Centralia, PA, to hunt for plant fossils. Centralia was a small coal mining community in central PA that had to be abandoned after the coal beds under it caught fire in the 1960s. Today nothing is left but the streets and sidewalks and some cemeteries. The surrounding area has several strip mines with numerous plant fossils. These are typical Llewelyn formation fossils, some of which are coated with pyrophyllite like the famous St. Clair fern fossils. In addition to fern foliage and seeds, there are also lepidodendron (scale tree) fossils including roots, stems, foliage, and cones.

    Preservation and detail is good. Collecting is typical for plant fossils, splitting relatively soft shale with a hammer and chisel. There will be a half mile walk from the parking area to the collecting area. The terrain is very steep in places with rock faces of 20 to 40 feet and collecting in the scree at the bottom, so a degree of fitness and comfort moving around loose rock is required.

    There are no facilities at the site. In nearby Ashland, PA there is also the Pioneer Tunnel, a drift coal mine that offers underground tours. For questions contact Tom Farrell (33tomfarrell@gmail.com) and/or the community coordinator (rbaldwin@marylandnature.org).

    Details about time and meeting location will be shared with registrants via email before the trip. You must be a current member of the NHSM Fossil Club to sign up for this trip.

    NHSM’s Fossil Club is a group of novice and more experienced collectors who meet to share knowledge and discuss fossil identification, fossil locations, and other fossil-related topics. Monthly meetings feature guest speakers both from within the club and from outside organizations. We also strive to schedule frequent collecting trips to various locations.

    An annual NHSM membership is $35 for individuals, $50 for families; Fossil Club membership is an additional $5 for individuals and $10 for families.

    If you are not yet a member of NHSM, click here to join. When you join as a new member, you can add the club membership(s) of your choice to your registration. Current NHSM members who wish to join any clubs should email the Community Coordinator at rbaldwin@marylandnature.org.

    The Natural History Society of Maryland is a volunteer-led non-profit organization, so the fee you pay will go directly to support the programs, the nature collections, and the building that make this kind of nature education possible. Learn more about NHSM Clubs: https://youtu.be/pIA7naRjXws

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  • Wild Edibles: Morel Hunt with Nick Spero

    • 26 Apr 2026
    • 8:00 AM - 11:00 AM
    • Patapsco Valley State Park
    • 0
    Join waitlist

    If truffles are out of your price range, morels are the next best thing. Prized for taste and versatility by chefs worldwide, morels emerge for only a short time in spring. Knowing where to look for morels is one important factor in the hunt. Lucky for us, Nick Spero knows all the clues. He knows the rich forests where morels grow and how they are intertwined in a symbiotic relationship with certain trees. We’ll learn how indicator plants can tell us when the morel growing season will start and end. And how the right combination of warmth and rain brings morels popping their heads out of the soil.

    We will discuss collection methods and how to prepare our findings for optimal taste and nutrition. To limit our impact on the park, let’s concentrate on learning to identify and sample taste rather than foraging, which may damage an area when too much is taken.

    Please note that morels are very temperature and moisture-dependent. We will do our best to find them, but like all natural things, we make no guarantees.

    Our field trip leader, Nick Spero, spends his retirement outdoors as an avid hunter and fisherman. Primitive technology has piqued his interest since childhood. Here is a video produced by NPR about Nick.
    • Our meeting location can be found in your registration confirmation email when payment is completed.
    • Watch for additional details in a welcome email sent a few days before the date.
    • All participants must be pre-registered. If you are on the waitlist and show up to the event uninvited, you will not be allowed to participate.
    • Children aged high school and up. All children must meet age requirements and be registered as a guest of their adult.
    • Dress according to the weather. Layers of clothing work best. Include a hat for sun protection or warmth, depending on the season.
    • Wear sturdy closed-toe hiking or athletic shoes with non-slip soles that can safely handle slippery surfaces.
    • Bring water, snacks, sunblock, and bug spray.
    • Bring binoculars and a hand lens or loupe for birding or looking at details, if you have them.
    • Bring a first aid kit for your personal use.
    • No pets, please.

    All events are held rain or shine. If any event is cancelled due to severe weather, you will receive an email or text. If you do not receive a weather-related email, the trip will proceed as planned.

    NEW Payment and Cancellation Policy: Payment is due online at the time of registration. Cancellations made 14 or more days in advance of the event will receive a refund minus a 5% processing fee. Cancellations made within 14 days of the event will not receive a refund. Events and field trips with fees of $25 or less are non-refundable at any time unless canceled by NHSM. NHSM retains the right to update or change these requirements at any time.

    For questions, please email Jayne at JAsh@marylandnature.org.

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  • Birds and Brews - Spring Edition

    • 26 Apr 2026
    • 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
    • Laytonsville, Waredaca Brewing Company
    • 1
    Register

    Envision sunshine, bird song, and the bright green of new leaves. Is it a dream, or are you birding at Waredaca Brewing Company? Wake up to find spring migration at its best. The sky is the limit for the species of birds we may find along the trail. And as a bonus, our hike ends in the taproom, so you can look forward to lunch with new birding friends.  The total hike length will be two to three miles.

    The Waredaca site was originally a boys camp named the WAshington REcreational DAy CAmp, or Waredaca. The site grew into a premier equestrian center and is now the first farm brewery in Montgomery County. The property is certified by the Maryland Farm Stewardship Certification and Assessment Program, one of 20 horse farms in the state to receive the designation.

    Here is a link to Waredaca’s menu: www.waredacabrewing.com.  Each beer made on-site is named after the family, the stories, and the horses of Camp Waredaca and Waredaca Farm.

    Our birding leader, Charisma Burrows, joined the Baltimore Bird Club in 2020 and has been birding every weekend since. She currently serves as a State Director for the Maryland Ornithological Society, representing Baltimore City and County, and has been since 2022. She also organizes the Baltimore Bird Club’s partnership with Enoch Pratt Free Library in Baltimore City and the Baltimore County Library System to provide bird watching walks to library patrons during the spring and fall. Her favorite bird is the red-winged blackbird because it was the first bird she ever identified by herself.

    • Our meeting location can be found in your registration confirmation email when payment is completed.
    • Watch for additional details in a welcome email sent a few days before the date.
    • All participants must be pre-registered. If you are on the waitlist and show up to the event uninvited, you will not be allowed to participate.
    • Dress according to the weather. Layers of clothing work best. Include a hat for sun protection or warmth, depending on the season.
    • Wear sturdy closed-toe hiking or athletic shoes with non-slip soles that can safely handle slippery surfaces.
    • Bring water, snacks, sunblock, and bug spray, depending on the season.
    • Bring binoculars and a hand lens or loupe for birding or looking at details, if you have them.
    • Bring your guidebooks, if you have them.
    • Bring a first aid kit for your personal use.
    • No pets, please.

    All events are held rain or shine. If any event is cancelled due to severe weather, you will receive an email or text. If you do not receive a weather-related email, the trip will proceed as planned.

    Payment and Cancellation Policy: Payment is due online at the time of registration. Cancellations made 14 or more days in advance of the event will receive a refund minus a 5% processing fee. Cancellations made within 14 days of the event will not receive a refund. Events and field trips with fees of $25 or less are non-refundable at any time unless canceled by NHSM. NHSM retains the right to update or change these requirements at any time.

    For questions, please email Jayne at JAsh@marylandnature.org.

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  • Spring Birds & Ephemerals at Adkins Arboretum

    • 30 Apr 2026
    • 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM
    • Adkins Arboretum Visitor Center, MD, Ridgely
    • 15
    Register

    Spend a beautiful spring day on a birding and a native plant hike with us at Adkins Arboretum, the only public garden with a focus on plants native to the Mid-Atlantic coastal plain. We’ll take two casual hikes, each with a different goal, with a picnic lunch break in between.

    Our morning hike will feature birds and wildlife with long-time birder Jim Wilson. We’ll be on the lookout for the spring migrants.  We’ll listen for bird song and learn a few tips to help us identify species by calls. The Arboretum is designated an Important Bird Area by the Audubon MD-DC Chapter.

    After a quick picnic lunch on the grounds, we’ll meet up with Cristina Niciporciukas, Chair of the Maryland Native Plant Society’s Eastern Shore Chapter. We will be on the lookout for spring beauties and late-blooming ephemerals in addition to pink lady slippers, false and true Solomon’s Seal, and a profusion of berries. In addition, dogwood should still be blooming as well as Virginia bluebell, golden ragwort, pawpaw, Jack in the pulpit, sassafras, and Pinxter azalea.

    All trails are well-maintained and free of obstacles. The distance will be less than two miles for both of these hikes. The Arboretum’s location lies where the Piedmont plateau and the coastal plain intersect, allowing both northern and southern plant life to overlap. This diversity supports habitats for more than 600 species of native shrubs, trees, wildflowers, grasses, and ferns. Birds and wildlife also take advantage of this plant diversity in the Arboretum’s natural settings, ecological restoration projects, and cultivated gardens.

    • Our meeting location can be found in your registration confirmation email when payment is completed.
    • Watch for additional details in a welcome email sent a few days before the date.
    • All participants must be pre-registered. If you are on the waitlist and show up to the event uninvited, you will not be allowed to participate.
    • High school-aged children are welcome to attend and must be registered as a guest of their adult.
    • No more than two children per adult.
    • Dress according to the weather. Layers of clothing work best. Include a hat for sun protection or warmth, depending on the season.
    • Wear sturdy closed-toe hiking or athletic shoes with non-slip soles that can safely handle slippery surfaces.
    • Bring water, snacks, sunblock, and bug spray, depending on the season.
    • Bring binoculars and a hand lens or loupe for birding or looking at details, if you have them.
    • Bring a first aid kit for your personal use.
    • No pets, please.

    All events are held rain or shine. If any event is cancelled due to severe weather, you will receive an email or text. If you do not receive a weather-related email, the trip will proceed as planned.

    Payment and Cancellation Policy: Payment is due online at the time of registration. Cancellations made 14 or more days in advance of the event will receive a refund minus a 5% processing fee. Cancellations made within 14 days of the event will not receive a refund. Events and field trips with fees of $25 or less are non-refundable at any time unless canceled by NHSM. NHSM retains the right to update or change these requirements at any time.

    For questions, please email Jayne at JAsh@marylandnature.org.

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  • Entomology History in a Coffin: Insects from Colonial Coastal Maryland

    • 30 Apr 2026
    • 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM
    • Online via Zoom
    Register

    Insects have lived on Earth for 480 million years, and most live in  ecosystems that  meet their wide range of needs and preferences, including areas of human habitation and burial. Insects can be a valuable analysis tool in paleoecology and archaeology, and when the two are combined, the science can be called archaeoentomology.

    Michael Monzon, a PhD student at Purdue University, conducted an archeoentomologic analysis of Philip Calvert’s coffin, a landowner from the first permanent English colony in Maryland, who was buried at Historic St. Mary’s City in 1683. While some insects are assumed to have intruded the coffin space after burial, the surface-dwelling insects from Calvert’s coffin provide a snapshot of the insect fauna living at the time. These insects’ preferences and needs are used as proxies for the different ecosystems or resources they represent. For example, the common furniture beetle, Anobium punctatum, is native to Europe and its occurrence in Cavert’s coffin represents an early documentation of its invasion into North America.

    This study was paired with a survey of the modern insects at Historic St. Mary’s City to help understand changes to the ecosystem since the Colonial period. The rich insect assemblage found in Calvert’s coffin provides a rare window into the arthropod life encountered by Maryland agrarian societies before modern agriculture.

    Michael A. Monzon studies fly–microbe ecology and paleoentomology in the forensic entomology lab at Purdue. He is from coastal New Jersey and received his BS and MD from Rutgers University. During his master’s program, he spent a year studying environmental archaeology at Umeå University through a Fulbright fellowship and was a New Jersey Sea Grant Consortium Coastal Health fellow.

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  • Bird Banding at Masonville Cove

    • 01 May 2026
    • 8:00 AM - 10:00 AM
    • Baltimore, Masonville Cove Urban Wildlife Refuge
    • 0
    Join waitlist

    Join us to learn how scientists band birds to study ecology both regionally and internationally, and how Baltimore’s green spaces support local birdlife. Researchers safely capture wild birds, fit them with unique, numbered metal tags, and record data on age, sex, weight, and health before releasing them. This data helps scientists track migration routes, population trends, and lifespan to inform conservation efforts.

    Early May is an exciting time for Maryland’s birds. Many species are actively traveling, as the peak of the northbound, spring migration falls between the very end of April and the first two weeks of May. Other birds are already well into the breeding season, defending territories or caring for early-hatching chicks. Attendees will be able to watch up close the process of capturing and banding birds and learn how our banders discern age, sex, and breeding condition. Likely captures in early May include Swainson’s thrush, Lincoln’s sparrow, swamp sparrow, orchard oriole, and numerous warblers, including ovenbird, Northern waterthrush, common yellowthroat, and Northern parula.

    The distance from the work-table to the furthest net and back is around a mile; most of the walking is on a fairly level, rock-and-gravel path. We recommend sturdy, closed-toe shoes. Attendees do not necessarily have to walk out to the nets and back if the distance is a challenge. There are benches and a few folding chairs around the worktable, and people are welcome to wait there.

    Now in its fourth year, the Masonville Cove Bird Banding Station is run by Birds of Urban Baltimore in partnership with the Maryland Port Administration, Maryland Environmental Service, and the US Fish & Wildlife Service. Please note that while this tour is offered for free for qualifying groups, we appreciate your donation to cover our costs in offering this program.

    A fall session of this program will be offered on Oct 10. Registration should open in late August to early September.
    • Our meeting location can be found in your registration confirmation email when payment is completed.
    • Watch for additional details in a welcome email sent a few days before the date.
    • All participants must be pre-registered. If you are on the waitlist and show up to the event uninvited, you will not be allowed to participate.
    • All ages are welcome and must be registered as a guest of their adult. Children should be able to stand quietly, listen, and follow instructions throughout the duration of the class session.
    • No strollers.
    • No more than two children for each adult.
    • Dress according to the weather. Layers of clothing work best. Include a hat for sun protection or warmth, depending on the season.
    • Wear sturdy closed-toe hiking or athletic shoes with non-slip soles that can safely handle slippery surfaces.
    • Bring water, snacks, sunblock, and bug spray, depending on the season.
    • Be aware that this site can be very buggy; even if you stay on the trails, ticks, mosquitoes, and gnats are all likely. Consider bringing bug spray and/or wearing long sleeves and pants, and check yourself for ticks upon getting home.
    • Bring binoculars and a hand lens or loupe for birding or looking at details, if you have them.
    • Bring a first aid kit for your personal use.
    • No pets, please.

    All events are held rain or shine. If any event is cancelled due to severe weather, you will receive an email or text. If you do not receive a weather-related email, the trip will proceed as planned.

    Payment and Cancellation Policy: Payment is due online at the time of registration. Cancellations made 14 or more days in advance of the event will receive a refund minus a 5% processing fee. Cancellations made within 14 days of the event will not receive a refund. Events and field trips with fees of $25 or less are non-refundable at any time unless canceled by NHSM. NHSM retains the right to update or change these requirements at any time.

    For questions, please email Jayne at JAsh@marylandnature.org.

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  • Now Flying - Migratory Birds of Patterson Park

    • 02 May 2026
    • 8:00 AM - 10:00 AM
    • Patterson Park
    • 8
    Register

    Despite the urban development surrounding it, Patterson Park’s natural history remains strong, acting as a migrant trap for birds with over 223 species recorded since 2009. We may see many neotropical migrants and some residents, including green heron, black-crowned night heron, green heron, Cooper’s hawk, ovenbird, Northern waterthrush, black-and-white warbler, common yellowthroat, American redstart, Northern parula, Northern yellow warbler, black-throated blue warbler, prairie warbler, rose-breasted grosbeak, and scarlet tanager. The park is ranked among the top 100 hotspots in Maryland, per species, according to eBird.org.

    This vibrant bird community is sustained through the efforts of native tree plantings and existing tree maintenance managed by the Friends of Patterson Park and City Forestry. The Audubon-Baltimore Program also maintains a flourishing native wetland garden through monthly volunteer events.

    Our birding leader, Bud Poole, will share how planting native species of trees and plants in the park sustains and grows the park’s bird diversity. Bud is a nearby resident and frequent birder, with a total of 201 species documented on his park list. He is a dedicated volunteer with the Friends of Patterson Park, Baltimore City Recreation and Parks’ Forestry Division, Phoenix Wildlife Center, and Audubon. Bud’s mission is to help wildlife thrive among the urban landscape while showcasing nature’s beauty and benefits to park goers of Patterson Park.

    • Our meeting location can be found in your registration confirmation email when payment is completed.
    • Watch for additional details in a welcome email sent a few days before the date.
    • A donation of $5 from each ticket sold is designated to the Friends of Patterson Park non-profit group as a thank you for hosting our trip.
    • All participants must be pre-registered. If you are on the waitlist and show up to the event uninvited, you will not be allowed to participate.
    • Children aged 12 and up are welcome.
    • All children must meet age requirements and be registered as a guest of their adult.
    • Dress according to the weather. Layers of clothing work best. Include a hat for sun protection or warmth, depending on the season.
    • Wear sturdy closed-toe hiking or athletic shoes with non-slip soles that can safely handle slippery surfaces.
    • Bring water, snacks, sunblock, and bug spray.
    • Bring binoculars, if you have them.
    • Bring a first aid kit for your personal use.
    • No pets, please.

    All events are held rain or shine. If any event is cancelled due to severe weather, you will receive an email or text. If you do not receive a weather-related email, the trip will proceed as planned.

    NEW Payment and Cancellation Policy: Payment is due online at the time of registration. Cancellations made 14 or more days in advance of the event will receive a refund minus a 5% processing fee. Cancellations made within 14 days of the event will not receive a refund. Events and field trips with fees of $25 or less are non-refundable at any time unless canceled by NHSM. NHSM retains the right to update or change these requirements at any time.

    For questions, please email Jayne at JAsh@marylandnature.org.

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  • NHSM Fossil Club Only trip to New Ringgold, PA

    • 02 May 2026
    • 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM
    • New Ringgold
    • 2
    Register

    New Ringgold is a marine middle Devonian site. The fossils found are similar to those at Beltzville. The area was a reef-like environment. Common fossils include crinoids, brachiopods, gastropods, trilobites, andbryozoans. Preservation is pretty good, with some of the fossils coated in orange iron oxide for nice contrast.

    Mallet and chisel are recommended, although you can surface hunt, but you may not be as successful. This is a local road department borrow pit, so depending on how much they’ve been using it, there may be more or less loose rock exposed. Everyone should find something worth bringing home.

    The event is scheduled for May 2 at 10 am, with a rain date of May 3rd at 10 am. We will notify you the week of the trip to confirm the date.

    Parking is right next to the collecting site, and there are no facilities available there. For collectiong there is no climbing required. For questions, contact the club coordinator (rbaldwin@marylandnature.org).

    It is recommended that you bring:

    • rock hammer and chisel, (putty knife optional, but useful),
    • containers to put your finds in (such as drywall buckets or large roasting pans)
    • bag lunch and snacks
    • drinking water
    • dress for the weather
    • wear a hat and long pants (site has no shade)

    Details about time and meeting location will be shared with registrants before the day of the trip. You must be a current member of the NHSM Fossil Club to sign up for this trip.

    NHSM’s Fossil Club is a group of novice and more experienced collectors who meet to share knowledge and discuss fossil identification, fossil locations, and other fossil-related topics. Monthly meetings feature guest speakers both from within the club and from outside organizations. We also strive to schedule frequent collection trips to various locations.

    An annual NHSM membership is $35 for individuals, $50 for families; Fossil Club membership is an additional $5 for individuals and $10 for families.

    If you are not yet a member of NHSM, click here to join. When you join as a new member, you can add the club membership(s) of your choice to your registration. Current NHSM members who wish to join any clubs should email the Community Coordinator at rbaldwin@marylandnature.org.

    The Natural History Society of Maryland is a volunteer-led non-profit organization, so the fee you pay will go directly to support the programs, the nature collections, and the building that make this kind of nature education possible. Learn more about NHSM Clubs: https://youtu.be/pIA7naRjXws

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  • Wild Edibles: Late Spring Plants with Nick Spero

    • 03 May 2026
    • 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM
    • Central area, Kingsville, Gunpowder Falls State Park
    • 0
    Join waitlist

    Time to rotate our buffet menu to the late spring category of tasty nibbles. Join master forager Nick Spero to discover locally found plants that can add flavor to your cooking and apply that know-how to your own backyard. We’ll be on the lookout for late-spring plants such as wild ginger, ramp, and spicebush. We will discuss collection methods and how to prepare our findings for optimal taste and nutrition. To limit our impact on the park, let’s concentrate on learning to identify and sample taste rather than foraging, which may damage an area when too much is taken.

    Our field trip leader, Nick Spero, spends his retirement outdoors as an avid hunter and fisherman. Primitive technology has piqued his interest since childhood. Here is a video produced by NPR about Nick.
    • Our meeting location can be found in your registration confirmation email when payment is completed.
    • Watch for additional details in a welcome email sent a few days before the date.
    • All participants must be pre-registered. If you are on the waitlist and show up to the event uninvited, you will not be allowed to participate.
    • Adults only for this trip.
    • Dress according to the weather. Layers of clothing work best. Include a hat for sun protection or warmth, depending on the season.
    • Wear sturdy closed-toe hiking or athletic shoes with non-slip soles that can safely handle slippery surfaces.
    • Bring water, snacks, sunblock, bug spray, and a camera with accessories.
    • Bring binoculars and a hand lens or loupe for birding or looking at details, if you have them.
    • Bring your guidebooks, if you have them.
    • Bring a first aid kit for your personal use.
    • No pets, please.

    All events are held rain or shine. If any event is cancelled due to severe weather, you will receive an email or text. If you do not receive a weather-related email, the trip will proceed as planned.

    NEW Payment and Cancellation Policy: Payment is due online at the time of registration. Cancellations made 14 or more days in advance of the event will receive a refund minus a 5% processing fee. Cancellations made within 14 days of the event will not receive a refund. Events and field trips with fees of $25 or less are non-refundable at any time unless canceled by NHSM. NHSM retains the right to update or change these requirements at any time.

    For questions, please email Jayne at JAsh@marylandnature.org.

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  • The History of the Earth, Evolution and its Fossils

    • 06 May 2026
    • 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM
    • 6908 Belair Rd, Natural History Society of MD, Online via Zoom
    Register

    The Earth has a long history, and for most of the time has supported life. We will probe the depths of geological time and how life evolved into its current state. Recent advances in microbiology have suggested that eukaryotic cells (those with nuclei) were a logical and even likely outgrowth of evolution in a group of prokaryotic cells (those without nuclei) known as the Asgard Archaea. The Cambrian explosion, while still important, was not the first eukaryotic biodiversity event. We’ll touch on the importance of extinction events in shaping evolutionary pathways. And get an idea of when and how these events took place. There will be a range of fossils displayed to complement the talk.

    This presentation will be hybrid, in person and on Zoom. To receive the Zoom link, you need to register for the meeting. We encourage you to participate in person to get a first-hand experience with fossils.

     Tom Farrell is an amateur fossil collector and a member of the NHSM Fossil Club as well as several other fossil clubs. He is a Maryland Master Naturalist, and his interest in the current world’s biodiversity extends into the deep past and how we got to this point. He has given several NHSM Fossil Club talks before on the fossils of the Pennsylvania anthracite fields and on beginner fossil preparation techniques.

    NHSM’s Fossil Club is a group of novice and more experienced collectors who meet to share knowledge and discuss fossil identification, fossil locations, and other fossil-related topics. Monthly meetings feature guest speakers both from within the club and from outside organizations. We also strive to schedule frequent collection trips to various locations. 

    Although you don’t need to be a member to attend a meeting, membership gives you access to additional experiences. An annual NHSM membership is $35 for individuals, $50 for families; Fossil Club membership is an additional $5 for individuals and $10 for families. 

    If you are not yet a member of NHSM, click here to join. When you join as a new member, you can add the club membership(s) of your choice to your registration. Current NHSM members who wish to join any clubs should email the Community Coordinator at rbaldwin@marylandnature.org. 

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  • Spring Migration Birding & Biodiversity Hike

    • 07 May 2026
    • 8:30 AM - 10:30 AM
    • Havre de Grace, Swan Harbor Farm
    • 8
    Register

    Springtime warmth means more birds overhead, on the move to their summer homes. Join ecologist John Canoles for a birding hike at Swan Harbor Farm, a popular bird spot with diverse habitats, including wetlands, forest, waterfront, and a dredge spoil area. We will hike through the various habitats, taking our time and enjoying the view of the bay. We’ll focus on birds but also check out native plants, insects, or mammal signs we may see along the way. The total mileage will be less than two miles. The trails may be muddy depending on the weather, and are fairly flat but can be uneven in places.

    Swan Harbor Farm has a total species list of over 277 types of birds, with over 190 species reported in a typical April. Migrant and resident birds that can be found there include common sightings of bald eagles, osprey, and red-tailed and red-shouldered hawks. Common mergansers, canvasback, and lesser scaup can be seen plying the waters along the shoreline. Solitary sandpipers, lesser yellowlegs, and spotted sandpipers can be found in the fields and wetlands. A beaver pond hosts prothonotary warblers, common yellow-throat, black-throated green warblers, and scarlet tanagers. Baltimore and orchard orioles can be seen in the forests and hedgerows. Swan Harbor is listed as the #1 eBird hotspot in Harford County.

    John Canoles is an ecologist focusing on the identification and assessment of natural resources and the creation of natural upland and wetland habitats. He is also involved in nature education, having helped design the nature walk and Butterfly House at Ladew Gardens and the Accessible Trail at Cromwell Valley Park, and has taught introduction to birdwatching classes for Johns Hopkins Odyssey Program, Community College of Baltimore County, and Cromwell Valley Park. John also writes a monthly Nature Notes column for the Baltimore County Country Chronicle newspaper. He is a member of the Harford Bird Club and the Harford County Land Trust and is on the board of Trustees for Ladew Topiary Gardens.
    • Our meeting location can be found in your registration confirmation email when payment is completed.
    • Watch for additional details in a welcome email sent a few days before the date.
    • All participants must be pre-registered. If you are on the waitlist and show up to the event uninvited, you will not be allowed to participate.
    • High school-aged children are welcome.
    • All children must meet age requirements and be registered as a guest of their adult.
    • Dress according to the weather. Layers of clothing work best. Include a hat for sun protection or warmth, depending on the season.
    • Wear sturdy closed-toe hiking or athletic shoes with non-slip soles that can safely handle slippery surfaces.
    • Bring water, snacks, sunblock, and bug spray, depending on the season.
    • Bring binoculars and a hand lens or loupe for birding or looking at details, if you have them.
    • Bring a first aid kit for your personal use.
    • No pets, please.

    All events are held rain or shine. If any event is cancelled due to severe weather, you will receive an email or text. If you do not receive a weather-related email, the trip will proceed as planned.

    Payment and Cancellation Policy: Payment is due online at the time of registration. Cancellations made 14 or more days in advance of the event will receive a refund minus a 5% processing fee. Cancellations made within 14 days of the event will not receive a refund. Events and field trips with fees of $25 or less are non-refundable at any time unless canceled by NHSM. NHSM retains the right to update or change these requirements at any time.

    For questions, please email Jayne at JAsh@marylandnature.org.

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  • Biodiversity in Agricultural Drainage Ditches on the Eastern Shore

    • 07 May 2026
    • 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM
    • Online via Zoom
    Register

    Agricultural drainage ditches are essential for water management on farms with high water tables, including those on the Delmarva Peninsula. These seemingly mundane agricultural infrastructures are home to insect biodiversity that provides valuable ecosystem services,such as pollination, biological control of pests, decomposition of plant and animal matter, and food support for wildlife. In this presentation, we will learn about phosphorous sequestration by tube-dwelling, non-biting midges that help to clean water before it flows downstream, and parasitoid wasps and other arthropods that eradicate nuisance insects. You’ll never look at a ditch in the same way again.

    Dr. Bill Lamp is a Professor of Entomology at the University of Maryland, College Park.  His research is interdisciplinary, applying Integrated pest management practices within sustainable agriculture systems with a focus on forage-based agriculture. Since starting at the University of Maryland in 1985, his research has included plant-insect interactions, aquatic entomology, non-target risk analysis, and biological control. Dr. Lamp has published three books on forage management, and written15 chapters and 76 refereed articles. He has given 65 invited presentations for his research, and received 78 grants, including 24 from USDA (e.g., Sustainable Agricultural Systems, Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education, Alfalfa and Forage Research, and Biotechnology Risk Assessment Program). He has taught Integrated Pest Management, Plant Protection, Biology of Insects, Sustainability, Insect Biodiversity, Freshwater Biology, and Insect Apocalypse: Real or Imagined over the last 40 years and received a Distinguished Teaching Award from the Eastern Branch Entomological Society of America in 2009. He also received Undergraduate Mentor of the Year in 2002 and the Winston Family Honors Faculty Award in 2021 at the University of Maryland. He has advised 12 Master’s and 14 Ph.D. students. He received the Herb T. Streu Meritorious Service Award for the Eastern Branch Entomological Society of America in 2016 and served as President of the Eastern Branch in 2021-22. During his presidency, he created EntoQuest, an annual meeting focused on informal interactions among students and ESA members in a natural setting, now held four times. Finally, he has served as science editor for 16 National Geographic Kids books.

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  • Evening Sail - Mother's Day Cruise

    • 08 May 2026
    • 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
    • Fell's Point, Frederick Douglass-Isaac Myers Maritime Park
    • 5
    Register

    Celebrate mom or any mom-like person in your life. All moms are $5 off – thank you for all you do!

    Join us for an evening sail on The Lady Maryland. Here is your chance to learn a bit about sailing as well as engage in hands-on marine science from our friends at the Living Classroom Foundation. Activities will include water quality testing, plankton trawling with microscope exploration, trawl fishing for marine life, oyster dissection, birding, setting sail, steering the ship, and local history, too. Bring a light dinner and beverage: alcohol is allowed, too.

    The Lady Maryland is a replica of a pungy schooner, originally built in Maryland and Virginia between 1840 and 1880. Pungies were a significant development in vessel design, uniquely adapted for carrying perishable cargo on the Chesapeake Bay. Pungies have a hull shape similar to the famous Baltimore Clippers, making them extremely fast, an important asset when delivering cargo. The Lady Maryland was built in 1986 to provide a hands-on opportunity to sail a historic vessel and learn about the ecology, history, and economics of the Bay.

    Our time will be spent touring the Inner Harbor and Fort McHenry. In addition to the science, the crew is very knowledgeable about Baltimore sights and local history, and they love to share stories with guests.
    • Ages 18 and up
    • Temperatures drop when out on the water, especially in the evening. Bring a jacket.
    • Bring drinks and a light dinner. An ice chest will be available.
    • Closed-toe shoes are mandatory on board.
    • Illegal drugs, marijuana, or firearms are not allowed.
    • Allow plenty of time to park in the garage, walk to the dock, and check in. The ship leaves promptly at 6 pm.
    • A restroom is available at the dock and onboard.

    All events are held rain or shine. If any event is cancelled due to severe weather, you will receive an email or text. If you do not receive a weather-related email, the trip will proceed as planned.

    NEW Payment and Cancellation Policy: Payment is due online at the time of registration. Cancellations made 14 or more days in advance of the event will receive a refund minus a 5% processing fee. Cancellations made within 14 days of the event will not receive a refund. Events and field trips with fees of $25 or less are non-refundable at any time unless canceled by NHSM. NHSM retains the right to update or change these requirements at any time.

    For questions, please email Jayne at JAsh@marylandnature.org.

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  • Foraging for Teas & Tonics - Mother's Day Tea

    • 09 May 2026
    • 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
    • Bowie, Forested, Maryland
    • 4
    Register

    Here’s a gift idea for your favorite human for Mother’s Day. Give them, or yourself, an experience with forager Candise Jordan making simple folk herbal preparations from found wild edibles. In this hands-on workshop, we’ll start with a plant walk to learn how to identify many wild edibles. Afterwards, we’ll sample wild teas and make our choice of an herbal tonic or tincture using the plants we foraged. We’ll learn the history, edible uses, and medicinal benefits of each plant. Each participant will go home with their own preparation. After each event, participants will receive a follow-up email with the common name and botanical name of every wild edible encountered, along with supplemental materials to continue learning.

    The location for this event is at Forested, a 10-acre food forest in Bowie. Their mission is to advance forest agriculture with a special focus on the eastern United States, where the Forested research garden is located.

    Our leader is Candise Jordan, a health & fitness coach, urban farmer, certified permaculture designer, and forager. She became a fitness professional straight out of college but quickly realized that you can’t out-exercise a bad diet. She then began her studies as a nutrition counselor and learned to grow her own food. She started her first garden in 2018 and began volunteering at local farms, earning her Permaculture Design Certification through Forested in Bowie, MD, and completed her Beginner Farmer Training program through Future Harvest. During her studies, permaculture exposed her to foods unknown to her before and had viewed as weeds. After learning about these delicious and nutritious free foods, she began foraging and now teaches others all about the wild edibles growing around us.

    • Gift giving? Please register under your name and email address. Email Jayne at JAsh@marylandnature.org with the recipient’s name/email address/phone.
    • Our meeting location can be found in your registration confirmation email when payment is completed.
    • Watch for additional details in a welcome email sent a few days before the date.
    • All participants must be pre-registered. If you are on the waitlist and show up to the event uninvited, you will not be allowed to participate.
    • Adults only.
    • Dress according to the weather. Layers of clothing work best. Include a hat for sun protection or warmth, depending on the season.
    • Wear sturdy closed-toe hiking or athletic shoes with non-slip soles that can safely handle slippery surfaces.
    • Bring water, snacks, sunblock, and bug spray, depending on the season.
    • Bring binoculars and a hand lens or loupe for birding or looking at details, if you have them.
    • Bring a first aid kit for your personal use.
    • No pets, please.

    All events are held rain or shine. If any event is cancelled due to severe weather, you will receive an email or text. If you do not receive a weather-related email, the trip will proceed as planned.

    Payment and Cancellation Policy: Payment is due online at the time of registration. Cancellations made 14 or more days in advance of the event will receive a refund minus a 5% processing fee. Cancellations made within 14 days of the event will not receive a refund. Events and field trips with fees of $25 or less are non-refundable at any time unless canceled by NHSM. NHSM retains the right to update or change these requirements at any time.

    For questions, please email Jayne at JAsh@marylandnature.org.

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  • Appalachian-style Ribbed Baskets

    • 10 May 2026
    • 1:00 PM - 5:30 PM
    • 6908 Belair Rd, Natural History Society of MD
    • 0
    Join waitlist

    We will make three-quarter ribbed baskets using a mix of natural materials and reed. You will learn how to shape a ribbed basket, create patterns with different materials, and learn about the process of harvesting natural materials. Each basket will be unique due to the different sizes of materials, all made from invasive vines and reeds, with many color options. The basic frame with the initial ribs already attached will be provided. This class is suitable for both beginners and those with more experience.

    ABOUT YOUR INSTRUCTOR:

    Clare Walker previously worked as a naturalist for State Parks and then as an environmental outreach specialist for Maryland DNR. She now teaches plant and pollinator identification as well as classes on natural basketry and more around Maryland including for Nature Forward, the US Botanical Gardens and Irvine Nature Center.  She delights in native plants and especially their relationships to wildlife and people. Her classes encourage everyone to cherish our local plants whether through basketry using natural materials, making herbal remedies, enjoying foods from foraged plants or by gardening with natives.

    Payment and Cancellation Policy: Payment is due online at the time of registration. Cancellations made 14 or more days in advance of the event will receive a refund minus a 5% processing fee. Cancellations made within 14 days of the event will not receive a refund. Events and field trips with fees of $10 or less are not refundable at any time unless canceled by NHSM. NHSM retains the right to update or change these requirements at any time.

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  • Eighty Years of Box Turtles

    • 13 May 2026
    • 9:00 AM - 11:30 AM
    • Laurel, Patuxent Research Refuge
    • 5
    Register

    Since the 1940s, scientists have tracked Eastern box turtles at the Patuxent Research Refuge as part of one of the longest-running wildlife surveys in the U.S. This research reveals their movements, survival strategies, and use of habitats. With box turtle populations in steep decline due to habitat destruction, road mortality, and illegal trafficking, information gathered can help researchers work toward solutions.

    Join us to learn about this project and its findings with an overview from Dr. Andy Royle, senior scientist at the Eastern Ecological Science Center. We’ll then head outdoors to search for turtles in the nearby woods. We’ll be hiking about two miles at an easy pace with plenty of stops. May is peak turtle season, so we should be able to sight turtles. We may also meet a captive turtle at the building, too.

    In 2019, Dr. Royle launched the Quantitative Turtle Analysis Project to overcome some of the challenges related to mark-recapture-capture methods. The project investigates how digital images can be used by automated programs to recognize unique individual turtles in place of marking systems like scute notching, and how uncertain individual identifications can be used in capture-recapture methods.  He has authored or coauthored six books on quantitative analysis in ecology, including the recent book, Applied Hierarchical Models, Vols. 1 and 2.
    • Our meeting location can be found in your registration confirmation email when payment is completed.
    • Watch for additional details in a welcome email sent a few days before the date.
    • All participants must be pre-registered. If you are on the waitlist and show up to the event uninvited, you will not be allowed to participate.
    • High school-aged children are allowed.
    • Dress according to the weather. Layers of clothing work best. Include a hat for sun protection or warmth, depending on the season.
    • Wear sturdy closed-toe hiking or athletic shoes with non-slip soles that can safely handle slippery surfaces.
    • Bring water, snacks, sunblock, and bug spray.
    • Bring binoculars for birding along the hike, if you have them.
    • Bring a first aid kit for your personal use.
    • No pets, please.

    All events are held rain or shine. If any event is cancelled due to severe weather, you will receive an email or text. If you do not receive a weather-related email, the trip will proceed as planned.

    Payment and Cancellation Policy: Payment is due online at the time of registration. Cancellations made 14 or more days in advance of the event will receive a refund minus a 5% processing fee. Cancellations made within 14 days of the event will not receive a refund. Events and field trips with fees of $25 or less are non-refundable at any time unless canceled by NHSM. NHSM retains the right to update or change these requirements at any time.

    For questions, please email Jayne at JAsh@marylandnature.org.

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  • The Natural World on the Microscale

    • 14 May 2026
    • 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM
    • Online via Zoom
    Register

    This presentation was rescheduled from its original date in January. 

    Step into the invisible world that curiosity and cutting‑edge imaging make visible. In this talk, Dr. Tagide deCarvalho will share the stories and techniques behind her striking microscopy images—revealing how modern optical and electron microscopes open windows into cells, viruses, and other hidden structures of life.

    Expect a presentation that blends science, storytelling, and visual wonder—perfect for anyone who’s ever felt like a “curious nerd” eager to see the world in new ways.

    Dr. Tagide deCarvalho is the Assistant Director of UMBC’s CNMS Core Facilities and manager of Keith R. Porter imaging Facility. She provides imaging expertise for both life and material science projects and has a particular interest in imaging bacteriophage. Her work sits at the intersection of art and science: her award-winning images can be found in a textbook, the USPS “Life Magnified” series postage stamps and a NASA Science calendar.

    New “Life Magnified” USPS Stamp Series Features Tagide DeCarvalho’s Images Of Microscopic Life – UMBC: University Of Maryland, Baltimore County

    Tagide deCarvalho produces artistic images of microscopic life that combine her skill at the lab bench with her artist’s eye. Her artwork continues to earn her accolades worldwide.

     

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  • The Fall Line - The Geology of Maryland Series

    • 15 May 2026
    • 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM
    • Anita C. Leight Estuary Center 700 Otter Point Rd. Abingdon, Eden Mill Nature Center
    • 3
    Register

    The rolling hills seen along I-70 are a characteristic feature of the Piedmont Plateau, one of Maryland’s six physiographic provinces. This centrally located region continues east from the Appalachians into the Coastal Plain. The area where the Piedmont and the Coastal Plain intersect is described as the Fall Line, and it can be traced on a map, marking the first set of falls that make the rivers impassable for boats. That's why major cities like DC, Baltimore, and Philly are all in a line, marking the fall line. This corridor is an important transportation route, with Interstate 95 as the perfect example.

    Join us for a day trip to experience the geology of the Fall Line as seen from two Harford County locations. We’ll begin our geological adventure at Eden Mill Nature Center, where we'll set off on a hike to discuss the rock formations in the area, about one mile in total. After working up an appetite, we’ll head over to Broom’s Bloom Dairy for lunch and ice cream, then drive to Anita C. Leight Estuary for a second hike along the Vista Trail. We’ll check out the area down at the water to get a good look at the local geology along the riverbank, too. We’ll also bird and investigate any interesting flora or fauna we encounter while on the trail. The total trail length should be less than two miles. You are welcome to pack a lunch or purchase food at Broom’s Bloom. If time permits, we’ll meet the animal ambassadors at Anita C. Leight Estuary, too.

    This field trip supports our newest exhibit at our building, The Geology of Maryland, to be open soon.

    • Our meeting location can be found in your registration confirmation email when payment is completed.
    • Watch for additional details in a welcome email sent a few days before the date.
    • All participants must be pre-registered. If you are on the waitlist and show up to the event uninvited, you will not be allowed to participate.
    • High school-aged children are welcome to attend and must be registered as a guest of their adult.
    • No more than two children per adult.
    • Depending on the group size and the number of cars, we may want to carpool between sites.
    • Dress according to the weather. Layers of clothing work best. Include a hat for sun protection or warmth, depending on the season.
    • Wear sturdy closed-toe hiking or athletic shoes with non-slip soles that can safely handle slippery surfaces.
    • Bring water, snacks, sunblock, and bug spray, depending on the season.
    • Bring binoculars and a hand lens or loupe for birding or looking at details, if you have them.
    • Bring a first aid kit for your personal use.
    • No pets, please.

    All events are held rain or shine. If any event is cancelled due to severe weather, you will receive an email or text. If you do not receive a weather-related email, the trip will proceed as planned.

    Payment and Cancellation Policy: Payment is due online at the time of registration. Cancellations made 14 or more days in advance of the event will receive a refund minus a 5% processing fee. Cancellations made within 14 days of the event will not receive a refund. Events and field trips with fees of $25 or less are non-refundable at any time unless canceled by NHSM. NHSM retains the right to update or change these requirements at any time.

    For questions, please email Jayne at JAsh@marylandnature.org.

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  • RedGate Park: A Golf Course Reimagined

    • 16 May 2026
    • 8:00 AM - 10:00 AM
    • RedGate Park, Rockville
    • 0
    Join waitlist

    Let’s take a bird walk at Redgate Park, once a 131-acre municipal golf course, now transformed into a public park. After the golf course’s closure in 2018 due to declining popularity, the city approved a master plan, turning the site into green space rather than developing the land. We’ll learn about the site’s history and transformation into a park and planned arboretum, birding along the way. The park has become a hotspot for birders, with 168 bird species identified on-site. It serves as an oasis for wildlife, providing habitat for various native species along its forests and wetlands. We will be on the lookout for Eastern kingbird, tree swallow, Eastern phoebe, red-winged blackbird, blue-gray gnatcatcher, orchard oriole, Baltimore oriole, pine warbler, yellow-rumped warbler, and brown thrasher.

    The site is undergoing a multi-year, multi-phase transformation into an arboretum, featuring trees, plant collections, and amenities such as community gardens, picnic areas, and an amphitheater.

    Our trip leader is filmmaker Cintia Cabib, who documented the transformation of the site and the community effort to preserve it in the documentary film, Bird Walk. This 25-minute film features the birds and birders of RedGate Park and follows the grassroots campaign that helped preserve the land as a public park.  Learn more about the film and the park at https://www.birdwalkfilm.com and https://www.rockvillemd.gov/places/redgate-park-and-arboretum/.

    • Our meeting location can be found in your registration confirmation email when payment is completed.
    • Watch for additional details in a welcome email sent a few days before the date.
    • All participants must be pre-registered. If you are on the waitlist and show up to the event uninvited, you will not be allowed to participate.
    • High school-aged children are welcome to attend and must be registered as a guest of their adult.
    • No more than two children per adult.
    • Dress according to the weather. Layers of clothing work best. Include a hat for sun protection or warmth, depending on the season.
    • Wear sturdy closed-toe hiking or athletic shoes with non-slip soles that can safely handle slippery surfaces.
    • Bring water, snacks, sunblock, and bug spray, depending on the season.
    • Bring binoculars and a hand lens or loupe for birding or looking at details, if you have them.
    • Bring a first aid kit for your personal use.
    • No pets, please.

    All events are held rain or shine. If any event is cancelled due to severe weather, you will receive an email or text. If you do not receive a weather-related email, the trip will proceed as planned.

    Payment and Cancellation Policy: Payment is due online at the time of registration. Cancellations made 14 or more days in advance of the event will receive a refund minus a 5% processing fee. Cancellations made within 14 days of the event will not receive a refund. Events and field trips with fees of $25 or less are non-refundable at any time unless canceled by NHSM. NHSM retains the right to update or change these requirements at any time.

    For questions, please email Jayne at JAsh@marylandnature.org.

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  • Oysters By the Bay - Step 2: Moving Away from Home

    • 16 May 2026
    • 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM
    • Baltimore, Frederick Douglass-Isaac Myers Maritime Park
    • 6
    Register

    This is the last stop in our series following the life of an oyster: from spat in a tank, to juveniles in a garden, and finally, to a home in the Chesapeake Bay.

    In our first trip following the life story of the oyster series, we met tiny larvae floating in massive tanks at Horn Point Laboratory. As they grow, the larvae give up the free-floating lifestyle and attach themselves to shells. The oysters, now called spat, are moved to cages tethered in a Chesapeake Bay oyster garden, where they continue to grow and become hearty. Now that spring is here, it’s time for the spat to travel to their new permanent home, an oyster reef along the edge of Fort Carroll, out in the Bay. Join us to watch their cages being pulled and learn about their new adjustment as they travel with us by boat to their new home.

    We’ll travel on the sailboat Mildred Belle, an authentic Chesapeake Bay buyboat, one of only a few remaining and an important part of the Bay history and economy.  The oystermen who ran these boats acted as the middlemen on the bay, purchasing fish, crabs, and oysters directly from fishing vessels working under sail, and then transporting the catch to market. This allowed the fishing fleet to continue its work on the water. We’ll learn about the boat, bird along the way, and continue our conversation about oysters. Don’t worry if you didn’t attend the previous trip: we’ll get you up to speed on oysters!

    • Our meeting location can be found in your registration confirmation email when payment is completed.
    • Watch for additional details in a welcome email sent a few days before the date.
    • All participants must be pre-registered. If you are on the waitlist and show up to the event uninvited, you will not be allowed to participate.
    • High school-aged children are welcome to attend and must be registered as a guest of their adult.
    • No more than two children per adult.
    • Closed-toe shoes are mandatory on board.
    • Everyone must sign a waiver, available at the dock.
    • Illegal drugs, marijuana, or firearms are not allowed.
    • Allow plenty of time to park in the garage, walk to the dock, and check in. The ship leaves promptly at 6 pm.
    • A restroom is available at the dock and onboard.
    • Dress according to the weather. Layers of clothing work best. Include a hat for sun protection or warmth, depending on the season.
    • Bring water, snacks, sunblock, and bug spray, depending on the season.
    • Bring binoculars and a hand lens or loupe for birding or looking at details, if you have them.
    • Bring a first aid kit for your personal use.

    All events are held rain or shine. If any event is cancelled due to severe weather, you will receive an email or text. If you do not receive a weather-related email, the trip will proceed as planned.

    Payment and Cancellation Policy: Payment is due online at the time of registration. Cancellations made 14 or more days in advance of the event will receive a refund minus a 5% processing fee. Cancellations made within 14 days of the event will not receive a refund. Events and field trips with fees of $25 or less are non-refundable at any time unless canceled by NHSM. NHSM retains the right to update or change these requirements at any time.

    For questions, please email Jayne at JAsh@marylandnature.org.

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  • Fossil Hunt at Stratford Hall

    • 17 May 2026
    • 9:00 AM - 3:30 PM
    • Montross, Stratford Hall Visitor Center, Virginia
    • 0
    Join waitlist

    How big is your shark tooth collection? If your answer is between zero and a thousand, join us to search for fossil treasures at Stratford Hall. With private beach access and help from expert volunteers, this trip is a unique opportunity for those looking to learn about ancient life in this area and perfect their fossil-collecting techniques.

    Stratford Hall’s cliffs are part of a series of rock layers formed when ancient seas covered the area. Today, the Chesapeake Bay and rivers like the Potomac erode these old sea floor deposits, giving us a window into the past. These cliffs date from about 8 to 16 million years ago, during the Miocene Epoch. This location is one of the most scientifically important exposures of its kind in the Mid-Atlantic region and the world.

    Fossils that could be found include shark teeth from several different species, including Hemipristis or snaggletooth shark, tiger and tiger-like sharks, sand tiger sharks, C. Hastalis or the ancient white shark, and requiem sharks, and shells such as Chesapecten scallop and the Maryland state fossil, Ecphora, a predatory snail. Bones from whales and dolphin-like marine mammals, turtle shell pieces, sting ray dental plates and barbs, crocodile teeth, and fossilized crabs are also possibilities.

    This site is part of the Stratford Hall plantation owned by four generations of the Lee family and is now managed by the Robert E. Lee Memorial Foundation. The estate encompasses 1900 acres of farmland and forests on a high bluff overlooking the Potomac River. Field trip participants have access to tour the estate while at the fossil hunt.

    Travel time: It is an estimated three-hour drive from Baltimore to Montross, VA (on the south side of the Potomac River, adjacent to Westmoreland State Park). Guests are responsible for their own transportation. Many choose to spend the night before or after to break up the drive. Hotels can be found in the towns of King George and Colonial Beach.

    Difficulty: This field trip is moderately strenuous, involving hiking, cold water, and uncertain weather. There will be washed-up trees and debris on the beach that will result in scramble spots. If you do not want to climb over obstacles, you can remain on the beach that is accessible to you. However, please note that you will be wading in the water, and in colder months, we recommend wearing waders. Bare feet are never allowed. This is a rain-or-shine event.

    Age Restriction: The minimum age requirement is eight years old. This age limit is set by Stratford, and there are no exceptions. Please respect this policy when registering your family.

    • Our meeting location can be found in your registration confirmation email when payment is completed.
    • Watch for additional details in a welcome email sent a few days before the date.
    • All participants must be pre-registered. If you are on the waitlist and show up to the event uninvited, you will not be allowed to participate.
    • All children must meet age requirements and be registered as a guest of their adult.
    • Dress according to the weather. Layers of clothing work best. Include a hat for sun protection or warmth, depending on the season.
    • No equipment is needed except for closed-toe shoes.
    • Closed-toe shoes are mandatory on the property and in the water.
    • You may leave at any time if you do not want to stay all day.
    • Bring water, snacks, sunblock, and bug spray.
    • Bring a first aid kit for your personal use.
    • No pets, please.

    All events are held rain or shine. If any event is cancelled due to severe weather, you will receive an email or text. If you do not receive a weather-related email, the trip will proceed as planned.

    NEW Payment and Cancellation Policy: Payment is due online at the time of registration. Cancellations made 14 or more days in advance of the event will receive a refund minus a 5% processing fee. Cancellations made within 14 days of the event will not receive a refund. Events and field trips with fees of $25 or less are non-refundable at any time unless canceled by NHSM. NHSM retains the right to update or change these requirements at any time.

    For questions, please email Jayne JAsh@marylandnature.org.

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  • Evidence of the Chesapeake Asteroid induced Megatsunami Found in North Carolina

    • 21 May 2026
    • 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM
    • Online via Zoom
    Register

    Evidence of one of the most powerful tsunamis to hit North America has been unearthed on a North Carolina hillside. Join us to learn about this perfectly preserved sequence of impact fallout and tsunami deposits hidden for 35.5 million years. This finding is tied to the Chesapeake Bay bolide, the largest known impact crater in the US. 

    Dr. Bob Ganis will discuss how a routine gas pipeline trench exposed an unfamiliar stratum that sparked a multi‑year investigation. He and his colleagues ultimately documented what is now recognized as the Mount Helicon Formation, a one‑meter‑thick, four‑layer record of catastrophe, from ejecta fallout to tsunami surge. These deposits document a massive asteroid slamming into what is now southern Virginia, unleashing a continental‑scale catastrophe and reshaping the landscape that would one day cradle the Chesapeake Bay.

    Dr. Ganis will guide us through the detective work behind this discovery, the science of impact signatures, and what this rare North Carolina site reveals about the ancient Atlantic coast.

    Bob Ganis has been a professional geologist since 1973. Bob is a Fellow in the Geological Society of America. His professional career has primarily been as a consultant to the mining industry for mineral exploration. He has also been engaged in mapping the geology in Eastern Pennsylvania. He is now retired and lives in Southern Pines, North Carolina.

     

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  • World Turtle Day 2026

    • 24 May 2026
    • 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM
    • 6908 Belair Rd, Natural History Society of MD
    Register

    Rarely is there an animal more beloved by humanity than the turtle. At World Turtle Day at the Natural History Society of Maryland,  meet and interact with over a dozen species of turtles, learn about the latest conservation efforts, and see specimens from the NHSM collections. Engage in hands-on educational activities, play turtle games, make turtle crafts, dress in your finest turtle gear, and feed a giant tortoise.

    World Turtle Day was created in 1990 as an annual observance to help people celebrate and protect these beloved creatures and their vanishing habitats around the world. There are 17 types of turtles that call Maryland home. Of those, 12 species are threatened by habitat loss and 9 are experiencing population decline. All four sea turtle species found in Maryland are protected by the ESA.

    NHSM Payment and Cancellation Policy: Payment is due online at the time of registration. Cancellations made 14 or more days in advance of the event will receive a refund minus a 5% processing fee. Cancellations made within 14 days of the event will not receive a refund. Events and field trips with fees of $25 or less are non-refundable at any time unless canceled by NHSM. NHSM retains the right to update or change these requirements at any time.

    1.  10:00 AM
    2.  11:00 AM
    3.  12:00PM
    4.  1:00PM
    5.  2:00 PM

    Our keynote speaker this year is TBA!

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  • May Lep Club: Carnivorous Butterflies? Unexpected food sources for unlikely predators.

    • 27 May 2026
    • 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM
    • 6908 Belair Rd, Natural History Society of MD, Online via Zoom
    Register

    Did you know that there are some caterpillars that don’t eat plants for food?

    There are numerous butterfly species worldwide that eat other insect larvae or nymphs as their food source during their developmental stages and there are even some species that live here in Maryland. These are primarily members of the Lycaenidae family (Hairstreaks and Blues) and these have very specific relationships with certain ants and with one species consuming wooly aphids.  This lecture will examine the relationship, with specific examples, of different butterfly species with their host ants and explain the reasons of how this is possible as well as their delicate balance of existence.

    Fred Paraskevoudakis (Paras) is a Professor at Baltimore City Community College where he has taught microbiology, as well as biotechnology and environmental science, since 1992. His passion for insects (and natural history) began as a kid growing up in Puerto Rico and has continued to this day. He is the President of the Maryland Entomological Society and the Curator of Shells for the NHSM. He has travelled all over the world, as well as the United States, in pursuit of insects and his other passions of shells, minerals and fossils.

    This will be a Hybrid meeting in person and on Zoom. To receive the zoom link you must register. We encourage you to attend in person to see specimens of the butterflies that will be discussed.

    If you love butterflies and moths, consider joining the NHSM Lep Club. Made up of novice and expert lepidopterists who meet to exchange knowledge and support concerning habitat, threats, food sources, identification, and life cycle of butterflies and moths, the Lep Club encourages the sharing of knowledge for the raising and breeding of moths and butterflies through hands-on lessons and guest speakers.

    The NHSM Lepidoptera Club meets the fourth Wednesday of every month from March-October at 6908 Belair Rd or over Zoom. Club members are also involved in outreach in the greater Baltimore community through educational programs and service projects. If you have questions feel free to email the club coordinator at rbaldwin@marylandnature.org

    Annual NHSM membership is $35 for individuals, $50 for families; Lep Club membership is an additional $5 for individuals and $10 for families. Although you don’t need to be a member to attend our meetings, your membership dues support our programs and give you access to exclusive field trips and other events.

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  • What Trees Remember: Climate, Water, and Change in Western Maryland

    • 28 May 2026
    • 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM
    • Online via Zoom
    Register

    Trees are invaluable record-keepers of the past. Since their annual growth is intrinsically related to a combination of environmental factors, tree ring data can be used like a Rosetta Stone. Dr. Karen King will demonstrate how her research in biogeography and climate change is informed by tree-ring data. We will focus on regional examples from western Maryland to learn what tree rings can tell us about temperature, hydroclimate, and ecological variability.

    Dr. Karen King, an assistant professor at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, runs the Tree Ring Lab in the Department of Geography and Sustainability. She holds both a BS and an MS from Frostburg State University and a PhD from the University of Idaho. As a biogeographer, Karen’s research interests focus on Quaternary landscape dynamics and paleoenvironmental reconstruction from intra-annual to multi-century time scales. She uses dendrochronology and spatial analysis as research tools to investigate landscape‐scale dynamics. Her research integrates present‐day climatic and ecological processes with those that functioned in the past and those that are likely to be altered in the near future due to human‐induced changes.

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  • Find Your Spark: A Naturalist Weekend with NHSM

    • 29 May 2026
    • 4:00 PM
    • 31 May 2026
    • 11:00 AM
    • Swanton, Western Maryland 4H Center
    • 5
    Register

    Have you heard the saying “spark bird”?  It’s a popular phrase among birders that describes the one special species that caught their eye, igniting their passion for birds. What is your “spark” species?  What stoked your passion for nature? Spend the weekend with us and some of the state’s top naturalists to find your spark and turn that flame up to high.

    Our weekend will begin with check-in on Friday, starting at 4 pm, and checkout is 11 am on Sunday, after breakfast and a morning class session. A diverse set of classes is in the works with instructors from around the state. Details are still being finalized, but you’re guaranteed to have fun with these talented instructors:

    • Bird identification and night sounds program with Kevin Dodge, Program Director/Professor of Natural Resources & Wildlife Technology at Garrett College.
    • All that is fungi with mycologist Serenella Linares, Programs Chair of the Mycological Association of Washington, DC.
    • Wildflower identification and natural crafts activity with naturalist Clare Walker, instructor at Nature Forward, the US Botanical Gardens, and Irvine Nature Center.
    • Mammal tracks with naturalist Kerry Wixted, Vegetation Ecologist with Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission.
    • What you should know about the Maryland Biodiversity Project with co-founder Jim Brighton.
    • Painting with watercolor with Molly Hoopes, artist-naturalist with Baltimore City Recreation and Parks.
    • Bats with Sarah Witcher, Wildlife Education and Outreach Specialist for DNR, and Katie Dell, Resource Teacher- Naturalist, Baltimore County Public Schools.
    • Everything bees with Clare Maffei, Bee Biologist, Division of Conservation Science and Partnerships, US Fish and Wildlife.
    • Forest bathing with Ana Ka’ahanui, cofounder of the nonprofit, Capital Nature.
    • Moths, anthropods, and bird ID with Dave Webb, longtime birder and editor at Maryland Biodiversity Project.
    • Herps with Tori Schneider, Associate Professor of Biology, Montgomery College – Rockville Campus.
    • The geology of Maryland, every day weather, and astronomy with NHSM’s Geology Curator, Martin Schmidt.
    • Mammal skull identification with NHSM Fossil Club volunteer and avid collector, Tom Farrell.
    • With more to come!

    Plus canoeing, birding, and hiking, all on the property at the Western Maryland 4H Center, 1100 acres of private and public land with a lake. The class schedule will be finalized in early April, and you will be able to sign up for one class per session, with four or five sessions available, all based on the finalized number of classes available.

    Meals provided include Friday dinner, three meals on Saturday, and Sunday breakfast. Accommodations will be in rustic bunkhouses with same-gender rooms, if requested, and with only the bottom bunks in use. If you have concerns about menu items or sleeping arrangements, please email Jayne at JAsh@marylandnature.org. Not all dietary concerns can be addressed since this is a camp setting. Lactose-free and vegetarian options will be available. This weekend is designed for adults ages 18 and above.

    NEW PRICING FOR DAY USE ONLY: For those who do not want to sleep on site, look for the revised price and register under that option.

    Volunteers are needed to help with setup, class moderation, and cleanup. Full weekend volunteers will receive a discounted rate of $100. Saturday-only volunteers’ fee will be $120. Registration code needed to sign up for those discounted rates. Email Jayne at JAsh@marylandnature.org to secure your volunteer spot.

    Carpooling is encouraged. If you would like to join a carpool, please email Jayne at JAsh@marylandnature.org.

    All events are held rain or shine. If any event is cancelled due to severe weather, you will receive an email or text. If you do not receive a weather-related email, the trip will proceed as planned.

    NEW Payment and Cancellation Policy: Payment is due online at the time of registration. Cancellations made 30 or more days in advance of the event will receive a refund minus a 5% processing fee. Cancellations made within 30 days of the event will not receive a refund. Events and field trips with fees of $25 or less are non-refundable at any time unless canceled by NHSM. NHSM retains the right to update or change these requirements at any time.

    For questions, please email Jayne at JAsh@marylandnature.org.

     

     

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  • June Fossil Club: On the Heels of Dinosaurs- Fossil Tracks and What they Reveal

    • 03 Jun 2026
    • 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM
    • Online via Zoom
    Register

    NEW DATE JUNE 3rd!
    Dinosaur tracks and other trace fossils provide important insights into the behaviors, locomotion, postures, and environments of ancient creatures that are often difficult to glean from body fossils alone. Glen Kuban’s presentation will include an overview of the dinosaur tracks, including basic types of tracks, where they are found, and how they are studied and documented. Glen will also discuss his 45+ years of first-hand research on the remarkably abundant, varied, and well-preserved dinosaur tracks in Texas, and various debates and controversies surrounding them. These include claims by some young-Earth advocates that “giant human tracks” occurred alongside tracks in Glen Rose, Texas.  Glen’s work spearheaded the resolution of the controversy, and led to new insights into dinosaur locomotion and variations in track preservation.
          Glen will also discuss exciting new finds during severe droughts in central Texas in 2022 and 2023, when he and many volunteer coworkers uncovered hundreds of new tracks, including new types of tracks and evidence of new trackmaker behaviors. The talk will thus illustrate the great scientific value of dinosaur tracks, as well as the thrill and challenges in  studying them. As Glen wrote, “Some trackways are so fresh-looking that it is not hard to imagine the trackmakers having strode by only moments before. Unless the fantasy of cloning dinosaurs becomes a reality, this is probably the closest we can come to standing beside a living, breathing dinosaur.
    To learn more about Glen’s work you can visit his Paluxy website, which contains many of his articles and papers, as well as a large photo gallery of Texas tracks, and links to other info and articles. http://paleo.cc/paluxy/ovrdino.htm
    This meeting will take place over Zoom. To receive the Zoom link, you must register for the meeting.

    NHSM’s Fossil Club is a group of novice and more experienced collectors who meet to share knowledge and discuss fossil identification, fossil locations, and other fossil-related topics. Monthly meetings feature guest speakers both from within the club and from outside organizations. We also strive to schedule frequent collection trips to various locations. 

    Although you don’t need to be a member to attend a meeting, membership gives you access to additional experiences. An annual NHSM membership is $35 for individuals, $50 for families; Fossil Club membership is an additional $5 for individuals and $10 for families. 

    If you are not yet a member of NHSM, click here to join. When you join as a new member, you can add the club membership(s) of your choice to your registration. Current NHSM members who wish to join any clubs should email the Community Coordinator at rbaldwin@marylandnature.org. 

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  • Traditional Appalachian Broommaking

    • 07 Jun 2026
    • 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM
    • 6908 Belair Rd, Natural History Society of MD
    • 8
    Register

    Learn this traditional technique to create a sturdy and attractive hand broom in either the turkey wing or pot scrubber style. These brooms are made with natural broomcorn, a type of sorghum grass known for its durability and flexibility, with your choice of thread color. You will leave with a beautiful and unique broom and a deep appreciation for the traditional craft of broom making. The process requires some hand strength, and we create tension with our feet on a pole wound with thread, so be prepared to remove your shoes and socks.

    ABOUT YOUR INSTRUCTOR: Clare Walker previously worked as a naturalist for State Parks and then as an environmental outreach specialist for Maryland DNR. She now teaches plant and pollinator identification as well as classes on natural basketry and more around Maryland including for Nature Forward, the US Botanical Gardens and Irvine Nature Center.  She delights in native plants and especially their relationships to wildlife and people. Her classes encourage everyone to cherish our local plants whether through basketry using natural materials, making herbal remedies, enjoying foods from foraged plants or by gardening with natives.

    Payment and Cancellation Policy: Payment is due online at the time of registration. Cancellations made 14 or more days in advance of the event will receive a refund minus a 5% processing fee. Cancellations made within 14 days of the event will not receive a refund. Events and field trips with fees of $10 or less are not refundable at any time unless canceled by NHSM. NHSM retains the right to update or change these requirements at any time.

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  • NHSM Fossil Club Only: trip to Lehigh Coal Mine

    • 07 Jun 2026
    • 9:15 AM - 1:30 PM
    • Lehigh Coal Mine in Lansford
    • 0
    Join waitlist

    The NHSM Fossil Club is hosting a club-only trip to Lehigh Coal Mine in Lansford, PA, on June 7th. This site is known for its carboniferous fern and plant fossils from the Pennsylvanian Period (318-299 million years ago). The fossils will be found in spoil piles of shale, quartz crystals, and pyrite also may be found.  After collecting, participants may wish to visit the No 9 Coal Mine Museum and Tour https://no9coalmine.com/.

    Because this is an active coal mine, you must follow the safety requirements listed below.

    We will meet in Lansford, PA, at 9:15 AM—we will leave the parking lot promptly at 9:30 AM to caravan to the collecting site, then have 3.5 hours to collect carboniferous fern and plant fossils. The meeting location will be sent to registrants upon registration.

    Participants must be 18 years old or older.

    The deadline for registering for this trip is May 31.

    Attendees must wear: 

    • steel-toe boots (or sturdy all-leather hiking boots with ankle support)
    • hard hat (available at Home Depot, Lowe’s, Harbor Freight, Walmart)
    • eye protection
    • leather gloves

    You will need to bring:

    • rock hammer and chisel, (putty knife optional, but useful),
    • containers to put your finds in (such as drywall buckets or large roasting pans)
    • wrapping material to protect finds (newspaper, bubble wrap, aluminum foil)
    • bag lunch and snacks
    • drinking water
    • dress for the weather
    • wear clothes you don’t mind getting dirty with coal dust

    There is no fee to fossil hunt in the coal strip mine.  If you choose to take the optional No. 9 Mine Museum and Tour, there is a $15 fee (bring a light jacket or sweater to wear into the mine).

    The walk from the mine’s parking area to the fossil collection area is less than one-half mile.  Participants must be able to walk unassisted on rough ground.

    Group size will be limited to 15 people.  A waiting list will be created.  The trip leader will contact people on the waiting list if spaces become available.

    NHSM’s Fossil Club is a group of novice and more experienced collectors who meet to share knowledge and discuss fossil identification, fossil locations, and other fossil-related topics. Monthly meetings feature guest speakers both from within the club and from outside organizations. We also strive to schedule frequent collection trips to various locations.

    An annual NHSM membership is $35 for individuals, $50 for families; Fossil Club membership is an additional $5 for individuals and $10 for families.

    If you are not yet a member of NHSM, click here to join. When you join as a new member, you can add the club membership(s) of your choice to your registration. Current NHSM members who wish to join any clubs should email the Community Coordinator at rbaldwin@marylandnature.org.

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  • Aquatic Invertebrate Ecology Class

    • 14 Jun 2026
    • 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM
    • 6908 Belair Rd, Natural History Society of MD
    Register

    This course looks at stream ecology through the lives of stream invertebrates and macroinvertebrates, large organisms (macro) enough to be seen with the naked eye and lack a backbone (invertebrate). They inhabit all types of running waters, from fast-flowing mountain streams to slow-moving muddy rivers. Examples of aquatic macroinvertebrates include insects in their adult, larval, or nymph forms, mollusks, crustaceans, and worms.

    We will learn about their life histories, ecological interactions, and benefits to people, explore how they relate to their surrounding riparian and watershed environments, and how both are affected by people.  In addition to the lecture, the class will include hands-on labs with live specimens and learning to use the website macroinvertebrates.org to see them up close, to both learn to identify them, and to learn about how they deal with environmental stress.

    NOTE: Late summer and fall, NHSM hosts Go With the Flow Community Stream Days at Leakin Park, where you can put your new skills to practical use collecting andidentifying stream invertebrates. More info here: https://marylandnature.wildapricot.org/event-6606820

    Dr. Ken Belt has studied urban streams and their ecology in Baltimore for 40 years. He has worked for the Baltimore City Department of Public Works, the USDA Forest Service, and the Baltimore Ecosystem Study, and now teaches at the Department of Geography and Environmental Science at UMBC. His perspective has been holistic, with an eye for both the engineering of the urban landscape and the connections to aquatic ecosystems. He is also a new curator for NHSM, where he is starting an aquatic insect collection and planning various identification training and education venues. Ken’s research interests focus on the interactions between stream biogeochemistry and ecological structure and function, and how these are affected by the mosaic of forests and engineered infrastructure on and within urban landscapes. Currently, he is encouraging the use of ecohydrological principles in the design of stormwater management networks, in particular those using a Nature-Based Solutions approach.

    NEW Payment and Cancellation Policy: Payment is due online at the time of registration. Cancellations made 14 or more days in advance of the event will receive a refund minus a 5% processing fee. Cancellations made within 14 days of the event will not receive a refund. Events and field trips with fees of $25 or less are non-refundable at any time unless canceled by NHSM. NHSM retains the right to update or change these requirements at any time.

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  • Fossil Club July: The earliest known Sequoia fossil is from the Potomac Group

    • 01 Jul 2026
    • 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM
    • 6908 Belair Rd, Natural History Society of MD
    Register

    Join us for this engaging talk from Fossil Club member Valerie Horn as she explores her citizen science project researching the unique locally found sequoia fossils.

    The giant redwoods are iconic trees whose height and age inspire awe, but their fossil history is unclear. At our local MNCPPC Dinosaur Park in Prince George’s County, small sequoia-like cones are abundant. They were described in a limited way a hundred years ago and have been mostly ignored since. Dr. Horn and her co-authors have re-evaluated these cones, along with the associated twigs and foliage. Phylogenetic analysis of their morphology shows that the species is a member of Sequoioideae. Its presence in the Early Cretaceous Potomac Group makes this fossil the earliest known sequoia.

    Valerie Horn has a dental degree from the University of Maryland and a PhD from the University of Maryland School of Medicine in Anatomy and Cell Biology. She was in private clinical dental practice until 2022. During her retirement, she explored her fascination with fossils and returned to College Park to learn more about paleontology. The research for her work on sequoia fossils began during the COVID-19 pandemic and is ongoing.

    Please join us for this in-person presentation at the Natural History Society Building located at 6908 Belair Rd.

    NHSM’s Fossil Club is a group of novice and more experienced collectors who meet to share knowledge and discuss fossil identification, fossil locations, and other fossil-related topics. Monthly meetings feature guest speakers both from within the club and from outside organizations. We also strive to schedule frequent collection trips to various locations. 

    Although you don’t need to be a member to attend a meeting, membership gives you access to additional experiences. An annual NHSM membership is $35 for individuals, $50 for families; Fossil Club membership is an additional $5 for individuals and $10 for families. 

    If you are not yet a member of NHSM, click here to join. When you join as a new member, you can add the club membership(s) of your choice to your registration. Current NHSM members who wish to join any clubs should email the Community Coordinator at rbaldwin@marylandnature.org. 

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  • Longleaf Pine Needle Coaster

    • 05 Jul 2026
    • 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM
    • 6908 Belair Rd, Natural History Society of MD
    • 11
    Register

    Discover the traditional process of working with pine needles to create a beautiful and functional coaster basket. You will start your basket with a hand-made wood base or walnut slice, then coil and stitch long-leaf pine needles along the base, using waxed linen thread. We will learn shaping, different stitch techniques, and finishing on this smaller project, giving you the skills to move to larger projects. Although suitable for beginners, this class is designed for those who enjoy working with crafts or have some basketry/sewing experience.

    ABOUT YOUR INSTRUCTOR: Clare Walker previously worked as a naturalist for State Parks and then as an environmental outreach specialist for Maryland DNR. She now teaches plant and pollinator identification as well as classes on natural basketry and more around Maryland including for Nature Forward, the US Botanical Gardens and Irvine Nature Center.  She delights in native plants and especially their relationships to wildlife and people. Her classes encourage everyone to cherish our local plants whether through basketry using natural materials, making herbal remedies, enjoying foods from foraged plants or by gardening with natives.

    Payment and Cancellation Policy: Payment is due online at the time of registration. Cancellations made 14 or more days in advance of the event will receive a refund minus a 5% processing fee. Cancellations made within 14 days of the event will not receive a refund. Events and field trips with fees of $10 or less are not refundable at any time unless canceled by NHSM. NHSM retains the right to update or change these requirements at any time.

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  • Go with the Flow - Explore Life in a Stream at Gwynns Falls/Leakin Park (July)

    • 19 Jul 2026
    • 11:00 AM - 1:30 PM
    • Gwynns Falls/Leakin Park
    Register

    Discover the underwater world of macroinvertebrates. See them up close and learn how they indicate stream health and what roles they play in stream ecology. NHSM volunteers will show participants how to catch and identify macroinvertebrates. Suitable for ages 6 and up. All equipment will be provided. Dress for the weather and prepare to get wet and muddy.

    Macroinvertebrates are organisms that are large (macro) enough to be seen with the naked eye and lack a backbone (invertebrate). They inhabit all types of running waters, from fast-flowing mountain streams to slow-moving muddy rivers. Examples of aquatic macroinvertebrates include insects (in their adult, larval, or nymph forms), mollusks, crustaceans, and worms (Viklund, 2011). 

    • Location – Gwynns Falls/Leakin Park, Baltimore (exact meeting location will be provided upon registration)
    • Free, but please RSVP for planning purposes. Donations are accepted and much appreciated.

    ABOUT Gwynns Falls/Leakin Park is one of the largest woodland parks in an East coast city, constituting a contiguous area of  1000 acres (400 hectares), 84% of which is forest. Envisioned as a “stream valley park” to protect Baltimore’s watersheds from overdevelopment and to preserve their natural habitats, Gwynns Falls/Leakin Park today offers a rare opportunity for the public to explore a diverse natural environment characterized by stream valleys, ridge tops, and meadows; enjoy opportunities for active recreation; and experience historic structures from an earlier era.

    Gwynns Falls/Leakin Park, designated as part of the Baltimore National Heritage Area, is managed and maintained by the Baltimore City Department of Recreation and Parks, assisted and supported by volunteers of the Friends of Gwynns Falls/Leakin Park (FoGFLP).

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  • Marine Science Sail & Camp Overnight - SAVE THE DATE

    • 15 Aug 2026
    • 9:00 AM
    • 16 Aug 2026
    • 3:00 PM
    • Fell's Point, Rock Hall

    Registration opening soon! Get this on your calendar now! Family sail, ages 9 and up.

    Sail the weekend away aboard a traditional oyster boat of Maryland, the Skipjack Sigsbee. We’ll cruise from the Inner Harbor to our campground at Rock Hall with a full complement of hands-on activities, including setting the sail and steering the boat; trawling for plankton, fish, and crabs; water testing; oyster dissection; and bird morphology and identification along the way. Try your hand at Native American fishing with your handmade fish weir and practice those fancy knots that every sailor should know, too. Tents, meals, and a sailboat all included!

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  • Go with the Flow - Explore Life in a Stream at Gwynns Falls/Leakin Park (August)

    • 23 Aug 2026
    • 11:00 AM - 1:30 PM
    • Gwynns Falls/Leakin Park
    Register

    Discover the underwater world of macroinvertebrates. See them up close and learn how they indicate stream health and what roles they play in stream ecology. NHSM volunteers will show participants how to catch and identify macroinvertebrates. Suitable for ages 6 and up. All equipment will be provided. Dress for the weather and prepare to get wet and muddy.

    Macroinvertebrates are organisms that are large (macro) enough to be seen with the naked eye and lack a backbone (invertebrate). They inhabit all types of running waters, from fast-flowing mountain streams to slow-moving muddy rivers. Examples of aquatic macroinvertebrates include insects (in their adult, larval, or nymph forms), mollusks, crustaceans, and worms (Viklund, 2011). 

    • Location – Gwynns Falls/Leakin Park, Baltimore (exact meeting location will be provided upon registration)
    • Free, but please RSVP for planning purposes. Donations are accepted and much appreciated.

    ABOUT Gwynns Falls/Leakin Park is one of the largest woodland parks in an East coast city, constituting a contiguous area of  1000 acres (400 hectares), 84% of which is forest. Envisioned as a “stream valley park” to protect Baltimore’s watersheds from overdevelopment and to preserve their natural habitats, Gwynns Falls/Leakin Park today offers a rare opportunity for the public to explore a diverse natural environment characterized by stream valleys, ridge tops, and meadows; enjoy opportunities for active recreation; and experience historic structures from an earlier era.

    Gwynns Falls/Leakin Park, designated as part of the Baltimore National Heritage Area, is managed and maintained by the Baltimore City Department of Recreation and Parks, assisted and supported by volunteers of the Friends of Gwynns Falls/Leakin Park (FoGFLP).

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  • Aug Lep Club: Baltimore Checkerspot Butterfly Ecology and Conservation

    • 26 Aug 2026
    • 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM
    • 6908 Belair Rd, Natural History Society of MD
    Register

    The Baltimore Checkerspot Butterfly, Maryland’s state insect, has experienced significant population declines across the state. Join us for an informative talk hosted by John Garrison, Conservation Director of the Susquehannock Wildlife Society.
    In this presentation, John will explore the life history of the Baltimore Checkerspot, discuss its current conservation status, and highlight the work Susquehannock Wildlife Society is doing to help restore a population of Maryland’s iconic state insect.
    John Garrison is a wildlife ecologist specializing in freshwater turtle ecology, herpetology, and the management of imperiled species. He is currently studying Wood, Bog, Box, and Spotted Turtle populations in central Maryland, with the goal of better understanding how to protect populations through management actions. In addition to his work with turtles, he is involved in conservation efforts for the Baltimore Checkerspot Butterfly, and is restoring a population at the Susquehannock Wildlife Conservation Center through vegetation management and population augmentation.

    This will be an in-person presentation. So feel free to bring plants and caterpillars to exchange.

    If you love butterflies and moths, consider joining the NHSM Lep Club. Made up of novice and expert lepidopterists who meet to exchange knowledge and support concerning habitat, threats, food sources, identification, and life cycle of butterflies and moths, the Lep Club encourages the sharing of knowledge for the raising and breeding of moths and butterflies through hands-on lessons and guest speakers.

    The NHSM Lepidoptera Club meets the fourth Wednesday of every month from March-October at 6908 Belair Rd or over Zoom. Club members are also involved in outreach in the greater Baltimore community through educational programs and service projects. If you have questions feel free to email the club coordinator at rbaldwin@marylandnature.org

    Annual NHSM membership is $35 for individuals, $50 for families; Lep Club membership is an additional $5 for individuals and $10 for families. Although you don’t need to be a member to attend our meetings, your membership dues support our programs and give you access to exclusive field trips and other events.

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  • Fossil Club: Asaphid Trilobites from the Western United States, an Exceptional Window into Past Ontogenies

    • 02 Sep 2026
    • 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM
    • Online via Zoom
    Register

    The trilobite family Asaphidae represents a significant part of the taxonomic diversity of the Lower Ordovician in the Great Basin region of the western Laurentia (North American Craton) in the United States. These arthropods are notoriously known for being difficult to study due to their convergent, smooth, and effaced morphology. The trilobites of the Great Basin region, however, have been exceptionally preserved through silicification. This mode of fossilization allows us to recover 3D replicas of the original shell of the animal, preserving all of the exquisite details of the morphology. Silicification also preserves ontogenetic stages, from the smallest larvae to the adult. This exceptional material allows us an extraordinary window into the early evolution of this group, as well as abundant data on the developmental biology of arthropods from 480 million years ago.

    Titouan Camus is a PhD candidate from the University of Iowa, working on Asaphid trilobites since 2024. After earning a bachelor’s in Biology and Geology at the University of Western Brittany in France, he obtained a master’s in Paleobiology from the Universities of Uppsala (Sweden) and Lille (France). His research focuses on the early evolution of Laurentian Asaphid trilobites from Utah and Idaho, with a particular interest in the relationship between ontogeny and phylogeny.

    This meeting will take place over Zoom. To receive the Zoom link, you must register for the meeting.

    NHSM’s Fossil Club is a group of novice and more experienced collectors who meet to share knowledge and discuss fossil identification, fossil locations, and other fossil-related topics. Monthly meetings feature guest speakers both from within the club and from outside organizations. We also strive to schedule frequent collection trips to various locations. 

    Although you don’t need to be a member to attend a meeting, membership gives you access to additional experiences. An annual NHSM membership is $35 for individuals, $50 for families; Fossil Club membership is an additional $5 for individuals and $10 for families. 

    If you are not yet a member of NHSM, click here to join. When you join as a new member, you can add the club membership(s) of your choice to your registration. Current NHSM members who wish to join any clubs should email the Community Coordinator at rbaldwin@marylandnature.org. 

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  • Go with the Flow - Explore Life in a Stream at Gwynns Falls/Leakin Park (September)

    • 27 Sep 2026
    • 11:00 AM - 1:30 PM
    • Gwynns Falls/Leakin Park
    Register

    Discover the underwater world of macroinvertebrates. See them up close and learn how they indicate stream health and what roles they play in stream ecology. NHSM volunteers will show participants how to catch and identify macroinvertebrates. Suitable for ages 6 and up. All equipment will be provided. Dress for the weather and prepare to get wet and muddy.

    Macroinvertebrates are organisms that are large (macro) enough to be seen with the naked eye and lack a backbone (invertebrate). They inhabit all types of running waters, from fast-flowing mountain streams to slow-moving muddy rivers. Examples of aquatic macroinvertebrates include insects (in their adult, larval, or nymph forms), mollusks, crustaceans, and worms (Viklund, 2011). 

    • Location – Gwynns Falls/Leakin Park, Baltimore (exact meeting location will be provided upon registration)
    • Free, but please RSVP for planning purposes. Donations are accepted and much appreciated.

    ABOUT Gwynns Falls/Leakin Park is one of the largest woodland parks in an East coast city, constituting a contiguous area of  1000 acres (400 hectares), 84% of which is forest. Envisioned as a “stream valley park” to protect Baltimore’s watersheds from overdevelopment and to preserve their natural habitats, Gwynns Falls/Leakin Park today offers a rare opportunity for the public to explore a diverse natural environment characterized by stream valleys, ridge tops, and meadows; enjoy opportunities for active recreation; and experience historic structures from an earlier era.

    Gwynns Falls/Leakin Park, designated as part of the Baltimore National Heritage Area, is managed and maintained by the Baltimore City Department of Recreation and Parks, assisted and supported by volunteers of the Friends of Gwynns Falls/Leakin Park (FoGFLP).

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  • Go with the Flow - Explore Life in a Stream at Gwynns Falls/Leakin Park (October)

    • 18 Oct 2026
    • 11:00 AM - 1:30 PM
    • Gwynns Falls/Leakin Park
    Register

    Discover the underwater world of macroinvertebrates. See them up close and learn how they indicate stream health and what roles they play in stream ecology. NHSM volunteers will show participants how to catch and identify macroinvertebrates. Suitable for ages 6 and up. All equipment will be provided. Dress for the weather and prepare to get wet and muddy.

    Macroinvertebrates are organisms that are large (macro) enough to be seen with the naked eye and lack a backbone (invertebrate). They inhabit all types of running waters, from fast-flowing mountain streams to slow-moving muddy rivers. Examples of aquatic macroinvertebrates include insects (in their adult, larval, or nymph forms), mollusks, crustaceans, and worms (Viklund, 2011). 

    • Location – Gwynns Falls/Leakin Park, Baltimore (exact meeting location will be provided upon registration)
    • Free, but please RSVP for planning purposes. Donations are accepted and much appreciated.

    ABOUT Gwynns Falls/Leakin Park is one of the largest woodland parks in an East coast city, constituting a contiguous area of  1000 acres (400 hectares), 84% of which is forest. Envisioned as a “stream valley park” to protect Baltimore’s watersheds from overdevelopment and to preserve their natural habitats, Gwynns Falls/Leakin Park today offers a rare opportunity for the public to explore a diverse natural environment characterized by stream valleys, ridge tops, and meadows; enjoy opportunities for active recreation; and experience historic structures from an earlier era.

    Gwynns Falls/Leakin Park, designated as part of the Baltimore National Heritage Area, is managed and maintained by the Baltimore City Department of Recreation and Parks, assisted and supported by volunteers of the Friends of Gwynns Falls/Leakin Park (FoGFLP).

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  • Felt a Mushroom

    • 24 Oct 2026
    • 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM
    • 6908 Belair Rd, Natural History Society of MD
    • 7
    Register

    Arguably the most iconic toadstool species, Amanita muscaria, the fly agaric is one of the most recognizable fungi in the world, and is widely encountered in popular culture.  In this class, instructor, Gayle Matheus will guide you through dry and wet felting techniques to create a clump of mushrooms with some embellishments that will look like moss, soil all of wool situated on a piece of wood. No prior experience is required.

    Each Participant is asked to bring with them, a couple hand towels, wire cutters, needle nosed pliers, small scissors and also a piece of wood (either foraged or purchased) no smaller than 6″ long, on which to pose the mushrooms.  The class size is kept purposefully small to ensure personalized instruction.

    ABOUT YOUR INSTRUCTOR: Gayle Mathues has been needle-felting since 2014. She is a Sarafina Certified Instructor and has a felting business called Animal Faire. She has taught several years at Common Ground on the Hill at McDaniel College. Her specialties are realistic animals and gnome –type figures. Her work can be found at Off Track Art Gallery and at various craft shows throughout the area. Read more about Gayle in the Baltimore Sun article from 2020

    TERMS and CONDITIONS: This is an adult only class. Payment and Cancellation Policy: Payment is due online at the time of registration. Cancellations made 14 or more days in advance of the event will receive a refund minus a 5% processing fee. Cancellations made within 14 days of the event will not receive a refund. Events and field trips with fees of $25 or less are non-refundable at any time unless canceled by NHSM. NHSM retains the right to update or change these requirements at any time.

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  • FALL DATES: Explore Puerto Rico

    • 06 Nov 2026
    • 5:00 PM
    • 15 Nov 2026
    • 9:00 AM
    • Puerto Rico
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    Let’s explore the natural sciences beyond the usual tourist stops to experience the whole island of Puerto Rico from coast to coast. This active trip highlights the lesser-known spots as well as offers unique interactions with its endemic flora and fauna. We’ll hike the karst region to explore caves, look for a 1000-year-old tree in the Guánica Dry Forest, and admire a nursery full of young coral and sea urchins. There’s a stop to learn about leatherback turtles and a chance to see turtles in the wild on a snorkel trip in the mangroves. Along the way, we’ll meet park rangers and research scientists who are making a difference every day in protecting the biodiversity of Puerto Rico. Don’t worry, we’ll enjoy the ever-popular El Yunque National Forest on an all-day bird adventure to search for those endemics, too.

    • Small group travel: No more than eight adults will participate, plus two trip leaders.
    • Our itinerary is subject to change. Participants will receive updates before departure.
    • Please note that inclusions, the cancellation policy, and payment terms are described following the itinerary. You may secure your spot today with only a deposit.
    • Questions: Email Jayne at JAsh@marylandnature.org.

    Day 1: Friday, Nov 6

    Welcome to San Juan! Check in to your room any time after 3 pm. Settle in, then let’s get acquainted.

    5 pm – Welcome Meeting at our hotel. We’ll meet up in the front lobby of our hotel for introductions. From there, we’ll walk to dinner as a group.

    Day 2: Saturday, Nov 7

    8:15 am – Meet in the lobby with luggage ready for the van. Remember to check out and pay for any incidentals. Have your day pack ready with any supplies you may need for the day, including your refillable water bottle, snacks, walking shoes, and a lightweight rain jacket.

    We’ll head out for our first stop of the day, a 9 am tour of Old San Juan and the UNESCO World Heritage Site, Castillo San Cristóbal. As the largest Spanish-built fortification in the New World, San Cristóbal was constructed between 1634 and 1783 to defend against land-based attacks. The site covers 27 acres and features complex tunnels, moats, and bastions, protecting the city from English and Dutch invaders. Please note that we will not have enough time to visit its sister fort, El Morro. There may be time on our last day of the tour, or you can add an extended stay to your trip to allow time for a visit on your own.

    We will also wander the streets of Old San Juan to admire the architecture and history that range from native archaeological finds to modern construction.

    Finishing our tour around midday, we’ll grab some lunch, then hit the road for our drive west to the small beach town of Carrizales. We’ll take the scenic route along the ocean, then move inland to experience Cueva Ventana, or Window Cave. We’ll see stalagmites, stalactites, and other cave structures, and we’ll discuss the flora and fauna in this tropical setting. Our walk ends with a picture-window view from the 700-foot-high cliff, gazing out into the forest below.

    After arriving at our hotel for the evening, you are welcome to walk to the beach, a short distance away, and eat dinner at your leisure. Shop for lunch, snacks, and drinks for tomorrow’s hike, too.

    Day 3: Sunday, Nov 8

    7 am – Let’s meet in the lobby with your bag and day pack with lunch, water, and snacks ready for the van. Yesterday’s cave was a bite-sized sampling of today’s adventure. We’re up early to meet our guides and leader, Angel Acosta-Colon, for an all-day hike through the karst hills and valleys to explore four caves in this special section of the island. Breakfast will be at a nearby bakery at your cost.

    The limestone mountains in this region of the island have dissolved over time due to rain and groundwater. This creates a characteristic landscape full of caves, rivers, and springs. We will explore four of these limestone caves as we hike through the karst forest. We will see and learn about cave art created by the Taíno people, view speleothems such as stalactites and stalagmites, and admire a crystal cave. We’ll look for endemic and common plants, trees, and birds along the way, too.

    Our hike will be guided by staff from the Cabachuelas Project, a community-based education and ecotourism project created for the Las Cabachuelas Nature Reserve. Safety equipment provided includes a helmet and flashlight.

    About our Leader: Angel Acosta-Colon works as the Interim Director of the Physics and Chemistry Department at the University of Puerto Rico, Arecibo campus. He has an environmental geophysical background and currently works in the characterization of karst and cave systems in Puerto Rico. His main interest is in LiDAR and photogrammetry applications in geosciences. His projects have been sponsored by the National Science Foundation, NASA, and the EPA.

    After our hike, we’ll relax in the van while we make our way to visit the Museum of Natural History and Conservation of Puerto Rico in Aguadilla. The museum is the first natural history museum in Puerto Rico in more than 100 years and is newly opened. We’ll take a tour with the museum founder and several members of the team, who are all very excited about our visit.

    After the museum, we’ll head to our hotel in Mayagüez, about a 40-minute drive. The hotel is located near the historic center of town, and you are welcome to spend the evening exploring on your own or as a group.

    Day 4: Monday, Nov 9

    8 am – Let’s meet with our gear, ready for a day exploring the coast. We’ll drive about 40 minutes to our first stop, the Institute of Socio-Ecological Research, known as ISER Caribe. This marine nursery, located on a nearby island, focuses on restoring coral reefs through an ecosystem-based approach. It is part of the Center for Research and Restoration of Marine Organisms. We will tour their coral nursery as well as their long-spined sea urchin and Caribbean king crab nurseries to learn how to raise these herbivores, which are released onto reefs to control algae and promote coral health.

    After our time on the island, we’ll have a short drive to our next hotel situated on the Caribbean oceanfront. We’ll settle in for a bit, then grab our snorkeling gear and head to the dock on site. We will take a quick boat ride out to snorkel and explore Gilligan’s Island for the rest of the afternoon. No, this isn’t the set for the ‘60s sit-com, but it is famous for crystal-clear shallow lagoons ideal for snorkeling and for exploring a protected mangrove forest.

    Back at the hotel, you are free to eat dinner, rest, swim, and enjoy the hotel property.

    Day 5: Tuesday, Nov 10

    7:45 am – Today is all about the Guánica Dry Forest. We’ll meet with all our gear and day packs, ready to take a short drive back to town to meet up with our guide. From there, we’ll drive to the trailhead to begin our two-hour hike through the Bosque Seco de Guánica. This 10,000-acre forest tract was designated as a United Nations International Biosphere Reserve in 1981 and is both the best preserved subtropical dry forest and the best example of dry forest in the Caribbean.

    Our hiking destination is to view the Guayacán Centenario, an old-growth guaiacwood tree, estimated to be 1,000 years old. In addition to this historic tree, other plants, animals, and birds thrive here. We will learn about the last remaining natural population of Puerto Rican crested toads, found here in vernal pools. More than half, 9 of 16, of the endemic bird species also occur here, including the Puerto Rican vireo and the Puerto Rican nightjar. Endangered plant species include the sebucan cactus, the violeta tree, and the critically endangered bariaco.

    After our hike, lunch will be fast food on the road as we head out for our longest drive of the week to Centro Educativo Amigos de las Tortugas Marinas, about two hours away. This facility has been dedicated to protecting sea turtles since 2001. We will meet the leatherback turtles and, hopefully, new hatchlings in their care, learn tagging methods, and walk the beach to see nesting sites.

    We’ll say goodbye to the turtles and head to our hotel for the night, it’s just down the street. You are welcome to relax this evening or hang out with the group. There are several restaurants within walking distance.

    Day 6: Wednesday, Nov 11

    7:45 am – Grab your gear and hop in the van: it’s time to shift our focus to tropical forests. We’ll drive for a bit over an hour to the Sabana Field Research Station in El Yunque National Forest. This research station, managed by the US Forest Service, is part of the International Institute of Tropical Forestry. We will learn about the different research projects being conducted in the area, including the Luquillo Experimental Forest. At 28,516 acres, it is the largest tropical forest within the experimental forest and the only experimental forest with the same boundary as a national forest (El Yunque National Forest).

    The Sabana team will share presentations and take us to visit one of their experimental sites as well as give us a tour of the station setup, complete with a demonstration of their field equipment.

    After our tour, we will head to the seaside village of Luquillo for two nights’ accommodation next to the beach. Your afternoon is free. But you may want to take a nap for tonight’s adventure.

    After dinner, we’ll head out to boat the bioluminescent waters of Laguna Grande on an all-electric boat out of Fajardo. We’ll learn what makes the water glow in a one-hour excursion. Please note that the intensity of the bioluminescence directly corresponds to the intensity of moonlight. For this evening, the moon phase will be waning gibbous, not a full-moon bright, but not a waning crescent moon. While the water may not glow as brightly as wished, we’ll enjoy an evening boat ride and learn about the phenomenon.

    Day 7: Thursday, Nov 12

    5:30 am – Early bird gets the worm, rather, it gets the bird! We’ll meet early for an all-day birding tour of two sites with staff from the nonprofit organization Para la Naturaleza. As a part of the Puerto Rico Conservation Trust, this group manages more than 40,000 acres of protected natural areas and historical spaces on the island. Our first stop is Medio Mundo y Daguao, the most extensive Natural Protected Area under their management and the second largest mangrove forest in all of Puerto Rico. The area’s varied ecosystems provide habitats for some 26 species of rare, endemic, vulnerable, and endangered species, including the West Indian Manatee, yellow-shouldered blackbird, Puerto Rican boa, and several species of sea turtles.

    After our hike, we’ll eat lunch at a local restaurant, then make our way to our second stop, Estación Palo Colorado in El Yunque National Forest. Here we will bird along the trails and some sections of the road.

    Endemic birds that we can potentially see are the Puerto Rican oriole, Puerto Rican woodpecker, Puerto Rican flycatcher, Adelaide’s warbler, Puerto Rican tody, Puerto Rican emerald hummingbird, green mango hummingbird, Puerto Rican tanager, Puerto Rican spindalis, Puerto Rican bullfinch, and yellow-shouldered blackbird. Other birds of interest are the scarlet ibis, American flamingo, Caribbean elania, green-throated carib hummingbird, Antillean or Hispaniolan mango hummingbird, and other migratory birds.

    After ending our bird tour, we will head back to our hotel. You are free to enjoy the evening on your own or with the group.

    Our birding tour guides: José Pedrogo has a Bachelor’s degree in Audiovisual Communications and is working toward a Master’s degree in History. He started exploring the island by himself and then pursued a certification as a tour guide. After working in the industry, José decided he needed to offer something more than recreation to the public. He learned about environmental interpretation through his tourism professor and completed the training, leading to his position as an environmental interpreter. He enjoys learning and fulfilling his dream of teaching. Our second guide is José Torres. He graduated from Agricultural Sciences with an emphasis on Entomology. He has been associated with Para la Naturaleza for many years, starting as a volunteer with the Summer Immersion Workshop and then as a mentor. He’s always been involved with nature and has an extensive background, knowledge, and experience.  José has been a pioneer in the work that has been done by the organization in El Yunque, such as the creation of tours.

    Day 8: Friday, Nov 13

    7:30 am – We will meet with luggage and gear ready for another hike in the tropical rain forest of El Yunque. Our trip leader will take us through the rainforest, on the lookout for potential birds, plants, flowers, orchids, amphibians, and fungi on this short hike, ending at the Rio Mameyes. If you choose, wear your swimsuit under your hiking clothes, and bring water shoes and a towel for a cooling dip in the river. After our swim, we’ll walk back up to the El Portal Visitor Center to purchase lunch.

    We’ll spend our early afternoon at the visitor center, learning about the endangered Puerto Rican Amazon parrot with the project leader of the Puerto Rican Parrot Recovery Program, Marisel Lopez. Marisel will explain the program and introduce us to three rehabilitated parrots living there that are unable to live in the wild. Unfortunately, we are unable to tour the aviary this time of year due to the parrot’s breeding season. The aviary is a part of the US Fish and Wildlife Service.

    Our El Yunque hike leader, Mónica Rosario, or Momo, was born, raised, and still lives on the island of Puerto Rico. Originally from San Juan, she now resides in Guaynabo. Momo has a double Bachelor’s in Visual Arts and Education and is currently a full-time art teacher at a private school. Her love of nature is a hobby that gives her an overall sense of peace. She enjoys exploring a place to find the little hidden gems, like fungi, flowers, small critters, and birds; those are all things she loves to see on walks. She draws and paints botanical illustrations, which is why she concentrates on observing flora. She collects specimens when the opportunity arises, too.

    Our Amazon parrot leader, Marisel Lopez, manages the El Yunque National Forest aviary and oversees critical efforts to rebuild the wild population, including managing captive breeding, monitoring releases, and ensuring the survival of this endangered species

    From here, we will head back to San Juan for the final night of our journey together. The afternoon is free. Later, we will meet up for a farewell dinner in the evening.

    Day 9: Saturday, Nov 14

    We will meet after breakfast, then head off for a morning tour of Castillo San Felipe del Morro. The afternoon is free for you to explore.

    OUR NHSM LEADERS:

    Jayne Ash, NHSM’s Field Trip Coordinator, designed this trip to reflect the diversity in landscapes, flora, and fauna that is often overlooked when traveling to Puerto Rico. Her love of all things nature inspired her to fill an itinerary with learning opportunities from experienced leaders on a diversity of topics. Her travel style has been honed over the last 15 years, during which she has extensively traveled to more than 40 countries, often for a month or more at a time. This will be our first trip off the continent for NHSM. She welcomes all those with a spirit of adventure to join her on this new avenue for NHSM.

    Our second NHSM leader is Dave Webb, an editor with Maryland Biodiversity Project, a nonprofit organization dedicated to cataloging the flora and fauna of Maryland. An avid birder for many years, Dave has broadened his interests to anthropods, especially those found in soil. Dave also edits BugGuide.net, vetting the identifications of arthropods photographed by other outdoor enthusiasts, including his own photos.

    WHAT’S INCLUDED:

    • All accommodations in two- to three-star hotels. Double rooms will be shared by two people, with two beds available. For two nights in Luquillo, a couple of us will share a common room with single and bunk-style beds, which may include mixed genders. No upper bunks will need to be used unless a top bed is preferred. Single supplements are not available. Hotel costs are very high, and this is an attempt to keep your price point lower.
    • All activity fees, including guiding fees. Tips will be paid through our tip kitty. See details in the “What you Need to Know” section below.
    • All entrance and admission fees to sites visited.
    • All transportation during the trip is in an 11-passenger van driven by a private driver.
    • Meals included: four breakfasts only. All other meals are at the participant’s expense.

    WHAT’S NOT INCLUDED:

    • Airfare
    • Airport transfer to and from the hotel
    • Food, snacks, water, and drinks
    • Any items of a personal nature

    WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW: 

    • NHSM requires everyone to have valid travel insurance covering personal injury, medical expenses, and emergency repatriation (minimum $200,000) for the entire duration of the trip. Proof of insurance, including the policy number and 24-hour emergency contact, must be printed and given to the group leader at the Welcome Meeting, or you cannot join.
    • Every participant will be required to sign a Terms and Conditions Agreement before arrival. It will be provided in advance for you to read.
    • A tipping kitty will be created at our Welcome Meeting on Day 1. Every participant will need to add $100 in cash to be used for tipping hotel and restaurant staff and trip leaders, including our driver. A running tally will be kept of expenses, and any leftover funds will be divided equally between participants on the final day of the tour.

    IS THIS TRIP RIGHT FOR YOU?   Moderate Activity Level

    • This itinerary contains many early-morning starts and full-day activities that include moderate hiking, up to three hours a day of van transportation, and snorkeling in tidal waters. The pace for all activities, especially hiking, will be set by the slowest member of the group. You must always remain with the group while in the field. No one will be allowed in front of the leader.
    • Participants must be able to travel independently and have the physicality needed to safely participate in all activities.  
    • Participants must respect fellow travelers, staff, and local cultures. This includes listening to others, respecting identities and local customs, and altering behavior if making others uncomfortable.
    • Participants are responsible for their actions, including managing punctuality. If a participant sleeps in or misses an activity, they are responsible for finding their own way to the next destination. 
    • Participants must understand and follow all safety standards. Participants are responsible for wearing the appropriate footwear and equipment as requested.
    • As with any travel experience, participants must be open to changes to this itinerary, food options and costs, and other minor inconveniences as may become necessary due to weather, time constraints, or unforeseen circumstances. Being flexible and adaptable to new and changing situations remains a key component to successful travel, even with the best planned vacation.
    • Noncompliance with these policies can result in removal from the tour and/or being blocked from future travel with NHSM. If asked to leave the tour, onward travel would be the responsiblity of the participant.

    CANCELLATION AND REFUND POLICY

    • NHSM must receive cancellations in writing – email to JAsh@marylandnature.org.
    • Deposit due at booking.
    • Final payment due by Sept 26, 2026.
    • Cancellations received by Oct 6, 2026, will forfeit 50% of the final payment and 100% of the deposit.
    • No refunds for cancellations received after Oct 7, 2026.
    • Your travel insurance plans should cover your cancellation costs.
    • Paid participants who cancel may substitute another individual in their spot. NHSM is not responsible for filling the vacancy.
    • No refunds will be issued for missed group activities on the trip, including meals, transportation transfers, tours, and other services voluntarily not taken.
    • If, for any reason, NHSM cancels this trip, NHSM will use reasonable efforts to work with travelers to refund all recoverable funds, but does not guarantee that a full refund will be available. NHSM reserves the right to cancel, postpone, or reschedule the trip for any reason and at any point in time, up to and including during the period of travel.

     

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Past events

08 Apr 2026 Herp Club April: Vernal Pools of Maryland
04 Apr 2026 Fossil Hunt at Stratford Hall - NHSM Members Only
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28 Feb 2026 Cattail Caterpillars: A Field Exploration
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11 Feb 2026 FrogWatch Training
11 Feb 2026 Wild Australia: Behind-the-Scene Tour at the National Aquarium
07 Feb 2026 Winter Tree ID Workshop - February
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02 Feb 2026 Bark– Species ID and Ecology Online Short Course
31 Jan 2026 Winter Tree ID Workshop - January Session
22 Jan 2026 Cleared, Stained, Photographed - Science Inspires Art & Art Inspires Science
21 Jan 2026 Archaeology Club Jan: Exploring Archaeology Organizations in Maryland
17 Jan 2026 Hand Printing Tree Rings with Sue Fierston - Afternoon Session
17 Jan 2026 Hand Printing Tree Rings with Sue Fierston
16 Jan 2026 Tour of Earth & Planetary Sciences Laboratory at JHU
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10 Jan 2026 Project WILD Workshop for Educators & Lessons Rooted in Nature
10 Jan 2026 Felt a Mushroom
10 Jan 2026 The Eagles & Gulls of Conowingo Dam
08 Jan 2026 Snails of the Potomac River
07 Jan 2026 Fossil Club Jan: Unmasking Denisovans
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18 Dec 2025 Sexual selection, genomic conflict and speciation in stalk-eyed flies
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13 Dec 2025 White Line Woodcuts with Sue Fierston - 2nd Session
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13 Dec 2025 White Line Woodcuts with Sue Fierston
11 Dec 2025 Seaweeds and Human Nutrition: Unlocking Marine Potential for Health and Agricultural Innovation
10 Dec 2025 Herp Club Dec: Update on Maryland’s Native Reptile and Amphibian Regulations and Permits
06 Dec 2025 Gyotaku Hawaiian Style with Sue Fierston
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12 Nov 2025 Herp Club Nov: Herping – fieldwork and leading a survey
09 Nov 2025 Fossil Hunt at Stratford Hall - Fossil Club Members Only
09 Nov 2025 Leaves Three Ways with Sue Fierston
08 Nov 2025 Evolutionary Biology - Intro to Comparative Anatomy and Phylogenetics
07 Nov 2025 Fall for Fungi, November
06 Nov 2025 Mosquitoes: More than Monsters?
05 Nov 2025 Fossil Club Nov: Fossil Finds & Field Stories
01 Nov 2025 PRIVATE EVENT: Geology of Baltimore City Walk
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26 Oct 2025 Fossil Hunt at Stratford Hall
24 Oct 2025 Weekend on the Water & Among the Trees
23 Oct 2025 Manatees in the Chesapeake?
23 Oct 2025 Go Native at Adkins Arboretum
22 Oct 2025 Oct Lep Club: Tips and Tricks for Overwintering Leps
19 Oct 2025 NEW DATE Geology of Baltimore City Walk
19 Oct 2025 Discover Marshy Point: Where Natural History & Archaeology Intersect
19 Oct 2025 Wild Edibles: Fall Favorites with Nick Spero
17 Oct 2025 Unraveling the Mysteries of the Cosmos
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04 Oct 2025 Outdoor Movie Night: My Side of the Mountain (1969) + Q&A with Twig George and S'mores
04 Oct 2025 Biomimicry Workshop Online
03 Oct 2025 Counting Trees
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02 Oct 2025 Rice and Rails: The Delicate Ecology of Wild Rice Marshes
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27 Sep 2025 Microminerals101
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21 Sep 2025 Go with the Flow - Explore Life in a Stream at Gwynns Falls/Leakin Park (September)
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19 Sep 2025 Bat Basics Night Hike
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06 Sep 2025 Geology Merit Badge Class
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24 Jul 2025 Paw Paw Bends and Beyond
23 Jul 2025 Lep Club: The Hows and Whys of Raising Giant Silkmoths
17 Jul 2025 Hellbenders: Natural History, Ecology and Conservation
16 Jul 2025 July Archaeology Club: Update on the Marshy Point History Project
16 Jul 2025 Canoe Merit Badge
12 Jul 2025 Moth Night, All-Abilities Friendly
12 Jul 2025 Go with the Flow Explore Life and Ecosystem in a Stream @ Oregon Ridge Park
12 Jul 2025 Chomp & Charm –Shark Tooth Necklace Make n Take
12 Jul 2025 Marine Science Sail & Camp Overnight
11 Jul 2025 Big Trees of Montgomery County Driving Tour
10 Jul 2025 Native Fern Identification Lecture & Hike
10 Jul 2025 Understanding Native Ferns
09 Jul 2025 Herp Club July Meeting- From the Backyard to the Basement to the Biology Lab
08 Jul 2025 Summer with Sam: An Intergenerational Book Club on My Side of the Mountain
02 Jul 2025 Fossil Club July: The Meg: Where we go from here
28 Jun 2025 CANCELED Petroglyph Canoe Paddle
28 Jun 2025 Summer Birds and Brews
28 Jun 2025 CANCELED Petroglyph Canoe Paddle
26 Jun 2025 Quail Forever in Maryland
26 Jun 2025 Research & Campus Tour at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center
25 Jun 2025 June Lep Club: Basic Lep husbandry and an introduction to Red Spotted Purples and Zebra Swallowtails
25 Jun 2025 Canoe Lessons
21 Jun 2025 Reptile and Amphibian Handling and Care for Veterinary Staff and Wildlife Rehabbers
20 Jun 2025 Insect Zoo Tour with The Bug Guy
19 Jun 2025 The World of Sand: Science, Beauty, and Utility
19 Jun 2025 Susquehannock Wildlife Conservation Center Tour
18 Jun 2025 Arch Club: Brazil’s Indians and the Onslaught of Civilization
15 Jun 2025 Patapsco Wetland Ecology Canoe Paddle
14 Jun 2025 Fossil Hunt at Stratford Hall, Open to All
13 Jun 2025 Creek to Beak Canoe Paddle - Eastern Shore
12 Jun 2025 Texas Quarry Tour
12 Jun 2025 Wild Strokes: A Paddle & Paint Adventure
11 Jun 2025 Herp Club: Lighting & Heating 101, A Beginner-Friendly Overview for Reptile Keepers
08 Jun 2025 Wild Edibles: Early Summer Plants with Nick Spero
07 Jun 2025 Geology of Baltimore City Walk: June
07 Jun 2025 Bird Study Merit Badge Class
05 Jun 2025 Hybrid Zone of the Baltimore and Bullock's Orioles - Evolution in Action
05 Jun 2025 Osprey in the Wild
04 Jun 2025 Fossil Club: The Blue Ridge Mountains, the Trace Fossil Skolithos and the Paleo-Potomac River
04 Jun 2025 Canoe Lessons
01 Jun 2025 RESCHEDULED Turtle Paddle
31 May 2025 Io Moth Embroidery Workshop
28 May 2025 Lep Club: Native Plants 101
26 May 2025 LIMITED AVAILABILITY FOR HORSESHOE CRAB PORTION ONLY Shorebirds by Day, Horseshoe Crabs by Night
24 May 2025 Reptile and Amphibian Study Merit Badge Day
22 May 2025 Spawn of the Horseshoe Crabs
21 May 2025 Arch Club: Studying Maryland's Ice Age Peoples
18 May 2025 Oceanography Merit Badge Class
17 May 2025 Finding the Uncommon, A Western Maryland Weekend
17 May 2025 Stratford Cliffs Spring Fossil Hunt, Fossil Club Members Only
16 May 2025 Endangered Species in US Waters: What threatens them? How can we save them?
15 May 2025 Hummingbirds - A Boundary Pushing Natural History
15 May 2025 Hike the Barrens at Soldiers Delight
14 May 2025 Reptile Parasite Screening: A Practical Approach for Keepers
10 May 2025 Digging Up the Past
09 May 2025 Evening Sail on the Lady Maryland
07 May 2025 Fossil Club: On the Evolution of Turtles
04 May 2025 Wild Edibles: Late Spring Plants with Nick Spero
03 May 2025 Insect Study Merit Badge Class
01 May 2025 Asteroids Impacting the Earth
30 Apr 2025 Preserving and Transcribing NHSM's Past with Digital Maryland
30 Apr 2025 Big Trees of Baltimore County
27 Apr 2025 Takuga: The Japanese Art of Botanical Prints in Ink and Watercolor with Sue Fierston
27 Apr 2025 Wild Edibles: Morel Hunt with Nick Spero
26 Apr 2025 Spring Migration Birding & City Nature Challenge Hike
26 Apr 2025 Fossil Club at Seven Stars Quarry (Club Members Only)
24 Apr 2025 A Look Inside the Tree-Ring Laboratory - Cores from Ancient Forests
23 Apr 2025 Lep Club: Secondary Sexual Characteristics of Maryland’s Lepidoptera
19 Apr 2025 Fossil Club Trip to Centralia, PA
17 Apr 2025 Crayfish of Maryland
16 Apr 2025 Arch Club: Finding the Shipwreck Polynia within the Framework of Section 106 of the NHPA
16 Apr 2025 Texas Quarry Tour, Family Friendly
13 Apr 2025 iNaturalist for Beginners & A Primer with Bill Curtis
13 Apr 2025 Geology of Baltimore City Walk: April
13 Apr 2025 Fossil Hunt at Stratford Hall: NHSM Members Only
10 Apr 2025 The Bearded Lady Project: Challenging the Face of Science
09 Apr 2025 Maryland's State Wildlife Action Plan: Updates and Changes Impacting Herps
07 Apr 2025 Bark– Species ID and Ecology Online Short Course
06 Apr 2025 Historic Tales and Virginia Bluebells
05 Apr 2025 Birds and Brews Spring Edition
05 Apr 2025 Gyotaku: Japanese Fishprinting Workshop with Sue Fierston
05 Apr 2025 Stowaway: The Disreputable Exploits of the Rat: 2025 NHSM Book Club & Author’s Chat
03 Apr 2025 Cownose Rays in the Chesapeake Bay
02 Apr 2025 Fossil Club: Living Fossils, or Modern Wonders? Evolution of the Horseshoe Crab
02 Apr 2025 Spring Wildflower Hike at Shenks Ferry
30 Mar 2025 Chomp & Charm –Shark Tooth Necklace Make n Take
30 Mar 2025 Wild Edibles: Early Spring Plants with Nick Spero
29 Mar 2025 Vernal Pool Field Trip this Saturday, March 29
29 Mar 2025 PYSANKY: Ukrainian Egg Decorating Workshop - Art & Nature
27 Mar 2025 The Puritan Tiger Beetle and Other Endangered Insects of Maryland
26 Mar 2025 Lep Club Meeting March 2025
23 Mar 2025 Herp Club Spring Walk, Middle River
20 Mar 2025 Meet A Paleoartist
17 Mar 2025 Vernal Pool Pop-Up Field Trip: Frederick County
15 Mar 2025 Geology of Baltimore City Walk: March
15 Mar 2025 The Craft of Nature Journaling - An Introduction
15 Mar 2025 Explore Biodiversity - Winter Broadleaf Forest
15 Mar 2025 Stratford Cliffs Fossil Hunt (Fossil Club Members Only)
12 Mar 2025 Herp Club Evening Walk in Perry Hall
09 Mar 2025 Herp Club Spring Walk, Essex
09 Mar 2025 Meet the Speedwell Wolves
08 Mar 2025 The Artist in Our Museum - A Night with Charles Willson Peale
06 Mar 2025 Hurricane Hunting NASA Style—Using Space-Based And Airborne Measurements To Improve Understanding And Prediction Of Hurricanes
05 Mar 2025 ZOOM PROGRAM CANCELLED: Extinction (and Other Fun Facts)
02 Mar 2025 A MAMMOTH FAREWELL: First Sundays Open House March 2025
28 Feb 2025 Wonders in the Sky
27 Feb 2025 Bee City USA & Bee Campus USA: Mobilizing Communities to Protect Pollinators
23 Feb 2025 Nature Connection: Shells
22 Feb 2025 Winter Walk for Tree ID Field Experience
19 Feb 2025 Arch Club: The Deep Human History of the Raja Ampat Archipelago
16 Feb 2025 Wild About Festivals: Volunteer Training for Sharing Nature with the Public
15 Feb 2025 Turtles of Maryland Workshop
15 Feb 2025 Maryland's First Wildflower, Eastern Skunk Cabbage
13 Feb 2025 Invasive Earthworms in Maryland and their Effects on Temperate Forest Soils
12 Feb 2025 Herp Club February Meeting
08 Feb 2025 Mammoth Movie Day!
08 Feb 2025 Seals and Birds Winter Weekend
06 Feb 2025 Snail-Killing Flies
05 Feb 2025 Darwin Day Talk: Epigenetics and Mammalian Evolution
03 Feb 2025 Bark– Species ID and Ecology Online Short Course
02 Feb 2025 Wingspan - Learn and Play or Just Play
02 Feb 2025 First Sundays Open House - February 2025
01 Feb 2025 Aquatic WILD & Professional Development for Educators
28 Jan 2025 The Summit of the Years - An exploration for those 70 adjacent
26 Jan 2025 Nature Connections: Nature's Glow
25 Jan 2025 Bald Eagles at Conowingo Dam Field Experience
24 Jan 2025 More than Stars: How Culture Influences our Stories of the Night Sky
23 Jan 2025 Preserving Maryland’s Natural Treasures: The quest to create a natural history museum
18 Jan 2025 Birds and Brews Winter Edition
16 Jan 2025 Something Smells: How We Can Use Plant Odors to Fight Crop Pests
15 Jan 2025 Arch Club: All Things Cemetery
09 Jan 2025 Shark Laws: Managing the Atlantic Shark Fishery
05 Jan 2025 Wingspan: Learn and Play or Just Play
05 Jan 2025 First Sundays Open House - January 2025
05 Jan 2025 Eagle Spotting at Loch Raven Field Experience
01 Jan 2025 First Day Hike
30 Dec 2024 Drawing On Natural History - Intro to Observational Drawing for Youth
19 Dec 2024 Oyster Harvest and Restoration History in the Chesapeake
18 Dec 2024 Below Charm City: An Archaeology of Baltimore
14 Dec 2024 Gyotaku for Families: Japanese Fishprinting Workshop with Sue Fierston
12 Dec 2024 Keeping Watch: The Chesapeake Bay Sentinel Site Cooperative
08 Dec 2024 Insect Collections For Classrooms - A Teacher Training
05 Dec 2024 Movement of Life
04 Dec 2024 Fossil Club End-of-the-Year Party!
01 Dec 2024 Museum Store Sunday – Shop with Purpose
23 Nov 2024 Leaves Three Ways with Sue Fierston
21 Nov 2024 Annelids of Maryland featuring the Water Nymph Worms
20 Nov 2024 Arch Club: Rock Art on the Susquehanna
17 Nov 2024 Bare Tree ID with Nick Spero
14 Nov 2024 1640, First English-Language Documented Human Death from a Shark Encounter in North America -- St. Mary's, Maryland
13 Nov 2024 Herp Club: The Wonders of Wood Turtles
10 Nov 2024 Arch Club: Cataloging Event
09 Nov 2024 Stratford Cliffs Fossil Hunt (Fossil Club Members Only)
07 Nov 2024 Roly-polies on the move: Terrestrial isopod diversity in Maryland
06 Nov 2024 Fossil Club: Paleoecology of Pleistocene megafauna in the Americas
02 Nov 2024 Felt a Mouse: Art and Nature Class
01 Nov 2024 Fall Mushroom Hunt, November
30 Oct 2024 Big Trees of Carroll County Driving Tour
27 Oct 2024 Amphibians 101
27 Oct 2024 Leafy Tree ID with Nick Spero
26 Oct 2024 Fantastic Fungi and Where to Find Them: Montgomery County
26 Oct 2024 Explore the C&O Canal at Great Falls: Saturday Only Option
24 Oct 2024 World Series of Birding
24 Oct 2024 Fall Garden & Natural Lands Tours
23 Oct 2024 Lep Club Meeting: The Moths of Patapsco
20 Oct 2024 Canceled - Geology of Baltimore's Buildings & Monuments: Oct
20 Oct 2024 Fantastic Fungi and Where to Find Them: Anne Arundel
20 Oct 2024 Birds & Brews
20 Oct 2024 Stratford Cliffs Fossil Hunt (NHSM Members Only)
19 Oct 2024 Mosses for Beginners
17 Oct 2024 History and Art of the Microscope
16 Oct 2024 Arch Club: The "Real" Paleo Diet
16 Oct 2024 Quarry Watch, October
13 Oct 2024 Nature Connections: National Fossil Day
12 Oct 2024 Slime Molds 101
12 Oct 2024 Market Days at the Museum October
12 Oct 2024 Harbor Wetland & Animal Care Center Tour NHSM MEMBERS ONLY
11 Oct 2024 Meet the Box Turtles of Jug Bay
11 Oct 2024 A Garden for the Dead, Green Mount Cemetery Tour
10 Oct 2024 Maryland's 5 Million Tree Initiative
09 Oct 2024 CANCELLED Herp Club Evening Walk: Perry Hall
06 Oct 2024 Wild Edibles: Fall Favorites with Nick Spero
05 Oct 2024 Smithsonian Environmental Research Center Archaeology Tour
05 Oct 2024 Pan for Gold
04 Oct 2024 Fall Mushroom Hunt, October
02 Oct 2024 Fossil Club: Myths and Mysteries of Shark Morphology
28 Sep 2024 Fossil Club Trip to Centralia, PA
28 Sep 2024 Dino Hunt
28 Sep 2024 Cancel - Keeping Up with the Kingdom Fungi
27 Sep 2024 How Nature Shaped History at Fort McHenry
25 Sep 2024 Lep Club Meeting: The Joys of Collecting
25 Sep 2024 Evening Sail on the Lady Maryland
20 Sep 2024 Be a Beaver Believer
19 Sep 2024 The Minerals of Maryland: Unexpected Surprises with Fred Parker
18 Sep 2024 Arch Club: Bark, Boards, and Barrels -- Wood as a Natural Resource in the Union Mills Homestead's Industrial Heritage
18 Sep 2024 Canceled - Boat & Bus Tour of Hart-Miller Island; Family Friendly
15 Sep 2024 Canceled- Geology of Baltimore's Buildings & Monuments: Sept
15 Sep 2024 Nature Connections: Corals
15 Sep 2024 Wild Edibles: Way Down Yonder for Pawpaws with Nick Spero, Field Trip
14 Sep 2024 Historic Jerusalem Mill Tour (Arch Club Members Only)
14 Sep 2024 Market Days at the Museum September
14 Sep 2024 Of Rice and Rails: The Delicate Ecology of Wild Rice Marshes Field Trip
13 Sep 2024 Bat Watch on Friday the 13th Field Experience
12 Sep 2024 Enter the Mid-Atlantic Ocean Data Portal
12 Sep 2024 Quarry Watch, Family-Friendly Field Trip
11 Sep 2024 Recent Advances in the Evolution and Development of Turtles
11 Sep 2024 Chimney Swift Night Out
08 Sep 2024 Mineral Micromounting 101
08 Sep 2024 Stratford Cliffs Fossil Hunt (Open to the Public)
07 Sep 2024 Scrimshaw Workshop
06 Sep 2024 Shark Tagging: A Hands-On Marine Science Expedition
06 Sep 2024 Boat & Bus Tour of Hart-Miller Island: September
05 Sep 2024 Fish Tongues and Other Oddities
04 Sep 2024 Fossil Club: On the Evolution of Hearing in Seals
03 Sep 2024 Ladew Gardens Butterfly House Tour (Lep Club Members Only)
29 Aug 2024 eDNA and Fisheries Research in Maryland
28 Aug 2024 Lep Club Meeting: Marshy Point Butterfly House Experience
25 Aug 2024 Go with the Flow - Explore Life in a Stream at Gwynns Falls/Leakin Park (August))
24 Aug 2024 Moth Night at Irvine Nature Center (Lep Club Members Only)
24 Aug 2024 Stratford Cliffs Fossil Hunt (Open to the Public)
21 Aug 2024 Arch Club Meeting: Breaking Boundaries Environmental LLC
21 Aug 2024 Macro World of Butterflies, Spiders, & More Field Trip
18 Aug 2024 CANCEL -Geology of Baltimore's Buildings & Monuments: August
17 Aug 2024 Market Days at the Museum August
15 Aug 2024 Butterflies & Audubon
14 Aug 2024 To Chew or Not to Chew: Evolution and anatomy of the squamate masticatory system
14 Aug 2024 Life Aboard a Skipjack
11 Aug 2024 Wild Edibles: Chanterelle Hunt with Nick Spero, Field Trip
10 Aug 2024 CANCELED -- Canoe Petroglyphs Paddle, August 10 Afternoon
10 Aug 2024 Canceled Dino Hunt- Summer Version
10 Aug 2024 CANCELED -- Canoe Petroglyphs Paddle, August 10 Morning
07 Aug 2024 Fossil Club Meeting: Searching for Origins and Futures in Kenya
06 Aug 2024 Canceled- Camping 101, Lecture + Expedition
05 Aug 2024 Drawing Up Close with Natural History Maryland's State Fossil, Ecphora
04 Aug 2024 Wingspan & Learn and Play or Just Play
31 Jul 2024 Volunteer Orientation
28 Jul 2024 Go with the Flow - Explore Life in a Stream at Gwynns Falls/Leakin Park (July)
27 Jul 2024 Botanical Crafts with Hammer-Dyed Flowers
25 Jul 2024 Marine Research Labs at IMET Tour
24 Jul 2024 Lep Club Meeting: Gardening for a Changing Climate
21 Jul 2024 SharkFest 2024
20 Jul 2024 CANCEL SharkFest 2024 Opening Gala Speaker Series
20 Jul 2024 Canoe Camping Trip at Codorus State Park, Family Night
20 Jul 2024 Birds and Brews
19 Jul 2024 Canoe Camping Trip at Codorus State Park
19 Jul 2024 Bee Smarter: USGS Native Bee Lab Tour, Members Only
18 Jul 2024 Mind the GAP: the Gap Analysis Project
18 Jul 2024 Eels, Ladders, & the History of a Ghost Town Field Trip
17 Jul 2024 Arch Club Meeting: Maryland Archeobotany
14 Jul 2024 Cruising the Susquehanna River
13 Jul 2024 Moth Night: Early July
13 Jul 2024 Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Firefly
13 Jul 2024 Canoe Petroglyphs Paddle, July 13 Afternoon
13 Jul 2024 Fossil Club Trip to Henson Creek, MD
13 Jul 2024 Canoe Petroglyphs Paddle, July 13 Morning
12 Jul 2024 Big Tree Tour in Harford & Cecil Counties
11 Jul 2024 Blackbanded Sunfish: Maryland's Rarest Fish
10 Jul 2024 Herp Club Show and Tell
10 Jul 2024 Boat & Bus Tour of Hart-Miller Island
07 Jul 2024 RESCHEDULED Go with the Flow = Explore Life in a Stream at Gwynns Falls/Leakin Park
07 Jul 2024 Stratford Cliffs Fossil Hunt (NHSM Members Only)
27 Jun 2024 Champion Trees of Maryland
26 Jun 2024 Lep Club Meeting: Moth ID with Bob Gardner
23 Jun 2024 Canoe Birding Paddle to Wade Island, June 23
23 Jun 2024 Lep Club at Irvine Nature Center (Club Members Only)
22 Jun 2024 Geology of Baltimore's Buildings & Monuments, New Start Time
22 Jun 2024 Market Days at the Museum June
22 Jun 2024 Summer Scavenger Hunt 2024: The Textures of Nature in Photos
21 Jun 2024 Canceled: Moth Night: Late June
21 Jun 2024 Be a Beaver Believer- NEW DATE
21 Jun 2024 Fossil Club Trip to Ramanessin Brook (Holmdel, NJ)
20 Jun 2024 Migratory Bird Center Tour at the National Zoo: PM SESSION
20 Jun 2024 Migratory Bird Center Tour at the National Zoo: AM SESSION
19 Jun 2024 Arch Club Meeting: Preservation Maryland
15 Jun 2024 Moth Night: Early June, Date Change due to Weather
15 Jun 2024 Canoe Petroglyphs Paddle, June 15 Afternoon
15 Jun 2024 Canoe Petroglyphs Paddle, June 15 Morning
15 Jun 2024 Native Ferns ID Hike
15 Jun 2024 Summer Morning with the Birds
14 Jun 2024 How to Build an Island
12 Jun 2024 Herp Club Meeting in Middle River
11 Jun 2024 An Osprey in the Hand
08 Jun 2024 Stratford Cliffs Fossil Hunt (Fossil Club Members Only)
08 Jun 2024 Oceanography Merit Badge Class
05 Jun 2024 Becoming Squalo-doctor: A PhD Journey with an Iconic Toothed Whale of the Calvert Cliffs
04 Jun 2024 Late Night with Horseshoe Crabs: Zoom Lecture Only
04 Jun 2024 Late Night with Horseshoe Crabs
04 Jun 2024 Bird Banding Demo with Birds of Urban Baltimore
02 Jun 2024 Nature Connections: Vertebrates
02 Jun 2024 Wild Edibles: Early Summer Plants with Nick Spero
02 Jun 2024 Trilobite Hunt at Seven Stars Quarry
01 Jun 2024 Canoe Birding Paddle to Wade Island, June 1
31 May 2024 Canoe Birding Paddle to Wade Island, May 31
31 May 2024 Science at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center
30 May 2024 Conservationist's Perspective on Amphibian Declines - Globally and Locally
29 May 2024 Volunteer Orientation
26 May 2024 Stratford Cliffs Fossil Hunt (Open to the Public)
22 May 2024 Lep Club Plant Swap
19 May 2024 Does Head-Starting Help Terrapins? World Turtle Day Keynote with Dr. Willem Roosenburg
19 May 2024 World Turtle Day 2024
16 May 2024 Using Fire to Restore Forest Ecosystems in Maryland
11 May 2024 Canoe Turtle Discovery Paddle, Looking for Map Turtles on the Susquehanna
11 May 2024 NEW DATE Log Life: A Home for Arthropods, Salamanders, Snakes
11 May 2024 Fossil Club Trip to Centralia, PA
11 May 2024 Insect Study Merit Badge Class
09 May 2024 Fireflies in Maryland
09 May 2024 Herp Club Spring Hike: Oregon Ridge
08 May 2024 Herp Club Meeting: All About Salamanders
05 May 2024 Path of the Susquehannock
05 May 2024 Wild Edible: Late Spring Plants with Nick Spero
05 May 2024 Weave a Foraging Backpack with Joan Betzold
04 May 2024 Petrified Wood Collecting in Odessa, DE (Fossil Club Only)
02 May 2024 Shorebirds 101: An Introductory Overview with Gene Scarpulla
01 May 2024 "More Subtil than Any Beast": On the Evolution of Snakes
28 Apr 2024 Wild Edibles: Morel Hunt with Nick Spero
27 Apr 2024 Seek and Find Herp-Style
26 Apr 2024 Herp Club Spring Hike: Masemore Pond
25 Apr 2024 The Thrill of Rocks, Shells, and Other Fascinating Items that Children Collect
25 Apr 2024 Past to Present at Patapsco Valley
24 Apr 2024 City Nature Challenge 2024 and iNaturalist - A Primer with Bill Curtis
21 Apr 2024 Nature Connections: Archaeo Expo 2024
20 Apr 2024 Fossil Club Trip to New Ringgold, PA
20 Apr 2024 Size Doesn't Matter: Biodiversity Hike
19 Apr 2024 Wildflowers & Warblers: Spring along the Susquehanna
17 Apr 2024 Fantastic Voyages: The Exchange of Plant Species between the Old and New Worlds
14 Apr 2024 Geology of Baltimore's Buildings and Monuments
14 Apr 2024 Boundless Bluebells Photography Hike
13 Apr 2024 Archaeology Merit Badge Class
13 Apr 2024 Stratford Cliffs Fossil Hunt (NHSM Members Only)
12 Apr 2024 Dino Hunt- Canceled/Weather
11 Apr 2024 Mammoth Mural - Recreating the Ice Age in Maryland
10 Apr 2024 Herp Club Meeting: The Importance of Reptile Rescues
08 Apr 2024 Bark– Species ID and Ecology Short Course (April series, online)
07 Apr 2024 Wingspan Game Time - Learn and Play
07 Apr 2024 Making Cordage: Primitive Tech with Nick Spero
05 Apr 2024 Life in a Vernal Pool: April Field Trip- CANCELED
05 Apr 2024 We're Off to Honor Miss Jean Worthley for NHSM Founders' Day
04 Apr 2024 Build an Island – Terns will Come
03 Apr 2024 Fossil Club Meeting: The Incredible Stories that Coprolites Can Tell
29 Mar 2024 Life in a Vernal Pool: March 29
28 Mar 2024 Tiny Travelers: Saw-whet Owls of Maryland
28 Mar 2024 Squish and Saw - Recycling the Common and Not So Common
27 Mar 2024 Lep Club Sketch Party
24 Mar 2024 Wild Edibles: Foraging for Early Spring Plants with Nick Spero
23 Mar 2024 Canceled - Birding Basics
22 Mar 2024 Canceled - Life in a Vernal Pool: March 22
22 Mar 2024 A Day with the Dead - Baltimore's History in Cemeteries
20 Mar 2024 Arch Club Meeting: Save Our History!
16 Mar 2024 Felt an Owl - (PM class added)
16 Mar 2024 Stratford Cliffs Fossil Hunt (Fossil Club Members Only)
16 Mar 2024 Felt an Owl - Art and Nature Class
15 Mar 2024 Quarry Watch - Family Friendly
14 Mar 2024 The Flora of Virginia: an Essential Tool for Maryland Plant Lovers
13 Mar 2024 Herp Club Meeting: NeighborSpace and the Vernal Pools Project
11 Mar 2024 Bark– Species ID and Ecology Short Course (online)
10 Mar 2024 Turtles of Maryland
08 Mar 2024 March Shark Madness
07 Mar 2024 Evolution of the Appalachian Mountains
06 Mar 2024 Fossil Club Meeting: Fossil Collecting in the White River Badlands of Nebraska
03 Mar 2024 First Sundays Open House!
29 Feb 2024 Bird City Maryland
28 Feb 2024 Lep Club Game Night: Mariposas
27 Feb 2024 Life in a Vernal Pool: Frederick Location
27 Feb 2024 Outdoors Maryland Watch Party featuring NHSM
25 Feb 2024 Lichens 101: Biology, Ecology and Diversity
24 Feb 2024 PYSANKY: Ukrainian Egg Decorating Workshop - Art and Nature
21 Feb 2024 Archaeological Perspectives on African American Heritage in Metro DC
18 Feb 2024 Weave a Layered Basket with Joan
17 Feb 2024 Takuga: The Japanese Art of Botanical Prints in Ink and Watercolor with Sue Fierston
15 Feb 2024 Tardigrades A Natural History
14 Feb 2024 Herpetology and the Law: Is This Legal?
13 Feb 2024 Paint a Mammoth with A Mammoth
11 Feb 2024 Geology of Baltimore's Buildings & Monuments
10 Feb 2024 The Secret Life of Stars at Towson Planetarium
09 Feb 2024 Ancient Wildflowers -Skunk Cabbage
08 Feb 2024 Disease Detectives: Parasite Hunting Underwater
07 Feb 2024 CANCELLED Ice Age Trivia Night
07 Feb 2024 Fossil Club Movie Night: Titans of the Ice Age
05 Feb 2024 The Growth of Trees: A Journey Through Time (online)
04 Feb 2024 Meet a Mammoth - Public Open House FREE
01 Feb 2024 James Webb Space Telescope Year One Discoveries
31 Jan 2024 A Mammoth Night for Teachers
28 Jan 2024 A Howlin' Good Time at the Wolf Sanctuary
27 Jan 2024 Flying WILD Workshop for Educators
27 Jan 2024 Winter Walk for Woody Plant ID
27 Jan 2024 Growing Up WILD - Early Childcare Educator Training
25 Jan 2024 Putting a Value on Nature
24 Jan 2024 Lep Club: You Too Can Do A Butterfly “Big Year”!
21 Jan 2024 Painting with Bacteria - Agar Art Workshop with BUGSS, Baltimore Underground Science Space
20 Jan 2024 Reptile and Amphibian Handling and Care for Veterinary Staff and Wildlife Rehabbers
19 Jan 2024 Mammoth Unveiling- Party Like its 40,000 BCE
17 Jan 2024 The Archaeological Investigation of an Urban Oasis at Herring Run Park
14 Jan 2024 Eagle Spotting at Loch Raven - January
14 Jan 2024 Weave a Bird's Nest Basket with Joan Betzold
13 Jan 2024 Paper Bead Workshop with Candace Stribling
13 Jan 2024 Winter Migration Photo Trip - Day 2 of Explore the Eastern Shore
12 Jan 2024 Harriet Tubman, the Naturalist & Blackwater Night Sky; Day 1 of Explore the Eastern Shore
08 Jan 2024 Founding Monsters: Founding Fathers Quest for Mammoths and Mastodons
04 Jan 2024 Otter Latrines as Carnivore-Biodiversity Hotspots?
01 Jan 2024 First Day Hike
14 Dec 2023 Oil-Collecting Bees
13 Dec 2023 CANCELLED Herp Club: Natural History of the Corn Snake
12 Dec 2023 Humans and Mammoths a Million Year Relationship
11 Dec 2023 A Mammoth Book Club: The Last Animal by Ramona Ausubel
07 Dec 2023 The Past, Present, and Future of Climate Change
03 Dec 2023 Turtles of Maryland
30 Nov 2023 Emerald Ash Borers in Maryland: Natural History, Control, and Seasonal Changes
29 Nov 2023 Wingspan Game Night - November
28 Nov 2023 Mammoths, Mastodons and Gomphotheres in Maryland
26 Nov 2023 Museum Store Sunday - Be A Patron
25 Nov 2023 Petrified Wood Collecting Trip (Fossil Club Members Only)
19 Nov 2023 Pine Needle Basket Workshop with Clare Walker - 2nd Session Added
19 Nov 2023 Pine Needle Basket Workshop with Clare Walker
19 Nov 2023 Bare Tree ID with Nick Spero
15 Nov 2023 Native American Archaeology in Anne Arundel County
14 Nov 2023 Memories of Mammoths (and Mastodons): Late Pleistocene Proboscidean extinctions in eastern North America.
12 Nov 2023 Canceled - Geology Tour of Baltimore's Buildings and Monuments with Sam
09 Nov 2023 Skeletal Prep with the Museum of Osteology
08 Nov 2023 SAVE THE FROGS! Translating Science into Action
05 Nov 2023 Fossil Hunting at Stratford Cliffs, November 2023 (Fossil Club Members Only)
05 Nov 2023 Trilobite Hunt at Seven Stars Quarry
03 Nov 2023 How We See the Stars - Banneker Planetarium
01 Nov 2023 Fossil Club: Prepping Your Fossils, a Hands-On Demonstration
29 Oct 2023 Leafy Tree ID with Nick Spero
28 Oct 2023 Be a Beaver Believer
27 Oct 2023 Native Plant Origins & Cultivation Plus Fall Colors Hayride at Mt Cuba Center
26 Oct 2023 Are our starry night skies disappearing?
26 Oct 2023 Maryland's Crown Jewel- Diamondback Terrapins
25 Oct 2023 Lep Club Meeting: What's in a Name?
22 Oct 2023 Wild Edibles - Fall Foraging with Nick
22 Oct 2023 October 2023 Stratford Fossil Hunt, Open to the Public!
21 Oct 2023 Fall into Biodiversity
20 Oct 2023 Quarry Watch -- Family Friendly
18 Oct 2023 Figuring it Out: Pre-European Indigenous Human Figures as Art & Artifact
14 Oct 2023 The Natural History of the Mammoth
13 Oct 2023 Fall into Fungi – October
12 Oct 2023 Chesapeake Bay Parasite Project: Citizen Science and the Mud Crab
07 Oct 2023 Petroglyphs Canoe Paddle
07 Oct 2023 Petroglyphs Canoe Paddle
07 Oct 2023 CANCELED - Of Rice & Rails: The Delicate Ecology of Wild Rice Marshes on the Patuxent River
06 Oct 2023 Life in Chesapeake Bay Aboard a Skipjack
05 Oct 2023 The Ice Ages - Earth’s Pleistocene Climate
05 Oct 2023 Mammoth Speaker Series
04 Oct 2023 Fossil Club Meeting: The M-NCPPC Dinosaur Park Bone Bed
04 Oct 2023 How to Grow an Island
01 Oct 2023 Fantastic Fungi and Where to Find Them: Montgomery County
30 Sep 2023 PYSANKY: Ukrainian Egg Decorating Workshop: Art and Nature
29 Sep 2023 Full Moon Canoe Float at Jug Bay
28 Sep 2023 What is Forest School?
28 Sep 2023 Hiking & Birding - An Eco-Friendly Cemetery Explore
27 Sep 2023 Creating Lep Club Host Plant Maps
24 Sep 2023 CANCELED- Geology Tour of Baltimore's Buildings and Monuments with Sam
23 Sep 2023 Felt a Squirrel - Art and Nature Class
23 Sep 2023 Kingdom Fungi 101 Class with Serenella
23 Sep 2023 CANCELED - Bugs, Birds, and Blooms
22 Sep 2023 Quarry into History
21 Sep 2023 The Natural History of Earth's Atmosphere
20 Sep 2023 History of Marshy Point and Techniques to Think Outside of the Box
16 Sep 2023 Petroglyphs Canoe Paddle
16 Sep 2023 Gyotaku: Japanese Fishprinting Workshop with Sue Fierston
16 Sep 2023 Petroglyphs Canoe Paddle
16 Sep 2023 Fantastic Fungi and Where to Find Them: Anne Arundel County
15 Sep 2023 Fall into Fungi - September
14 Sep 2023 Keystones of the Sea: Echinoderms and the role of curiosity in driving research forward
13 Sep 2023 Herp Club September Meeting: Save Our Snakes
10 Sep 2023 Introduction to Micromounting Workshop - Big things come in small packages
10 Sep 2023 Wild Edibles - Way Down Yonder for Pawpaws with Nick
09 Sep 2023 Botanical Fabric Printing with Sue Fierston
09 Sep 2023 Celebrate Fall Insects
09 Sep 2023 Botanical Fabric Printing with Sue Fierston - 2nd Session
09 Sep 2023 Of Rice & Rails: The Delicate Ecology of Wild Rice Marshes on the Patuxent River
08 Sep 2023 Fossil Collecting from the Middle Devonian at Beltzville Dam (Lehighton, PA)
07 Sep 2023 Making A Difference: Women Naturalists, Commemorative Visions and Lessons Learned
06 Sep 2023 Hunting Giant Sharks: Pro Tips for Collecting Megalodon Teeth
02 Sep 2023 Moth Madness! (NHSM Lep Club Members Only)
02 Sep 2023 September Fossil Hunt at Stratford Cliffs (NHSM Members Only)
30 Aug 2023 Blue Crab Dissection Lab
27 Aug 2023 Wingspan Game Night - August
27 Aug 2023 Ghost Fleet of Mallows Bay Canoe Paddle
27 Aug 2023 Ghost Fleet of Mallows Bay Canoe Paddle
27 Aug 2023 Going with the Flow -Public Stream Field Days at Hampton Natl Historic Site Farm (August)
26 Aug 2023 Be a Beaver Believer
26 Aug 2023 Cylburn Arboretum: Exploratory Lepidoptera Walk with Cylburn Arboretum Friends (CAF)
23 Aug 2023 Journey with Monarchs: A Personal Experience Raising and Releasing Monarchs in the Home Garden
20 Aug 2023 Wild Edibles - Chanterelle Foraging with Nick
20 Aug 2023 August 2023 Fossil Hunting at Stratford Cliffs -- Open to the Public!
19 Aug 2023 Geology Tour of Baltimore, Buildings and Monuments with Sam (Aug 19)
19 Aug 2023 Petroglyphs Canoe Paddle – CANCELED
17 Aug 2023 Dormancy: The Sleeping Seed
16 Aug 2023 An Introduction to the Patapsco Valley Heritage Area
15 Aug 2023 NHSM Lep Club: Ladew Gardens Butterfly House Tour
14 Aug 2023 Eroding History Film Screening PLUS Q & A w/ Filmmakers
11 Aug 2023 Family-Friendly Boat & Bus Tour of Hart-Miller Island: Where Three Islands Become One State Park
10 Aug 2023 Mussel Power in the Anacostia River
09 Aug 2023 Show and Shell: What NOT to do when keeping turtles and tortoises
05 Aug 2023 Wild Rice Canoe Paddle at Jug Bay
04 Aug 2023 CANCELLED Maryland Archaeological Conservation Lab (NHSM Members Only)
02 Aug 2023 Fossil Club Meeting: Secrets of the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal
01 Aug 2023 National Night Out @ The Museum
28 Jul 2023 CANCEL DUE TO WEATHER Moth Nights: Gunpowder/Monkton
27 Jul 2023 From Stump Dump to National Model, Camp Small - Baltimore's Urban Wood Utilization Program
26 Jul 2023 July Lep Club Meeting: Discovering and documenting biodiversity in your neighborhood and beyond
26 Jul 2023 Deer Creek Canoe Paddle at Eden Mills
25 Jul 2023 Painting with Bacteria: Agar Art Workshop with BUGSS, Baltimore Underground Science Space
23 Jul 2023 Going with the Flow - Public Stream Field Days at Gwynns Falls/Leakin Park (July)
22 Jul 2023 Petroglyphs Canoe Paddle
21 Jul 2023 Moth Nights: Gunpowder/Bunker Hill-July 21
20 Jul 2023 The Moon: Our Partner in Space
20 Jul 2023 Ghost Fleet of Mallows Bay Canoe Paddle
20 Jul 2023 Ghost Fleet of Mallows Bay Canoe Paddle
20 Jul 2023 Ghost Fleet of Mallows Bay Canoe Paddle
16 Jul 2023 SharkFest 2023 - Sink Your Teeth Into Fun
15 Jul 2023 SharkFest 2023 Red Carpet Event - Lectures with Dr. Bretton Kent & Lucy Howey
15 Jul 2023 Arch Club: Homewood Museum Tour
14 Jul 2023 CANCELED due to weather - Moth Nights: Gunpowder/Bunker Hill
14 Jul 2023 Boat & Bus Tour of Hart-Miller Island: Where Three Islands Become One State Park
13 Jul 2023 Can Fish Climb Ladders? The Fish Passage Program in Maryland
12 Jul 2023 Snakes 101: Everything the Internet Won't Tell You about Caring for Your Snake
08 Jul 2023 July 2023 Fossil Hunt at Stratford Cliffs (NHSM Members ONLY)
07 Jul 2023 Moth Nights: July 7 Confirmed - Gunpowder/Monkton
05 Jul 2023 Fossil Club Meeting: Ice Age Floods National Geologic Trail
29 Jun 2023 Nature's Small Stuff: Bacteria -Friend, Foe and Artist Medium
28 Jun 2023 June Lep Club Meeting: Assessing the Status of Butterflies in the United States
28 Jun 2023 Boat & Bus Tour of Hart-Miller Island: Where Three Islands Become One State Park
25 Jun 2023 Wingspan Game Night -June
25 Jun 2023 Geology Tour of Baltimore's Buildings and Monuments with Sam
25 Jun 2023 CANCELED- Going with the Flow - Public Stream Field Days at Gwynns Falls/Leakin Park (June)
25 Jun 2023 PG County Urban Stream Fossil Hunt (Fossil Club Members Only, Just 6 Spots Available)
24 Jun 2023 Ghost Fleet of Mallows Bay Canoe Paddle
24 Jun 2023 Ghost Fleet of Mallows Bay Canoe Paddle
24 Jun 2023 Market Days at the Museum
24 Jun 2023 Fossil Hunting at Stratford Cliffs, June 2023 (Open to the Public!)
22 Jun 2023 How and Why We Study Sharks with Shark Hero, Jillian Morris
22 Jun 2023 Dearly Departed - How to be Eco-Friendly Even in Death
21 Jun 2023 Colonial Chesapeake Horse Culture
21 Jun 2023 The Shapes of Nature Summer Scavenger Hunt 2023
17 Jun 2023 Wild Edibles Foraging for Early Summer Plants with Nick Spero
17 Jun 2023 Insect Study Merit Badge Class
15 Jun 2023 Canoe Lessons June 15
14 Jun 2023 June Herp Club Meeting: Foundation for the Conservation of Salamanders
11 Jun 2023 Petroglyphs Canoe Paddle
11 Jun 2023 Petroglyphs Canoe Paddle
11 Jun 2023 Biodiversity of Meadows & Wetlands; Intro to Odonate ID, Breeding Birds and Butterflies
10 Jun 2023 Photograph Safari Hike: Bodacious Birds & Beasts with Barbara Saffir
09 Jun 2023 Birding Canoe Paddle at Wade Island
08 Jun 2023 Climate Anxiety and Eco-Grief: A Psychological Response with Heidi Schreiber-Pan
07 Jun 2023 Fossil Collecting in the Mahantago Formation
07 Jun 2023 Bird Banding Demo with Birds of Urban Baltimore (2 of 2)
04 Jun 2023 Reptile and Amphibian Study Merit Badge Day
03 Jun 2023 A Howlin' Good Time at the Wolf Sanctuary
03 Jun 2023 Oceanography Merit Badge Class
01 Jun 2023 Hair Today...The Long and Short Story of Mammalian Hair
31 May 2023 Birding Discovery Canoe Paddle at Jug Bay
28 May 2023 Going with the Flow - Public Stream Field Days at Gwynns Falls/Leakin Park (May)
28 May 2023 Sounds of the Songbirds Photo Hike in Havre De Grace
27 May 2023 Crawling and Pulsating Decomposers: Exploring the Mysteries of Slime Molds with Serenella
25 May 2023 An Introduction to the Ants of Maryland
24 May 2023 Lep Club Swap Meet
24 May 2023 Unique Rock with a Unique Ecosystem - Bare Hills Serpentine Barrens
21 May 2023 Turtle Troubles - World Turtle Day Keynote Address with Kerry Wixted
21 May 2023 World Turtle Day
21 May 2023 Wild Edible: Foraging for Late Spring Plants with Nick Spero
21 May 2023 Fossil Hunting at Stratford Cliffs, May 2023 (Fossil Club Members ONLY)
20 May 2023 Spider Taxonomy and ID Workshop with Jane Marlow
20 May 2023 Geology Tour of Baltimore's Buildings and Monuments with Sam (May 20)
20 May 2023 Turtle Discovery Canoe Paddle at Lake Roland
19 May 2023 Birding Canoe Paddle at Wade Island
18 May 2023 A Year in the Life of Skunk Cabbage
17 May 2023 The Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA): What it means for Maryland museums
13 May 2023 Animal Skulls: Nature Illustration Class with Tim Phelps
12 May 2023 Oysters and PEARL - A Sustainable Combination
11 May 2023 Biological Illustration - Past, Present and Future
11 May 2023 What's Flying By the Natural History Society? Monthly Birding Meetups
10 May 2023 Croaks, Peeps, and Color: Exploring the World of Amphibian Communication
10 May 2023 Bird Banding Demo with Birds of Urban Baltimore(1 of 2)
09 May 2023 Wingspan Game Night - May
07 May 2023 Onion Basket -Twinning with Joan Betzold
07 May 2023 Pines, Prairies and Sparrows at Soldiers Delight with Mike Hudson
06 May 2023 Felt a Robin's Nest and Egg: Art and Nature
04 May 2023 The Flight to Wingspan (and its aftermath) with Game Creator Elizabeth Hargrave
03 May 2023 Tyrannosaurus Next: New discoveries and new controversies about the world's most famous dinosaur
02 May 2023 ID Check and Correct: City Nature Challenge
01 May 2023 Bird Study Merit Badge Class
30 Apr 2023 CANCELLED DUE TO WEATHER City Nature Challenge Hike at Double Rock Park
30 Apr 2023 Inventory of the NHSM Archaeology Collection with Kat Sterner
30 Apr 2023 Wild Edibles, Morels, Foraging Hike with Nick Spero
29 Apr 2023 Archaeology Merit Badge Class
26 Apr 2023 “Our” Monarchs in Mexico
23 Apr 2023 Getting Started with iNaturalist Workshop
23 Apr 2023 Geology Tour of Baltimore's Buildings and Monuments with Kathleen
23 Apr 2023 April Fossil Hunting at Stratford Cliffs (NHSM Members ONLY)
20 Apr 2023 The Art of the Bird before Audubon from the 1500s to 1800 (redux)
19 Apr 2023 Explore the Homesite of Harriett Tubman's Father, Ben Ross
16 Apr 2023 Nature Connections: Archaeo-Expo 2023
13 Apr 2023 Maryland's Other Crabs
13 Apr 2023 What's Flying By the Natural History Society? Monthly Birding Meetups
12 Apr 2023 CANCELLED: The Foundation for the Conservation of Salamanders, aka Chopsticks for Salamanders
11 Apr 2023 Wingspan (table game) Tutorial
08 Apr 2023 Field Trip: Petrified Wood, Odessa, DE (Members Only)
07 Apr 2023 CANCELLED: Gunpowder Vernal Pools Trips April 7
06 Apr 2023 Science of Birds Banding with Birds of Urban Baltimore (BUrB)
05 Apr 2023 Living with Mammoths: Lessons from the Ice Age
03 Apr 2023 Flintknapping Workshop
31 Mar 2023 Gunpowder Vernal Pools Trips March 31
29 Mar 2023 Founders' Day 2023: The Maestro of Maryland Minerals, Charles Ostrander
26 Mar 2023 Takuga: The Japanese Art of Botanical Prints in Ink and Watercolor with Sue Fierston
26 Mar 2023 Wild Edible Walk with Nick Spero: Foraging for Early Spring Plants in Baltimore
24 Mar 2023 Gunpowder Vernal Pools Trips March 24
23 Mar 2023 Unmitigated Gall Wasps in Maryland - Natural History and Ecology
22 Mar 2023 Supporting Pollinators by Staying Native
19 Mar 2023 March Fossil Hunting at Stratford Cliffs (Fossil Club Members ONLY)
18 Mar 2023 Geology Tour of Baltimore's Buildings and Monuments with Sam (March)
18 Mar 2023 PYSANKY: Ukrainian Egg Decorating Workshop - Art and Nature
18 Mar 2023 Migrating Wood Ducks, Snow Geese, and Tundra Swans in Kent County
16 Mar 2023 Women Astronomical Computers - Project PHaEDRA
15 Mar 2023 Taken Out of Context: Arch Club March Meeting
11 Mar 2023 Geology Merit Badge Class
10 Mar 2023 CANCELLED: Gunpowder Vernal Pools Trips March 10
09 Mar 2023 What’s Flying By the Natural History Society? Monthly Birding Meetups
08 Mar 2023 Herp Club March Meeting: Northern Map Turtle
05 Mar 2023 Herringbone Utility Basket: Advanced Basket Weaving with Joan Betzold
02 Mar 2023 Limb Regeneration in Amphibians and Freshwater Worms
01 Mar 2023 The Evolution of Euryapsids
27 Feb 2023 Bark– Species ID and Ecology Short Course (2nd Session)
26 Feb 2023 Skunk Cabbage Discovery Hike (Session 2)
26 Feb 2023 Skunk Cabbage Discovery Hike (Session 1)
26 Feb 2023 A Shore Thing - Bird Watching on Kent Island with Mike Hudson
25 Feb 2023 Nature Connections: The Return of Clubapalooza
23 Feb 2023 Of Rice & Rails: The delicate ecology of wild rice marshes on the Patuxent River
22 Feb 2023 Baltimore Checkerspot Restoration Project
19 Feb 2023 NHSM Native Plant Habitat Project, Phase One
18 Feb 2023 Geology Tour of Baltimore's Buildings and Monuments with Sam (February)
16 Feb 2023 Rhythms of the Night - Bat Echolocation
15 Feb 2023 Diving Into the Past: Recent developments in underwater prehistoric archaeology in Florida (and elsewhere)
12 Feb 2023 Eagle Watching at Loch Raven with Nick Spero ( February )
11 Feb 2023 Weave a Foraging Backpack with Joan Betzold - SESSION II
09 Feb 2023 The Art of the Bird before Audubon from the 1500s to 1800
08 Feb 2023 Herp Club February Meeting
06 Feb 2023 Bark– Species ID and Ecology Short Course
05 Feb 2023 Weave a Foraging Backpack with Joan Betzold
02 Feb 2023 Fleshing it Out the Evolution of Skin Color
01 Feb 2023 Ice Age Fauna and Mammalian Evolution
26 Jan 2023 Nature's Nap Time: Dormancy, Torpor, Estivation, Hibernation and Brumation
25 Jan 2023 Lep Club: Let's Plant a Pollinator Garden!
21 Jan 2023 Geology Tour of Baltimore's Buildings and Monuments with Sam
19 Jan 2023 Poos Clues, A Prehistoric Potty Talk
18 Jan 2023 Shell-Button Making on the Delmarva Peninsula (1930-1995)
15 Jan 2023 Eagle Watching at Loch Raven with Nick Spero
14 Jan 2023 Talking Bones: Skull and Bone Identification
14 Jan 2023 Field Trip: Winter Woody Plant Hike ID
14 Jan 2023 Taking Inventory: NHSM Archaeology Collection
12 Jan 2023 Bark: An Introduction
11 Jan 2023 The Secrets of Spotted Turtles
08 Jan 2023 History of Pollination -Short Course with Dr. Jody Johnson
05 Jan 2023 Robo-Raven and More Bioinspired Robotics
04 Jan 2023 New Perspectives on Tyrannosaurs and Their World
01 Jan 2023 Field Trip: New Year's Day First Hike
21 Dec 2022 Solstice Stories: Winter Traditions of the NHSM Archaeology Club
17 Dec 2022 In the Footsteps of Dinosaur - Beltsville Tour with Dr. Peter Kranz
17 Dec 2022 Field Trip: Odessa Petrified Wood (Members Only)
15 Dec 2022 Subterranean Splendors with Caver Dave
10 Dec 2022 Felt a Chickadee: Art and Nature Workshop SESSION II
10 Dec 2022 Felt a Chickadee: Art and Nature Workshop
08 Dec 2022 Sawfish Secrets in Natural History Collections
07 Dec 2022 Where Did Whales Come From?
01 Dec 2022 Introduction to Astrophotography
26 Nov 2022 Beaver Discovery Hike in Harford Co.
20 Nov 2022 Gyotaku: Japanese Fishprinting Workshop: Art and Nature
20 Nov 2022 Gyotaku: Japanese Fishprinting Workshop: Art and Nature SESSION II
17 Nov 2022 Suburban Leaf Litter and Overwintering Insects
12 Nov 2022 Fossil Hunting at Stratford Cliffs (November-Fossil Club Members)
10 Nov 2022 Horseshoe Crab Life History and Management in Maryland
09 Nov 2022 Discover the Susquehannock Wildlife Society
05 Nov 2022 Big Book Sale - General Public Day
04 Nov 2022 Big Book Sale - Members Only Night
02 Nov 2022 Anthracite Fossils of Eastern Pennsylvania
30 Oct 2022 Geology Tour of Baltimore's Buildings and Monuments
30 Oct 2022 Taking Inventory: Explore the NHSM Archaeology Collection
29 Oct 2022 Lichens 101: Biology, Ecology and Diversity
29 Oct 2022 Fossil Hunting at Stratford Cliffs (October)
27 Oct 2022 Venus Flytraps: A Pollination Puzzle
26 Oct 2022 What's Next for the NHSM Lep Club? A Members-Only Forum
23 Oct 2022 Botanical Fabric Printing with Sue Fierston SESSION 2 ADDED
23 Oct 2022 Botanical Fabric Printing with Sue Fierston
22 Oct 2022 Jug Bay Pontoon Archaeology Excursion (Members Only Field Trip)
19 Oct 2022 Discover the Jug Bay Archaeological Complex
16 Oct 2022 Wild Edible: Foraging Mushrooms Field Trip
15 Oct 2022 The Kingdom Fungi 101
13 Oct 2022 Maryland Garnets and the Formation of the Appalachians
12 Oct 2022 Life cycle of the Marbled Salamander
09 Oct 2022 The Life and Times of the American "Cheetah"
09 Oct 2022 Nature Connections: Fossils from the Age of Mammals
06 Oct 2022 Bees versus Elephants and Innovative Approach to Solving Human-Wildlife Conflicts
05 Oct 2022 Jewels and Stones: What Fossil Ants Tell Us
29 Sep 2022 Maryland Ornithological Society's Sanctuaries: From Mountains to Saltmarsh
28 Sep 2022 CANCELLED: Can a Non-Native Milkweed Help Monarch Populations?
28 Sep 2022 Sharing the Lepidoptera Experience
28 Sep 2022 Swift Night Out - 2022
27 Sep 2022 Aquatic Macroinvertebrates in 3 Parts with Ken Belt
21 Sep 2022 What Is the Maryland Historical Trust & What Does it Do
19 Sep 2022 Escape to Hart-Miller Island: Educational Tour #3
18 Sep 2022 Wild Edible Field Trip: Paw paws and Fall Mushrooms
14 Sep 2022 Crocodilian Encounter with Michael Shwedick's Reptile World
11 Sep 2022 Nature Connections: James Webb Space Telescope
11 Sep 2022 Fossil Hunting at Stratford Cliffs (September-NHSM Members)
08 Sep 2022 Hidden Lives of Sharks with Dr. Aaron Carlisle
07 Sep 2022 The Evolution of Cetaceans: What is a four-legged land animal doing in the Ocean?
01 Sep 2022 Whale Sharks: The Largest Fish in the Sea
28 Aug 2022 Scrimshaw Workshop for Adults
28 Aug 2022 Scrimshaw Workshop for Kids
27 Aug 2022 Summer Herp* Walk
25 Aug 2022 Living with Beavers
24 Aug 2022 Butterflies in Maryland, Common, Rare and Unique (online and in-person)
22 Aug 2022 Escape to Hart-Miller Island: Educational Tour #2
21 Aug 2022 CANCELLED: Swimming with Sharks: the Story BEHIND the Story with Author, Twig George
20 Aug 2022 A Different Butterfly Garden Tour – MEMBERS ONLY
18 Aug 2022 Catfish Species in Maryland: A snapshot of the last 120 years
17 Aug 2022 The Things We Find During Rehabilitation: Rediscovering the NHSM Archaeology Collections
15 Aug 2022 Escape to Hart-Miller Island: Educational Tour #1
13 Aug 2022 Fossil Hunting at Stratford Cliffs (August)
06 Aug 2022 Grasses, Sedges and Rushes Identification
03 Aug 2022 A fish-eat-fish world: Dunkleosteus and other creatures from the Cleveland Shale
28 Jul 2022 Fish Out of Water: Terrestrial Locomotion of Amphibious Fish
25 Jul 2022 RESCHEDULED: Escape to Hart-Miller Island -Educational Tour
24 Jul 2022 Art and Nature: Make a Comb Basket
23 Jul 2022 Quaker Neck Landing Paddle
22 Jul 2022 Moth Night: Sweet Air Area part 2
17 Jul 2022 Fossil Hunting at Stratford Cliffs (July-NHSM Members)
16 Jul 2022 Baltimore Heritage: Gargoyles, Landmarks, and Lions Downtown Baltimore Walking Tour
14 Jul 2022 Natural History of Shrews of the Mid-Atlantic Region of the US
13 Jul 2022 The Great Virgin Islands Frog Count: a low-tech, high-return method for finding frogs
09 Jul 2022 Moth Nights: Sweet Air Area
09 Jul 2022 Bromo Seltzer Tower Tour
01 Jul 2022 Moth Nights: Harford County MD
01 Jul 2022 The REAL Scavenger Hunt - Photo Safari 2022
25 Jun 2022 SharkFest 2022
24 Jun 2022 Sharkfest Kick Off: Exploring the Hidden Lives of Sharks with Dr. Aaron Carlisle and David Shiffman
22 Jun 2022 Summer Species Swap and Husbandry Panel
19 Jun 2022 PG County Urban Stream Fossil Hunt (Fossil Club Members Only)
18 Jun 2022 Market Days at the Museum
18 Jun 2022 Fossil Hunting at Stratford Cliffs (June)
17 Jun 2022 Moth Night in Monkton
16 Jun 2022 COVID in Animals -A Zoo Veterinarian's Perspective
15 Jun 2022 Overlooked Places: Telling the interconnected history of Maryland through recent archaeology in Baltimore
09 Jun 2022 The Marvelous Mysids of Maryland
08 Jun 2022 Timber Rattlesnakes
08 Jun 2022 Public Bird Banding Demonstration at the Museum (2 of 2)
04 Jun 2022 Baltimore Heritage: Federal Hill Walking Tour
04 Jun 2022 Insect Study Merit Badge Class
01 Jun 2022 FIN-tastic Fossil Sharks: A Hands-on fossil club meeting
22 May 2022 World Turtle Day 2022
21 May 2022 Banneker Spring BioBlitz
19 May 2022 Oceans, Atmospheres and Climates of Earth VS. Other Planets and Moons
18 May 2022 Octoraro - Susquehannock Fort or Pre-Contact Town, An Archaeological Mystery
17 May 2022 Darwin Remembers: Recollections of a Life's Journey
15 May 2022 Fossil Collecting from the Middle Devonian at Beltzville State Park, PA
14 May 2022 Gyotaku: The Art of the Japanese Fishprint Workshop: Art and Nature
14 May 2022 Gyotaku: The Art of the Japanese Fishprint Workshop: SESSION II
12 May 2022 The Beltsville Virtual Experience - 7,000 acres in one hour
11 May 2022 The Bog Turtle: Natural History and Conservation in Maryland
11 May 2022 Public Bird Banding Demonstration at the Museum
07 May 2022 Field Trip: Maryland Archaeological Conservation Lab (Archeology Club Only)
07 May 2022 Reptile and Amphibian Study Merit Badge Day
06 May 2022 Review Rally: City Nature Challenge
05 May 2022 Bobcats in Maryland - Distribution, Abundance, and Population Genetics
04 May 2022 Sharks: A Journey Through Deep Time
01 May 2022 Fossil Hunting at Stratford Cliffs (May-NHSM Members ONLY)
30 Apr 2022 Archaeology Expo 2022 - The Future of Studying the Past: Innovative Technologies in Maryland Archeology
28 Apr 2022 Community Bird Banding with Birds of Urban Baltimore (B.Ur.B)
27 Apr 2022 Monarch Sister Schools
24 Apr 2022 Teacher Training: Environmental History of Maryland Through Fossils
24 Apr 2022 Wild Edible Field Trip: Morels
23 Apr 2022 Magical Mandalas Workshop
20 Apr 2022 Star-Spangled Archaeology:  Examining the War of 1812 Through Maritime Archaeology
16 Apr 2022 From Forest Floor to the Treetops: An Introduction to Maryland Birds
16 Apr 2022 Fossil Hunting at Stratford Cliffs (April-Fossil Club Members ONLY)
15 Apr 2022 Vernal Pool Series: Gunpowder Trip April 15 (NHSM Members)
14 Apr 2022 I Spy with My Little Eye - An Introduction to City Nature Challenge 2022
13 Apr 2022 Amphibian and Reptile Show and Tell (in-person and virtual)
09 Apr 2022 Private Tour of Hershey Gardens & Butterfly Atrium and Lab
09 Apr 2022 Archaeology Merit Badge Class
07 Apr 2022 CANCELLED The Beltsville Virtual Experience - 7,000 acres in one hour
06 Apr 2022 Dental Detectives - Fossil Teeth
03 Apr 2022 Choctaw Basket Workshop
02 Apr 2022 Founder's Day 2022: Honoring Howard A. Kelly, Surgeon, Naturalist, Author, Collector and Benefactor
31 Mar 2022 Discover the World of Minerals in your Pocket
24 Mar 2022 Meet The Largest Australian Pterosaur - Thapunngaka shawi
23 Mar 2022 Caterpillars Count! Bugs on branches as canaries in the coalmine for global change
17 Mar 2022 The Icelandic Phallological Museum: Interpreting the science and culture of the penis
16 Mar 2022 History of Spiritualism in Baltimore
12 Mar 2022 PYSANKY: Ukrainian Egg Decorating Workshop, Art and Nature
11 Mar 2022 Vernal Pool Series: Gunpowder Trip March 11 (Herp Club only)
09 Mar 2022 A Tale of Two Salamanders: A story of a threatened amphibian and the threats of an uncertain future in Appalachia
06 Mar 2022 All About Seeds: Nature Connection
05 Mar 2022 Discover Maryland Tour at the Maryland Center for History & Culture (Archaeology Club)
02 Mar 2022 Morocco: A Fossil Collector’s Paradise
23 Feb 2022 Monarch Rx: Exploring a Little-Known Behavior of a Beloved Butterfly
20 Feb 2022 Eagle Watching at Loch Raven with Nick Spero
17 Feb 2022 Amazing Antlers
16 Feb 2022 We Too Are The Village: Reparative heritage at Catoctin Furnace
12 Feb 2022 Maryland & DC Breeding Bird Atlas 3: Community Science Saturday
10 Feb 2022 Building Holistic Urban Stream Ecosystems Using People, Bugs, Slime, Fish and Concrete
09 Feb 2022 King snakes of the United States and their care, breeding and husbandry
06 Feb 2022 Basket Making 101: Art and Nature; Second Session Added
06 Feb 2022 Advanced Fossil Event at Calvert Cliffs
05 Feb 2022 Basket Making 101: Art and Nature
03 Feb 2022 The "Eyes" Have It: Introduction to The Comparative Ocular Pathology Laboratory
02 Feb 2022 The Life and Times of the Mosasaurs, Giant Predatory Sea Reptiles
27 Jan 2022 Parasitic Algae of the Air - Downy mildews
22 Jan 2022 Winter Hike 1/22 Patuxent River Park
22 Jan 2022 Towson Glen Winter Tree Identification
20 Jan 2022 A History of Our Most Precious Resource: Watershed Ecology in the Anthropocene
19 Jan 2022 Archaeology Club New Year Meet n Greet Virtual
16 Jan 2022 Last Chance Fossil Collecting @ C&D Canal Delaware
16 Jan 2022 Eagle Watching at Loch Raven with Nick Spero
12 Jan 2022 Wildlife Trafficking: Domestic and International Law Enforcement Responses
06 Jan 2022 Harnessing Europa
01 Jan 2022 Field Trip: New Year's Day Hike
16 Dec 2021 Rattlesnake Conservation: What you should know
11 Dec 2021 DIY Planet Search - Community Science Saturday the James Webb Experience
09 Dec 2021 Coming soon to your neighborhood, get ready for spotted lanternfly
07 Dec 2021 Galaxy Evolution: The James Webb Experience
04 Dec 2021 Archaeology Club Field Trip, Green Mount Cemetery Dec. 4th
04 Dec 2021 Talking Bones: Skull and Bone Identification
02 Dec 2021 Daddy Long Legs: The Art and Natural History of the Marvelously Misunderstood Opiliones
01 Dec 2021 Fossil Sharks of Alabama
24 Nov 2021 Butterfly or Moth, with Lookalikes How do You Know
20 Nov 2021 Field Trip: Fossil Hunting at Dinosaur Park
18 Nov 2021 A Star is Born: James Webb Experience
17 Nov 2021 Indigenous Foods and Native Cuisine of the Chesapeake Bay Region
11 Nov 2021 Exoplanets: The James Webb Experience
10 Nov 2021 Rat Snakes of North America - Captive Husbandry and More
07 Nov 2021 Field Trip: Fossil Hunting at Stratford Cliffs
06 Nov 2021 Fossil Collecting from the Middle Devonian at Beltzville State Park, PA
04 Nov 2021 Space in Infrared, More than Meets the Eye: The James Webb Experience
03 Nov 2021 How to start a fossil collection: cleaning, cataloging, labeling, storing, organizing
28 Oct 2021 History of the Telescope: The James Webb Experience
27 Oct 2021 Butterflies in Space
21 Oct 2021 The Chemistry of Gemstones with the Gemological Institute of America (GIA)
20 Oct 2021 Rewriting History: Pre-Contact Peoples in Cecil County, Maryland
17 Oct 2021 Field Trip: Looking for Fossils at Stratford Cliffs
16 Oct 2021 The Old Weather Project for Community Science Saturday
14 Oct 2021 Slugs of Maryland: Biodiversity and Biology
13 Oct 2021 The Mysteries of Painted Turtle Stripe and Spot Color
13 Oct 2021 DIY Shark Tooth Necklace
13 Oct 2021 National Fossil Day - Free fossils! Fossil experts & Fossil Fun
10 Oct 2021 Fossil hunt & Geology Field Trip on the beach at Scientists Cliffs #2 (adults only)
09 Oct 2021 Floating Field Trip Exploring the Archaeology of the Patuxent River
07 Oct 2021 20,000 Species and Counting: The Maryland Biodiversity Project
03 Oct 2021 Wild Edible Field Trip: Foraging for Early Fall Plants
26 Sep 2021 Swift Night Out
25 Sep 2021 Banneker Fall BioBlitz: Reptiles, Amphibians and much more
23 Sep 2021 Rocking Rodentia
22 Sep 2021 Moth Friendly Moon Gardens with Maryland Natives
19 Sep 2021 Wild Edible Field Trip: Foraging for Early Fall Plants
18 Sep 2021 Lights Out Baltimore: Community Science Saturday
16 Sep 2021 Rock On Maryland: Celebrate National Collect Rocks Day with Martin Schmidt
15 Sep 2021 A Story of Everyday Life in a Maryland Irish Immigrant Laboring Town
12 Sep 2021 Fossil hunt & Geology Field Trip on the beach at Scientists Cliffs (adults only)
11 Sep 2021 Field Trip: Looking for Fossils at Stratford Cliffs
09 Sep 2021 Ecology and Economics of Oysters and the Chesapeake Bay
08 Sep 2021 Protecting your Right to Possess and Breed Reptiles and Amphibians
02 Sep 2021 Chimney Swifts as Neighbors not Nuisance
01 Sep 2021 Taung: The Nexus of African Palaeoanthropology
28 Aug 2021 Archaeological Artifact Cleaning and Cataloging
26 Aug 2021 Nature's Odd Couple: Spotted Salamanders and Algae
25 Aug 2021 Photographing Butterflies and Moths: Tips and Tricks
19 Aug 2021 The Rise, Fall and Potential Recovery of the American Chestnut Tree
18 Aug 2021 The Caulker's Houses: African American and White Working Class Folk of 19th Century Fell's Point, Baltimore
15 Aug 2021 Virtual Shark Fest
15 Aug 2021 Shark Fest 2021
12 Aug 2021 Invasion Ecology and Community Science
08 Aug 2021 NHSM Book Club - The Monster Shark’s Tooth: Canoeing from the Chesapeake Bay into the Ancient Miocene Sea
07 Aug 2021 Field Trip: Looking for Fossils at Stratford Cliffs
05 Aug 2021 Corals, Fish, and Energy in Maryland – What’s the connection?
04 Aug 2021 Plant Evolution Through Geological Time
01 Aug 2021 Trekking through Taxonomy: 2021 Nature Scavenger Hunt
29 Jul 2021 Maryland's Law Library is for the Birds! Thurgood Marshall State Law Library's Audubon Collection
28 Jul 2021 Ladew Butterfly House NHSM Lep Club Private Tour and Picnic
24 Jul 2021 NEW DATE Moth Night Field Trip #2
24 Jul 2021 Field Trip: Looking for Fossils at Stratford Cliffs
22 Jul 2021 Bio-Plastics: Sculptural Experimentation
21 Jul 2021 Caring for Red-eared Sliders and Snake Sitting: NHSM Herp Club Hybrid Meeting
17 Jul 2021 CANCELLED DUE TO WEATHER Moth Night Field Trip #2
17 Jul 2021 Nature Book Sale - General Public Day
16 Jul 2021 Nature Book Sale - Members Only Night
15 Jul 2021 Weasels to Wolverines – Meet the Mustelids
14 Jul 2021 British Clay Tobacco Pipes found in the Chesapeake Bay Region
10 Jul 2021 Moth Night Field Trip #1
10 Jul 2021 Purple Martin Landlords Needed - Community Science Saturday
08 Jul 2021 Baltimore Rocks: Playing Golf on the Earth's Crust
07 Jul 2021 Travelling Deep Time Along Country Roads: The Devonian in West Virginia
27 Jun 2021 Field Trip: Looking for Fossils at Stratford Cliffs
26 Jun 2021 Banneker BioBlitz: Herps
24 Jun 2021 The Role of Connection to Nature on Psychological Well-Being and Resiliency
23 Jun 2021 The Maryland Fluted Point Survey: New Insights on the Paleoindian Occupation of Maryland (13,000 to 10,000 ybp)
16 Jun 2021 New Annual Butterfly Count for Maryland – Volunteers Needed
12 Jun 2021 Watching Fireflies for Fun and Conservation: Community Science Saturday
11 Jun 2021 The Natural History Society of Maryland Presents Charming Disaster's Quarantine Livestream
10 Jun 2021 Hiding in Plain Sight, Saw-whet Owls in Maryland
09 Jun 2021 Banneker BioBlitz Orientation: NHSM Herp Club June Meeting
03 Jun 2021 Edible and Non-Edible Fungi
02 Jun 2021 Maryland's Fossil Sharks: What tales do shark teeth tell?
27 May 2021 Hypervelocity Impact Cratering on Earth
26 May 2021 Extirpated and Endangered Butterflies of Maryland
23 May 2021 World Turtle Day: In-Person Turtle Encounters
22 May 2021 Project Budburst: Community Science Saturday
21 May 2021 Lunchtime Nature-themed Guided Meditation (online)
20 May 2021 Bats of Baltimore
19 May 2021 Songs and Stories of the Susquehanna River
12 May 2021 Fungal Pathogens Impacts on Amphibian Biodiversity
08 May 2021 Field Trip: Looking for Fossils at Stratford Cliffs
06 May 2021 Ancient Forests Live: Microscopic Anatomy and the Identification of Wood and Charcoal
05 May 2021 Triceratops – The Frill of It All
03 May 2021 Meteorological Mondays: Weather, You Like It
29 Apr 2021 Arboretums of Maryland
28 Apr 2021 Spirit Photography Fact or Fraud?
22 Apr 2021 Spend Earth Day with Rachel Carson
21 Apr 2021 iNaturalist Primer: Connect with Nature
16 Apr 2021 Vernal Pool Night Walk #2 at Gunpowder (HERP CLUB MEMBERS ONLY)
15 Apr 2021 "Born" to Float Alone: The Natural History of Plankton
14 Apr 2021 Herping the Trans-Pecos Region of Texas
10 Apr 2021 Chesapeake Bay SAV Watchers: Community Science Saturday April
10 Apr 2021 Field Trip: Looking for Fossils at Stratford Cliffs
08 Apr 2021 Nutria Eradication in Maryland: How Dogs Saved the Bay
07 Apr 2021 More than Teeth: Megalodon's Morphology and Ecology
03 Apr 2021 Vernal Pool Walk at Benjamin Banneker Historical Park and Museum (MEMBERS ONLY)
02 Apr 2021 Vernal Pool Night Walk #1 at Gunpowder (HERP CLUB MEMBERS ONLY)
02 Apr 2021 Founders’ Day Celebration: NHSM Contributions to Maryland Archaeology
01 Apr 2021 Exploding Stars and You: An Elemental Origin Story
25 Mar 2021 The Dutch Gap Canal: Where Paleobotany Meets Civil War History
25 Mar 2021 Select Lepidoptera from Vietnam: NHSM Lep Club March Mtg.
24 Mar 2021 Excavating the Susquehannocks
18 Mar 2021 Bonds of Honeydew: Understanding the relationship between Acropyga ants and mealybugs
14 Mar 2021 Sharing, Caring, and Thievery: Arachnid Behavior and Interactions
11 Mar 2021 The Wild Turkey in Maryland: History, Biology, and Management
10 Mar 2021 Vernal Pool Primer and Member Show-n-Tell
10 Mar 2021 Meet -N- Greet: NHSM Archaeology Club
06 Mar 2021 Monarch Butterfly Community Science Project Sampler
04 Mar 2021 Milking An Aardvark? Learn About the World’s Largest Exotic Milk Repository
03 Mar 2021 Meet the Denisovans, Enigmatic Archaic Cousins to the Neanderthals
25 Feb 2021 Dolphins of the Chesapeake Bay
25 Feb 2021 Wintering Tips, Tricks, and Practices for Spring Butterflies: NHSM Lep Club Feb. Mtg.
18 Feb 2021 Native Orchid Ecology and Conservation
17 Feb 2021 Research, Conservation and Curation at the Maryland Archaeological Conservation Laboratory
16 Feb 2021 Meet Naturalist Aldo Leopold
11 Feb 2021 Return of the Cicadas in 2021: A Teenage Love Story
10 Feb 2021 Salamanders to Rattlesnakes: Herpetology Footwear Innovation—and the Design Behind It
06 Feb 2021 Winter Salt Watch
04 Feb 2021 Overlooked Life History: Butterfly and moth overwintering ecology
03 Feb 2021 Fossil Show and Tell
28 Jan 2021 Insect Potpourri Night
28 Jan 2021 Good Fences Make Good Neighbors: How a University and a Town Came Together to Protect an Endangered Turtle
27 Jan 2021 Three Families, Four Centuries: Archaeological Evidence of Ecosystem Alterations
24 Jan 2021 Fossil Club Trip: Collecting Fossils at Chesapeake Ranch Estates
21 Jan 2021 So Much More Than Ribbit: Frog Calls of Maryland
16 Jan 2021 Every Drop Counts, The Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow Network
14 Jan 2021 Snow Crystal Photomicrography 101
10 Jan 2021 Fossil Club Trip: Collecting Fossils at Chesapeake Ranch Estates
07 Jan 2021 The Beauty & Magic of Microscopic Minerals
06 Jan 2021 From Caves to Canyons, Searching for Ancient Sharks in Our National Parks:
21 Dec 2020 Lichens and the Lichenologists Who Love Them – 2nd Date Added
17 Dec 2020 Lichens and the Lichenologists Who Love Them
14 Dec 2020 What's This Plant
12 Dec 2020 The Christmas Bird Count: Overview and Invitation
10 Dec 2020 The Language of Soils, the Poetry of Life
05 Dec 2020 Maryland Bald Eagle Nest Monitoring Program Workshop
04 Dec 2020 Love Bugs Watch Party and Behind the Scenes Tour of NHSM’s Entomology Collections
02 Dec 2020 Taking A Bite Out of Shark Teeth
28 Nov 2020 Moss Workshop
23 Nov 2020 What's This Plant?
23 Nov 2020 Edible Insects: An Introduction to Entomophagy
22 Nov 2020 Fossil Club Trip to the Devonian Mahantango Formation
19 Nov 2020 Terrapin Tales with Scott Smith
15 Nov 2020 Fossil Club Field Trip to Douglas Point in Purse State Park
13 Nov 2020 NHSM Archaeology Club Open November Mtg.: Glen Ellen Castle
12 Nov 2020 “Tails” of Hello and Good-bye: Extirpated and Introduced Mammals of Maryland.
09 Nov 2020 What's This Plant?
08 Nov 2020 Animal Origami, A Personal Paper Menagerie
06 Nov 2020 Field Trip: Looking for Fossils at Stratford Cliffs
05 Nov 2020 The Big Small World of Honey Bees
04 Nov 2020 Dino Tracks and the MAGLEV NHSM Fossil Club Nov. Mtg
31 Oct 2020 Moss Workshop
30 Oct 2020 Natural History Scares and Tales for Halloween
29 Oct 2020 The Science of Spider Webs: Silk biology from DNA to fiber
27 Oct 2020 Playing Mind Games: How microbes make zombies of their insect hosts
26 Oct 2020 What's This Plant?
24 Oct 2020 Wildlife Drawing Workshop
22 Oct 2020 Unlocking the Mysteries and Marvels of Bird Migration
19 Oct 2020 Enslaved Families of Eutaw Farm in Baltimore: NHSM Archaeology Club Open Mtg. October
18 Oct 2020 Guided Susquehanna Petroglyph Canoe Trip
15 Oct 2020 Fern Ecology and ID
12 Oct 2020 What's This Plant?
10 Oct 2020 PG County Urban Stream Fossil Hunt (Fossil Club Members Only)
08 Oct 2020 Minds in the Gutter: Urban Leaf Litter and Stream Health
07 Oct 2020 NHSM Fossil Club Mtg: Sharkfest and Trip Planning
01 Oct 2020 Clubapalooza - Intro. to NHSM Clubs
28 Sep 2020 What's This Plant?
26 Sep 2020 Moss Workshop
20 Sep 2020 Field Trip: Looking for Fossils at Stratford Cliffs
19 Sep 2020 Wild Edible Field Trip: Foraging for Early Fall Plants
17 Sep 2020 Intro to Maryland Fossils and Fossil Hunting
15 Sep 2020 Bird Banding Demonstration
12 Sep 2020 Field Trip: Looking for Fossils at Stratford Cliffs
10 Sep 2020 Projectile Points: Pocket-Sized Pieces of the Past
05 Sep 2020 NHSM Fall Book Club: Snorkeling Rivers and Streams: An Aquatic Guide to Underwater Discovery and Adventure
02 Sep 2020 Open Fossil Club: Megalodon Evolution
27 Aug 2020 Just “Wingin” It – A Feather Q + A
24 Aug 2020 CANCELLED: What’s This Plant?
20 Aug 2020 The Science of Poop
18 Aug 2020 Who's Singing In Your Backyard? A Guide to the 2020 Cricket Crawl
13 Aug 2020 What “Shell” We Learn Tonight? – A Sea Shell Q + A
10 Aug 2020 CANCELLED: What’s This Plant?
06 Aug 2020 Reptile Husbandry Basics and Common Pitfalls
01 Aug 2020 Photo Safari Scavenger Hunt
30 Jul 2020 Science You Can Eat: Blue Crabs
27 Jul 2020 CANCELLED: What’s This Plant?
25 Jul 2020 CANCELLED: Moss Workshop
23 Jul 2020 An Overview of Maryland Geology with Martin Schmidt
21 Jul 2020 CANCELLED: Bird Banding Demonstration
13 Jul 2020 CANCELLED: What’s This Plant?
27 Jun 2020 CANCELLED: Moss Workshop
22 Jun 2020 CANCELLED: What’s This Plant?
22 Jun 2020 Natural History Museum Escape Room
18 Jun 2020 CANCELLED: RIVER SNORKELING ADVENTURES-MEMBER ONLY EVENT
16 Jun 2020 Bird Banding Demonstration
08 Jun 2020 What's This Plant?
30 May 2020 Moss Workshop
25 May 2020 What's This Plant?
19 May 2020 CANCELLED Bird Banding Demonstration
17 May 2020 Spring Herp Hike
16 May 2020 CANCELLED Rat Taxidermy Class
11 May 2020 What's This Plant?
07 May 2020 CANCELLED Fossils 101
02 May 2020 CANCELLED Rock Swap 2020
27 Apr 2020 PENDING What’s This Plant?
25 Apr 2020 PENDING Moss Workshop
21 Apr 2020 CANCELLED Bird Banding Demonstration
16 Apr 2020 CANCELLED Insects in the Food System-Member Only Night
13 Apr 2020 PENDING What’s This Plant?
05 Apr 2020 CANCELLED Swamp, Snakes, and Frogs
04 Apr 2020 CANCELLED Stargazing in Sparks!
29 Mar 2020 CANCELLED: NATURE CONNECTIONS: Outside Your Window
28 Mar 2020 CANCELLED Moss Workshop
23 Mar 2020 CANCELLED What’s This Plant?
20 Mar 2020 CANCELLED Vernal Pool Night Walk #2
19 Mar 2020 CANCELLED Paleozoic Sharks across the United States-Member Only Night
09 Mar 2020 What's This Plant?
06 Mar 2020 Vernal Pool Night Walk #1
06 Mar 2020 Documenting Maryland’s Historic Cemeteries
05 Mar 2020 Herp Club Meeting
04 Mar 2020 Fossil Club Meeting
29 Feb 2020 PYSANKY: Ukrainian Egg Decorating Workshop
29 Feb 2020 Moss Workshop
28 Feb 2020 Looking at the Moon, Venus, and Beyond: Maryland Space Grant Consortium Observatory
24 Feb 2020 What's This Plant?
23 Feb 2020 NATURE CONNECTIONS: Iron
22 Feb 2020 Looking for Bald Eagles in Loch Raven Reservoir
20 Feb 2020 Tree-Ring Dating and Historic Structures: A Look at the Science of Dendrochronology-Member Only Night
19 Feb 2020 Volunteer Informational Gathering -Come Volunteer With Us!
15 Feb 2020 Starting Native Seeds
10 Feb 2020 What's This Plant?
09 Feb 2020 CANCELLED: Fruit Tree Pruning at Great Kids Farm with the Baltimore Orchard Project!
08 Feb 2020 Glen Ellen Castle Artifacts
06 Feb 2020 Herp Club Meeting
05 Feb 2020 Fossil Club Meeting
02 Feb 2020 Entomology 101
01 Feb 2020 Winter Tree Identification: A Short Walk in Druid Hill Park
01 Feb 2020 CANCELLED The Microcosmos: Protists, Algae, Slime Molds and Tardigrades
27 Jan 2020 What's This Plant?
26 Jan 2020 NATURE CONNECTIONS: Skulls and Teeth
25 Jan 2020 Moss Workshop
13 Jan 2020 What's This Plant?
09 Jan 2020 Members Only Night - Feathers!
08 Jan 2020 Fossil Club Meeting
28 Dec 2019 Moss Workshop
23 Dec 2019 What's This Plant?
17 Dec 2019 What was the Star of Bethlehem? The Astronomy of Biblical Times
15 Dec 2019 NATURE CONNECTION: Holiday Nature Crafts and Hot Chocolate!
09 Dec 2019 What's This Plant?
07 Dec 2019 Field Trip: Winter Tree Identification with TreeBaltimore
07 Dec 2019 The Kingdom Fungi
05 Dec 2019 Herp Club Meeting – Holiday Party Show and Tell
04 Dec 2019 Fossil Club Meeting
30 Nov 2019 Moss Workshop
25 Nov 2019 What's This Plant?
24 Nov 2019 CANCELLED: Big Game Record Keeping: Past, Present and Future
24 Nov 2019 Field Trip: Archaeology Club's First Excavation
17 Nov 2019 NATURE CONNECTIONS: Trees
16 Nov 2019 Field Trip: Chesapeake Gold: Ecology of the Eastern Oyster
16 Nov 2019 Bird Study Merit Badge Class
11 Nov 2019 What's This Plant?
10 Nov 2019 Field Trip: Looking for Fossils at Stratford Cliffs
07 Nov 2019 NHSM Herp Club November Meeting
07 Nov 2019 Exploring Animal Behavior A 3-Part Series with Jane Marlow
28 Oct 2019 What's This Plant?
27 Oct 2019 Canceled:NATURE CONNECTIONS: Slime
26 Oct 2019 Moss Workshop
24 Oct 2019 NHSM Lep Club October Meeting End of year celebration
19 Oct 2019 CANCELLED: DIY Dissect it Yourself – Chicken Feet and Wings
19 Oct 2019 Archaeology Club Field Trip: Antietam National Battlefield
19 Oct 2019 Field Trip: Bird Walk at Sandy Point State Park with Pete Givan
18 Oct 2019 The Love Bugs – Maryland Premiere Screening
17 Oct 2019 Teachers' Night Out at the Museum
15 Oct 2019 Introduction to Astronomy
14 Oct 2019 What's This Plant?
09 Oct 2019 CANCELLED: Wee Naturalists October: Bats
05 Oct 2019 Wild Edible Field Trip: Foraging for Fall Mushrooms
03 Oct 2019 Monthly Herp Club Meeting October Show and Tell
02 Oct 2019 NHSM Fossil Club October Meeting
29 Sep 2019 CANCELLED: Draw With Horses
28 Sep 2019 Moss Workshop - New Location
28 Sep 2019 Field Trip: Looking for Fossils at Stratford Cliffs
28 Sep 2019 Field Trip: Looking for Fossils at Stratford Cliffs
28 Sep 2019 Herp Hunt Field Trip
23 Sep 2019 What's This Plant?
21 Sep 2019 CANCELLED Owl Pellets DIY Dissect it Yourself Family Lab
19 Sep 2019 The History, Legend, and Science of Psychedelic Mushrooms
14 Sep 2019 Shellebrate Shells: Family Science Workshop
13 Sep 2019 Wine, Feasting, and Frescoes: An Update on the Recent Findings at the Canaanite Palace of Tel Kabri
11 Sep 2019 Wee Naturalists September: Shells
07 Sep 2019 Wild Edible Field Trip: Foraging for Early Fall Plants
05 Sep 2019 Monthly Herp Club Meeting Medusa's Misfits
26 Aug 2019 What's this plant?
25 Aug 2019 CANCELLED: Canoe Trip (afternoon paddle): Watersheds Explained
17 Aug 2019 Field Trip: Looking for Fossils at Stratford Cliffs
17 Aug 2019 Field Trip: Bird Walk at Jug Bay Wetlands Sanctuary with Pete Givan
12 Aug 2019 What's this plant?
11 Aug 2019 NATURE CONNECTIONS: Soil Smarts
10 Aug 2019 CANCELLED: Canoe Trip (afternoon paddle): Conservation on the Creek
10 Aug 2019 Canoe Trip (morning paddle): Conservation on the Creek
07 Aug 2019 August Fossil Club Meeting: Presentation by David Bohaska on the Fossils of Calvert Cliffs
03 Aug 2019 Wild Edible Field Trip: Summer Plants
03 Aug 2019 Put a Pin In It: Insect Collecting Short Course
01 Aug 2019 August Herp Club Meeting -Endangered Salamanders
31 Jul 2019 Life on the Seafloor
28 Jul 2019 NATURE CONNECTIONS: Wings and Things
28 Jul 2019 Field Trip: Draw with Horses
27 Jul 2019 Moss Workshop
27 Jul 2019 Field Trip: Looking for Fossils at Stratford Cliffs
22 Jul 2019 What's this plant?
21 Jul 2019 Sharkfest 2019
20 Jul 2019 CANCELLED - Field Trip: Bird Walk at Piney Run Park with Pete Givan
17 Jul 2019 Bees of Maryland
13 Jul 2019 CANCELLED - Field Trip: Explore Maryland’s Coastal Bays – A Restoration Tour
08 Jul 2019 What's this plant?
06 Jul 2019 Wild Edible Field Trip: Chanterelles and Other Plants
06 Jul 2019 Birds in the Neighborhood: Free Guided Bird Walks
29 Jun 2019 Moss Workshop
29 Jun 2019 Field Trip: Looking for Fossils at Stratford Cliffs
29 Jun 2019 CANCELLED - Field Trip: Chesapeake Gold: Ecology of the Eastern Oyster
24 Jun 2019 What's this plant?
23 Jun 2019 Nature Connections: Wild Edibles
23 Jun 2019 CANCELLED - Urbanization in the 1900's Stream Ecology with Dr. Ken Belt: Aquatic Insects Workshop and Field Trip
22 Jun 2019 Urbanization in the 1800's Stream Ecology with Dr. Ken Belt: Aquatic Insects Workshop and Field Trip
22 Jun 2019 Overlea Farmer's Market open house
15 Jun 2019 Field Trip: Peregrine Falcons of Baltimore
11 Jun 2019 Bird Study Skin Preparation Demo
10 Jun 2019 What's this plant?
08 Jun 2019 Open House Saturdays
05 Jun 2019 Fossil Club Meeting
02 Jun 2019 Guided Hike: Exploring the Ruins of the Northampton Iron Furnace
01 Jun 2019 Wild Edible Field Trip: Late Spring Plants
30 May 2019 Monthly Lep Club Meeting
29 May 2019 A History of Our Most Precious Resource: Watershed Ecology in the Anthropocene
27 May 2019 What's this plant?
26 May 2019 NATURE CONNECTIONS: Streams
25 May 2019 Moss Workshop
21 May 2019 Forensic Entomology: Insects as Silent Witnesses
13 May 2019 What's this plant?
11 May 2019 2019 Annual Victorian Gala
04 May 2019 DIY Dissect it Yourself Family Workshop – FISH
04 May 2019 Wild Edible Field Trip: Morels
01 May 2019 Fossil Club Meeting
28 Apr 2019 NATURE CONNECTIONS: Bird Friendly Communities
27 Apr 2019 Maryland Entomological Society (MES) April 2019 Meeting
27 Apr 2019 Maryland Amphibian and Reptile Atlas Book Launch
27 Apr 2019 Moss Workshop
27 Apr 2019 CANCELLED - Baltimore City Nature Challenge: Bioblitz at Herring Run Park
25 Apr 2019 Baltimore City Nature Challenge: Learn to use iNaturalist
22 Apr 2019 What's this plant?
20 Apr 2019 FIELD TRIP IS FULL - Peregrine Falcons of Baltimore
16 Apr 2019 Bird Banding Demonstrations - Monthly (April-Oct)
14 Apr 2019 NATURE CONNECTIONS: Amphibian Day!
13 Apr 2019 FIELD TRIP IS FULL - Behind the Scenes Tour of the Calvert Marine Museum
12 Apr 2019 FIELD TRIP IS FULL - Vernal Pool Night Walk
10 Apr 2019 What the Cluck? Chickens from Jungle Bird to Backyard Pet
08 Apr 2019 What's this plant?
07 Apr 2019 FIELD TRIP FULL - National Beaver Day at Boordy Vineyards
06 Apr 2019 DIY Dissect it Yourself Oyster and Squid Family Workshop
06 Apr 2019 FIELD TRIP IS FULL - Spotted Salamander Reproduction in Ephemeral Ponds
05 Apr 2019 FIELD TRIP FULL - Vernal Pool Night Walk
03 Apr 2019 Fossil Club Meeting
31 Mar 2019 FIELD TRIP FULL - Beginner's Bird Walk at Lake Roland
30 Mar 2019 Moss Workshop
30 Mar 2019 Field Trip: Looking for Fossils at Stratford Cliffs
29 Mar 2019 FIELD TRIP IS FULL - Vernal Pool Night Walk
25 Mar 2019 What's this plant?
24 Mar 2019 NATURE CONNECTIONS: Primitive Technology
22 Mar 2019 CANCELLED - Vernal Pool Night Walk
19 Mar 2019 PENDING Digging Into The Chemistry of Sand
16 Mar 2019 Bird Walk at Fort Smallwood with Pete Givan
15 Mar 2019 Maryland Entomological Society (MES) March 2019 Meeting
15 Mar 2019 Vernal Pool Night Walk
15 Mar 2019 Archeology Society of Maryland (ASM) Central Chapter March Meeting
14 Mar 2019 Snakes of Maryland - The Essssssssentials
11 Mar 2019 What's this plant?
10 Mar 2019 NATURE CONNECTIONS: The Magical World of Microminerals
08 Mar 2019 CANCELLED - Vernal Pool Night Walk
07 Mar 2019 Monthly Herp Club Meeting
06 Mar 2019 Fossil Club Meeting - March Natural Glass: Impacts from Space, Volcanoes and Lightening
03 Mar 2019 Nature Connections: A Snow Show
03 Mar 2019 CANCELLED - Beginner's Bird Walk at Lake Roland
25 Feb 2019 What's this plant?
24 Feb 2019 NATURE CONNECTIONS: Bears!
23 Feb 2019 Moss Workshop
21 Feb 2019 The Man Who Stole the Past: The Yinger Assault on the Hughes Site
15 Feb 2019 Maryland Entomological Society (MES) February 2019 Meeting
11 Feb 2019 CANCELLED due to weather -- What's this plant?
09 Feb 2019 Looking for Bald Eagles in Loch Raven Reservoir
07 Feb 2019 Monthly Herp Club Meeting
06 Feb 2019 February Fossil Club Meeting
03 Feb 2019 CANCELLED - Field Trip: Looking for Fossils at Stratford Cliffs
02 Feb 2019 Interactive Lecture: May the Quartz Be With You
28 Jan 2019 What's this plant?
27 Jan 2019 NATURE CONNECTIONS: Skulls and Skeletons
26 Jan 2019 Moss Workshop
24 Jan 2019 Bees, Bats, and Snakes, Oh My! With Kerry Wixted
19 Jan 2019 CANCELLED - Field Trip: Looking for Fossils at Stratford Cliffs
18 Jan 2019 Archeology Society of Maryland (ASM) Central Chapter January Meeting
14 Jan 2019 What's this plant?
13 Jan 2019 CANCELLED!!!!!!! NATURE CONNECTIONS: A SNOW SHOW
12 Jan 2019 Field Trip with Nick Spero: Looking for Bald Eagles in Loch Raven Reservoir
02 Jan 2019 January Fossil Club Meeting
29 Dec 2018 Moss Workshop
14 Dec 2018 Lecture: The Eastern Rat, the east coast's rainbow ratsnake
09 Dec 2018 NATURE CONNECTION: Holiday Nature Crafts and Hot Chocolate!
08 Dec 2018 Reading the Woods at Jug Bay Wetlands Sanctuary
06 Dec 2018 NHSM Herp Club December Meeting
05 Dec 2018 December Fossil Club Meeting
01 Dec 2018 Learn With Jane: Have You Thanked a Spider Lately?
24 Nov 2018 Moss Workshop
20 Nov 2018 CANCELLED - Bees, Bats, and Snakes, Oh My! With Kerry Wixted
18 Nov 2018 NATURE CONNECTION: Beetlemania
17 Nov 2018 Archeology Society of Maryland (ASM) Central Chapter November Meeting
17 Nov 2018 Field Trip: Looking for Fossils at Stratford Cliffs
16 Nov 2018 Maryland Entomological Society (MES) November 2018 Meeting
08 Nov 2018 Connection to Nature, Psychological Well-Being, and Spirituality
07 Nov 2018 Fossil Club Lecture by Dr. Ralph Eshelman on Fossils of Alaska
27 Oct 2018 Moss Workshop
25 Oct 2018 Baltimore Bat Lecture with Ela-Sita Carpenter
24 Oct 2018 Second October Fossil Club Meeting - Lecture by Dr. Thomas Holz on Theropod Dinosaurs
20 Oct 2018 Tour Wolf Sanctuary of PA with Dr. Steve Sheffield
11 Oct 2018 Mosses for Beginners
03 Oct 2018 Fossil Club Lecture by Dr. Bretton Kent on ‘The Rise & Fall of the Neogene Giant Sharks’
30 Sep 2018 Fossil Collecting With the Natural History Society of Maryland: DAY TWO
29 Sep 2018 Moss Workshop
29 Sep 2018 Fossil Collecting With the Natural History Society of Maryland: DAY ONE
22 Sep 2018 Hawk Count with Jim Meyers
16 Sep 2018 Wild Edible Field Trip with Nick Spero at Gunpowder Falls State Park
15 Sep 2018 Monarch Tagging and Release Demonstration
05 Sep 2018 Fossil Club Lecture by Dr. Peter Kranz on Dinosaurs of the District of Columbia
30 Aug 2018 September Herp Club Meeting
26 Aug 2018 NATURE CONNECTION: Migration and Bird Conservation
19 Aug 2018 Wild Edible Field Trip with Nick Spero at Herring Run Park
18 Aug 2018 Guided Trip: Looking for Fossils at Stratford Cliffs
18 Aug 2018 Guided Susquehanna Petroglyph Canoe Trip
12 Aug 2018 NATURE CONNECTIONS: Herp Day at NHSM
29 Jul 2018 NATURE CONNECTIONS: Shark Fest at NHSM
28 Jul 2018 Moss Workshop
28 Jul 2018 Wild Edible Field Trip with Nick Spero at Gunpowder Falls
22 Jul 2018 Guided Susquehanna Petroglyph Canoe Trip
15 Jul 2018 NATURE CONNECTIONS: Butterflies of the world AND your backyard!
30 Jun 2018 Moss Workshop
30 Jun 2018 Wild Edible Field Trip with Nick Spero
17 Jun 2018 Guided Trip: Looking for Fossils at Stratford Cliffs
10 Jun 2018 Nature Connections: Preparing Wild Edibles
06 Jun 2018 June 6 Fossil Club Meeting
31 May 2018 May Lep Club Meeting
26 May 2018 Moss Workshop
02 May 2018 Fossil Club Lecture by Paleontologist Dr. Stephen Godfrey on the Megalodon Shark
29 Apr 2018 Guided Canoe Trip on the Gunpowder, Hammerman Area
28 Apr 2018 Guided Trip: Fossil Hunting at Stratford Cliffs
28 Apr 2018 Moss Workshop
22 Apr 2018 Guided Wild Edible Hike: Looking for Morels
21 Apr 2018 Vernal Pool Walk - Saturday, April 21 at 7:30PM
21 Apr 2018 NEW DATE – Guided Hike: Exploring the Ruins of the Northampton Iron Furnace
14 Apr 2018 Night Walk to a Vernal Pool
08 Apr 2018 Nature Connections: Primitive Technologies
07 Apr 2018 Guided Hike: Exploring the Ruins of the Northampton Iron Furnace
05 Apr 2018 Understanding Weather and Climate - 6 Session Course with Martin Schmidt
31 Mar 2018 Moss Workshop
30 Mar 2018 Night Walk to a Vernal Pool - Friday March 30
25 Mar 2018 Nature Connections: Creatures of Vernal Pools
23 Mar 2018 Night Walk to a Vernal Pool - Friday March 23
17 Mar 2018 Night Walk to a Vernal Pool - Saturday March 17
14 Mar 2018 Archaeology for Everybody: 6 Session Course with Lisa Kraus and Jason Shellenhamer
09 Mar 2018 Night Walk to a Vernal Pool - Friday March 9
03 Mar 2018 Guided Hike: Looking for Beavers in Herring Run Park
25 Feb 2018 Nature Connections: Skulls and Teeth
24 Feb 2018 Moss Workshop
21 Feb 2018 Interactive Lecture: May the Quartz Be With You
18 Feb 2018 Nature Songs with Stina: Wetlands, and Meadows, and Forests, Oh My!
18 Feb 2018 RESCHEDULED - Guided Hike: Looking for Bald Eagles in Loch Raven Reservoir
28 Jan 2018 Archaeological Society of MD - Unearthed Stories of the Lincoln Assassination
26 Jan 2018 Nature Connections: Preparing Wild Edibles
10 Jan 2018 Science Cafe with Alex Jansen: The Use of Coastal Archaeology to Aid in Today’s Oyster Restoration in the Chesapeake Bay
30 Dec 2017 Moss Workshop
25 Nov 2017 Moss Workshop
12 Nov 2017 Nature Connections: Migrations -- Birds, Butterflies, and Buteos
08 Nov 2017 Recovering from Deer Damage: What is Most Important to You? Lecture with Eugene Meyer
05 Nov 2017 Nature Connections: Pesky Critters
05 Nov 2017 Wild Edible Field Trip with Nick Spero
21 Oct 2017 Baltimore Bats Walk with Ela-Sita Carpenter
18 Oct 2017 Baltimore Bats Lecture with Ela-Sita Carpenter
11 Oct 2017 National Fossil Day with Paleontologist Dr. Stephen J. Godfrey
24 Sep 2017 Wild Edible Walk with Nick Spero in Herring Run Park
10 Sep 2017 What’s all the buzzzzzz at the Natural History Society?
27 Aug 2017 Wild Edible Field Trip with Nick Spero
10 Aug 2017 Elmer Kreisel: Past and Present Solar Eclipses
06 Aug 2017 Wild Edible Field Trip with Nick Spero
29 Jul 2017 Moss Workshop
22 Jul 2017 July 22 Lep Club Campout at Green Ridge State Forest
08 Jul 2017 Wild Edible Field Trip with Nick Spero
25 Jun 2017 Nature Connections: Life of the Chesapeake Bay
24 Jun 2017 June 24 Lep Club campout at Green Ridge State Forest
24 Jun 2017 Moss Workshop
17 Jun 2017 NHSM Lep Club: Moths and Creatures of the Night
17 Jun 2017 Maryland Entomological Society Field Trip
16 Jun 2017 Central Chapter of the Archaeological Society of Maryland, Inc. June Meeting
11 Jun 2017 Nature Connections: Preparing Wild Edibles
27 May 2017 Moss Workshop
25 Mar 2017 Moss Workshop
22 Mar 2017 Botany for Beginners - with Vanessa Beauchamp - Six Sessions – $144.00 (USD)
27 Feb 2017 Maryland Mammals - with Kerry Wixted - Five Sessions
25 Feb 2017 Moss Workshop
28 Jan 2017 Moss Workshop
31 Dec 2016 Moss Workshop
26 Nov 2016 Moss Workshop
06 Nov 2016 Fossil Trip: Stratford Cliffs, with John Nance
29 Oct 2016 Moss Workshop
16 Oct 2016 Fossil Trip: Scientists Cliffs, with John Nance
13 Oct 2016 October 13 Mushroom Walk
04 Oct 2016 Maryland's Geology - with Martin Schmidt - Six Sessions
24 Sep 2016 Moss Workshop
21 Sep 2016 WILD PLANT WORKSHOP SERIES: demonstrations for using wild plants for a variety of techniques and applications
20 Sep 2016 volunteer night
27 Aug 2016 Moss Workshop
20 Aug 2016 Wild Edible Field Trip with Nick Spero
17 Aug 2016 Wild Edible Field Trip with Nick Spero
30 Jul 2016 Moss Workshop
17 Jul 2016 Wild Edible Field Trip with Nick Spero
13 Jul 2016 Wild Edible Field Trip with Nick Spero
22 Jun 2016 Wild Edible Field Trip with Nick Spero
18 Jun 2016 Wild Edible Field Trip with Nick Spero
28 May 2016 Moss Workshop
21 May 2016 Spring Bird Walk - Cromwell Valley Park
30 Apr 2016 Moss Workshop
26 Mar 2016 Moss Workshop
20 Mar 2016 A Celebration of Song with Wil Hershberger
27 Feb 2016 Moss Workshop
20 Feb 2016 William Hamilton Gibson: Naturalist, Artist, Author
17 Feb 2016 May the Quartz Be With You
30 Jan 2016 Moss Workshop
16 Jan 2016 History of Life Through Fossils
26 Dec 2015 Moss Workshop
28 Nov 2015 Moss Workshop
24 Oct 2015 Moss Workshop
17 Oct 2015 Basic Botanical Drawing with Mary Ellen Carsley
14 Oct 2015 History of Life Through Fossils
10 Oct 2015 Listening for Bats with Shannon Pederson
28 Sep 2015 What’s this plant?
28 Sep 2015 (copy) What’s this plant?
26 Sep 2015 Maryland Fish – In the River with Stan Kemp
26 Sep 2015 Moss Workshop
14 Sep 2015 What’s this plant?
29 Aug 2015 Moss Workshop
24 Aug 2015 What's this plant?
10 Aug 2015 What's this plant?
06 Aug 2015 Songs of Insects with Wil Hershberger
27 Jul 2015 What's this plant?
25 Jul 2015 Moss Workshop
30 May 2015 (copy) Dragonflies and Damselflies: Field Trip to Centennial Lake
27 Jul 2014 Dragonflies and Damselflies: Field Trip to Centennial Lake
26 Jul 2014 Sunset Canoe Trip
31 May 2014 Moss Workshop
The Natural History Society of Maryland is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation and contributions are tax-deductible.

The mission of the Natural History Society of Maryland is to foster stewardship of Maryland’s natural heritage by conserving its natural history collections, educating its citizenry, and inspiring its youth to pursue careers in the natural sciences.


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