The American Bittern is still active in the Arboretum wetland.

Photo by Kellen McCluskey.

Thursday, December 1

Join Us for This Weekend's Open House!

December is here! This weekend, we're ushering in the holiday season with a two-day open house that celebrates the outdoors, the season, and all the wonderful ways you have helped us offer exceptional experiences in nature this year.


Admission is free for all on Saturday and Sunday. The year's final First Saturday Guided Walk will depart from the Visitor's Center at 10 a.m. Saturday. The walk lasts about an hour and explores the Arboretum's diverse plant communities: bottomland forest and upland paths, majestic beech trees, native meadows, and more. Click here to register. Ghost Forest, photographer Geoff Delanoy's exhibit of hauntingly beautiful works, is on view in the gallery this weekend and through December 23.

And this weekend only, all gift shop purchases are 20% off! With our unique selection of jewelry, art, toys, books, and more, you're sure to find something for everyone on your list. We'll also have hot beverages and cookies.


Arboretum gift cards make great gifts for nature-loving friends and family, as does a gift membership that provides 365 days of nature!


Through December 10, Individual and Household gift memberships are $10 off. Gift memberships can be purchased by clicking the image at right, by emailing Kellen McCluskey at kmccluskey@adkinsarboretum.org, or by stopping by the front desk.

While you're here, take home some greenery for a beautiful Eastern Shore holiday.


A limited selection of wreaths, both decorated and undecorated, is available for sale on the Visitor's Center patio while supplies last.


We're looking forward to this weekend. We hope to see you!

Photos by Kellen McCluskey.

Craft a Custom Collage Card

There's something magical in transforming everyday items into unique and handmade works of art. On Tuesday, December 6, join Diane DuBois Mullaly's Holiday Card Collage program to create a beautiful card inspired by nature!


Under Diane's guidance, you'll use upcycled junk mail, torn and cut paper, and other supplies to create a card to send or keep. All materials are provided. Festive music, cookies, and hot beverages will help to enhance the holiday spirit. A splendid time is guaranteed for all! Click here to register.

State of the Birds and Monarch Butterflies: Bad News and Then Good News

In 2019, the journal Science published an article documenting the loss of more than 3 billion birds since 1970, bringing the plight of birds into the national conscious. The 2022 "State of the Birds" report added more statistics to the decline of birds and sounds an alarm about steep population losses in virtually all habitats. The report identifies 70 tipping point species (the report's terminology) that have lost half or more of their breeding population since 1970 and are on track to lose another half or more in the next 50 years. Some of these tipping point birds are as follows: Bobolink, Chimney Swift, Least Tern (this tern once nested on the roof at Queen Anne's County High School), Prairie Warbler, Anna's Hummingbird, and Short-billed Dowitcher. You can view the entire list here.


Now for the good news. Numbers for geese, swans, ducks, and waterbirds have increased significantly because of the Duck Stamp. In 1934, President Roosevelt signed the Migratory Bird Hunting Stamp Act to stop the destruction of wetlands vital to the survival of migratory waterfowl and created the Duck Stamp to generate revenue for the program. Since 1934, more than $1.1 billion has been raised from sales of Federal Duck Stamps, resulting in the conservation of more than 6 million acres of land. If you are over 16 years of age and hunt waterfowl, you must buy a Duck Stamp for $25, of which 98% goes directly to conservation. Many non-hunters buy them as collector's items and to aid in waterfowl conservation.

The first Duck Stamp, by Jay N. "Ding" Darling. You can view all the Duck Stamps after 1935 here.

In 1996, Monarch butterflies east of the Rocky Mountains occupied approximately 47 acres at their wintering site in the Monarch Biosphere Butterfly Reserve in Michoacán, Mexico. In December 2021, the Monarchs occupied about 7 acres (about 5 football fields), which was a 31% increase from 5.2 acres in 2020. Monarch numbers are largely driven by climatic factors and habitat availability. Weather conditions during the spring and summer of 2021 were better than they were during the previous year, resulting in better numbers in December 2021.


This year, weather conditions were not favorable for the Monarchs as they headed north in spring and returned to their wintering grounds in fall. Chip Taylor, the University of Kansas Monarch Watch founder, stated, "This is going to be a low migration, that's all we know...by a significant amount."


The staggering decline in Monarch numbers in 26 years has many different causes. The most important are loss of habitat, significant declines in milkweed (the Monarch's host plant), Round Up-ready crops, and the ethanol mandate. An examination of these factors is beyond the scope of this article.

Monarchs at their winter roost in Mexico. Photo courtesy of Naturetrek.

Now the good news. The lesser-known Monarch population west of the Rockies has made a puzzling and huge increase in numbers. Monarchs here roost in groves along the California coast. In spring, they being a migration to the east and northeast but do not cross the Rockies. They go through three or four reproductive cycles until the fall, when the last generation enters a sexual diapause (they do not breed), and they return to the California coast.


In January 2020, Monarch watchers counter fewer than 2,000 Monarchs in all the known Monarch winter roost sites. Scientists predicted the end of the western Monarch population. But in January 2021, the numbers counted increased to 250,000 Monarchs. Scientists were gobsmacked and are still sifting through data and theories to try to figure out what happened. I could find no early reports for this year's migration. Note: even though there is good news about the western Monarchs, their numbers have declined more than 99% since the late 1990s.

Map courtesy of Monarch Watch.

What can you do to help the birds and Monarchs? Very simply: plant grasses, trees, and shrubs that produce seeds and fruit for the birds on a year-round basis. For the Monarchs, plant nectar-rich flowers, especially in time for their fall migration, and milkweed. And sign up for my "Planting for the Birds" class, beginning March 7 at Adkins (registration will be available in the coming weeks).


Please contact me at wlsngang@verizon.net with any questions.


Jeobirdy Answer: According to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, this is the #1 bird at your feeders.


Jeobirdy Question: What is the Dark-eyed Junco? This bird (also called the Snowbird) migrates to our area to spend the winter. There are 15 different sub-species of the Dark-eyed Junco across the U.S.

Mark Your Calendar

Woodland Architecture Walk

Sunday, December 11


Yarning at the Arboretum

Wednesday, December 14


Climate Circle: A Community

of Purpose

Wednesday, December 21


Winter Break

Visitor's Center closed

December 24–31; grounds

open sunrise to sunset


Climate Circle

Wednesday, January 18


Exploring Colored Pencil

January 28 & 29

Click here to support the Annual Appeal

THANK YOU TO OUR CORPORATE SPONSORS