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Have you ever wanted to get outside and try birding, but don’t know where to start? Let me give you some useful tips to get started on spotting some birds!

Ask a Naturalist: Birding at Gateway Nature Preserve

Have you ever wanted to get outside and try birding, but don’t know where to start? Let me give you some useful tips to get started on spotting some birds!

 A meandering creek slows down the movement of sediments in the inner bends. The resulting creek view is beautiful, with sandy beaches that allow easy access to the water to observe creek wildlife and wade in the coolness during the summer.

Ask a Naturalist: Salem Creek Through Gateway Nature Preserve

A meandering creek slows down the movement of sediments in the inner bends. The resulting creek view is beautiful, with sandy beaches that allow easy access to the water to observe creek wildlife and wade in the coolness during the summer.

Invasive plant species can produce large quantities of seed, which are often distributed by birds, wind, or humans, allowing the seed to move great distances. These plants have aggressive root systems that spread long distances from a single plant and often grow so densely in the soil that they smother the root systems of surrounding vegetation.

Ask a Naturalist: Introduced and Invasive Plants of Gateway

Invasive plant species can produce large quantities of seed, which are often distributed by birds, wind, or humans, allowing the seed to move great distances. These plants have aggressive root systems that spread long distances from a single plant and often grow so densely in the soil that they smother the root systems of surrounding vegetation.

 Night is the time for many creatures to become active to forage for food, perform mating rituals and raise young ones. The organisms that become active during the nighttime are called nocturnal as opposed to diurnal, which means active at daytime. Much like diurnal animals, nocturnal organisms have physical features and adaptations that help them see, navigate, hunt, pollinate, and forage in the dark.

Ask a Naturalist: Nocturnal Wildlife Around Us

Night is the time for many creatures to become active to forage for food, perform mating rituals and raise young ones. The organisms that become active during the nighttime are called nocturnal as opposed to diurnal, which means active at daytime. Much like diurnal animals, nocturnal organisms have physical features and adaptations that help them see, navigate, hunt, pollinate, and forage in the dark.

Snakes are an important part of our natural surroundings. Without them, we may end up using immense amounts of toxic chemicals to kill harmful pests and inflict even greater environmental damage. Learning about snakes helps avoid contact that could result in an injury on both sides.

Ask a Naturalist: Snakes Around Us

Snakes are an important part of our natural surroundings. Without them, we may end up using immense amounts of toxic chemicals to kill harmful pests and inflict even greater environmental damage. Learning about snakes helps avoid contact that could result in an injury on both sides.

Tick populations are expanding in their range, and tickborne diseases such as Lyme disease are on the rise in every geographical location in the US except Alaska. Climate change and warming temperatures create perfect conditions for ticks to survive in new locations.

Ask a Naturalist: Ticks, Tickborne Diseases, and Thinking Beyond Safety Precautions

Tick populations are expanding in their range, and tickborne diseases such as Lyme disease are on the rise in every geographical location in the US except Alaska. Climate change and warming temperatures create perfect conditions for ticks to survive in new locations.

Regardless of what age we live in, plants have been the origin of all medicines to treat illness and diseases. Here are a few notable native and local plants of the Piedmont North Carolina that are valuable in producing the medicines we use today.

Ask a Naturalist: Local Plants of Medicinal Value

Regardless of what age we live in, plants have been the origin of all medicines to treat illness and diseases. Here are a few notable native and local plants of the Piedmont North Carolina that are valuable in producing the medicines we use today.

 Woody plants known as

Ask a Naturalist: Winter Tree Identification Skills

Woody plants known as "trees" show various anatomical strategies to survive in winter, dubbing them "winter trees." While evergreen trees retain their waxy cuticular leaves, deciduous trees lose their leaves to conserve little available energy and go dormant.

 Fall is an exquisite season of change that shows one of the more amazing processes in nature. As the days get shorter and shorter, the trees are signaled that their period of growth is at an end.

Ask a Naturalist: The Science of Fall Color

Fall is an exquisite season of change that shows one of the more amazing processes in nature. As the days get shorter and shorter, the trees are signaled that their period of growth is at an end.

Spiders are perhaps nature's most wondrous but misunderstood creatures. Their unique behavior and immense diversity inspire awe to anyone who wants to learn more about them.

Ask a Naturalist: Spiders Around Us

Spiders are perhaps nature's most wondrous but misunderstood creatures. Their unique behavior and immense diversity inspire awe to anyone who wants to learn more about them.

 Summer gives plenty of time to enjoy the wonders of nature brought on and unraveled by the setting sun.

Ask a Naturalist: Evening Wonders

Summer gives plenty of time to enjoy the wonders of nature brought on and unraveled by the setting sun.

 Spring is the best time to listen to and learn to identify bird songs, whether you are walking by Gateway Nature Preserve or elsewhere.

Ask a Naturalist: Enjoying Bird Sounds

Spring is the best time to listen to and learn to identify bird songs, whether you are walking by Gateway Nature Preserve or elsewhere.