Owls Will Migrate Over Maryland + Online Cookbook Features Local Recipes

MARYLAND — Maryland's tiniest owls are preparing to migrate through the Old Line State. These small creatures weigh about 3 ounces, but they fly across the country each year. An upcoming presentation from the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, which is based in Edgewater, will teach Anne Arundel County residents about these lightweight birds.

A new cookbook also offered some local education. The online catalog includes plenty of recipes to cook with Maryland ingredients.

Two nature hikes round out this week's offerings.

Patch recently partnered with several local organizations to bring you their latest news. This guest contribution comes from National Park Service Chesapeake Gateways and Chesapeake Conservancy. Here's what Jody Hedeman Couser submitted to help you explore the Chesapeake Bay:

"Saw-whet Owls of Maryland

Maryland's smallest owl, the northern saw-whet owl, weighs less than a bar of soap, yet travels thousands of miles over its lifetime! Join Maryland Naturalist, Melissa Boyle Acuti, coordinator of the Project Owlnet at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, for a look into the lives of these tiny travelers as they pass through Maryland during their annual migrations. An Audubon Naturalist Society Zoom presentation. $15 for nonmembers. Nov. 30, 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm. More information and registration.

Take a listen to the amazing varieties of calls this small owl makes."

"Wild Maryland Online Cookbook

This is the time of year when our thoughts turn to the holiday season and gatherings with family and friends. To complement the traditional dishes you usually serve, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources has created [its] online cookbook, Wild Maryland. The cookbook includes recipes with ingredients that can be hunted, trapped, caught, or foraged in Maryland’s outdoors – like snakehead etouffee. Wild Maryland also showcases life in the Chesapeake Bay watershed through recipes that can be shared and passed down to future generations. You are also encouraged to submit one of your own recipes."

"Hike Juntos #OptOutside

Let's #OptOutside y hike juntos in a local green gem—the Patapsco Valley State Park. This is a 4-mile social walk with some hills. This will be ... on maintained paths, with some inclines, slopes, and rocks. This is a social hike; simply walk and hang out, and take breaks as needed by the group. Nov. 27, 8:00 am to 10:30 am; Patapsco Valley State Park, McKeldin Area, Marriottsville, MD. More information and map."

"#OptOutside at Irvine

This Black Friday, rather than shopping you can opt to enjoy the outdoors at the Irvine Nature Center. To inspire your day, Irvine will be hosting two naturalist-led events. There will be an Adult Nature Hike, on which you can enjoy the changing seasons [while learning about] the history of the land and its biodiversity. Nov. 26, 10:00 am to 12:00 pm; $5 per person. Or, you can take a family-friendly hike to hunt for signs of the many mammals that call Irvine home. Nov. 26, 1:30 to 3:00 pm; $5/person or $20/family. Nov. 26, Irvine Nature Center, Owings Mills, MD. More information and registration."

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