At 7:45am on Tuesday, July 21, my phone rang. Rosemary Roberts, who lives down the road in Chesapeake Beach, announced she’d found an osprey in the middle of the road. “It can’t fly. It needs help,” she screeched. Roberts had read my book, Oscar and Olive Osprey (www.oscarandolive.com) so she was sure “the osprey lady” would know what to do. I didn’t, but I knew who would. Holland point neighbor Colleen Sabo — an artist whose work features birds of prey (www.colleensabo.com) — is also a raptor...

We know you have pets.     According to the Humane Society of the United States, 77.5 million dogs and 93.6 million cats around the country share our homes. On top of that staggering census, the Humane Society reports that we also spend generously on our pets — at least $200 per year on vet bills alone. Why not show off your furry money pits? This week, Bay Weekly collects the final reader submissions for our annual Pet Tales issue August 26. So far, we’ve got...

It’s about that time of year when Maryland’s black bears go from being predators to prey. On August 2, Maryland Department of Natural Resources began accepting applications from hunters who hope to shoot a bear in the season opening October 25. Two-hundred and sixty hunters will be picked by lottery from an expected 3,600 applicants (based on last year’s figures). Garrett and Allegany counties will have 65 to 90 fewer bears when the season ends October 30 — or earlier,...

Something good has come out from under the World Trade Center. Near the site of so many grim finds, excavators working on the new trade center unearthed a treasure — an ancient wooden ship buried beneath modern lower Manhattan. Its remains were discovered about 20 feet under street level, in an area that had not been dug out for the original World Trade Center. This old ship has tales to tell. But before it can give up any of its secrets, it must be preserved. And fast, because when wood...