William Curtis writes: This spring and summer, people have noticed a great number of northern water snakes around Fort McHenry — many more than in past years. Maybe people are just looking harder? Have you heard of this anywhere else in the area? Any explanations?

Outdoors Girl turned to Department of Natural Resources uberherper (aka ecologist) Scott Smith, who replied: DNR had volunteer boat crews all over the Chesapeake and coastal bays conducting diamondback terrapin surveys late last month and one thing everyone noted was the abundance of northern water snakes. The prevalence of shoreline hardening projects in Maryland using stone has provided phenomenal habitat for water snakes to bask and hide from predators immediately next to their food source. They feed primarily on fish and frogs, so this is the equivalent of a mini-bar and fridge next to the couch during football season. Fort McHenry is a prime example of that arrangement.

If you have an outdoors question in search of an answer, send it to candy.thomson@baltsun.com