West Laurel
- Virginia May Geis
- Apr 19
- 3 min read
Local news covering the West Laurel and Burtonsville areas
Wildlife in West Laurel
One of the most alluring aspects of West Laurel is the quiet, but its closeness to so many attractions in the Baltimore-Washington area doubles the appeal. It is so easy to hop on the highway to get to the city or further, but you can also enjoy nature and wildlife just staying home. Some of the animals out here are just so cute and fun to watch—not that I would want any of them as pets, though.
Squirrels—In the neighborhood where I grew up in Laurel, I do not remember seeing many squirrels around. We had trees, but with the houses built relatively close together the yards were not very big. However, in West Laurel we see several squirrels daily, and there are many squirrel nests in our trees. Many of the squirrels are black, but some are gray. They scurry around, gathering nuts and other food, burying nuts in the fall to then dig them up again in the spring, running across the tops of fences, and generally teasing the neighborhood dogs constantly!
Deer—In the more central part of Laurel, we did not see deer venture into town the way they do now. Back then they had more of their natural habitat still available to them, so they did not often wander into the housing areas. However, nowadays we see these graceful creatures all the time. They bed down in our neighbors’ backyards and amble down the street. One morning I turned on my headlights only to see a fawn with its mama across the street in our neighbors’ front yard. As I drive along Riding Stable Road in the wee hours on workdays, I do not dare divert my eyes from that winding road for one second for fear of hitting deer. (I hit a deer once many years ago, but it was not in West Laurel). I frequently encounter deer who appear to be more accustomed to co-existing with humans these days. I breathe a sigh of relief when I get to Sandy Spring Road on my morning commute.
Foxes—Now and then I have seen a fox scurry across our yard into a neighbor’s yard or across the street. They are beautiful creatures. I do not know how many there are in the area, but they seem to stay away from our house. Possibly they heard our big dog barking from inside the house.
Birds—The other day we saw a trio of robins hopping around next to the edge of our driveway. If they are the signs of spring, that was indeed good news! Occasionally we have heard small songbirds warbling on the front porch when the weather is warmer.
West Laurel Recreation Council News
The WLRC held a Family Swim Night at the Fairland Aquatics Center on February 21, and it proved to be a fun event. Although it was a cold night, many kids showed up with their parents to use the pool and the Jacuzzi, with the WLRC covering the cost of admission. The WLRC served refreshments after the swimming session. This is an event the WLRC holds annually with the cooperation of the Fairland Pool.
West Laurel Walking Club
The West Laurel Walking Club continued to walk the trail at Fairland Park in spite of the cold and snowy weather. The group plans to continue walking, especially when the weather warms up. Although the club has been meeting at the Fairland Pool at 10:00 am on Fridays, it hopes to return to the City of Laurel River Trail in the spring. For additional information contact Nancy Whipple at njwhip54@verizon.net.
Want to get in touch with me? Send me an e-mail at WestLaurelVoices@gmail.com, and please call me Ginny!
Virginia May Geis is a native of Laurel and a graduate of Laurel High School, class of 1975. After a few decades away, she has been a Laurel resident again, since 2018.
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