A few months back we talked about the hawk watch at Acadia National Park. I mentioned a few books that are useful for the enterprising raptor enthusiast. At the time I was also aware that a new raptor identification aid was on the way, but I kept that little secret to myself. The proverbial cat is out of the bag now, and I’ve spent the last couple weeks devouring The Crossley ID Guide: Raptors.

Knowing where to look for whales, and how to identify the whales you see, is getting easier at Olympic National Park thanks to The Whale Trail, the Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary, and the park staff.

The battle between man and bug continues at Rocky Mountain National Park, where crews will be busy this spring trying to blunt the onslaught of bark beetles in the park's forests.

National Park Service officials, who fired the superintendent of Sitka National Historical Park in 2010 because she refused a transfer, have been ordered to reinstate her with back pay.