What is it?

CASA Member Charles French calls it a preserve while actually it's part of an abandoned landfill.  What follows is his description.  It covers an area about one half of a mile by three quarters of a mile.  The site is also bordered by Rock Creek Park on two sides and a watershed park on another.  On one corner of the site we fly Radio Controlled Sailplanes and Electric Planes.  If you want some more information on the history of the site check out Gude History. If you would like to see some photos of Gude check the galleries and the rest of this article

Wildlife Abundance

Despite being in the suburb of a major metropolitan city there exist a sizable and varied wildlife population.  I think what contributes to this is Rock Creek Park, one of the biggest urban Parks in the country and the open grasslands of the site.

Land Animals

I counted four different foxes on a winter day last year.  We have seen herds of deer numbering around a dozen. Also observed are Ground Hogs, Voles, Mice, and Rabbits.

Birds

For the last couple of winters two Red Tail hawks have made this area their home.  Other Raptors I have seen include the Broad Winged Hawk, Turkey and Black Vulture, Goshawk, Northern Harrier and the hovering Kestrals who feed on the abundant voles in the area.  Making stops at Gude have been Osprey and the Great Blue Heron.  Other birds we have seen include; Blue Birds, King Birds, Mocking Birds, Swallows, Chimney Swifts, Baltimore Orioles, Red Winged Blackbirds, Indigo Bunting, Kill deer, and Night Hawks.