Delaware Sea Grant College Program
Newark, DE 19716 USA
Phone: 302-831-8083
E-mail: marinecom@udel.edu
Desktop Calendar Wallpapers - May 2010
With the 2010 Delaware Sea Grant and College of Earth, Ocean, and Environment online calendar, you can bring the beauty of Delaware’s coastal resources to your computer screen. In addition to scenic wallpaper for each month, check out the list of notable dates as well as environmental facts, tips, and web links.
Diamonds in the Marsh
Starting around late May, diamondback terrapins (Malaclemys terrapin) emerge from the bottom of creeks and rivers to mate, nest, and bask in the sun on coastal dunes or narrow sandy beaches.
Named for the diamond-shaped growth rings on its top shell, the diamondback terrapin can be found along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts from Cape Cod to Texas. It is believed to be the only turtle in the world that lives exclusively in brackish-water areas — tidal marshes, estuaries, and lagoons where the water contains some salt but is not as salty as the ocean.
This reptile's population was decimated in the 1700s and 1800s because its meat was considered such a delicacy — the chief ingredient in terrapin soup. Today, the diamondback terrapin faces threats from automobiles the destruction of its coastal habitat.
The Delaware Sea Grant College Program has been addressing topics such as habitat degradation for many years. It develops educational programs on sustainable development, open space protection, and coastal resiliency planning to help citizens, community leaders, and government officials make wise land use and natural resource management decisions.
Photo by Lisa Tossey
8 – International Migratory Bird Day
Hundreds of thousands of shorebirds migrate through the Delaware Bay region each year — more birds pass through here than anywhere else in the lower 48 states. Learn about the red knot, a shorebird facing serious population decline, by ordering one of our Delaware Bay bookmarks.
9 – Mother’s Day
A single female horseshoe crab can lay 90,000 or more eggs each year!
18 – Delaware Sea Grant turns 34
In 1976 the University of Delaware was named the nation’s ninth Sea Grant College. Since its creation, Delaware Sea Grant has worked to improve our understanding of Delaware’s coastal environment.
21 – Endangered Species Day
This day recognizes endangered wildlife, including those native to Delaware and its waters: fish such as the Atlantic sturgeon and birds such as the piping plover.
22 – International Day for Biological Diversity
Diverse wildlife indicates a healthy environment. Do your part to protect biodiversity by properly disposing of fishing line, nets, and plastic items, which can entangle or harm wildlife.
31 – Memorial Day
This summer, protect yourself from lightning. If you’re at the beach and a storm arises, listen to lifeguards’ warnings and don’t take chances; stay out of the water and seek shelter.
Choose a width:
Miss a month? Go to our 2010 wallpaper download archive, and learn when the next month is posted by subscribing to our desktop calendar RSS feed.
Download Instructions
Note: Once you have downloaded your wallpaper, you can fine-tune its appearance using your computer's desktop preferences menu (i.e. whether the image is centered, tiled, stretched to fit the screen, etc.).
Step 1.
Click on the link below the image of the month representing the size that you are interested in. This will open the image in its own window.
Step 2 For PC users:
1. Position your cursor over the image.
2. Click the right mouse button.
3. If you are using Microsoft Internet Explorer (v. 6.0 or higher), select "Set as Background" from the popup menu.
Step 2 For Mac users:
OSX: Drag the image onto your desktop.
Go to System Preferences and open the "Desktop & Screen Saver" icon.
Under the "Desktop" heading, use the file navigator to add the image to the library.
OS9: Drag the image onto your desktop.
Go to your Control Panel and select "Appearance."
Click "Set desktop" and choose your new image.
