During the fall and winter seasons, we often witness waterfowl in southern Ohio without taking into consideration the migration that is going on around us. Many birds use this area as a temporary home during their migration. Throughout this migration period, Southern Ohio becomes home to numerous species, which come from northern states and Canadian […]

As the self-proclaimed authority on everything, the Internet has a day for just about any occasion. It’s only logical that November 17 was deemed National Take a Hike Day. Of course, with 78 miles of nature, paved, fitness, horse and mountain bike trails at Great Parks, this is the perfect day to get outside and explore […]

I have been thinking about this story and its lesson since it was relayed to me a few months ago. In the 10 years that I was based at Winton Woods as a Nature Interpreter, I had heard about mink living down near the Kingfisher and Great Oaks Trails, but had never witnessed their presence […]

While out on a hike recently, I came across a neat discovery of a moving stick. What could it be? A northern walkingstick (Diapheromera femorata)! Not just one, but about six of them gathered together on a small sapling. I rarely find this insect, and was surprised to see multiples in one spot. They are a […]

For the last 33 years, Great Parks has conducted a butterfly count in the western Hamilton County parks headed by former Great Parks Ranger and current VIP Bob Nuhn, in collaboration with the North American Butterfly Association. One Saturday every July, employees, volunteers and the public head out with sunscreen and binoculars to count the number […]

    Native to Ohio and found along shady hillsides, the pawpaw tree (Asimina triloba) will soon begin producing its highly sought-after fruit. The pawpaw fruit is unique, as it’s one of the only large native fruits in the Midwest, and can often be found in great abundance ­– if one knows where to search. […]

More than 360 anglers competed in the six Bass Series Tournaments in 2018. Only the top 20 earned a spot in the Bass Series Championship, where the winners would be awarded a $1,000 shopping spree to Bass Pro Shops. This was a two-day tournament. Day one was at Miami Whitewater Forest on August 25. Every […]

As the early settlers of the U.S. forged westward, their main priority was finding a place to call home. However, as they began to inhabit our country, not only did they affect the animals who lived here first, they affected where these creatures lived. The natural predators that called Ohio’s landscape home – the black […]