Tiny but Loud
While out on a bird hike recently with a group of homeschool students, we discovered something very cool: a blue-gray gnatcatcher and its nest! Blue-gray gnatcatchers make a very unique nest with lichens from trees… Tiny but Loud
Song of the Gobblers
Most people consider wildflowers to be the sign of spring. I, however, listen for the sound of “gobbling” on the wind to herald the season of renewal in Ohio. By this I mean, it’s time… Song of the Gobblers
Great Blue Herons: Secrets of Nature
Last week, I decided to join the volunteer program with Great Parks. My first task was standing next to the trail at Winton Woods with all my birding gear, including a powerful spotting scope and… Great Blue Herons: Secrets of Nature
Birds on the Brain
Recently, I had the pleasure of visiting the third grade class at Maddux Elementary. The visit was part of Great Parks’ Outreach efforts, where we take our naturalist programs “on the road,” out to schools… Birds on the Brain
Harbingers of Spring
With spring just around the corner, the time is coming to catch a glimpse of the first spring wildflowers of the year. Two of the first early risers, and most noticeable due to their bright… Harbingers of Spring
Small Signs of Spring
Last week at Embshoff Woods Nature Preserve, I saw it! A first sign of spring: yellow wild flowers blooming in the warm February sunshine. What a great surprise for fellow Operations employee Eric Estridge and me. We… Small Signs of Spring
The Snowflake: An Intricate Masterpiece of Nature
What is a masterpiece? Simply put, it is a work of outstanding artistry, skill or workmanship. When viewed from afar, a single snowflake looks like a small frozen white ball. But let’s take a closer… The Snowflake: An Intricate Masterpiece of Nature
The Atlatl
Seeing an arrowhead can evoke vivid images of Native Americans with bow and arrow in hand stalking prey. However, most of Ohio’s stone tools tell a different tale: the tale of the atlatl. The atlatl… The Atlatl