Woodcock Rescue & Release
Recently, a call came into the naturalist desk at Winton Woods inquiring about the identification of an injured bird. I took the call and had the woman on the phone describe the bird as best…
One Tough Little Bird
As I bundled up for the cold blast of air descending upon us this week, my thoughts wandered to a most remarkable feathered friend, the golden-crowned kinglet. Only slightly larger than a hummingbird, it weighs in…
Winter Bird Feeding
For many people, with cooler weather come thoughts of the holidays, snowball fights and sitting by a crackling fire. These are all things that I love, but my personal favorite winter activity is watching the…
Unwrapping the Secret Lives of Birds
Look out! The next bird you see might be shedding light on the secret lives of birds. Great Parks utilizes the skills of bird banding researchers to uncover some of these mysteries. Bird banding requires special…
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…
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…
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…
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…