My First Bird Count
On December 8, I participated in my very first bird count here at Winton Woods and boy was it a blast! The start of my day was actually one of the best moments. When I…
What's That in the Vernal Pond?
What an animal! For just about 50 weeks of the year a mysterious creature is lurking underground. Now is the time to see evidence of their secretive existence! The Jefferson Salamander has the earliest breeding…
I Arrive Early in the Morning…
Early in the morning, day still dark as night, before I hit the time clock, with its sharp and inky bite, I pause to heed the spirited sparrow song, “Sweeet- sweeet-sweeet, sweeeeeeet … chirpy,…
Wildlife in Winter
For humans, the arrival of colder weather means evenings indoors with hot cocoa, a warm fire and the frenetic yet wonderful arrival of the holiday season. We combat winter with coats, scarves and our snug…
Oh Nuts!
“Oh nuts!” said the wild turkey. “There are only half as many acorns as last year.” While 2013 yielded a bountiful black walnut, hickory nut and beech nut crop in our area, acorn production is…
Fall Migration Alert
Fall is a marvelous time to see lots of migrants making their way south for the winter. As these birds migrate, they are in search of food and resting places along their journey. At Winton…
Tools of the Trade or Coworkers? They’re Both.
Part of my routine for getting the visitor center ready to open for the day includes checking on all the program animals as I turn on their lights. One particular day last week I noticed…
An Amazing Super Fruit: The Pawpaw!
September brings signs of crisp mornings, falling leaves and ripe pawpaw fruits. If you aren’t familiar with the pawpaw, it is a true miracle fruit.