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 and use spider webs to put it all together. The nests have wonderful camouflage and can often be difficult to […]

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 to talk some turkey! The wild turkey is one of Ohio’s largest bird species and can stand up to four […]

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 and into the classrooms. The third graders at Maddux are currently learning about Ohio birds. The students were obviously very […]

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 yellow petals, are winter aconite and lesser celandine. Both of these wildflowers are non-native (meaning they do not originally come […]

Add a dash of star power, a puff of breath and one drop of a raincloud… From when it first touches your lips, you know it’s something special. The sweet, amber-colored elixir that’s good on everything from pancakes to ice cream or just straight out of the bottle. If you don’t know what I’m referring […]

I can remember walking around my neighborhood as a child in the fall and winter, looking up at the stars, and I would always notice the constellation Orion. Year after year, he was always there, looking mighty and strong in the night sky, guiding me home as I walked back from spending time at a […]

The word “solstice” in Latin means “sun stands still.” December 21 is the winter solstice, which is the day with the least amount of sunlight for the year here in Cincinnati. It also marks the first day of winter. The sun rises at 7:54 a.m. and sets at 5:19 p.m. — that’s a whole three seconds less sunlight than […]

A farmer walks into his barn late one fall evening. He hears a loud raspy, hissing “SSS-SKEECH!!!” The farmer jumps with fright and looks up into the rafters. A thin, white object files quickly and silently above his head. He runs out the barn and into the house, screaming “There’s a ghost, there’s a ghost […]