Messages From Mother Nature: We’re Back!
Often in nature we talk about phenology, the annual cycle of events that occur year after year on an annual basis, bird migration is one of the most spectacular of these events. One of the best descriptors of migration has been defined by Keith Bildstein , a noted ornithologist. Migration- the seasonal, directed movements organisms undertake while traveling back...
Messages From Mother Nature ~ White?
During the winter months in northeast Ohio, snow isn’t the only thing that is white. When the snow flies…. some animals turn white too! Say what? As we all know birds, insects, and animals have different strategies when dealing with winter in northeast Ohio. Most birds migrate south, some insects bury themselves in the ground, some reptiles and amphibians...
Messages From Mother Nature: The Golden End of Summer
As the hot muggy days of summer wane and you begin to can see the familiar V formation of geese flying south, Monarch’s flit among the flowers, making their way to Mexico, and the woods becoming quiet as many songbird species leave for winter. The autumnal equinox announces fall is officially here on September 22. But to many, Goldenrod,...
Messages From Mother Nature: The Ladybug
“Excuse me sir, but would you please call me by my correct name…. I am a LADY BEETLE, not a common bug!” Some explanation is in order for our snooty ladybeetle. Lady bugs are really beetles, not bugs. All bugs are insects, but not all insects are bugs. Within the insect world, there are several distinct groups, Butterflies and Moths...
Messages From Mother Nature: Aliens or Owls?
Let us set the stage…it is late January; you are lying in bed tossing and turning. It is 2am, wind howling, snow blowing, and it is hovering around zero outside. It is so miserable outside; you think of the old saying “it’s not fit for man nor beast”. Suddenly you hear a whooo whooooooooo whoo-whooo. Then a minute later...
Messages From Mother Nature: What is that white stuff?
For the first time in a long while, we had a white Christmas. It was the second major snowstorm of the winter. In fact, December was one of the snowiest on record with just over 29 inches. One of the biggest factors for all the snow once again, was the Lake Erie snow machine. So, how does this machine...
The Firsts of Spring
In walking outside this morning I heard my FOY red-wing blackbird singing. Saw the FOY turkey vulture, and read that the FOY blue herons have returned to their nesting colonies around north east Ohio. The term FOY has many meanings, but in this article FOY will be used to describe an occurrence in nature, an acronym for First of...
The Amazing Woodpecker
One of the most common birds that are seen at the feeders during the winter in Northeast Ohio are woodpeckers. Ohio is home to seven species of woodpeckers, the Downy being the most common. The largest is the Pileated with a wingspan of almost 30 inches. The most majestic, in my mind, is the Red-headed. All seven species are...
Wacky Weather
The first frost of the fall occurred in the middle of October at my house which was not unusual. However, since then the weather HAS been very unusual…or maybe the new normal? Even though the days are getting longer since December 21, we should be gripped by much colder temperatures and several inches of snow. But I was raking...
Childhood Memories
Close your eyes and think back to a warm summer night, the smell of a camp fire, roasting marshmallows or eating s’mores; when all of a sudden, a young voice yells out “There one is” and all the kids run to the blinking lights slowly rising into the moonlight sky. We all can remember the endless summer nights as...
Moths… The Rodney Dangerfield’s of the Insect World
No Respect, no respect at all…Unfortunately when most people think of moths they think of the small grey moths that flew out of grandma’s closet or your uncle’s wallet. Hopefully, after you have finished reading this article you will have a new-found respect for moths. Moths and butterflies are insects which together form the order called Lepidoptera, meaning ‘scaly-winged’. The...
Here Fishie Fishie
Let me begin this week’s article with a few questions. How would you define a river? How is a stream different than a run? What is a brook? How about a wash, bayou, or rio? The answer is quite simple; it has to do with where you live. As settlers moved westward, cultural influences played a major role in...
Shoo Fly: Black Fly Season In Ohio
With spring finally here it is time to open the windows, air out the house, go outside, and enjoy the sunshine and fresh air. Take a trip out into the woodland or park to look for wildflowers and watch the warblers and other colorful birds that are flying north to their breeding grounds. But all of a sudden….ouch. What...
Sentinels in the Snow
Viewing the winter landscape does not have the brilliant reds, oranges, and yellows of fall. It does not have the subtle shades of green we see in the summer. It looks naked, barren, and bleak. But tucked away along streams and rivers is one magnificent tree that really struts it stuff even on the bleakest winter day; the North...
Chipmunks
For those of you who are old enough to remember the cartoon, Alvin and the Chipmunks, they were a trio of brothers who got into all sorts of mischief; the cartoon characters were not too far off from the real thing. Chipmunks are known for eating flower bulbs, getting into bird feeders, and making holes all over your yard,...
The Unappreciated….Mosses and Lichens
I know several people who work tirelessly in the background doing all the hard and dirty work, making sure the day to day activities get done, and keeping things running; but NEVER GET THE CREDIT! Never get a ‘that a boy” or “great job”. This is the case with two members of the plant kingdom, mosses and lichens. This...
Dragons
Who needs to watch Game of Thrones to see dragons, just go out to the nearest meadow, stream or pond and you will be amazed to see all sorts of dragons flying around…dragonflies that is. Worldwide there are more than 5,000 known species of dragonflies, all of which, along with damselflies, belong to the order Odonata, which means “toothed...
How old do you think Nelson Ledges is?
Understanding the concept of time in seconds, minutes, days, years, and even centuries is easy for us to comprehend. However, the concept of geologic time is very hard for most of us to wrap our brain around. How can you put into perspective 4.6 billion years, the estimated age of the earth? Let’s try. It would take you...
The Quill Pig
The porcupine, the second largest rodent in North America, is by far the prickliest. Its Latin name means “quill pig.” There are about two dozen porcupine species worldwide, and all boast a coat of needle-like quills to give predators a sharp reminder that this animal is no easy meal. Some quills, like those of Africa’s crested porcupine, are nearly...
Sounds of Summer
This edition of Nearby Nature marks the one hundredth article in our nature series. It is hard to believe that when Matt Sorrick and I started this endeavor it would have lasted this long. It was our intent to inform our readers about our natural world and hopefully motivate them to venture out and experience the wonder and majesty...
Signs of the Zodiac…Part I
This is the last of our foray into astronomy, discussing the signs of the Zodiac. I will divide the 12 signs into two parts. What we, who live in the 21st century, must realize is that people from many different cultures have been looking at the heavens for thousands of year without the aid of telescopes, computer simulations, orbiting...
Constellations of the Summer Sky…Part II
Well, we sure have had several nights during the past couple of weeks to really get a nice look at the night sky. Hopefully, you were able to make out the various stars and constellations. Yes, I know, some imagination is needed as you try to connect the dots so to speak. Then you think: no way! How on...
Meet Bob, he is a cool cat!
Bobcats, though seldom seen, are the most common wildcat in North America. The Bobcat, Lynx rufus, is named for its short, bobbed tail. They are medium-sized cats and are slightly smaller, but similar in appearance to their cousin, the lynx. Rumors of Bobcats being seen on Headwaters Trail, in Pondbrook Conservation area west of Aurora, and several other areas...
Cicadas Back by Popular Demand… Not!
As we make the transition from spring into summer, the wildflowers are fading, flowering trees and shrubs are ablaze in color, and the mosquitoes, deer flies, and other insects are making their presence known in one way or the other. We are all too familiar with the biting and blood sucking insects that cause us so much irritation, but...
Minks and Otters
As promised, we will continue up the family tree of the toughest family on the block, the Mustelids. This week we will be discussing the “middle “children of the family. But make no mistake, they are just as tough, fearless, and bloodthirsty as their siblings. Next time we will discuss the big boys, the Martens, Fishers, and Wolverines. Now...
Stuck in Ohio…And Proud Of It!!
During my lifetime I have been blessed with many opportunities to experience nature and our natural world. I have been to National Parks from Maine to California, talked to God in a grove of Redwoods, touched sequoias, climbed to 14,000 feet in the Rockies to sooth my feet in a cold alpine lake, hiked part of the Appalachian Trail...
Smooth As Silk
Within the natural world there are many spectacular things. But none more spectacular than to find the ethereal Luna moth or the massive Cecrcopia or Polyphemus moth. Theses giant moths can have a wing span of up to six inches or more. Not only are the adults spectacular, but so are the caterpillars. Some get to be the size...
“It is not fit for man nor beast outside”
The first time I heard that saying was when I was a little kid, it was 15 below, the wind howling, snow blowing and I was freezing. I wondered how the animals, insects, and plants were able to survive these harsh conditions. I was able to bundle up in layers, go inside and sit by the fireplace, or get...
Vernal Pools: Murky Puddles of Fascinating Life
The word vernal is Latin from “vernus,” meaning “belonging to spring.” Vernal pools refer to any wetland that fills annually from snow melt, spring rains and rising groundwater. They usually do not have an outlet stream and therefore most years dry out during the hot summer months or early fall. But don’t let these vanishing pools fool you. Vernal pools...
Nearby Nature
Finally some snow! How does the old song go “It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas, everywhere you go”….well something like that. Since we discussed the Christmas tree in our last article, we thought it would be fitting to discuss two other traditional botanical icons of the season, the poinsettia and holly. Sorry mistletoe…maybe next year. Did you Know! • ...
