I took all the above photos from the Hoover Mudflats Boardwalk in Galena, Ohio.
Read more ➜ Lakeside Silhouettes
I took all the above photos from the Hoover Mudflats Boardwalk in Galena, Ohio.
Read more ➜ Author: Deb Platt
I took all the above photos from the Hoover Mudflats Boardwalk in Galena, Ohio.
Read more ➜ Bogged down by wetland terminology
I decided to write this after visiting Jackson Bog State Nature Preserve and reading all the informative signs there... except they weren't all that informative for me because I didn't know my swamps from my bogs. So when I came home I decided to learn a few wetland basics.
Let's start with the easy stuff. In North America a wetland that has trees growing in it is called a swamp. That's why Dawes Arboretum referred to the following grove of trees as "Cypress Swamp".
A marsh Read more ➜ Ohio’s Overwintering Robins
This is the time of year that many northern areas of the United States are seeing their first robins, a sign that spring has finally arrived... unless you live in Ohio. Our robins have decided that migrating south is too much hassle.
In case you're unfamiliar with Ohio and mistakenly believe that we typically have mild winters, here are a few other photos that I took the same day.
I thought I was being so clever while taking the above macro. After putting my camera Read more ➜ Johnson Woods State Nature Preserve
Most of Ohio was deforested for agricultural purposes during the 18th and 19th centuries. However there are a handful of virgin forests that were left alone, and one of these is found within the confines of Johnson Woods State Nature Preserve (previously known as Graber Woods). Although I usually don't get off the freeway when I'm traveling between central and northeast Ohio, I decided it was worth making a side trip to see this primeval forest.
There are trees in Johnson Woods that are over 400 Read more ➜ Ninja Squirrel at Johnson Woods
The squirrels that I see in our yard and in municipal parks are so accustomed to people that they don't pay us much mind. But when we venture into more remote settings, squirrels soon remind us that we are big, scary creatures.
While my daughter and I were exploring Johnson Woods State Nature Preserve, we caught the attention of the squirrel below. When he had first noticed us, he tried scurrying up the trunk and clinging to the tree. However after holding that position briefly he apparently Read more ➜ Honey Run Highlands Park
My husband and I began our afternoon here by parking off Hazel Dell Road near the waterfall. It is a relatively small, but charming falls, about 25 feet in height. The surrounding region has many sandstone cliffs and bouldering (climbing) is allowed.
Here are some additional sights near the falls.
Trails Across the Road from the Falls
Across the road from the falls is additional parking and a trail head. There are about 4 miles of trail. The trail quickly branches into Read more ➜ Ohio’s 15 species of frogs and toads at a glance
An article entitled, Ohio's Frog and Toad Species, states that there are 15 species in our state. To help me to learn to identify these species, I wanted to see photos of all 15 on one page. I selected a representative photo, but be aware that there can be a lot of variation in color for frogs of the same species. Below each photo, I note the range of colors that are possible for that species.
Toads
The "True" Toads
Eastern American Toad (Bufo americanus americanus)
The Eastern American Read more ➜ Dawes Arboretum: Cypress Swamp
I always associated the bald-cypress pictured above with the bayous of the deep south. Imagine my surprise to learn that we have some growing in Central Ohio. It turns out that the mature bald-cypress (Taxodium distichum) is actually cold tolerant. You may be wondering why we aren't seeing them all over the place. Well, they can't reproduce naturally in this climate because the immature seedlings are susceptible to ice damage. But if you nurture the little seedlings in a greenhouse, then transplant Read more ➜ Seymour Woods State Natural Preserve
Seymour Woods State Nature Preserve is a 115-acre preserve in Delaware County. It is named after James O. Seymour who donated the property to the state in 1972. His family's cabin, though boarded up, remains within the preserve. The preserve also contains the foundation of a settler's home that was built in 1830; it's known as the Avery Powers Homestead. While hiking the loop trail that winds around the property, I also noticed the remains of a concrete silo off in the distance.
When Read more ➜ Battelle Darby Creek Metro Park: Bison
I wasn't sure what to expect when I went to Battelle Darby Creek Metro Park, but I had been hoping to see a herd of bison in a natural looking setting. Yeah... that's not exactly what happened. When I got to the area where the bison are, there was a sign informing me that the bison were being held in a temporary holding pen, so it was hard getting a photo of them without showing the fence which enclosed them. But perhaps the small enclosure meant that I got a closer look at them than Read more ➜