Good news! Regional groundhogs predict an early spring!
Happy Groundhog Day!
Sam, the Screech Owl, Gets Animated
I met Sam while participating in the Hocking Hills Annual Winter Hike. A naturalist with the state of Ohio was holding him on his arm as the crowd walked past. I took several photos of Sam while he was turning his head every which way as he looked over the crowd. I decided to combine these images into one animated image that shows off his amazing head-turning skills. Check out the image below.
Leo Petroglyph State Memorial
The Petroglyphs
The Leo Petroglyph State Memorial is a site with about 37 petroglyphs (line drawings carved in stone). The petroglyphs were made on an outcropping of bedrock consisting of Black Hand sandstone. Based on the weathering of the exposed sandstone, it is believed that the carvings are about 700 years old. That age would make them the handiwork of the Fort Ancient Indians, a late prehistoric culture that was active in Ohio from about 1000 A.D. to 1650 A.D.
I wasn’t sure exactly what to expect when we visited. I guess I thought the petroglyphs were situated on a cliff wall. But the outcropping of bedrock on which they appear resembles a sloping, stone floor. Although the petroglyphs are carved in the bedrock, the carvings have been traced with charcoal to make them easier to view. They are within an open-walled structure that resembles a picnic shelter.
Happy Squirrel Appreciation Day!
You may not have heard of it, but there really is a Squirrel Appreciation Day. Although not officially sanctioned by any government (that I know of), Squirrel Appreciation Day was founded by wildlife rehabilitator Christy Hargrove in 2001, and it falls on January 21st of each year. He believes that a good way to commemorate this winter holiday would be by putting out some extra food for the squirrels in your yard. In the slideshow below, you can see an Eastern gray squirrel helping himself to food from one of my bird feeders.
48th Annual Hocking Hills Winter Hike, January 2013
We participated in the 48th Annual Hocking Hills Winter Hike today. This was our fourth time doing this winter hike which runs from Old Man’s Cave to Cedar Falls and on to Ash Cave, a distance of approximately 6 miles.
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How do anthropologists know anything about the Hopewell Indians’ beliefs?
When looking at the prehistoric artefacts and earthen structures in Ohio, I’m always wondering what meanings these things held for the people who created them. I end up reading whatever explanatory sign is posted nearby, but while I’m doing so I’m also wondering how anthropologists know any of this stuff. Since prehistoric societies don’t leave any texts explaining themselves or their culture, anthropologists have to be making a lot of inferences.
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Clifton Gorge after the leaves have fallen
There are a number of places where the terrain itself is interesting, but during the summer the foliage may partially obstruct your view. One of those places is Clifton Gorge State Nature Preserve. We visited there mid-November, but given our recent melt, it would look similar now.
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Winter’s View from Rising Park
This fall Bob and I visited Rising Park in Lancaster, Ohio. The big attraction there is the view from the top of Mount Pleasant. Both of us wanted to see what the view would look like when blanketed in snow, so we went back to take some more photos a week or so ago.
Conkle’s Hollow in Winter
We returned to Conkle’s Hollow in early January. Snow blanketed the hollow while icicles edged the cliff rim. When the slightest breeze stirred the fir boughs, snow wafted down catching the light as it fell.
Blendon Woods Metro Park
Bird watching is just one of the attractions of Blendon Woods Metro Park. The park features two observation shelters near Thoreau Lake. In addition the rear of the Nature Center has windows that look out on a number of bird feeders.
