Fast Falcons

By Lauren Stayer | Friday, February 10, 2012, 04:15 PM

Peregrine Falcon close up, courtesy of ODNR

When asked what the fastest animal on earth is, most people would respond, “the Cheetah!” But, Dayton is actually home to an animal that is even faster! Can you guess what animal this might be? Tired of guessing? It’s the Peregrine Falcon!

The peregrine falcon is a beautiful raptor, or bird of prey, and is built for speed! They are beautiful, as you can see in the photo, and though they are smaller than other birds of prey, they are efficient and are larger than our area’s other falcon, the American Kestrel. A peregrine falcon exhibits it’s speed during hunting. Unlike other hawks and owls, they often spot prey while flying. Once spotted, they will swoop down at speeds up to 20mph and grab the prey with their talons! They can even take smaller birds out of mid-air! This amazing bird was put on the federal endangered species list in 1970 due to a by-product of DDT called DDE which weakened egg shells, much like it did with the Bald Eagle. Like the bald eagle, the peregrine falcon has made a comeback, and is no longer on the endangered list, though the population is still being monitored.

You may have seen peregrine falcons in a zoo or wildlife center, but did you know that Dayton is home to a pair of nesting peregrine falcons? There were only 43 nesting pairs of peregrine falcons in Ohio in 2011, and most were near Lake Erie. Dayton’s pair nest on the Liberty Bank Tower downtown. While peregrine falcons often nest on tall buildings in urban areas, this actually isn’t a safeplace for them. Many young peregrine falcons die due to falling and crashing into buildings while learning to fly. However, cities often offer the only habitat opportunities for the falcons today. They nest and roost on cliffs, and also require a close water supply, and many natural habitats with these features no longer exist. So, while it is cool that they often live in cities, it actually isn’t the best place for them. However, next time you’re downtown, look to the skies to see if you can spy our peregrine falcons! If you want to check on the history of their nest history, check it out on http://ohiodnr.com/wildlife/dow/falcons/sites.aspx and there is a falcon cam that will start back up for the 2012 nesting period in March or April, thanks to the Boonshoft Museum of Discovery at http://www.boonshoftmuseum.org/falconcam.html

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Fungus: Dead Man’s Fingers

By Katy Malcolm | Tuesday, February 7, 2012, 01:32 PM

Dead Man’s Fingers at Hills and Dales. Sooo creepy!

While walking at Hills and Dales, I came across a fungus known as Dead Man’s Fingers around the base of a tree. Dead Man’s Fingers (Xylaria polymorpha), is a common fungus to find in woodland habitats. This particular species of fungus is what we call a decomposer. This means they eat what is beneath them. In this case, the fungus appears to be munching on the tree. Digestive juices are secreted from the fungus to facilitate the breakdown of the food source. Now that we know what they eat, can we eat them? No! They are listed as unpalatable in my guide book.

Historically, fungi (plural form of fungus) have been grouped with plants based on their observed life histories. Now we know that fungi are more related to animals than plants. Today, they are listed in their own Kingdom since they do not quite have enough characteristics to be plants or animals.

Lichen

Not all fungi are decomposers. Many are single-celled and parasitic on animals and plants. Some fungi even form relationships with photosynthetic algae which will provide food for the fungus in exchange for a place to live. These are known as lichens and they are found nearly everywhere in the county.

Fabulous Fungus!

The best time to see fungus is when it is warm and moist. Hills and Dales MetroPark has a wide variety of fungi to view in the spring and summer. Not only are fungi really interesting organisms, but they can look quite fabulous!

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Water for Wildlife

By Brittany Boggs | Monday, February 6, 2012, 04:49 PM

Don’t forget about water when you want to invite wildlife into an area. National Wildlife Federation’s (NWF) requirements for a certified wildlife habitat are food sources, water sources, shelter, and places to raise young. To continue the promotion of these kinds of spaces, I want to remind you to provide the essential element of water.

The way you offer a drink will contribute to what visits your site. Do you want to attract birds, butterflies, frogs, or deer? I think simplest way to virtually guarantee visitors is a “bird bath” that can be refilled with fresh water every few days in warm weather to avoid breeding mosquitoes. In the winter some people use heated bird baths or fountains with continuously running water. If you keep your bird bath out over winter and it isn’t heated you can also keep it in a sunnier spot so that the water will thaw on warmer days. Of course, you can also add a pond or a moist location for butterflies to gather minerals, depending on the space available.

Continue reading "Water for Wildlife"...

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Winter Blues and Greens

By Emily Chilcoat | Saturday, February 4, 2012, 04:07 PM

Beautiful weather, mild temperatures: The combination of these has made this a unique winter! How are you taking advantage of this unusual season? With this weather it’s definitely the time to be thinking green, yes as in spring or summer, but also in saving money and energy. With the days still being shorter it is important to replace old light bulbs with longer lasting bulbs that will help save money and energy. Keeping your house a few degrees cooler and utilizing those dusty sweaters and sweatshirts will definitely help with your heating bill.

Taking advantage of this pleasant weather will also wash away those winter blues; go for a walk or run, explore your local park, take advantage of programs and classes held at your local park, plan for the upcoming planting season, or pick up a new hobby. Even in winter, there are many volunteer opportunities in MetroParks, where you can learn a new skill, gain new experiences, discover new hobbies, and even meet new friends! To learn more about volunteer opportunities with Five Rivers MetroParks,visithttp://www.metroparks.org/GetInvolved/GetInvolved.aspx. . For a list of upcoming classes and programs, visit http://www.metroparks.org.

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Groundhogs Galore!

By Lauren Stayer | Friday, February 3, 2012, 04:39 PM

A groundhog about to go into a man-made tunnel in Sugarcreek Township.

I hope everyone had a Happy Groundhogs Day yesterday! You may have heard different predictions from groundhogs all over the country. Rosie at the Boonshoft Museum of Discovery chimed in with her prediction of six more weeks of winter! However, did you ever wonder how this tradition began? Why would we look to groundhogs to predict our weather?

A groundhog in Sugarcreek Township.

The tradition actually dates back centuries ago from Europe, when they would see if the hedgehog saw its’ shadow for a prediction of a ‘second winter’ or an early spring on February 2nd, which was a Christian holiday called Candlemas. In other European countries the badger and otters were also used to predict a ‘second winter.’ Back before radar systems and computers, people relied on animals to help predict weather, and usually bad weather. In the 1800’s German settlers in Pennsylvania wanted to keep the tradition alive, and decided to celebrate February 2nd as Groundhogs Day. They chose groundhogs because when they arrived in Pennsylvania, there weren’t any hedgehogs, which was the animal they used traditionally. But, the groundhog population was booming, and they figured than a species that was doing so well must be good at surviving. So, they decided to use the groundhog in place of the hedgehog to predict the weather on February 2nd. Then, in 1887, Punxsutawney Phil began his career predicting winter or spring. He is now known world-wide and thousands of people travel to Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania from around the world to celebrate Groundhogs Day and meet Phil.

Even if you couldn’t to go Pennsylvania to see Punxsutawney Phil, or the Boonshoft Museum of Discovery to see Rosie, you can get out in your parks and look for groundhogs and groundhog evidence. These elusive creatures can be hard to spot; they can quickly hide in the burrow, they eat plants, and most of their scat is in their burrow. You can see their burrow entrances, and possibly some tracks from when they are out and about. But locating an active groundhog burrow can be tricky too, because other animals will take over abandoned groundhog homes! Skunks, opossums, and sometimes rabbits will use empty groundhog burrows. But it is still fun to go on a groundhog quest! If you find one, you can see for yourself if there will be six more weeks of winter!

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OH, DEER!!

By Katy Malcolm | Friday, January 27, 2012, 09:30 AM

While driving through Hill and Dales MetroPark this past Tuesday, we spotted this magnificent animal!

Male White-tailed Deer at Hills and Dales MetroPark

White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus) have not always been so numerous. In the early 20th Century, this animal was extirpated (removed) from the state due to overhunting. They began to return in the 1920s and are now considered a nuisance because of their high numbers. Deer do not hibernate or sleep during the winter. They can be seen all year, grazing on woodland plants, the bark of young trees, and even in our flower beds! Their distinct footprint and scat makes them easy to identify and track.

Track of a White-tailed Deer

Females will have one offspring per year but many will have twins. During the first month of a fawn’s life, the mother will hide them in a thicket and return to nurse two or three times a day. If you stumble upon a young fawn, keep in mind that Mom is probably very close by and watching every move you make! It is advised that you do not disturb them. After a month has passed, they will follow their mother around, rarely leaving her side.

The Ohio Department of Natural Resources has a wonderful printable life history on the White-tailed Deer that can be found on their website. I often turn to these life histories for information before programs. http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=hdF0IbvU%2f%2f8%3d&tabid=6791

So, when you are next out in Nature, or your own backyard see if you can find some signs that a White-tailed Deer has been there!

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Attention Birders! Merlin at Germantown MetroPark Nature Center

By Brittany Boggs | Wednesday, January 25, 2012, 10:04 AM

Attention birders!: A Merlin has been repeatedly spotted near the entrance to Germantown MetroPark’s Nature Center.

Remember when I said it helps to have binoculars in your vehicle in order to get a closer look at wildlife you see, sometimes unexpectedly? Right after I wrote that blog I positively identified a Merlin perched outside the nature center’s entrance. It was perched on top of a telephone pole at the corner of Boomershine Rd. and Shimp Rd, and since I had a pair of binoculars with me then I definitely proved my point to myself! It’s been three weeks now and I’ve seen it about four times since then, so not every day but it is sticking around.

Merlin at Eastwood MetroPark

Merlins are small raptors and if you are a birder they are a fun one to seek out in the winter since they don’t stick around all year. Some people keep lists and may be looking to add a Merlin to theirs for their life list or for just this year. If you want to check for these handsome feathered friends I have had the best luck early in the morning ( 8-9 a.m.) or early evening (4:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.). They can easily be confused with Kestrels so study a photo first, bring binoculars and pay attention to the marks around the eyes. Merlins are also darker with more streaks on the chest and lack the orange and blue feathers that male Kestrels have. While you are around, be sure to check out the rest of the park and search for the many, many other birds at Germantown MetroPark.

More info on Merlins at Cornell’s All About Birds: http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/merlin/id/ac

Here’s a Kestrel for Comparison:

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/American_Kestrel/id/ac

Also, here’s a bit about Merlins from Jim McCormac’s awesome blog! http://jimmccormac.blogspot.com/search/label/merlin

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