Winter Is Owl Season

Wednesday, February 22nd, 2012

Guest post by Patrick Quackenbush

Probably one of the trickiest times to take a hike in the forest or field is late winter and early spring. You are never quite sure what to wear. Ohio’s early months are a bumpy ride of temperatures ranging from below zero to mid-sixties, from light rain to heavy snows. There is always the chance for an occasional late season snow storm. Sleet changing to ice and rain seem to always be around the corner. And the temperature and weather conditions can change in even less than a few hours. The trails are often slick with a little leftover ice or snow. By mid-afternoon, when the sun has warmed the ground, they can be quite muddy.

But the wildlife communities are in full swing and gearing up for the big spring bloom. They are dressed for the winter and spring even if hikers are not. Some of the first to get started in the early spring are Ohio’s owls. They actually become quite vocal and evident while establishing their territories. Nesting activity including egg laying can begin as early as the end of February! Normally shy owls interested in finding food over frozen terrain can become quite obvious when the nesting season approaches. With just a little information you can spot them as well.

There are up to 8 different types of owls found in Ohio, depending on the time of the year. There are the out-of-towners, those who visit when food is scarce in their typical Canadian home. These are the Snowy Owl, Saw Whet Owl, the Short-eared Owl and the more elusive Long-eared Owl. Then, of course, there are the typical residents of Ohio. They are the Great Horned Owl, the Eastern Screech Owl, the Barred Owl and the Barn Owl. Owls are part of Mother Nature’s nocturnal crew specifically designed for hunting their small prey at night. In fact, these creatures are some of our best nocturnal hunters with several adaptations to help them survive and thrive in a dark world.

When hikers first encounter an owl on the trail, the first thing that becomes obvious are their huge eyes. The eyes are specifically designed for gathering extra or limited light in the darkness because of their large size and their ability to open the pupils to enormous proportions. They have even adapted and exchanged most of the cones (color seeing receptors) in their eye for more rods (used for clarity and light gathering). The eyes of an owl are so large they take up three quarters of the skull. This of course does not leave a whole lot of room for a brain which actually spoils any truth to the whole, “Wise Old Owl” theory.

One of the things making the eyes appear even larger are the feathered discs encircling the orbs. They are what give the owl that wise or surprised expression. However, these really have nothing to do with the eyes but are actually large sound receptors which funnel minute sounds back to giant ear openings on the sides of the head. These discs and their giant ears allow owls to pinpoint the tiny sounds of rodents as they scurry through the forest. Other nocturnal adaptations include fluffy soft feathers with fringed edges. This and their giant ears allow owls to pinpoint the tiny sounds of rodents as they scurry through the forest.

Other nocturnal adaptations include fluffy soft feathers with fringed edges. This addition allows owls to filter the air and make them silent when they take flight giving them a remarkable ability to sneak up on their prey. Large, powerful legs ending in needle sharp, strong talons or claws allow the owl to grasp, puncture and kill prey quickly. But let’s take a closer look out native residents one at a time:

The Great Horned Owl (Bubo virginianus) is the largest species of owl that can be found in Ohio. This owl has several nicknames including the famous Hoot Owl or even the Tiger of the Woods because of their habit of eating anything smaller than themselves including other species of owls. If you have a Great Horned in the neighborhood, it does not take long for this bird to make his presence known. Their soft deep territorial hoot is most often heard just after dusk or right before dawn. Because of their large size, which can be up to 2 feet high for a female, this species takes a much larger variety of prey including rodents, squirrels, rabbits, small raccoons and possums. It is also known as one of the few natural predators of the striped skunk. This should also clarify their rather poor sense of smell. Believe it or not, this owl loves to actually hang out in old graveyards. Creepy right? But not if you look at the situation from their perspective. We all know that habitats are dwindling. However, cemeteries are seldom moved or the habitat within them changed. This is especially noted in the old city cemeteries. There are often very large and old nesting trees still available, nicely mowed lawns for spotting prey in short grass and they are quiet. Best of all, humans have installed hundreds or even thousands of big stone perches (tombstones) for spotting prey. Owls can even be spotted during the day on a quiet walk through a local graveyard.

The smallest of Ohio’s owls is the Eastern Screech Owl (Otis asio). You can see a photo of this owl at the top of this post (left photo). This bird appears as a miniature version of the Great Horned owl. It even has the tiny ears tufts on the top of the head just like the Great Horned. The tufts themselves serve a couple of purposes by helping to break up an owl’s outline or pattern while hiding during the day and to make the owl appear larger and more dangerous in case of trouble. These little birds (6 to 8 inches high) are tougher than they appear. They are voracious hunters of large insects and small rodents. The Screech Owl is one of Ohio’s cavity nesting owls. Hikers have often spotted these curious little owls peeking from a hole in a large old hollow Beech Tree or Oak Tree. If a hiker is quite and nonthreatening, these tiny owls have been known to have the whole family crowd their heads into an opening for a better look. Their eerie sounding trill or wailing call has frightened more than one hiker on a moonlight stroll. Never underestimate them because of their small stature, however. Ounce for ounce, they are every bit as voracious and capable hunters as their larger cousins.

Ohio does have one endangered owl. The Barn Owl (Tyto alba) is actually our only “old world owl” and appear quite different than Ohio’s other species which are referred to as New World Owls. This white bellied bird, with its cream colored back and long spindly legs, was often referred to by the early settlers as the ghost owl. Give a listen to its spooky, screaming call and spot it silently soaring towards you with its white underbelly. You can easily imagine where that nickname came from. As the Barn owls name implies, this bird prefers large hollow trees for nesting. Still, it readily adapts and even favors old abandon buildings or barns – especially when these structures are found near an old abandon field for hunting. However, their need for such habitat is the key reason for the decline of this species. Often the first things removed from an area are dangerous old trees and buildings causing a real shortage of important nesting locations. If you have an old building with a barn owl, you should consider yourself very privileged indeed to have this prolific mouser nearby. Barn owls prefer mice and other small rodents almost exclusively and one pair raising up to four young can wipe out up to 25 rodents in a single night!

This brings us to Ohio’s last resident owl, the Barred Owl (Strix varia). This medium sized owl can be found all over Ohio and prefers a mixed habitat of thick woods, preferably with a small evergreen grove bordering an open field for hunting. Their name comes from the stripes or bars that run down the belly. A bold bird, the Barred owl generally will make its presence known in any woodlot very quickly. They hunt at night from open perches with a commanding view of their favorite hunting grounds. They are also most noted for their amazing call. This bird can truly be called the loud mouth of the nocturnal forest. While establishing a territory or looking for a mate, this owl can stir up the entire forest when it begins its hooting cries. Their call is often described as the bird saying: “Who cooks for you, who cooks for ya’ll”. Playing a good recording or using your own voice can bring in the birds quite closely. They will even hoot back to their human caller.

Hikes through the forest, in a local cemetery, or calling from you favorite camping spot can all yield amazing experiences with these nocturnal Ohio residents. Owl Season – winter and early spring, right before the leaves bud out, are great times to spot owls regardless of the changing weather and temperatures. They will be here this time of the year as long as their habitat in Ohio survives. Still not sure? Many of Ohio’s parks and nature preserves offer owl experiences or night hikes that help to ensure a guided experience with these amazing night time predators. Good luck and happy Owl Prowling!

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Insects Galore

Tuesday, January 24th, 2012

Guest post by Derek Hennen

Winter can be a beautiful time of year (when the weather deigns to give us snow), but if you’re like me, it can also be pretty dreary for one important reason: there aren’t many insects about. Sure, you might get lucky and find some stink bugs crawling around inside your house or come across a camel cricket or spider (not actually an insect, but an arachnid, of course) in your basement, but the assorted stragglers can’t quite satiate the need to see our many-legged friends like the other seasons can.

If you haven’t noticed yet, this post is going to emphasize how amazing the insects and other terrestrial arthropods are. First, let’s establish some background. If you aren’t already a fan of insects and would rather step on them than appreciate them, ponder this: out of all living organisms on the planet, over half are insects. Furthermore, out of all the animals, almost 75% are insects. When you include the other arthropods, it increases to 86%. Keep in mind that these are only species we have described so far: estimates predict that over 90% of all animals are insects. The sheer amount of diversity among the insects shows us that this is one important group. Keeping that in mind, let’s explore the diversity of insects in Ohio.

Nature, and in turn, insects, are not things you have to drive to the outskirts of civilization to experience. It is (obviously) literally all around us, and this is especially true with regards to the insects. When I first learned of the total insect diversity, I was a bit skeptical. After all, I hadn’t really noticed too much variability in the insects, other than mosquitoes could suck my blood, bees could sting me, and scarab beetles had a penchant for flying into porch lights during the summer. It wasn’t until a few summers ago that I truly started looking for insects and observing the mind-blowing amount of variability there actually was. I started a personal project documenting the terrestrial arthropod diversity in my own backyard (I didn’t want to make the spiders and millipedes feel left out) and have kept at it for three summers. I went through my yard a few times a week, taking an hour-long walk examining the trees, shrubs, and other vegetation during the day and night, just taking pictures and finding what I could. My current tally surprised me: to date, I have found over 100 different species.

The kicker? All of these insects, spiders, and millipedes have been found in an area only one acre in size. Now that’s impressive! The phrase “backyard biology” has never been more relevant! But that’s enough talk, it’s time to look at some of the beautiful and interesting insects that Ohio has to offer.

First up is an ant.

Well, not exactly. If we take a closer look, we learn…

…that it’s not an ant at all! This is actually a jumping spider in the family Salticidae that mimics an ant, Synemosyna formica. I start off with this spider to illustrate two points. Firstly, that Ohio has some interesting and surprising diversity. Secondly, that it is important to pay attention. You’ll find that these little critters can be surprisingly crafty, in a variety of ways. For example, a spider only has two body segments: the cephalothorax (head) and abdomen. In this species, its body is constricted to make it appear to have three body segments like an ant. In addition, it holds its front legs in front of its body, mimicking the antennae of an ant. You can see how small the spider is from the first picture: at most, these spiders will grow to just under six millimeters long. When I found this spider in my backyard, I thought it was an ant. That is, until it declined to run away like the other ants in the area. Instead, it stayed on the underside of the leaf I found it on, unmoving. This isn’t ant-like behavior, so I caught it on the hunch that it might be something different.

Next up is an insect that a friend described as looking like “a Balrog that got hit with a sneeze of tie-dye.” It may look ferocious, but it’s actually harmless to humans. Other insects….well, not so much.

This is likely the biggest wasp you’re going to find in Ohio: the giant ichneumon wasp, Megarhyssa macrurus. In this photo, it’s inserting its three inch long ovipositor into the dead wood of a tree, in search of one thing: the larva of another wasp, the pigeon tremex horntail (Tremex columba). It can detect the wasp larva’s movements in the wood, locate it, and then lay an egg next to the larva. Once the ichneumon wasp has done this, it will then sting the horntail larva, paralyzing it. Later, the ichneumon wasp larva will hatch and devour the horntail wasp, and continue to grow to adulthood.

With a lifestyle like that, it’s a good thing this wasp is harmless to humans! It’s difficult to convey in a picture just how beautiful this wasp truly is: the mixture of amber and yellow blend together to create one of the most jaw-dropping insects around. If you’re walking in the woods and come upon some dead trees in a sunny area, search around a bit and you might be lucky enough to find one.

This next insect is a personal favorite of mine. It’s a member of a fascinating family of bugs called the assassin bugs, a predaceous family that preys upon other insects. They are generally considered beneficial insects and are currently being studied for use in biological control regimes. Something called an assassin bug probably isn’t going to be too peaceful, obviously, and these insects earn their name. They’re ambush predators, and once some prey comes into their hunting ground, they creep up behind the prey and strike. They have a mouth like a straw, which they plunge into the unsuspecting victim, pumping it full of digestive fluids to paralyze and liquefy the insides of the unfortunate insect before sucking it out. Not exactly the most polite thing to do, but it’s a way to make a living.

In Ohio, we’re lucky enough to have the largest terrestrial true bug on the entire continent in our backyards: the wheel bug, Arilus cristatus. The picture above shows its namesake: a structure on the top of the thorax that looks like a cogwheel. This particular wheel bug has just emerged from its final instar (the fancy word for a juvenile stage in the life of an insect), hence the pretty salmon color. After a few hours, the color fades into a grayish black that camouflages the wheel bug against trees. The wheel bug can grow a little larger than two inches, making it a formidable predator. Its size allows it to take on large prey and equips it with the weapon to do so: its beak is longer than its head. This can be intimidating to humans, and the gut reaction of many people is to either run from it or squash it. This fear is not well-founded. While the wheel bug can indeed inflict a painful bite (being bitten by an assassin bug isn’t even an entomologist’s idea of fun), it will only bite when provoked. Even then, it might not bite. I’ve handled many wheel bugs and have yet to be bitten: the key is to respect it and handle it with caution. I wouldn’t recommend handling a wheel bug, but it makes an interesting insect to keep in an enclosure (it’s in a butterfly cage in the picture) and observe its habits. It’s best to only do this temporarily and then release it to go on about its business, but it’s a valuable learning experience.

No mention of Ohio’s insect diversity would be complete without what many would argue to be the most beautiful moth in our area, the Luna Moth (Actias luna). I had a massive stroke of luck in my adventures this summer, with regards to this moth. I was researching assassin bug diversity at Marietta College’s Barbara A. Beiser Field Station in early summer when I heard a strange sound coming from some grass. I bent down and searched for the source of the noise when something came crashing through the undergrowth.

A newly-emerged Luna moth was crawling towards me. There was no question that it had just emerged: its wings weren’t yet pumped up, so it was in search of a tree to crawl up where it could safely expand its wings. Seizing the opportunity (as well as the moth), I placed it on a nearby maple tree and observed it for the next three hours. It takes a while for the moth to complete this task, and moths are at their most vulnerable at this stage: they can’t fly away, and are nice protein-rich meals for any other animals that might happen upon them.

You can tell that this individual is a male, due to the thick antennae, which he uses to detect pheromones from the female: chemicals that let the male know where the female is located and if she is ready to mate. Adult Luna moths don’t feed, focusing solely on mating to usher in the next generation. In fact, adults don’t even have functioning mouthparts. Due to this, they only live for about a week, so mating is the top priority in such a short time.

The Luna moth is in the moth family Saturniidae, a group that includes the biggest moths in the world. The Luna moth is no exception, with a wing span reaching up to 4.5 inches. The wing span of the Cecropia moth, North America’s largest native moth, is over 6 inches. Once you’ve seen these moths, you’re not likely to forget them. They’re attracted to lights, and are more abundant near forests, so start your searches there!

This is just a small sample of Ohio’s insects: some are even more colorful and have novel life histories. I haven’t even mentioned the beetles, which are the most diverse group of insects. In fact, one out of every four living things on Earth is a beetle. Isn’t that marvelous?

In a few months, winter will be over and the insects will once again grace us with their presence. I encourage you to go outside and look around your own backyard to see what you can find. If you want to go further and identify what you’ve found, BugGuide is the best resource for North American insects on the web. If you want to go further than that, Nature 2.0 websites like Project Noah allow you to upload photographs of the organisms you find, and are great for keeping a record of what you’ve found.

What should you do if you want to find insects now? Well, the winter stoneflies should be coming out pretty soon..

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Walking in a Winter Water Land

Tuesday, December 20th, 2011

Guest post by: Brenda Culler

Everyone has a favorite water place. It might be the serenity of a flowing backyard fountain. It might be a silver stream slinking through a woody glade beneath the wooden footpath crossed on a sunrise walk. For others, a steamy shower at the end of another day in paradise does the trick.

For me, it’s Lake Erie. And it doesn’t matter how hot, or cold, it gets.

Finding the WOW factor in the icy solitude starts with a lake vista of the pristine blue sky— absent the summer haze—mingling with opaque whiteness on the horizon. Then, like a whip cracking the silence,  ripples of giggles ring into the air as you share with the child in your life the world of a frozen sandscape.

Because aside from flipping out the flops for boots and replacing the string suits for ones with a little more fluff and fuzz, many of your favorite summer beach toys can double-up for buckets of winter fun.

Castles in the snow

It seems that rolling snowballs was much easier when I was a kid. It’s not the bending over, the getting wet knees or the pushing or shoving—that’s all part of the free stress relief session that comes with an outdoor winter workout. It’s the snow. It just doesn’t seem to stick together like it did when I was a kid. So instead of the frustrating task of rolling snow into giant balls, break out the beach bucket, fill it up, flip it over and voila–  the beginnings of a snowman, woman, child or castle.

Snow can be packed into just about any container that has a wider mouth than bottom so the snow slips out with ease.  My girls and I have used containers of all shapes and sizes to make snow castles along with our traditional sand buckets, peanut butter jars and whatever other plastic  containers that we reuse after the inside food product is gone. And if you’re at the shore and there’s no snow– not to worry. You can still make winter castles in the sand.

Fun Cubed

One time, we accidently left our 13-gallon kitchen trash can outside before we left home for a few days. It was near a leaking roof overhang. It caught a lot of water. Then Mother Nature worked her frigid magic lowering the temperature to “really, really, cold” and then snowed on top of the frozen water. When I went to dump the snow out, to our surprise a giant ice cube fell out instead. Who knew it could be so much fun. We stood on it, sat on it. Slid on it. Hit it. Kicked it and just let our imaginations go. The girls tried sculpting it with the aid of sticks. That didn’t work so well so they tried hammers and screwdrivers. Michelangelo needn’t be jealous of their “masterpiece,” but it still was fun.

The same beach buckets used for making snow castles can make cool– but slightly less gigantic—ice cube sculptures. And if you have enough of the smaller containers, you can make a bunch of frozen ice blocks, stack them up in a tower, then have your own carnival game by throwing baseballs, snowballs, or that leftover Halloween pumpkin, to see who can knock it down.  It’s easier to make frozen ice sculptures in your own back yard because beach buckets of water will take a few days to freeze and you can’t leave them waiting to freeze in public places.

Ice Mountains and Sand Molehills

Back at the beach—a frozen lake is a fun lake to view. Everyone should take at least one winter trip to see a frozen funland. When Lake Erie freezes, it starts with a thin glaze of ice. The lake is so big, those may be localized patches of ice sheets which creek up and down on the water in a slow motion bob. The more consecutive cold days in a row, the larger the patch of ice and the thicker the ice will become- eventually, getting locked in solid (especially in the Western Basin). But until then, the ‘little’ sheets of ice, which can be bigger than football fields, get pushed by the wind and can slide on top of each other into piles. Under the right conditions, those piles can grow into magical winter mountains 15 feet high or more. Along the shore, the frozen ice sheets and piles push the sand into molehills too which are much safer to climb on. (The ice sheets can be stacked like Jenga blocks, one moves and the mountain falls down).

Walking on (frozen) Water

If you want to venture out in the middle of the lake, walk to an island, or even toss in a line for some ice fishing, remember there is no such thing as 100 percent safe ice!  Four inches of new clear ice is the MINIMUM thickness for travel on foot. And just because the ice is 4 inches thick in one spot, does not mean it will be for the entire water body. Lake Erie does not freeze all at once or to the same thickness. The Western Basin may be locked in solid ice a foot thick while there is open water just 300 feet offshore in the Huron area. There are other factors that can also make ice unsafe including freezing and thawing (honeycomb ice) and water flowing under the ice.

Before venturing out on frozen water.

1. Check for known thin ice areas with a local resort or bait shop or test the thickness yourself using an ice chisel, ice auger or even a cordless 1/4 inch drill with a long bit. For your first time(s) out on the ice, consider hiring an experienced ice guide so you can be sure to get home safely.
2. Wear a life vest under your winter gear, or wear one of the new flotation snowmobile suits.
3. Carry a pair of ice picks. They can be homemade or purchased from most well stocked sporting goods stores that cater to winter anglers.

More ice safety tips can be found at: www.ohiodnr.com/tabid/2884/Default.aspx. Typing “Ohio DNR Ice Safety Tips” into a search engine will bring up the Division of Watercraft ice safety page on this topic as one of the first few links!

Winter is a colorful world

Those squirt guns that are so much fun in the summer can become magic wands of winter color. Simply fill them with hot water and a few drops of liquid food coloring. You can turn the piles of snow into what look like giant snowcones in a few minutes. Writing names, hearts and the proverbial peace sign will be sure to happen. If you don’t have squirt guns, squirt bottles and spray bottles work great and they take away some of the temptation of shooting a person with colorful water. A few tips— make sure the water is as hot as you can get it coming out of the faucet. If the squirt bottle is outside too long without being squirted, the water will freeze in the portion of the gun or bottle that does the squirting first. Just take it back inside and let it thaw to get it working again. And if you really want to gross out your friends, make your own yellow snow, then eat it.

Finding Things

Remember those sand molehills? Chances are the winter movement of sand, water and ice along the shore has uncovered some cool rocks and beach glass. Bring along a few empty bags and/or your beach buckets while strolling the shore. Three bags/containers work best—one for trash, one for recyclables, and one for finds. One or two cool rocks, pieces of beach glass, lucky stones (aka fish ears) serve as free souvenirs.

Finding things with your eyes and a camera is also fun. Birds can be spotted in large numbers at times—especially if you go to a Lake Erie public access site near a power plant’s warm-water discharge. Birds flock to these areas as the water usually won’t be frozen. (Note: the ice is not safe to walk on near these areas!)  Cameras will catch all the smiles!

Warming it up

A game of winter Frisbee can get you running, warm you up, and be just as fun as in the summer sun.

Your beach blanket can still serve its purpose if you need a minute to rest (only instead of just separating your bottom from the sand, it can be wrapped around you for warmth.)

And a day of exploring the winter beach world wouldn’t be complete without a cooler—or should I say warmer—of food. Coolers that keep stuff cold in the summer can keep stuff warm in the winter. Liquid thermoses work the same. So how cool will you look to your kids if you unpack a beach lunch of hot soup and warm toasted cheese sandwiches followed by steaming hot chocolate and marshmallows! The key to keeping the hot stuff hot is to get the soup and hot chocolate boiling before you put it into the thermos. You can also put the thermoses in a cooler for added warmth. Toasted cheese sandwiches and hot dogs can be made and wrapped individually in tin foil. Then take all the sandwiches and wrap them together in a towel before putting in the cooler. Once stuff is in the cooler, keep the warmth in by not cracking the lid until you are ready for yum!

And don’t forget the sunscreen…

If you are a summer burner, it’s a good idea to put a light coating of sunscreen on your cheeks, nose and any other exposed body part before heading to the winter wonderland. There are a lot of UV rays bouncing off the snow and ice and right back at you. Sunglasses are also a good idea. Cold temps and sun can cause lips to dry, so apply a lip balm before you go out and re-apply while on site if you’re out for a long day.

Now go explore the outdoors. Detailed information and maps of Ohio’s 166 public access sites on Lake Erie can be found here. Take lots of pictures! And if you post them on Facebook, tag “Ohio’s Lake Erie” in them so I can see them!

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Tips for Winter Running

Tuesday, December 13th, 2011

Guest post by: Andrea Ratulowski

Winter running in Ohio can be challenging.  While we may not see some of the low temps or significant snowfall that those north of us face, we still have our fair share of rough weather.  Running and other outdoor activities can still be enjoyable and we can still get a great workout as long as we prepare ourselves properly.  Below are a few tips that will help keep us active and get us through the winter season.

Proper Clothes:

You want to make sure that you are wearing workout clothes that are designed for running and also designed for winter weather.

Shirts, pants, and jackets that are made specifically for winter running will be lined on the inside to help guard against wind and to help retain heat. They will feel heavier and thicker than what you normally expect from running clothes.  However, this added protection is needed to protect against the harsher elements.

Even though it’s cold outside you will still sweat. Proper running wear will be made to wick away any sweat so that you won’t have damp clothes next to your skin.  If you wear something that doesn’t wick away sweat, such as fleece pants, they will end up holding water and getting heavy.  This is not desirable in the winter because it would keep you cold instead of helping you stay warm.

You also want to make sure that the clothes you wear for running are snug to your body.  Avoid bulky heavy clothes.  In the winter it’s important that we retain our heat.  When temps dip into the teens and the wind is blowing, we need all the help we can get in order to stay warm.  Loose clothing would allow for too much air circulation which would lead to your body heat escaping and cold air taking its place.  By wearing more form fitting clothes, cold air cannot get in and your body heat stays where it’s most beneficial, next to you!

Layering:

Layering is key to winter running! When it gets cold outside sometimes lined running gear just aren’t enough and we need a little more to keep us warm.  Ultra thin tights and running shirts are the best for this.  They will be slim enough to fit under your running pants and shirts along with being very tight against your body to help with heat retention.

You can find these types of items online and in most running stores.  I found my current pair of under-tights at Sam’s Club of all places!  Again, stick with something that will wick away sweat.

Layering will allow you to remove layers if you find yourself getting too hot while running.  It will also help you determine what you need to wear for the temperature.  The standard rule is to dress 15 degrees warmer than the current temperature because as you work out your body will warm up.  For example, if it’s 25F outside, you should dress as if it’s 40F outside.  It will be cold at first but you will warm up!

However, this will be trial and error, you will have to find what works for you and what you will need depending on the temperature. The easiest way to keep track of this is on a calendar. Make note of the temperature and what the conditions were, for example, if it was windy or snowing out.  Also note what you wore, and how you felt during your run. This will help you figure out what gear you need to wear depending on the temperature outside.

Must Have Gear:

1.  Gloves:  Running gloves that will keep your hands warm, are easy to wash, and have a place for you to wipe your nose.  It’s cold and your nose will run, no getting around it.
2. Hat: A good winter hat that will keep your head and ears warm.  The winter wind can be brutal sometimes and a hat can make all the difference between a great run and a miserable run.
3. Sunglasses: It might be winter but if there’s snow and sun the glare can be hard to handle.  Sport sunglasses will stay put and keep you from squinting your way through the entire run.
4. Extra Shoe Traction: Snow and ice are not friends of the running shoe.  It’s hard to get traction and keep your balance.  You’ll need some extra traction added on to your running shoes.  YakTrax (www.yaktrax.com) are a great example.  They are easy to slip over your shoes and will provide you all the extra grip you need to get through your run whether you’re running on the road or hitting the trails.

Also, if you are going to a park or trail to run, check the weather before you go in order to be prepared.  Keep in mind that most of the trails in Ohio are not maintained during the winter; there’s no plowing or salting.  They will be snow covered and possibly icy so take necessary precautions to ensure your run is a safe one.

Have fun guys and don’t let a little winter stop you from running outdoors this year!

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Biking with Kids

Tuesday, November 29th, 2011

Guest post by: Cody Sowers

Cycling is a big part of my life, and before my daughter was born it was even bigger. Before I knew it, a baby was in the house, and my bicycle was hanging up in the garage. People sometimes tell you that a baby changes everything. Those people are right but having a child does not mean that you must hang up the bicycle forever. Quite the opposite actually. From day one, I had a mission. Well, actually a mission among many missions, but that is another story altogether. I now had a new cycling mission, or goal if you will. My new cycling goal was to get my daughter interested in cycling.

Getting your child interested in cycling is a little easier than you might think. Many of us probably have an old photo as a kid stuck behind one of our parents on a bike seat, staring at their behind. Luckily we don’t remember that and luckily, for your children, options to get kids out and about on a bicycle have improved “Eight Times Over Miss October.” (Bonus points for you if you know who sings that song.) Anyway, here are some easy ways to get your child started, and hopefully keep them interested in cycling.

Bicycle Seats:

As I stated earlier, bicycle seats have come a long way since I was younger. No longer are kids stuck on the back of the bike. There are options galore. You can still buy the rear mounted seat if you prefer, but now there is a far better option that your child is going to love! Enter the front mounted bicycle seat!

The front mounted seat is another relatively new product on the market. A couple different brands have put out models, but the favorite in my household is from iBert. The iBert Safe T Seat mounts directly to the stem area of you bicycle, giving your child an unobstructed view of the ride. Plus, it gives you the rider/parent an unobstructed view of your child. No more turning around to check if your kid is okay on the ride, now all that you have to do is just look down in between your arms. Another bonus is that if they fall asleep on your ride they will lean onto one of your arms. I am sure that you have all seen a parent or two riding along with their child in a rear mounted seat, with the kid’s head, arms, etc. flopping around while the parent cruises along unaware? I know that I have.

If you are wondering how it attaches, it only takes two bolts to attach to the stem area of your fork, which are tightened with an included wrench. The seat slides onto the bracket, and is secured with the included metal pins. All of the hardware on this model is made of steel, so you know it is going to be sturdy. If you feel a little nervous about the installation though, head on down to your local bike shop.

This has been the best cycling investment that I have made when it comes to my child’s cycling interest. She absolutely loves taking bicycle rides with this seat. Our rides to the grocery store are now transformed into little adventures, where we can play “I Spy.” Our rides on the bike path turn into little “nature hikes” where we try to identify birds and whatever other animals scamper into view. She has the full view of the ride, and can wave to every person that we meet. With this seat you do not have to try to make the ride fun for your child, the seat does it for you. This is why I prefer the front mounted seat as opposed to the rear mounted ones. In my opinion, it is a safer way for parents to share their love of cycling with their children. After a year and a half of using it, I am sad to see my daughter outgrow it. I am sure that baby number two will love this hand me down!

Trailers:

Trailers are another easy option to keep your kids interested in cycling by giving them a safe, comfortable place to sit while you ride. This is a great option to have when your child wants to take along a toy or coloring book with them on a bicycle ride. Trailers are also great for multiple children, as most trailers have a weight capacity of around 100 pounds. There are many different brands to choose from, and prices vary greatly. Every trailer that I have seen come equipped with a five point harness, secure attaching points to your bicycle, and a screen covering that keeps the kiddos safe from the random debris that might kick up from your rear tire. This option can be the most expensive option, but clearly the most comfortable.

Tricycles:

One of the first ways for your child to learn about cycling firsthand is on a tricycle. Keep in mind you are not going to go fast or far, but with little rides here and there you are building your child’s cycling foundation. Start small with the rides, first on the sidewalk in front of your house. Peddling at first will be a new mechanical motion, so luckily for us parents most tricycles now have some sort of handle to give a little extra push when needed. After the peddling motion starts to become a little easier for them, start to work your way around the block in small increments. In no time your child will be cruising around the block at breakneck speeds. Well, maybe not that fast, but you get the idea. Also, be sure to make the ride as fun as you can in any way possible. For example, my daughter and I look for interesting leaves along our route. Usually the leaves end up in her tricycle bucket, and then onto the living room floor much to my wife’s chagrin. But all sweeping aside, the main point here is that the tricycle ride was fun!

Coaster Bike:

Coaster bikes are relatively new on the kids bike scene but they are very basic. This bike is all about teaching balance. These can typically cost you around $100, but luckily for us frugal folks they are very easy to make. Do you have an older kids bike in your garage? If so, all you need to do is remove the pedals and voila! You now have a coaster bike. I should point out that with bicycle pedals you normally cannot use a regular wrench to remove them. If you do not own a pedal wrench, I would suggest to take the bike down to your friendly neighborhood bicycle shop and have them do it for you. It is super easy for them to do, takes a couple minutes, and I would doubt they would charge you much, if at all for the process. Anyway, the purpose of this style of bike is to instill confidence in balance, which the tricycle obviously does not do. This type of bicycle has no pedals, so your child sits on the seat, holds the handlebars, and kicks their feet to move along for the ride. This is another mode of travel that will take some time to get used to, so remember to take it slow. Once their confidence grows, they will be coasting around the block with ease.

Trail a Bikes:

Trail a bikes are another great option, usually for older children though. This option gives your child the ability to pedal along with you, while their half of the bike is attached to your bike. This is a great way to teach older kids about balance, leaning in the curves, and also traffic laws. Again many different brands have available models, with the prices varying greatly as well. For my daughter and I, this will be our next big cycling purchase, as our local bicycle shop had one on the display floor during our last visit, and it really caught her eye. Talk about a proud daddy.

These are just a handful of options that are available to us parents for cycling with our kids. Hopefully this gives you a few ideas on how to keep riding, and how to spread the bicycle love with your children. If any of these piqued your interest, head down to your local bicycle shop to see if they have anything in stock that you could possibly try before you buy. If nothing else, pick their brains about cycling with kids to see what options they recommend.

People will tell you that having a child changes everything. And again, they are right. The problem with that statement is that it is usually clouded with negativity, as to say whatever you used to do before you cannot do now. I do not believe in that. Sure, I am not riding all day epic mountain bike rides as much as I used to, but the little trips with my daughter are just as epic. Sharing my love of cycling with her is far better than any all day ride that I have ever taken. And as long as our cycling trend continues, my next riding partner is sitting in the child seat with me right now. Hopefully yours is too. Hope to see you on the trails!

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Birding in Your Own Yard

Tuesday, November 22nd, 2011

Guest post by: Kristin Marks

One of my favorite memories is when a Cooper’s Hawk dove into my front yard and grabbed a squirrel for lunch. I thought I was watching a scene out of National Geographic from my basement window. I love birds. I love their freedom, listening to their sweet sounds, and watching them flit around or soar through the sky. My affinity for birds started when I was a little girl, and I am excited to share my love for bird watching with my children.

What’s most fun about this hobby is that it isn’t extravagant and it can be done anytime, year around. We take a walk or sit in our backyard, and I ask my kids, “Use your ears to listen. What do you hear?” and also, “Use your eyes to see. What do you see? Do you recognize that bird?” Our neighborhood is full of Black-capped Chickadees, Cooper’s Hawks, Blue Jays, Cardinals, Robins, Red-bellied Woodpeckers, and House Finches, to name a few. My husband got me a birdfeeder for my birthday that hangs right outside the kitchen window. At least five different kinds of perching birds visit on a daily basis. We use binoculars to get a closer look at the ones hanging out in the trees.

My children have started a “birdie journal” that contains drawings of our neighborhood feathery friends. We research the bird by looking up facts about it in our bird guide, and then write the name of the bird on the picture and date it. It is a fun activity that encompasses spending time together enjoying nature, and time for my kids to be creative on paper. We have a common love for birds and are enjoying learning more about them as a family. Our guide focuses on Ohio birds, states migration patterns, food choices, coloring, and how to determine between a male and female.

We are having fun bird watching and learning about the native birds of Ohio. The best part – we don’t have to leave our own yard!

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Hueston Woods State Park Nature Center

Tuesday, November 15th, 2011

Guest post by: Naturalist Chad Smith

The Hueston Woods State Park Nature Center is located in College Corner, Ohio and is open 7 days a week all year round. General park info and history is available inside as well as several live native reptile species. The outdoor exhibits include; a 17 year old male Mountain Lion named Cougie, a 21 year old male Bobcat named Eli, both of them had been declawed by their original owners. The Nature Center also does Raptor Rehabilitation and accepts on average 50 injured Birds of Prey a year with a nearly 50% success rate of release. The permanent residents include a Bald Eagle, a Golden eagle, Rough Legged Hawk, several Red tailed Hawks, Great Horned Owls, Barred Owls, Screech Owls and Turkey Vultures.

The Nature Center Offers Naturalist Led programs year round, check the website for detailed information. You can also “LIKE” them on Facebook!

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Ohio Wildlife Center

Tuesday, November 8th, 2011

Guest Post By: Justin Wolf

Have you ever come across an animal—in the wild—that was injured? Ever wondered what to do with it?

Central Ohio is home to the Ohio Wildlife Center (OWC), specializing in rehabilitating and housing these special animals. OWC is a dedicated leader in wildlife rehabilitation, operating a hospital on Billingsley Road as well as a nature education center. The nature center is nestled in the woods just a short drive away from the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, caring for injured and orphaned wildlife giving them a second chance.

My kids—13, 9, and 7—and I recently had a chance to visit OWC during a school trip. I was aware of the Center having driven past it on many occasions, but this was our first actual visit. As we walked to the main building, we passed the housing unit where many of the animals live and are available for viewing. Here we saw a grey and red fox, raccoons, skunks (which we could smell before we actually saw), barn owls, screech owls, and red-tailed hawks.

Around one corner of the housing unit, we were greeted with a sign that read “Stay back – I bite.” No, it did not belong to one of the foxes, or even a raccoon. Instead, sitting quietly in the enclosure, looking up at us with small black eyes was…an eastern gray squirrel. This little guy was orphaned in a bad storm where he was thrown from his nest. He was brought to the Center where he is getting care.

We had the opportunity to meet some of the residents of the OWC thanks to one of the resident educators. The kids got an up-close look at an eastern screech owl, an eastern fox snake (not my favorite), and an opossum named Eeyore. Eeyore, LOVES cat food! The children were able to touch the snake, which they all seemed to love. The adults were invited to touch the snake as well; some did, but others were not quite as enthusiastic.

Downstairs, we met Barbara, the “Turtle Lady,” who introduced us to an eastern box turtle. For me, this was one of the most educational pieces of our visit. We learned that the northern variety of these turtles have a natural instinct to burrow below the frost line to survive the winter. Southern-varieties, for instance the Florida box turtle, do not have this instinct. These southern-varieties, incidentally, are the kind most often sold in pet stores, and are at risk of dying should their owners decide to release these turtles back in to the wild.

Next, we headed outside to explore the property a little more. My kids and I enjoy hiking, so we were pleased to find a short trail that meanders around the Education Center. From the main building, the White Tail Trail heads downhill to a stream bed, which was dry at the time of our visit, before heading back uphill. Placards along the way provide information on the various types of trees found on the property – Maple, Hickory, Walnut, Sycamore.

At the end of the trail, and in a more grassy area of the property, lives one of the more active residents of the Center – a coyote. Pacing back and forth, the coyote seemed to keep one eye on us and the other on a possible means of escape. Coyotes have become frequent visitors to Central Ohio, and can actually be found in all 88 Ohio counties (a surprising fact for us to discover). The Center provides a great amount of information about coyotes and how best to avoid, or if the situation arises, handle a coyote encounter. So, if you should be faced with a coyote in the wild, don’t run! Rather, wave your hands in the air and yell loudly to scare off the coyote.

Finally, we wound our way back to the main education room. In this room, two large picture windows provide an excellent view of the many bird feeders situated on the south side of the building, my kids’ favorite spot. We sat here for a good thirty minutes, staring through binoculars, then quickly thumbing through the various guides lying about to identify the bird we had just seen. “There’s a woodpecker!” “There’s a blue jay!” “Daddy, DADDY! There’s a CARDINAL!” We could have easily spent all day watching the feeders to see who may stop by for a snack.

We had a great morning at the Ohio Wildlife Center. We certainly learned a lot more about the wildlife found in Central Ohio and about the great work the Center is doing. If you’ve never had a chance to visit, I highly recommend that you go and check it out!

Ohio Wildlife Center
2661 Billingsley Road
Columbus, OH 43235
614-793-WILD (9453)

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