Winter Has Arrived!
I hope everyone is
staying warm as winter has finally arrived
for most of us. Frigid
cold temperatures,
along with substantial
ice and snow blanket
most of the eastern
US. The temperature
has been colder than
in recent years, and
many plants that
were marginally
hardy may not survive. The deep blan-
ket of snow may help
some of the tender
varieties of perennials, but many of the
woody trees and
shrubs that have
made it through previous winters may be
hit hard. We should
know by spring leaf
out how many of these
species have faired.
Now is the time to
think spring. Whether
it is planning what we
are going to grow in
our vegetable garden
to plants we want to
add to our flower borders. Planting season
will arrive before we
know it.
Good luck through
this winter season,
~ Brian
Focus on Nature: The Blue Jay
Everyone is familiar
with this common
bird. Ranging over
eastern North America,
this striking bird can
be found in many ur-
ban neighborhoods. With
conspicuous blue &
white plumage, both
sexes having similar appearances. Belonging to
the Corvidae family, the
blue jay (Cyanocitta
cristata) is related to
crows, magpies, and ravens. These noisy and
aggressive birds live in
small groups and are
intelligent and cautious.
They will also mob
hawks and owls noisily if
the are found in their
territory. Bullies at the
feeder, jays will drive off
other species to grab
nuts and seeds, then
fly away to eat it. Jays
also form caches, were
they will hide acorns
for future use. Jays
also rob nests of eggs
from other species .
Blue jay populations
have declined in recent
years. The reasons are
not well understood,
but everything from
West Nile to habitat
loss could be a factor.
Enjoy this noisy, bird
feeder bully the next
time he shows up at
your feeder.
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BR IAN JO R G O U T D O O R S
V O LU M E 1 , ISSU E 1
Native Flora Spotlight:
Skunk Cabbage
Skunk Cabbage (Symplocarpus
foetidus) will never win any
popularity contest. Blooming in
February and March, this plant
produces a fragrance that resembles a skunk in order to attract any fly that may being out
in late winter.
The flowers themselves are not
particularly showy, relying on
scent, rather than visual cues, to
attract their pollinators. The
flower is followed in the spring
by large, almost hosta like,
bright green leaves.
Found in swamps, marshes, and
wet soils, this plant can be found
from North Carolina and Tennessee northward, and also here
in Hamilton County in one location. I begin my wildflower hikes
every year with a trek to a local
marsh late February to see the
blooming skunk cabbages in the
snow. Perhaps the most interesting aspect of this native plant
is thermo genesis, the ability of
the plant to produce heat. This
only occurs in Arums and one
other family of plants. Blooming
in late winter, this plant has the
ability to produce heat and will
melt ice then bloom. The strong,
odor hangs very close to the
Upcoming Events
ground, and will attract any insect looking for decaying matter.
Finding skunk cabbage instead,
pollination is ensured.
Smoky Mountain Wildflower
Photography Trip
Great Smoky Mountains
Digital Photography Workshop
Wildflower Walk
May 14 & 16, June 6 &11
Focus on Flowers
April 24—26, 2009
April 17-19
A pre-trip meeting will take place
April 6, from 7-8:30 pm at the
Civic Garden Center. Our trip is
scheduled when we should expect
to see a profusion of blooms, such
as the rare & unusual Yellow
Lady’s Slipper orchid, Showy Orchids, Dwarf Crested Iris, and a
number of Trillium .The cost to
participate in this spectacular
photography class will be $100.00
per person.
-Transportation, lodging & meals
will be on your own
-A block of rooms will be reserved
for our tour
Call the Civic Garden Center
at 221-0981 to reserve your
space now!
Join us for this 4-part digital
photography workshop open
We should expect to see a profu- to all beginner photographers.
sion of blooms, such as the rare
The class will consist of one
and unusual Yellow Lady’s Slip- evening of class room instrucper orchid, Showy Orchids,
tion and three on-site classes
Dwarf Crested Iris, and a numthat will focus on flower/macro
ber of Trillium species - all in
photography, wildlife, and citytheir springtime glory.
scapes. The cost for this fourpart class is $45. 00 per person
The cost to participate in this
spectacular wildflower hike will (space limited)
be $75.00 per person
Thursday, May 14, 6-8pm:
-Transportation, lodging and
meals will be on your own
Introduction at the CGC
-Space will be limited
Flowers at the CGC
Contact Brian via email for
registration info.
Thursday, June 11, 7-9pm:
Cityscapes (off site location TBA)
Saturday, May 16, 8-10am:
Animals
at the Cincinnati Zoo
-A block of rooms will be reserved
for our tour
Saturday, June 6, 8-10am:
Call the 221-0981 to reserve your
space.
V O LU M E 1 , ISSU E 1
BR I A N J OR G OU T D O OR S
Closing Shot
Great Horned Owls are one of the earliest birds to nest in the new year. By the end of
January, they begin to incubate 2 to 4 eggs. The incubation period usually lasts about
30 days, and the young owlets will hatch in late February or early March.
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