observations

here are some random, and possibly boring, observations from the inn

-the bluets are in late bloom and pair nicely with the mosses that blanket several areas around the restaurant and inn
-the white snakeroot is growing everywhere in teh open spaces around the inn; learned this week that if cows eat this plant their milk can be toxic to humans
-the juvenile beech trees have finally lost last season's leaves and all are budding out
-the deer have found the newly planted blackeyed-susans in the meadow next to the beardtongue
-a neighborhood cat ran off with a chipmunk this morning around 10am
-the jack-in-the-pulpits are blooming everywhere...and fortunately the new plants have all grown up nicely
-Jack and Lucie visited last weekend and learned about garlic mustard, and never to eat anything from the wild unless they were with Uncle Andy
-watched a turkey fly down the hill into the meadow
-ran into a nieghbor today looking for mushrooms in the woods (I was running the trail toward October Hill)

More good signs of Spring

-Saw the first bunny rabbit sitting outside room 109 today
-Saw a red fox in the Meadow who got spooked and darted up and over the ridge when he saw me...i think there may be a den near the meadow
-Saw the first bumblebee this morning
-the garlic in the meadow is growing well
-the red maples are mostly blooming now (some started as early as 3 weeks ago! )
-and the multiflora roses (aaargh) have broken bud and are leafing out
-the buckeye leaves are unfurling on the sunny slopes
-a sparrow is building a nest outside the main office door...I'm still too much of a tree hugger to remove it...
-the grass is 2 shades greener than it was last week.
-the wahoo (burning bush, Euonymus) is beginning to leaf out
-the hellebore (Lenten Rose) flowers are starting to fade

Mohican Valley Eagle Watch--and Wally Road is going green

We are hosting several nature programs this year here on Wally Road at the Mohican River Inn....
The first of these is Mohican Valley Eagle Watch and we had a wonderful turnout Friday...106 people showed up for the event. Jon Minard, who is in charge of the bald eagle census in the Mohican and Kokosing River areas for the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, discussed the unique bald eagle habitat of these pristine tree-lined river corridors. Then Laura Jordan, Executive Director of the Medina Raptor Center, brought Migisi (means 'eagle' in the Ojibway language, and several other native languages) and discussed the threats bald eagles still face such as lead poisoning. Medina Raptor Center rehabiliatates several birds every year including hawks, owls, and eagles.

On Saturday, morning, Jon minard led a grop of us through the backroads of Holmes, Knox and Ashland counties and we saw 8 bald eagles. Our group joyfully discovered the FIRST eagle nest EVER in Ashland County, as confirmed by ODNR Wildlife District 3 officer Brian Banbury.

The Mohican Valley Eagle Watch is the first of many nature programs planned for the Mohican area this year. River corridor tree planting, a 10-mile native garden trail, a 10-mile bluebird trail, canoe trips guided by a naturalist, the OSU Extension naturalist program, and several arts and entertainment opportunities throughout the year.


We'll post some photos from the Saturday tour when they are available...here are some photos from the Mohican Valley Eagle Watch program Friday, March 20.


Jon Minard speaks about the local eagle population.


Migisi (from Medina Raptor Center) makes her entrance...

Laura Jordan, Executive Director of the Medina Raptor Center answers questions from the audience as Debbie supports Migisi. Migisi kept her eyes ont eh crowd the whole time she was there.

Migisi decides it is time to leave and carries Debbie off to the car (this is just a joke...i flipped the picture on its side)

Spring Peepers

While we are excited thinking about watching the bald eagles this upcoming weekend, the first of the Spring Peepers can now be heard in the valley below.

Can't make it for a visit soon? Listen to what the wetspots in the valley are producing... go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spring_Peeper and hear the audio for yourself.

Sunday morning walk

when the soil around here freezes, the water in the soil crystallizes and heaps it up into tiny delicate columns...let's call them dirt-spires...maybe they are more like the earth getting goosebumps
here is a late-Winter morning view from the Stargazer meadow. it would have been colder on the moon, so I am not complaining, but I still should have worn gloves...

the moss always greens up the rocks at this point along the trail to the Smoke Signal Pit

Weekend Retreat Glenmont St. John's

Thanks to Glenmont St. John's for holding their Winter book study retreat here! It was cold outside but the conference space was warm.

there were 3 clergy in the group, and one clergy widow

lively discussion during breaks

Valentine's Fun

Thanks to everyone who came to celebrate Valentine's Day with us!

Here are a few pictures--Please send any pictures you want to share to mohicanriverinn@gmail.com

Thanks!