Spring in the Wild World
By: Laura Hambrick
Laura Hambrick writes from her mini-farm in Kingston, Ohio.
Experience wildlife in the great outdoors at these southern Ohio events and locations.)
Blooms & Butterflies: March 13 through June
Franklin Conservatory
1777 East Broad St, Columbus, OH 43203
614-645-8733
www.fpconservatory.org
$10/adults
$8/seniors and students with valid ID
$5/children 3-17, under age 2 free
Hours: Daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Wednesdays 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Youth Fishing Tournament: May 1
8 a.m. to 11 a.m., at the parking lot below the dam.
Lake Hope State Park
27331 SR 278, McArthur, OH 45651
740-596-3030
www.ohiostateparks.org
For children 16 & under with an adult.
Free
Poles and bait provided.
Arrive early for a good spot on the lake. Bring a folding chair and watch your boys and girls have the time of their lives while introducing them to fishing.
International Migratory Bird Day: May 8
7 a.m. to Noon
Hopewell Culture National Historical Park
16062 SR 104, Chillicothe, OH 45601
740-774-1126
www.nps.gov/hocu
Free
Bring your binoculars and join local birding experts on a bird walk and learn about the various birds of Ohio. You can also see live animal demonstrations and participate in crafts and building projects at this very child-friendly event.
Whippoorwill Night Hike: May 8
Meet at Park office at 8 p.m.
Shawnee State Park
4404 SR 125, Portsmouth, OH 45663
740-858-6652
Free
Enjoy a flat half-mile walk with popular park naturalist Jenny Richards as you listen for the sound of the whippoorwill and other night creatures.
Aullwood Audubon Center and Farm Babies Fest: May 15
10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Aullwood Farm
9101 Frederick Pike, Dayton, OH 45414
937-890-7360
http://aullwood.center.audubon.org
$5/car
Come to the working organic Aullwood Farm and see, in their words, “Frolicking, leaping, clucking, oinking, waddling and nuzzling farm babies.” You’ll also see demonstrations, such as sheep sheering, carding, spinning and weaving of wool.
Birding by Kayak-May 22
4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Lake Hope State Park
27311 SR 278, McArthur, OH 45651
Touch the Earth Adventures
740-591-9094
www.hockinghills.com/earthtouch
$40/adult
$20/ages 10-17
Not recommended for children under 10
Registration Required.
Mimi Morrison will teach you to kayak, while Julie Davis, President of the Columbus Audubon Society, will be your tour guide on Lake Hope. Kayaking is very easy to learn, and the trip will be a gentle paddle. All kayaking equipment and water safety gear provided.
Feed Hummingbirds by Hand: June 24 through August
Lake Hope State Park
27331 SR 278, McArthur, OH 45651
740-596-3030
www.ohiostateparks.org
Wednesday through Sunday: 1to 3 p.m., at the nature center
Donations accepted
Come eye-to-eye with those beautiful birds and learn how to hand-feed them.
Brukner Nature Center
5995 Horseshoe Bend Rd., Troy, OH 45373
937-698-6493
www.bruknernaturecenter.com
Six miles of hiking trails open daily, sunrise to sunset
Interpretive Building Open:
Monday-Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Sunday 12:30 p.m. to 5 p.m.
$2.50/person
$10.00/family
(Sunday is Free)
Have you ever seen a bobcat or a Bald Eagle up close? Come see the outdoor “zoo” at Brukner, where dozens of permanently injured animals live in their spacious, specially designed homes. Brukner is a 165-acre nature preserve, dedicated to “environmental education and wildlife rehabilitation.”
Niederman Family Farm
5110 LeSourdesville-West Chester Rd., Liberty Township, OH 45011
513-779-6184
www.niedermanfamilyfarm.com
By Reservation Only.
$6/person (2 & under free)
*Minimum of 10 paying guests per reservation
Come see and pet the baby animals born this spring, including lambs, goat kids, piglets, calves, ducklings and chicks. Bring a picnic lunch to enjoy in the picnic pavilion after a 1 1/2 hour tour and some time in the play area.
The Ohio Wildlife Center
6131 Cook Rd., Powell, OH 43065
614-734-9453
www.ohiowildlifecenter.org
Tours on weekends by appointment
$5/adults
$3/children ages 5-12 & seniors.
OWC has rehabilitated and helped over 55,000 injured or orphaned wildlife since 1984. See the indoor exhibits, including cold-blooded animals, and then take a self-guided or guided tour of the center’s animals in outdoor enclosures, including a coyote, raptors, owls and foxes.
The Wilds
14000 International Rd., Cumberland, OH 43732
740-638-5030
www.thewilds.org
May Hours: Weekends only, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
June Hours: Daily, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
$20/adults
$19/seniors
$15/children age 4-12 (3 and under are free)
Where else can you go in southern Ohio that has taken 10,000 acres of mining land and turned it into a wildlife conservation center, with endangered animal species from all over the world? Travel with your tour guide on a “Safari Transport” bus through the vast acreage to see giraffes, cheetahs, rhinos and more.
Yoder’s Amish Home
6050 SR 515, Millersburg, OH 44654
330-893-2541
www.yodersamishhome.com
Hours: Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Tour, buggy ride and Amish school tour:
$11/adult,
$7/children ages 2-12
Explore the culture of the Amish during a tour of two homes, an Amish schoolhouse and 125 year-old barn. You’ll see many newborn farm animals (such as bunnies, lambs, puppies and colts) and barn swallows as your tour guide tells you about the center of the Old Order Amish homestead: the barn.