Posts Tagged ‘dark skies’
April 2026 Full Pink Moon
The first full Moon of spring will be April’s full Pink Moon which occurs on Wednesday, April 1, 2026. The Moon will look full and round when it rises at 7:45PM EDT, but it won’t be a true full Moon until 10:12PM EDT when the Moon has moved in its orbit such that Earth is…
Read MoreWestern Chorus Frog
Western chorus frogs are native to and found throughout Ohio. These nocturnal, secretive creatures are one of our smallest frog species, being only three-quarters to an inch and a half long. Although a member of the treefrog family these frogs are rarely seen on trees. They flourish in moist open habitats like damp meadows, grasslands,…
Read MoreGreat Horned Owls
On any of your recent night hikes have you heard the “whooo-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo” of the great horned owl? Perhaps you know them as “hoot owls.” They were given this name because they are the only owls in Ohio whose call is the traditional “hoot” we think of when we think of owl calls. This call can…
Read MoreCoyotes
Love them or hate them, coyotes play an important role in the ecosystem. Originally coyotes were western desert and prairie animals. They are cunning and intelligent animals having strength and endurance. They have been a part of Native American folklore for centuries. In these stories, Coyote is either revered for his intelligence and ability to…
Read MoreNorthern Saw-Whet Owls
“I shall never forget the thrill I experienced when I first met this lovely little owl. … I had never seen so small an owl, or one so beautiful.” Arthur Cleveland Bent, Life Histories of North American Birds of Prey, Part 2, August 8, 1938. Mr. Bent was writing about the northern saw-whet owl. Of…
Read MoreRegal Moth
The regal moth, also known as the royal walnut moth, is truly stunning in both size and beauty. This nocturnal giant becomes active at dusk and flies all night. Found throughout Ohio, the moth’s distribution is closely tied to its larval host trees. They are found in deciduous forests in the eastern U.S. from New…
Read MoreLong-Eared Owls
The long-eared owl is a beautiful nocturnal bird of prey built for hunting at night and being well camouflaged during the day. This owl spends most of its time in the boreal forests of Canada and northern parts of the U.S. Northern Ohio is on the very southern edge of this owls breeding range. However,…
Read MorePerseid Meteor Shower, August 2025
The shooting stars of August, the Perseid meteor shower, is the brightest and most popular meteor shower of the year. And the best part is you don’t need any special equipment to see it – just your eyes. The Perseid meteor shower occurs when the Earth passes through the debris stream left behind by Comet…
Read MoreFireflies
Fireflies come out at dusk and mesmerize and delight us with their flashing lights. These beetles have been around for 100 million years. More than 2,200 species are found on every continent except Antarctica. In North America alone there are nearly 170 different species of flashing fireflies. Despite all their success as a species, in…
Read MoreGray Fox
Gray foxes are nocturnal and elusive, making them hard to spot. This fox is considered a paraphyletic fox, meaning it’s not a true fox because it doesn’t belong to the genus Vulpes but rather the genus Urocyon. Belonging to the family Canidae, the gray fox, Urocyon cinereoargenteus, and one other fox, the island fox, are…
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