This hike arose from my recent study of the Little Miami River Valley and the public greenspace there. Kelley Nature Preserve stood out because a long section of its trail system borders the river.
Loveland is an outdoors mecca for the Cincinnati region, largely due to the Little Miami River. The city is the functional trailhead for the Little Miami Scenic Trail, a highly utilized, 78 mile, multi-use “Rails to Trails” paved path. It was the first “Rails to Trails” project in Ohio and runs parallel to the river on an abandoned Penn Central Railway line. Loveland is also home to several canoe/kayak launch sites on the Little Miami, and many businesses that have a ecocentric theme.
The parking area at Kelley Nature Preserve is just a short jaunt away from the formal trailhead and nearby canoe launch.
The views from the launch are inviting, downstream as seen in the title photo, and upstream as seen below. The Ohio River Valley is experiencing a drought resulting in low water levels and sluggish current.
Still wildlife abounds in this riparian corridor, as we could see wild ducks on the bank opposite the launch.
Sometimes it seems that the photographer and I hike at a glacial pace – meaning very slowly – as we take our time for photography and observation. And often we are rewarded. As she was taking photographs of the ducks noted above, I caught a glimpse of activity as a large bird moved in a Sycamore on the far bank. If not for its movement and size I would have never seen it.
With the use of a telephoto lens the photographer was able to capture these images from the our bank.
Given its size I was suspicious that it was a juvenile Bald Eagle. Online tools confirmed that and the borrowed image below leads me to believe that it is a 2 year old juvenile. I base that on the presence of the black beak of a one and one half year old, and the mottled feathering and eye stripe of the two and one-half year old. This was particularly enjoyable as for each of the last three springs, we have been able to watch two eagle nesting pairs raise their broods in nests along the Little Miami via nest cameras. I have to wonder if this juvenile was one of those eaglets that we watched.
We watched it for about 15 minutes, hoping that we would see it prey on one of the ducks or fish that were in the water just below him. But it was more patient than us so we moved on.
Nearby we found a trophy Bur Oak, somewhat a surprising find on a shoreline. It had about a 4 foot diameter trunk suggesting that it is perhaps 300 years old.
Bur Oaks are interesting because they have an acorn that is somewhat atypical, with the cap nearly covering the entire nut. The name “Bur” is in reference to the twisting spines along the edge of the acorn cap. They are not pointed or painful however. I wonder what the ecological role is for the fringe and what evolutionary advantage it provides to allow it to persist, since no other native oaks have this feature.
The trail in this area remained on the low bluff above the river, affording us nice views on the waterway.
There were some well placed benches inviting one to slow down to take it all in – an offer that we rarely refuse.
Gazing on the water we were able to study the duck population somewhat closely and were excited to see that we had caught the male Mallard population in their “eclipse molting” plumage. During the late summer and early autumn male mallards, like many ducks, undergo a molting process where they lose their typical coloration with the green heads. Through this eight to ten weeks long process all their feathers are gradually replaced. They take on a general appearance of the female mallard. It is thought that this occurs to allow them to be less flamboyant and blend in, leading to less predation. Their typical iridescent green head is a mating season thing and after mating has occurred and young reared, there is no need for it. As can be noted in the photos below, there can be great variability in the appearance of the male ducks over the timeline of the molt. During this molting season the males can not fly. In later autumn, the male Mallard will molt again, replacing the temporary feathers, and by late October will have its normal coloration.
As I prepared for this hike one of the features of Kelley Preserve that got my attention is that the trail wove through a variety of habitats. After leaving the riverside it bisected a small meadow that was at peak flower, including the fall stalwart Goldenrod.
We tend to see Goldenrod as a broad brush of color, but in fact, it is fascinating when you look at individual plants which have a layering affect.
Then on closeups you can appreciate the small, individual blossoms that make up a flower head. Each flower itself is about an eighth of an inch.
Joining Goldenrod in the meadow were other notable fall flowers.
Cutleaf Coneflower and White Campion
Tall Tickseed and Field Thistle
Lastly, Jerusulem Artichoke.
Following the meadow the trail entered a healthy mixed wood with a great variety of hardwoods including many oak species.
The “shingling” detail of the cap of this White Oak acorn is fascinating.
Working our way through the hike what became apparent to us was the bounty of fall, with many plants offering up their fruit.
Greenbrier and Pokeweed
Wild Grape and American Bittersweet
As we wound down our hike we found this Cockle Bur on the shore of the river.
Burs interest me because of their relationship to the development of Velcro. In 1940, a Swiss engineer named George de Mestral was hunting and got curious as to how burs attached to him and his dog. He looked at the burs under a microscope and noted the hooks that latched onto his clothes and the dog’s fur. Over the next 10 years he developed the hook and loop system that allows Velcro to work, and got the product patented in the early 1950s.
At this same area, perhaps within fifteen feet of each other, we saw a collection of plants that prefer a stream side habitat or were in fact growing in the stream:
Giant Chickweed, Smartweed, Mist Flower, Floating Primrose-willow, and Boneset.
In summary, Kelley Nature Preserve, with its varied habitats, presented a lot for us to enjoy and reflect on, whether it was the juvenile Bald Eagle, the molting of the Mallards, or even the ingenuity of Velcro. But also the beauty of nature on the small scale, from the fall flowers, to the details of the “simple” acorns. We were visiting on a hot September day, and despite that, we saw many individuals taking nature in, whether kayaking with their friends, or participating in a cardio walk. It is a gem of a community resource.
Footpathsblog.com posts are released every Sunday morning and some bonus content is added periodically. Please click on a social media icon above to follow for future posts and to make sure that you catch all our reflections on, and adventures with, the great outdoors.
Photo credits to Peggy Juengling Burns. The image of the juvenile bald eagles is from the Avian Report website.
Overview:
Location – 297 Center Street (State Route 126), Loveland, Ohio, 17 miles northeast of downtown Cincinnati.
Parking – asphalt lot for 50 cars.
Facilities – Portolet at the parking area.
Trail Conditions – bare dirt. There is one significant grade climb.
Print Trail Map Link – https://www.clermontparks.org/media/user/our-parks/Kelley%20Nature%20Preserve-V2.pdf
Benches – yes, with maintained views onto the river.
Picnic Tables – none noted.
Kids – Kids 4 and over will do well on the trail. There is one section of trail with a slightly steep incline.
Dogs – welcomed on a leash.
Paired Hiking Trails – none.
Links:
https://www.clermontparks.org/kelley-nature-preserve/
Here are two links to the Bald Eagle nest cameras that I enjoy each spring. Bookmark them and start to watch them next spring.
https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-1-d&q=little+miami+conservancy+eagle+cam
https://www.cardinallandconservancy.org/eagle-camera/
Finally, this is a link to a YouTube video of a David Letterman skit about Velcro. Worth the 6 minute time investment.