We selected Brukner Nature Center for a Presidents’ Day outing as it is reported to have Skunk Cabbage along its Swamp Boardwalk Trail and we were entering Skunk Cabbage season. Skunk Cabbage is the first wildflower to bloom in the new year in the Ohio River Valley, but there is none accessible close to our Northern Kentucky home. Given the very cold temps of the past 4 weeks I was doubtful that we would find blooms this early in the season, but I’m always up for the hunt.
As is not uncommon, the Ohio River was covered by a dense layer of fog when we crossed it for this 80 mile road trip. But it was a surprise to find ourselves still in the fog bank when we pulled into the parking lot over an hour later, as noted in the title photo and below. Sighting owls might be a challenge.
Leaving the lot, our path took us past the circa 1804 log cabin of the Iddings family, the first to farm this property.
While in the parking lot prepping for our hike, we had noticed an abundance of assorted bird calls originating just over the hill from where we stood – Crow, Bluejay, Great Horned Owl, Red-tailed Hawk. Then we came upon the source when we found ourselves strolling through the cages that house injured wildlife that the nature center is rehabilitating. The bird calls were coming from housed patients.
Male Wood Duck
Red-tailed Hawk
Great Horned Owls
Mink – Minks are generally brown. The pink nose, eyes, and paws suggest that this one is a true albino, lacking all melanin. Other mink with white fur are possible through mutation, but their eyes and nose would still be dark.
Red Fox – it walked with a marked limp of its right hind leg, but it was the cutest and most animated of the animals.
Others getting care here were skunk, coyote, turkey vulture, black vulture, barred owl, and a Bald Eagle.
After passing through the menagerie we came upon the Trillium Valley Trail which we had hoped to take to the Swamp Boardwalk, but just beyond the bench in the photo below, the trail became a thrill ride with a confluent layer of ice. We developed a plan B to get to the swamp.
We headed back to the parking lot to take the Pond and then Hickory Ridge Trail which would eventually get us to our goal, and hopefully the Skunk Cabbage. The Pond Trail passes two man-made ponds nestled into the wooded valleys.
Soon the well marked trail system delivered us to the Hickory Ridge Trail.
Heading north, we were on a ridge top trail that passed through a healthy White Oak and hickory forest. The setting suggested that this would be a great place to find spring ephemerals come April.
But once again, after a couple hundred yards, we found ourselves on a north facing slope still covered with ice. The better part of valor again had us turning around. We were rewarded a short time later when we came upon a couple of Pileated Woodpeckers that appeared to be courting. Pileated Woodpeckers mate for life and by nature are very territorial. These two seemed comfortable with the other’s presence. This made Caroline’s day as it was her first time to see a Pileated.
Despite the fog and ice issues, it was still a great day to be outdoors and we next set our eyes on the Pinelands Trail. In 1953 the property owner had planted a ridge with many Red Pines.
The pines were a bit of a patchwork with some deciduous trees beginning to encroach on the remaining pine woods.
As the Pinelands Trail approached the parking lot the pines were at their thickest.
Odds and Ends:
Bruckner Nature Center does a great job with interpretive signs. If you wanted to learn to identify native trees this would be a great place to begin.
A lot of wildlife enrichment efforts were noted including these bat boxes that they labeled “Rocket Chambered Bat Houses”. I plan on investigating these as they appear to be installed much closer to the ground than bat boxes I have seen in the past.
Another example of habitat improvement was the placement of vernal pools. These pools are temporary, only holding water in the late winter and spring. Wildlife such as salamanders, Spring Peepers, Wood Frogs, toads, dragonflies, and Fairy Shrimp will use these pools to lay their eggs, free from predation by fish. The Fairy Shrimp story is particularly interesting as the eggs are laid in the pool, the water evaporates over the summer, and the eggs hatch the next year when the water re-accumulates.
The placement of this woodpecker hole surprised me, being only 5 foot off the ground. It had been recently excavated as evidenced by the fresh wood chips at the base of the tree. Given its size and rectangular shape one would have to suspect that it was the work of a Pileated Woodpecker, but they usually nest 30 to 50 feet off the ground. February and March are prime cavity excavation times for this spring’s nesting.
When hiking in the winter with snow still on the ground, it is always a bit of a shock to see a green healthy leaf. This green and white pin-striped leaf is from the Puttyroot Orchid. Each corm sends up a single leaf in the fall, which then dies in the spring. In June its flower, which is a muted combination of yellow, brown, white, and purple, will make its appearance. A “putty-like” extract from the root of this plant was used by Native Americans and early settlers to repair pottery.
Lastly, how do you identify Flowering Dogwood in the winter? By its bark! Yes, I know, a bad Dad joke.
In summary, while we did not successfully complete our goal of seeing the first Skunk Cabbage of the season, we had a terrific walk in nature at a campus that celebrates the natural world. The interpretative signs and the place finding posts add to the experience. Everything about this place, including its wildlife rehabilitation center, makes this an outstanding venue for introducing kids to the outdoors. I think that it would be a great place to teach them map reading skills as well, given the quality of the map and the trail signage. We will be back as I am certain that each season offers different performances.
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Photo credits to Peggy Juengling Burns and Caroline Burns Grizzle.
Overview:
Location – 5995 Horseshoe Bend Rd, Troy, OH 45373, 80 miles north of downtown Cincinnati.
Parking – Paved lot for 40+ cars.
Facilities – In the Interpretive Building.
Cost – this is an organization with membership. Non-members can visit for $2.50 per person. A very fair price.
Trail Conditions – there were short runs of pavement near the parking lot and the wildlife rehab facility, but otherwise bare dirt and wood chips.
Print Map Link – https://static1.squarespace.com/static/64ee64429f25eb5f91ce22ef/t/65542907c0c89e7cf438a7cb/1719864011348/Brukner_Trail_Map_High_Res.jpg
Benches – many along the route that we walked.
Kids – Kids of all ages should do well here depending on trail selection.
Dogs – prohibited.
Paired Hikes – there are a total of 12 trails at Brukner Nature Center, varying from 0.2 miles to 1.1 miles.
Links:
Finding any green shoot this time of year is a win.