UFO’s

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5/7/09

UFO’s

We didn’t mean to do it. It was intended to be a hike in the woods to search for morel mushrooms. But we couldn’t help ourselves. They were everywhere. You cannot focus your eyes so closely on the ground and not see them- Spring Wildflowers!

Our bounty included fifteen wildflower species and three new trees. I am no expert on identifying flowers. Of course there were the common ones, may flower, trillium, violets and spring beauties. The less common spring wild flowers were there to surprise us too- lady slipper, jack-in-the-pulpit and Solomon seal.

I personally hate to lug books on a hike so I draw a sketch, take a sample leaf or study and remember unique features to use for later reference. Using the computer I no longer am limited to biological books on my shelf. The World Wide Web has expanded my reference library. I found the Ohio Department of Natural Resources web site very helpful.

After a thorough search in both books and on the web we still have 2 UFO’s (unidentified flowering objects). One of the UFOs is defiantly an orchid but which orchid? There were too few of this flower to pick and make a specimen. And what if it is an endangered species? I wouldn’t want to make it any less scarce so I am left with the picture it took in my memory and no identification match has been found. As for mushrooms we hit it just right and had enough to make a meal.

Try something different this Mother’s Day. Skip the bouquet and pack a picnic lunch. Grab mom and a wildflower book and take a walk along the Miami & Erie Canal, Lock 14 Park, 4 miles north of St. Marys on Lock 14 Road. Search for your own collection of spring wildflowers. Do not pick the flowers but keep a list of what you find and see if you can add to it as the season progresses.

If wildflowers are not your thing, take a pair of binoculars and a bird identification book and head to Lock 14 Park. This week is peak season for birds traveling through Ohio and Saturday May 9 is International Migratory Bird Day (www.birdday.org). See if you can identify one of the birds that have flown thousands of miles to visit Auglaize County.

Don’t own a bird or wildflower book? Buy one for your mother. I promise that she will love it (it is the Mothers Code to love anything given to her by her children). Get out and take a hike!

Allison Brady-Executive Director
Heritage Trails Park District
Your Auglaize County Parks