So at least one good thing came out of the beech tree coming down from Ike–a barred owl seems to be checking out the hollow tree as a potential home! Not even disturbed by roofers pounding and moving around this morning (he was keeping an eye on them and me). Now if only I can keep the crows from scaring him/her away–they (~8 crows) surrounded the tree and shouted at it, and the owl just went farther into the tree.

Merry Christmas Eve Owl!

Derek Hansford

[Derek Hansford lives on Glenmont near the Wynding and Glenmont intersection]

Liz called today, 12/19/08, to say: Columbia Gas will take a two week holiday break from the gas meter and line work they are doing in the Adena Brook neighborhood.

Sent: Wed, 10 Dec 2008 4:22 pm

What do the fox eat in the winter? Should we leave food for the fox?

Lisa Fosco responds:

It is not recommended to feed foxes during a normal winter.  This species is active year round and should have no problem hunting and foraging on their own.  They are so well adapted for winter that they are one of the few Ohio species that have their babies when temperatures are still low (in Canada their whelping dens are commonly iced in).

Another reason that food supplementation is not in their best interest is that they tend to be opportunists.  If they are able to rely on a food source, they will adjust their natural feeding habits and will end up eating an unnatural (and therefore less healthy) diet.  They also commonly develop a habit of approaching people and tend to spend more time in yards and residential areas, which usually leads to trouble.

So, if the foxes looks healthy, PLEASE LEAVE THEM ALONE, and admire them from a distance.  As far as I have seen personally, we have several very healthy families in the ravine.

The exception would be if a fox shows any evidence of fur loss (they are prone to mange) or if they appear ‘slow’ or at all unhealthy.

Hope this helps!
Lisa

Director of Animal Rehabilitation

Ohio Wildlife Center

The Ohio Wildlife Center depends on donations to do their wonderful work. Send your tax deductible donations of any amount to: OWC, 6131 Cook Road, Powell, OH 43065.

One of the albino squirrels has been eating at our bird feeder all summer. Occasionally she was chased off by one of the brown squirrels.  Recently, I’ve noticed she seems to have the yard all to herself.  Last week I observed that she looks healthy and chubby….a good sign for the oncoming winter.  She’s been collecting leaves and stuffing them into the screech owl box in our yard.

We saw a fox jogging, or trotting, along Overbrook last Saturday AM, 11/22, between Lenappe and N. Canyon.  It looked pretty healthy.  We watched but didn’t see any companions.  We’ve seen a fox jogging down the road many other times, and it/they definitely follow the street.  They do not seem easily frightened off the road by cars….another good reason to drive slowly in the area.

Thank you for sending us the two images of the Adena Earthwork (I’ll call it Fort Reserve, using the name given on the Indian Springs plot, or more simply the earthwork). I have superimposed the plots to more accurately place Fort Reserve (see image above). There are slight discrepancies in the two plots, particularly with the location of the unbuilt portion of Yaronia Drive South. Based on these plots, the Ravinia article (Fall 2003/Winter 2004 issue), and some local information, I’d like to make the following comments and observations:

1. The Wynding Drive subdivision (all houses on Wynding Dr) is named The Fort Reserve Subdivision, after the earthwork.

2. The Indian Springs plot shows a proposed street named Wyandotte Drive (between unbuilt Tionda Drive and Yaronia Drive South). Could this be a possible explanation why Wynding Drive is spelled with a ‘y’ — a variation of Wyandotte?

3. The Indian Springs plot shows the earthwork a bit north and slightly east of the colored circle on the GIS plot.

4. From the Ravinia description: The earthwork consisted of a 400 foot diameter circular embankment with a contiguous inner ditch in 1953 the embankment was only 2 feet high and about 17 feet wide. Within the embankment were two mounds.  The first, near the SSE edge of the earthwork was 6 feet high and 60 feet in diameter. The second, near the NNE edge of the earthwork contained a burial site and a circle of post holes about 40 feet in diameter.

5. From my examination of the Ravinia diagram, I believe that the northern mound was about 60 feet in diameter and the southern mound was smaller, about 30 feet in diameter.

6. The superimposed plots show the embankment center located a few feet north of where the driveway of 4017 meets Wynding Drive (I’ll use house numbers to avoid confusion; all addresses are on Wynding Drive).

7. The center of the southern mound is on the SE corner of 3999, about 15 feet from the curb line.

8. The center of the northern mound is in the front yard of 4032, about  6 feet east of the large boulder on the curb.

9. The opening of the earthwork appears to be located in the back yard of 4029 and slightly north to 4039. This concerns me, since the terrain drops off very steeply in this yard 20 to 30 feet into the ravine. I assume that the earthwork would be located entirely on the high ground (on nearly level terrain).  For this reason, I wonder if the true location of the earthwork might be 15 to 30 feet east of the plotted location. This would place the opening on more level ground (near the rear walls of 4029 and 4039).

10. The terrain covered by the earthwork is now extremely level (varying by only a foot or two). Much of the leveling could be recent, resulting from grading during the construction in the mid-1950′s. For example, a mature red oak tree in front of 4029 grows from a 2 foot deep tree well, suggesting that the front yard was raised by that amount.

I am interested in any comments you may have.

Tom Tucker

Adena Brook neighbor John Blake writes:

Just FYI – Our company has reduced the rates for Curbside Leaf Pickup for this year.  Rates are cheaper than previous years.  Thank you.

John Blake / Owner

Outdoor Sensations Landscape, Inc.

4596 Indianola Ave.
Columbus, Ohio 43214

(614) 784-8585

Thank you Columbus Public Health staff and thank you neighbors for your questions to inspire the safest possible Vector Control Plan for Columbus. This recent process reminds me of the value of working together for the things we care about.

Thank you Columbus Public Health staff for your time, for listening, and for your thoughtful response to the concerns citizens raise about Columbus’ Vector Control Program. The November 20th meeting resulted in an agreement to work together to help control West Nile Virus by engaging in proactive measures to lessen the need for spraying. There are things we all can do to reduce the risk of WNV infection. Spraying continues to be a protective measure, however–citizens can significantly reduce the habitat of the West Nile mosquito and also reduce unnecessary exposure to pesticide toxins. Our group and others will join with CPH to spread the word about these things such as keeping gutters clean and removing standing water from objects and places on our property, and from business properties that might harbor the larvae. Stay tuned for information and ongoing encouragement to make your property safer. CPH has immediately taken steps to more clearly inform us when spraying is needed and they have adopted procedures to more exactly identify opt-out properties. CPH will enlist precautions so that people in places such as bike trails and parks are protected from being caught unaware in spraying situations.

Thank you to Clintonville neighbors Jeff Frontz, Robin Chenoweth, and Dianne Blankenbaker for such insightful, probing questions to move observations about Columbus’ Vector Control Program toward productive dialogue. We will continue to see updates to the IPM plan in the coming year.

Read detailed information about NoSpray Columbus by clicking on the link located in the right side column (box titled “Links.”

Just wanted to let you know about a FLOW event coming up on December 6.  Here are the details.  I hope to see you there, and I appreciate your help in spreading the word to others in the Adena Brook Community who might be interested.

Please join Friends of the Lower Olentangy Watershed and Preservation Parks for a Winter Watershed hike at Camp Lazarus in Delaware County on December 6.

Meet at 1 PM at the Camp Lazarus Visitors’ Center at 4422 Columbus Pike (US 23).  The hike will be led by Preservation Parks naturalist Jackie Bain.

For more details, to register, or to carpool, please contact Heather Dean at 267-3386.

The event is free and open to the public.