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Protecting, Restoring, and Sharing Nature in the Bluegrass
Protecting, Restoring, and Sharing Nature in the Bluegrass
Protecting, Restoring, and Sharing Nature in the Bluegrass
Protecting, Restoring, and Sharing Nature in the Bluegrass
Protecting, Restoring, and Sharing Nature in the Bluegrass
Protecting, Restoring, and Sharing Nature in the Bluegrass

Floracliff Nature Sanctuary is a 346-acre nonprofit nature preserve located in the Kentucky River Palisades region. Our mission is to care for the sanctuary property, ensure its protection as a nature preserve and promote public education of the natural history of the Inner Bluegrass region.

Floracliff is only open for guided hikes and events. We offer a variety of programs, volunteer and research opportunities, and hands-on workshops to interested individuals and groups. Please see our Events page to register for an upcoming hike or program.

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Guided hikes available via scheduled programs or private tours by appointment; Please send messages to info@floracliff.org

We are thrilled to host Kentucky artist, Teresa Ko

Did you know that Floracliff is home to some of th

Standing snags in our forest provide important hab

Standing snags in our forest provide important habitat for cavity nesting birds. Observed this week at Floracliff - Carolina chickadees and red-bellied woodpecker. All photos by Volunteer Ward Ransdell

Today is the day – Kentucky Gives Day! The Kent

Final results for the 4-day City Nature Challenge

Final results for the 4-day City Nature Challenge bioblitz will be coming soon. In the meantime, here are some of our favorite observations from Floracliff during the event. This includes contributions from visitors, volunteers, and staff, with help from our partners at @kentucky_nature_preserves who led programs on moths, aquatic diversity, and herps to find and document Floracliff’s wildlife:

1. golden-winged x blue-winged warbler - this was the first iNaturalist observation of this hybrid in Kentucky and a new record for Floracliff (David Lang)
2. stone cat - a new fish record for Elk Lick Creek, bringing the total to 30 species for the creek (Dan Patrick)
3. pale veined isturgia moth - a new moth record for Floracliff (Beverly James)
4. Yellow-throated warbler - what a beauty! (David Lang)
5. Black and gold bumble bee on dwarf larkspur - this is one of the less common bumble bees we have at Floracliff (Ward Ransdell)
6. a young visitor with an American toad, affectionately named “Marvin” (Amy DiCarlantonio)
7. Fantail darter eggs - if you look closely, you can see their eyes! (Amy DiCarlantonio)
8. Eastern tiger swallowtail on Ohio buckeye - we love seeing which pollinators visit our flora (David Lang)
9. Mayapple - the most commonly observed plant at Floracliff during the Challenge (Josie Miller)
10. Eastern milksnakes - not one, but two snakes! (Ward Ransdell)

@citnatchallenge
#citynaturechallenge

During the City Nature Challenge, these mother blu

During the City Nature Challenge, these mother bluebirds were staying busy at Floracliff. Volunteer Ward Ransdell observed the Eastern bluebirds feeding their nestlings a variety of insects. Can you tell what they are feeding their young?

The City Nature Challenge starts on Friday! There

The spring wildflower display at Floracliff is at

The Project FeederWatch season will be wrapping up

The Project FeederWatch season will be wrapping up at the end of April. So far, our volunteers have documented 32 species at the Trail’s End feeding station through weekly counts. We were excited to add three of those this past week:

1-2) yellow-throated warbler, an early spring migrant who has recently returned to our area
3-4) pine warblers
5) male purple finch
6) female purple finches

All photos by Ward Ransdell

Calling all community scientists! The City Nature

iNaturalist is an online community of naturalists

White trout lilies have been blooming this week th

Recent trail camera highlights: 1) Wild turkey 2)

Recent trail camera highlights:

1) Wild turkey
2) Coyote
3) Eastern bobcat
4) American robin
5) Eastern bobcat
6) Striped skunk

Today’s views of Elk Lick Creek

Today’s views of Elk Lick Creek

We are 2.5 months into the Project FeederWatch cou

We are 2.5 months into the Project FeederWatch count season, and so far our volunteers have contributed weekly observations of 24 bird species using the Trail’s End feeding station. These observations are useful for understanding winter bird populations as well as recording behavioral interactions between the birds. Here are a few highlights:

1. blue jay with peanut
2. titmouse
3. white-breasted nuthatch with bark butter
4. Carolina wren
5. yellow-bellied sapsucker
6. American goldfinches
7. song sparrow
8. red-bellied woodpecker
9. Carolina chickadee

All photos by Ward Ransdell

#projectfeederwatch

A few recent trail camera highlights from the top

A few recent trail camera highlights from the top of Elk Lick Falls:

1) eastern screech owl
2) wild Turkey
3) eastern bobcat
4) white-tailed deer
5) coyote

This morning’s Christmas Bird Count effort at Fl

This morning’s Christmas Bird Count effort at Floracliff yielded 40 species and 313 individuals, which is our best Christmas Bird Count since we began participating in 2006. Highlights included a great-horned owl first thing this morning, three hawks (red-shouldered, red-tailed, and sharp-shinned), a fox sparrow to finish the day, and the species pictured here: yellow-rumped warbler (aka “butter butts”), brown creeper, white-breasted nuthatch, white throated sparrow, and Eastern towhee. All the numbers we compiled today were submitted to the Lexington count coordinator, who then sends the data to the National Audubon Society. The data from these counts provides important information for assessing long-term trends in early winter bird populations.

A special thanks to our scouters and counters: Cynthia, Ellen, Nathan, Josie, & Beverly

All photos taken at Floracliff in the past few months by Ward Ransdell.

‘Tis the season for winter bird community scienc

‘Tis the season for winter bird community science! Floracliff staff and volunteers have been contributing observations to Project FeederWatch and eBird, and we are looking forward to the Lexington Christmas Bird Count on Saturday, December 18th. Here are a couple of recent observations:

1) Cedar waxwing in a fruiting flowering dogwood tree; 📷: Ward Ransdell

2) Wild turkeys at the Trail’s End Lodge; 📷: Josie Miller

While the rest of our fall wildflowers are finishe

While the rest of our fall wildflowers are finished for the season, witch hazel is just getting started. With little floral competition this time of year, it provides a food source for late season pollinators. Researchers have observed a variety of small flies, bees, wasps, owlet moths, and beetles visiting witch hazel flowers. It is not a common plant at Floracliff, so we’re always excited to see it in bloom.

Volunteer Greg Doyle recently captured these “fr

Volunteer Greg Doyle recently captured these “frost flowers” in the pollinator field. These ice ribbons form when air temperatures are below freezing. The sap of plants like white wingstem expands under the freezing conditions, causing the stem of the plant to split. The water is then pushed out of the cracks and freezes upon contact with the air, creating beautiful sculptures!

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