Central Ohio NatureTurtles, Snakes, Hawks . . . , Oh My!
Recent explorations in the central Ohio natural places have been good to us. As mentioned in previous posts the warblers are becoming quieter and much harder to find but as is often the case we find other things to fascinate. Below are some discoveries from the past week.
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Early summer wildflowers and flowering trees and bushes.
Hairy Beardtongue, Griggs Park, (Donna FZ200).
Squaw Root, Highbanks Metro Park. Never what one would think of as attractive this example is a bit past it’s prime
Purple Rocket, Griggs Park.
Flower of the Tulip Tree, Highbanks.
Fire Pink, Glacier Ridge Metro Park.
Spiderwort, Glacier Ridge.
Hairy Hawkweed, Glacier Ridge.
Squarrose Sedge, Glacier Ridge.
Mystery flowering bush, Griggs Park, (Donna FZ200).
Goats beard, non-native, Griggs Park, (Donna FZ200).
Blue Flag Iris, Kiwanis Riverway Park, (Donna, FZ200).
Virginia Waterleaf, Highbanks. It’s unusual that the leaves are still variegated. The variegated leaves are one of the beautiful things to look for on the forest floor in the early spring.
Closer look at a waterleaf flower.
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While we’re not seeing the warblers now other birds are still cooperating.
Red-tailed Hawk, Griggs Park, (Donna, FZ200).
Red-bellied Woodpecker, Kiwanis Riverway Park.
An easy to hear hard to see Red-eyed Vireo, O’Shaughnessy Nature Preserve, Twin Lakes Area.
Great Blue Heron takes a momentary swim in Griggs Reservoir, Canon SX40.
The Prothonotary Warblers continue their nesting activity below Griggs Dam along the Scioto River, SX40.
In the Scioto Below Griggs Dam a Great Blue Heron waits for a lunch delivery, Canon SX40.
Eastern Phoebe, Highbanks.
Song Sparrow, Glacier Ridge.
Barn Swallow, Glacier Ridge.
Field Sparrow with a mouthful, Glacier Ridge.
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This past week it was fascinating to see Snapping Turtles laying their eggs at Griggs Park.
Snapping Turtle, Griggs Park, (Donna, FZ200).
Snapping turtle nest. This one may have already been raided by a raccoon.
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Other reptiles and amphibians also made an appearance.
Rat Snake high off the forest floor in a tree hole, Highbanks, (Donna, ZS50).
Bullfrog tadpole, Glacier Ridge.
Bullfrog, Glacier Ridge.
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We’re heading into the insect time of year. Confirmed by the number seen recent walks.
Bumble Bee, Griggs Park, (Donna, FZ200).
Zabulon Skipper, Griggs Park, (Donna, FZ200).
Silver-spotted Skipper, Kiwanis Riverway Park.
Cabbage White Bouquet, Griggs Park, (Donna, FZ200).
Tawny-edged Skipper, Griggs Park, (Donna, FZ200).
Common Whitetail, (F), Highbanks, ZS50.
Common Whitetail (M), Highbanks, ZS50.
Female Blue Dasher, Griggs Park, (Donna, FZ200)
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When you’re looking for interesting insects and flowers other things magically appear.
Bleeding Tooth, Highbanks, (Donna, ZS50)
Dead tree, the victim of “bootstrap fungus Bootstrap fungus is caused by honey mushrooms, which are parasitic on live wood and send out long root like structures called rhizomorphs between the wood of a tree and its bark”. (thanks NH Garden Solutions for the ID help!), Highbanks.
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Hope everyone enjoyed our nature menagerie.
Fishing on the Scioto below Griggs Dam, SX40.
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Until next time, thanks for stopping by.
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Great post!
Snakes above me make me nervous!
One does wonder how it got up there
You’ve got some excellent photos here.
I think your mystery flower might belong to one of the dogwoods, gray dogwood or silky dogwood maybe, if it was on a shrub. Gray dogwood (Cornus racemosa) blooms earliest of the two so I’m guessing that’s what it is.
The veining on the dead tree is what killed the tree. It’s called bootstrap fungus, which is caused by honey mushrooms (Armillaria mellea), which are parasitic on live wood.
Thanks Allen, I was hoping you might know what the veining was.
You’re welcome!
What a great selection in this post. Your photographs never cease to delight.