Central Ohio NatureNeighborhood Migrants
Posted on October 16, 2019
Warm days, now noticeably shorter, are giving way to colder nights with the landscape increasingly graced with the colors of autumn in Ohio.
Autumn reflection in central Ohio.
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During the past couple of weeks we’ve made a concerted effort to look for birds passing through Griggs Reservoir Park on their southern migration. We’ve avoiding the temptation to travel further afield thinking it would be fun just to see what is or isn’t passing through our “neighborhood”. There have been reports of birds that have eluded us, such as the Blackpoll and Yellow-throated Warbler, but all in all the effort has been rewarding.
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The Black-throated Green Warblers were very cooperative:
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Only one Cape May Warbler was seen:
Female Cape May Warbler
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A fair number of Northern Parula Warblers were spotted:
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This Yellow-throated Vireo is not sure he wants to eat a stink bug:
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We had only one sighting of a Black-throated Blue Warbler:
Good enough to ID the bird but that’s it.
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The fairly common Yellow-rumped Warblers are often seen eating poising ivy berries:
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A Nashville Warbler was also part of the mix:
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One Ruby-crowned Kinglet tries it’s best to hide while another jumps right out and poses. To date more kinglets have been heard than seen.
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Contrasting with last year, this has not been a good year for seeing Black-crowned Herons on the reservoir. However, on a resent paddle we were rewarded:
Juvenile, (Donna).
Adult, (Donna).
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While looking for warblers a group of very active Blue Birds was hard to ignore:
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A young male Wood Duck has been hanging around the park for the last couple of weeks. By it’s association with a group of mallards it appears to think it’s one:
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We would be remiss if we didn’t acknowledge some of the other birds that have fascinated us while we looked for fall migrants.
An immature Red-tailed Hawk seemed curious about what we were up to.
Something has this Juvenile Red-bellied Woodpecker’s attention, (Donna).
A Mallard Duck, bathed in autumn light, swims across the reservoir.
A pair of Northern Flickers, (Donna).
A Tufted Titmouse acts cute like titmouse do, (Donna).
A White-breasted Nuthatch goes about it’s day.
One of the many Cedar Waxwings seen in the park in recent weeks.
A female Downy Woodpecker poses for a picture.
A Great Blue Heron strikes a graceful pose along the Scioto River, (Donna).
This Blue Jay has quite a mouthful, (Donna).
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It’s a dark gray rainy morning as I finish writing this so it’s hard to imagine what nature will offer in the coming days and this is the time of year when things tend to wind down. However, if past experience is any indication, it will only take another walk in the woods to again experience the magic. Thanks for stopping by.
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The Magic World Of The Very Small
Posted on September 26, 2016
The last few days found us paddling Griggs Reservoir. This time of year we always hope that staying close to the shoreline will result in warbler sightings and perhaps a few pictures. With warblers and other migrants moving through it’s a good time of year. In recent days on the reservoir we’ve even seen Mink along the banks and while walking just south of the dam my wife caught the tail end of a Bald Eagle as it flew overhead.
Bald Eagle over the Scioto River just below Griggs Reservoir, (Donna)
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A number of immature Black-crowned Night Herons have also been seen, encouraging because of our recent discovery of one that had met it’s demise at the business end of a abandoned fishing line.
Immature Black-crowned Night Heron, Griggs Reservoir.
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Other things were also seen as we made our way along the shore.
A Great Blue Heron takes flight, Griggs Reservoir, (Donna)
Two Wood Ducks seemingly amused by a Painted Turtle or is it the other way around, Griggs reservoir.
A Red-tailed Hawk looks on as we head north along the west shore of the reservoir.
Painted Turtles enjoy posing for the camera much more than some of the other species we encounter, (Donna)
A female Kingfisher actually poses for the camera, Griggs Reservoir.
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Walking Griggs Park has been more productive for seeing as well as photographing warblers and other small birds mostly because of the difficulty in controlling and positioning the canoe in the pursuit of small active birds.
A male Bluebird doing what bluebirds do best, Griggs Park.
A male Cardinal, beautiful in the morning sun, Griggs Park.
Eastern Phoebe, Griggs Park.
Black-throated Green Warbler, Griggs Park.
Another view, (Donna)
Carolina Wren sings it’s heart out.
Chipping Sparrow, Griggs Park.
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If the warblers aren’t cooperating there may be a butterfly, not always rare, but one we’ve not noticed before.
Checkered Skipper, Griggs Park, (Donna)
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Fishing is also getting better as the weather cools with time taken off between casts to do a little house keeping along the shore. What can I say, it’s always there, but as those who read this blog already know, it makes me feel better to pick it up.
Another nice Smallmouth Bass, Griggs Reservoir
Unlike fish that are always returned to the water, the trash covering the bottom of the canoe is not “Catch and Release”!
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But recently real magic was discovered within the world of the very small when we spotted countless damselflies mating on fallen autumn leaves floating on the reservoir’s calm surface as we paddled back to our launch site during the warmth of the day. We’d never seen anything like that before.
In the warming late morning sun Dusky Dancer were on every leaf, (Donna)
The bigger the leaf the more damselflies. Sometimes, as we got close, they would swarm over the canoe.
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That’s about it for this post. For us living in northern regions autumn is a great time to be out in nature. A feeling borne from the knowledge that this fleeting time will not last. Thanks for stopping by.
Dew Drop
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Should you wish, various prints from this and other posts may be purchased at Purchase a Photo. and Donna’s 2017 Birds of Griggs Park calendar is available at Calendar.
Central Ohio Springs Ramblings
Posted on May 9, 2016
In the last few days we’ve been on hikes with friends as well as dedicated birding trips to various parks in Columbus and central Ohio and even when we weren’t trying real hard we’ve seen some amazing things. Hope you enjoy this early May photographic journey through spring in central Ohio.
Hobblebush, Glenn Echo Ravine, “the shrub forms large clusters of white to pink flowers in May–June. Flowers provide nectar for the Spring Azure butterfly. The large showy flowers along the edge of the cluster are sterile, while the small inner flowers have both male and female parts”.
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Hobblebush flowers
Spring in Glenn Echo Ravine
Jack-in-the-pulpit, Glenn Echo Revine
Glenn Echo Ravine
Fleabane, banks of the Scioto River below Griggs Dam.
Swamp Sparrow, Kiwanis Riverway Park, (Donna).
Swamp Sparrow, Kiwanis Riverway Park.
Solomon Seal, Glenn Echo Ravine, (Donna).
Green Heron, Kiwanis Riverway Park, (Donna).
Green Heron, Kiwanis Riverway Park.
Spring Crest along the Scioto River below Griggs Dam.
Spring Crest, (Donna).
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher on nest, Kiwanis Riverway Park
Red-eyed Vireo, Battelle Darby Metro Park
Blue jay, Glenn Echo Ravine.
Scioto River below Griggs Dam.,
White-eyed Vireo, Glenn Echo Ravine.
Take 2.
Palm Warbler, Kiwanis Riverway Park.
Bullfrog, Scioto River below Griggs Dam.
Big Darby, Battelle Darby Metro Park.
Northern Parula Warbler, Glenn Echo Ravine.
Take 2.
Black-throated Green Warbler, Glenn Echo Ravine.
Swainson’s Thrush, Glen Echo Ravine.
Yellow-rumped Warbler, Scioto River below Griggs Dam.
Spiderwort, Battelle Darby Metro Park.
May Apple, Battelle Darby Metro Park.
Northern Flicker, Battelle Darby Metro Park.
Barred Owl, Battelle Darby Metro Park. Spotted while looking for a noisy Great Crested Flycatcher.
Red-eyed Vireo with Yellow-rumped, Battelle Darby Metro Park.
Large flowered Valerian, “habitats include floodplain woodlands along streams or rivers, shaded ravines, and bottoms of rocky canyons. This species is found in high quality habitats that are moist and shady”. Kiwanis Riverway Park.
Big Darby, Battelle Darby Metro Park.
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I apologize that some of the bird pics aren’t up to “bird photography” standards, severe crops and adverse lighting, but hopefully they still tell the story.
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Thanks for stopping by.
A Tree Swallow and Some Friends
Posted on May 5, 2016
In the last few days the number of migrating and non-migrating birds seen by us and other birders in central Ohio has been incredible. We are trying to remember back to last year but nothing approaching the last few days comes to mind. Were we just not paying attention? We’ve visited our usual areas along Griggs Reservoir, but also got over to Hoover Nature Preserve and adjacent areas at the north end of Hoover Reservoir as well as Glenn Echo Ravine in Clintonville. Wherever we went there were birds. Only a few of those seen are documented below either because they were a little too far away, moving around too much, or the light just wasn’t favorable for a picture. For more info on birds in central Ohio along with some wonderful pictures visit Central Ohio Birders Facebook page.
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Some other notable birds seen but not photographed;Â Â Hoover Nature Preserve north end of the lake: a number of Red-headed Woodpeckers, Wood Ducks, Yellow Warblers, Blue-Gray Gnatcatchers, Hoover Nature Preserve Meadows Area: American Redstarts, Nashville Warbler, Glen Echo Ravine: Great Crested Flycatcher, Black Headed Blue Warbler, Northern Parula Warbler, Black and White Warblers, Baltimore Oriole, Blue-Gray Gnatcatchers.
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So here are some of the birds seen.
Tree Swallow, boardwalk north end of Hoover Reservoir
Black-throated Green Warbler, Glen Echo Ravine, (Donna)
Black-throated Green Warbler, Glen Echo Ravine
Rose Breasted Grosbeak, Hoover Nature Preserve, north end of Hoover Reservoir
Yellow Warbler, Hoover Nature Preserve north end of Hoover Reservoir, (Donna).
Great Egrets, meadows area, Hoover Nature Preserve
Indigo Bunting, Glen Echo Ravine
In the same tree, Glen Echo Ravine
Scarlet Tanager, Glen Echo Ravine
Northern Water thrush, Glenn Echo Ravine, (Donna)
Baltimore Oriole, Scioto River below Griggs Dam.
Catbird, Scioto River below Griggs Dam.
Downy Woodpecker, Kiwanis River Way Park.
Pileated Woodpecker, Kiwanis River Way Park
Prothonotary Warbler, Scioto River below Griggs Dam.
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If there wasn’t a bird to look at there were other things.
Jack-in-the-pulpit, Glenn Echo Ravine, (Donna).
Fungi, Hoover Nature Preserve, Meadows Area, (Donna)
Wild Geranium, Glenn Echo Ravine, (Donna).
Pearl Crescent, Hoover Nature Preserve meadows area, (Donna).
Mayapple, Glenn Echo Ravine.
Marsh Marigold, Glen Echo Ravine, (Donna).
New leaves, Hoover Nature Preserve, Meadows Area.
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In the back of our minds we know that one day not too far in the future the spring celebration will be over. It’s a good time to be in the moment.
Wetland landscape, Hoover Nature Preserve, Meadows Area.
Wetland landscape, Hoover Nature Preserve, Meadows Area.
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Thanks for stopping by.
Bird Mural, Glen Echo Ravine
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XXX
Fall Warblers in The Morning Sunshine
Posted on October 5, 2012
It was one of those cool clear early autumn mornings when we found ourselves at Prairie Oaks looking for migrating warblers. We walked along a row of trees bordering a field with the trees being warmed by the early morning sunlight. To our delight we observed about eleven different species of warblers feeding in these trees. The birds, which included kinglets and gnatcatchers were very active and my efforts to photograph them were met with limited success, my son Ben did much better.
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Thanks for stopping by.
