Posted on May 26, 2019
It feels like we’ve been dodging raindrops at lot lately. However, the wetter than average spring, perhaps the new normal, has been great for the area wildflowers. We’ve continued to explore Griggs Reservoir Park near our home but have also made several trips to Glen Echo Park, Kiwanis Riverway Park, O’Shaughnessy Nature Preserve, and have traveled west to Cedar Bog as well as north to Magee Marsh, to name some of the other places explored. With a partial record in pictures of things seen, this is a celebration of all that this fleeting season has given us. Of particular note are the Yellow-billed Cuckoos that decided to make Griggs Reservoir Park their home for a few days recently. We also saw Scarlet Tanagers in the park after seeing few to none last year. What a treat!
(Should you desire, click on the image for a better view.)
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Birds:
Yellow-billed Cuckoos are one of the more entertaining birds to watch as they forage for food, Griggs Reservoir Park. They’re not a bird we see that often much less have an opportunity to photograph, (Donna).
There are always a few Bluebirds to see at Griggs Reservoir Park undoubtedly due to numerous trees that provide nesting cavities.
Catching this female Wood Duck out of the very corner of my spectacled eye as it flew into a nearby tree I at first thought it was a Morning Dove.
Every year we look forward to the arrival of the Baltimore Orioles at Griggs Reservoir Park. This year was no exception.
As if all the migrating warblers at Magee Marsh weren’t enough we see this guy, Great Horned Owl owlet.
A male Red-winged Blackbird in all it’s splendor. A common resident at Griggs Reservoir Park, (Donna).
Scarlet Tanager, Griggs Reservoir Park, (Donna).
Blackburnian Warbler, Glen Echo Park. This small park centered around a stream and ravine is a hotspot for observing spring migrants.
A male American Redstart plays hide and seek, Glenn Echo Park.
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Other things:
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Wildflowers:
These Toadshade Trilliums from a few weeks ago were some of the last seen, Griggs Reservoir Park, (Donna).
We were surprised to see this Morrel mushroom emerging through the mowed grass at Griggs Reservoir Park.
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We hope you enjoyed this journey through spring into what now feels like early summer. We sadly leave the spring migrants behind for this year but experience tells us that there is always something new to see when exploring nature.
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Future seasons become easier to count and the present one more precious with the passing of time, but in that scarceness we become richer with the sense of their magic. Â
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Thanks for stopping by.
Eastern Wood-Pewee, Cedar Bog.
Category: Birding in Ohio, Cedar Bog Nature Preserve, Central Ohio Nature, Central Ohio Parks, Columbus, Fungi, Glen Echo Ravine, Greenlawn Cemetary, Griggs Reservoir Park, Kiwanis Riverway Park, O'Shaughnessy Nature Preserve, Ohio Nature, Wildflowers Tagged: Ameriacan Redstart, Baltimore Oriole, Blackburnian Warbler, Blue Flag Iris, Cabbage White, Cardinal, Cedar Waxwing, Chestnut-sided Warbler, Dames Rocket, Eastern Bluebird, Eastern Kingbird, Eastern Wood Pewee, Fleabane, Great Crested Flycatcher, Great Horned Owl, Jacobs Ladder, Mallard Duck, Mayapple, Morrel Mushroom, Prothonotary Warbler, Red Winged Blackbird, Red-eyed Vireo, Red-tailed Hawk, Scarlet Tanager, Soloman's Seal, Spring Beauties, Tree Swallow, Warbling Vireo, Wild Geranium, Wild Rose, Wood Duck, Wood Thrush, Yellow-billed Cuckoo
Posted on April 18, 2019
While working on a blog post pertaining to time spent in Florida earlier this year I was interrupted. However, unlike many interruptions this one was good. Spring wasn’t just knocking, it was banging on the door, calling us to come out and play. In just the last few days nature has exploded in central Ohio making it hard for my wife and I to contain our enthusiasm. Hopefully this post will convey just a little bit of the excitement.
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One of the first clues that things were changing more rapidly were the wildflowers.
A closer look. (Donna).
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Then there were the birds, all of which seemed very busy.
A Canada Goose on it’s nest at water’s edge. Hopefully there will be no heavy rains in the near future.
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Some behavior seemed odd.
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Other birds were just enjoying the warmer weather.
A common but hard to photograph Carolina Chickadee is nice enough to pose.
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The Great Egrets in their breeding plumage continued to enchant us.
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But the days real excitement was generated when we spotted a newly arrived spring migrant.
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As if the wildflowers and birds weren’t enough, more turtles than we’ve ever seen on one log decided to get into the act.
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We hope our enthusiasm rubs off on our readers and everyone gets out to witness springs transformation in their neighborhood.
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Walking in the freshness of an early spring morning
along a path lined with trees just clothed in translucent green
with the sights, sounds, and smells of nature
I am reborn.
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Thanks for stopping by.
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Category: Birding in Ohio, Central Ohio Nature, Central Ohio Parks, Columbus, Fungi, Griggs Reservoir Park, Ohio Nature, Scioto River Tagged: Blue Jay, Canada Goose, Cardinal, Carolina Chickadee, Dryad's Saddle, Dutchman's Breeches, Great Blue Heron, Great Egret, Mallard Duck, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Redbuds, Spring Beauties, Tufted Titmouse, Virginia Bluebells, Yellow Trout Lilly, Yellow-throated Warbler
Posted on November 22, 2018
A half an hour before, we were standing in a cold wind just below a dam that has created one of central Ohio’s larger reservoirs trying our best to spot, and perhaps photograph, the Black-legged Kittiwake that was reported in the area. A unique opportunity because it’s a gull not usually seen in these parts. We finally did get a very average binocular view of the bird, another one for my “life list”, but in the process managed to journey pretty far down the road to hypothermia. Now we were looking forward to a hike in the woods with the thought that it wouldn’t be windy and the modest exertion might be enough to warm us up.
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Char-Mar Ridge Park, is not far from the dam so it seemed like a good choice. The park is home to numerous species of large trees as well as a pond that usually contains waterfowl. A plus is that next to the pond is a nicely situated observation blind for undetected viewing. This time of the year finds most leaves, a significant portion of which are oak, on the forest floor as the bare branched sentinels, once their home, tower overhead. The lack of leaves on branches promotes a rather barren landscape but made it easy to spot a Pileated woodpecker just minutes into our walk. It insisted on maintaining its position between us and the sun foiling efforts to obtain a really good photo.
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Once in the park it was hard not to notice the uniform blanket of leaves. They accentuated the park’s large rocks and fallen trees giving the sense that one was walking through a sculptor garden.
Recent rains darkened fallen trees, further contrasting them with the leaves.
Fallen leaves and branches.
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While I was amusing myself with stumps and fallen trees my wife was doing her best to locate fascinating fungi.
Lichen and jelly fungi, (Donna).
Common Split Gill just starting out, (Donna).
Colorful Turkeytail.
Perhaps young Cinnabar-red Polypore.
Another look, (Donna).
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It was just a short distance to the blind overlooking the pond and despite the fact that the resident Red Headed Woodpecker was not seen the time spent there did not disappoint. A neighborhood of usual suspects was more than happy to entertain us.
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There was also activity on the pond.
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It is hard not to be enchanted when one finds color suspended in an otherwise drab gray landscape. Most leaves were down but those on the smaller beech trees hang on and even though their color is no match for the brilliant reds of a maple they did their best to supply color.
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Recent rains meant that some areas still contained “ponds” of standing water on and along the path creating a challenge for dry feet but also provided a unique “looking-glass” into the late autumn woods.
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In the cold November woods there always is more going on than we know. We move too fast and miss much, wishing for warmer days.
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Thanks for stopping by.
Category: Birding in Ohio, Central Ohio Nature, Central Ohio Parks, Char-Mar Ridge Park, Columbus, Fungi, Hiking in Ohio, Nature Photography, Ohio Nature Tagged: Beech Tree, Canon 60D with Sigma 150-600mm, Cardinal, Common Split Gill, Downy Woodpecker, Gadwalls, Hooded Merganser, Panasonic FZ200, Panasonic G3 14-45 mm lens, Panasonic Lumix G7 Leica 100-400mm, Pileated Woodpecker, Resinous Polypore, Tufted Titmouse, Turkey Tail, White-breasted Nuthatch, White-throated Sparrow
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