Posted on December 31, 2017
The last day of 2017, what better time to stop for a moment and reflect back to the wonders of nature seen in central Ohio in the past year.
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Looking at the landscape as we walked along the Scioto River yesterday it’s hard to believe it’s the same place. Very cold weather has made the river below the dam one of the few stretches of open water that waterfowl can now call home.
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As always, thanks for stopping by and have a Happy New Year!
Category: Central Ohio Nature, Central Ohio Parks, Nature Photography, Ohio Nature Tagged: American Robin, Bald Eagle, Baltimore Oriole, Black-crowned Night Heron, Black-throated Blue Warbler, Buckeye, Canon 60D with Sigma 18-300mm, Canon 80D Sigma 150-600mm lens, Cardinal Flower, Caspian Tern, Catbird, Chicory, Cliff Swallow, Common Checkered Skipper, Common Loon, Giant Swallowtail, Golden Crown Kinglet, Gray Squirrel, Great Blue Heron, Green Heron, Hooded Mergansers, Hummingbird Clearwing Moth, mink, Monarch Butterfly, Northern Water Snake, Palm Warbler, Panasonic FZ200, Panasonic Lumix G7 100-400mm, Prothonotary Warbler, Red Admiral, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Red-eyed Vireo, Red-spotted Purple, Ring-necked Ducks, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Scarlet Tanager, Spicebush Swallowtail Caterpillar, Tufted Titmouse, Turkey, Turtlehead, White-crowned Sparrow, Yellow-collared Scape Moth, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Yellow-throated Warbler
Posted on June 15, 2017
Nature unfolds and reveals itself like a flower, first reluctantly and then with grace. Armed with just a little curiosity, looking with intention, and allowing yourself to be in the moment and place, rewards one with new wonder. Seeing and appreciating more each time.
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In the past few days, still interested in finding warblers, we visited Prairie Oaks Metro Park and closer to home Griggs Reservoir Park in the hopes of seeing a few stragglers. With the exception of the Prothonotary, the warblers didn’t cooperate but fortunately other things did. Whether it’s warblers or “other things” we’re always amazed by the celebration of life this time of year and the beauty that’s often found in the ordinary. The pictures below were taken over just a few outings, typically involving walks of at least two or three miles, sometimes longer, as we search for birds, bugs, and plants. It is a source of continuous fascination that so much can be found so close to home in central Ohio.
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A shaft of light finds grass along a stream, Prairie Oaks Metro Park.
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It’s always nice when “the reptiles” decide to join the cast.
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Still in “warbler mode” on a recent outing, we weren’t prepared for all the insects we would see.
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Where there are bees and butterflies there will be wildflowers or maybe it’s the other way around.
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While we were excited to see Prothonotary Warblers nesting so close to home there was no storage of other birds to fascinate.
We’d been seeing this nesting Prothonotary Warbler for a few weeks in Griggs Reservoir Park. We finally were able to get some pictures.
A male Baltimore Oriole makes it’s presence known in Griggs Reservoir Park. It’s been a great year for these birds in the park.
This Northern Flicker, often seen in a fairly localized area, must have a nest nearby, Griggs Reservoir Park.
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Nature unfolds and reveals itself like a flower, first reluctantly and then with grace. May you be rewarded with new wonder, seeing and appreciating more each time.
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Thanks for stopping by.
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XXX
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Should you wish prints from various posts may be purchased at Purchase a Photo. If you don’t find it on the link drop us a line.
Category: birding in central ohio, Central Ohio Nature, Central Ohio Parks, Columbus, Griggs Reservoir Park, Prairie Oaks Metro Park, Wildflowers Tagged: Baltimore Oriole, Black-eyed Susan, bullfrog, Butterfly Weed, Cabbage White, Canon 60D with Sigma 18-300mm, Canon 80D Sigma 150-500mm lens, Catbird, Chicory, Chipmunk, Daddy Longlegs, Day Lily, Depford Pink, Downy Woodpecker, Early Meadow Rue, Ebony Jewelwing, Eight-spotted Forester Moth, English Plantain, Familiar Bluet, Goats Beard, Green Bee, Hackberry Emperor, Hairy Wild Petunia, Killdeer, Large Lace-boarder Moth, Mallard Duck, Milkweed Beetle, Moth Mullien, Northern Flicker, Painted Lady, Panasonic FZ200, Panasonic Lumix G7 100-400mm, Prothonotary Warbler, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Silver Spotted Skipper, Silvery Checkerspot, Spicebush Swallowtail, Thimbleweed, Viceroy, Virginia Ctenucha
Posted on July 28, 2016
We’ve been busy documenting nature’s summer in central Ohio. If you are fascinated by insects this is your time of year but be prepared to look closely. The summer heat has done little to discourage the wildflowers which in a shout of color announce their presence. The below shots were taken along Griggs Reservoir and Battelle Darby Creek Metro Park. I hope they put you in a summer kind of mood.
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Milk Weed Beetle, Griggs Park, Donna
Wild Lettuce, Griggs Park, Donna
Wild Potato Vine, Griggs Park, Donna
Barely seen, dragonflies hover over a reflection, Griggs Reservoir
Fallen branch and wildflowers, Griggs Park
Gray Headed Cone Flowers, Griggs Park
Cup Plant, Griggs Park
Wild Chicory, Griggs Park
Path to the water, Griggs Park
Thistle, Griggs Park
Pearl Crescent, Griggs Park
Wasp, Griggs Park, Donna
Eastern Pondhawk,(F), Griggs Park, Donna
Wing Stem, Griggs Park, Donna
Goldfinch, Griggs Park, Donna
Hackberry Emperor, Griggs Park, Donna
Fireworks in green, Griggs park, Donna
Biennial Gaura, Griggs Park, Donna
Widow Skimmer (F), Griggs Park, Donna
Least Skipper, Griggs Park, Donna
Rose Pink, Battelle Darby Creek Metro Park, Donna
Leopard Frog, Battelle Darby Greek Metro Park, Donna
Hummingbird Moth, Battelle Derby Creek Metro Park, Donna
Phlox, Griggs Park, Donna
Catbird, Griggs Park, Donna
Ducklings, Griggs Park, Donna
Fishing, Griggs Reservoir, Donna
Black Swallowtail, Griggs Park, Donna
Hairy Wood Mint, Griggs Park, Donna
Coneflowers, Griggs Park
Peck’s Skipper, Griggs Park
Eastern Wood Pewee, Griggs Park
Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Battelle Darby Creek Metro Park
Royal Catchfly, Battelle Darby Creek Metro Park
Sunflower, Griggs Park
Royal Catchfly, a closer look.
Looking for Bison, Battelle Darby Creek Metro Park
Bison, Battelle Darby Creek Metro Park
Bluebird, Battelle Darby Creek Metro Park
Kingbird, Battelle Darby Creek Metro Park
Barn Swallow, Battelle Darby Creek Metro Park
Luna Moth on our house.
Quiet morning, Griggs Reservoir
Great Blue Heron, Griggs Reservoir
Black Crowned Night Heron, Griggs Reservoir
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Hope you enjoyed this summer celebration of nature in central Ohio. Thanks for stopping by.
Category: Battelle Darby Creek Metro Park, Central Ohio Nature, Columbus, fishing in central ohio, Griggs Park, Griggs Reservoir, kayak fishing, Ohio Nature, outdoors, photography, Scioto River, Wildflowers Tagged: American Goldfinch, Barn Swallow, Biennial Gaura, Bison, Black Swallowtail, Black-crowned Night Heron, Canon 60D with Sigma 150-500mm, Catbird, Chicory, Coneflower, Cup Plant, Eastern Bluebird, Eastern Kingbird, Eastern Pondhawk, Eastern Wood Pewee, Gray Headed Cone flowers, Great Blue Heron, Hackberry Emperor, Hairy Wood Mint, Halberd-leaved Rose-mallow, Hummingbird Moth, Least Skipper, Leopard Frog, Luna Moth, Mallard Ducklings, Milk Weed Beetle, Panasonic FZ200, Pearl Crescent, Peck's Skipper, Phlox, Rose Pink, Royal Catchfly, thistle, Widow Skimmer, Wild Lettuce, Wild Potato Vine, Wing Stem, Yellow-billed Cuckoo
Posted on June 18, 2016
Sometimes when in nature it’s not about a new discovery to photograph, it’s about being in the moment, awake, content with the “usual” flowers, insects, or birds, their motion, colors, sounds, feeling the cool early morning air, drawing it into our lungs, aware as treetop leave rustle and small ripples appear along the reservoir shore.
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But even during those times, in that experience, we do see things that draw us out, that asked to be photographed, and in doing so embrace us in a feeling of oneness with something that is part but also beyond ourselves. In that moment time, as if also captured by the photograph, stands still.
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Recent dry weather has resulted in low water levels.
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Flower’s continue to be a part of the wonder.
Moth mullein, an invasive species native to Eurasia and North Africa, it has naturalized in North America..
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When looking at flowers other things are seen.
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On a recent walk an Osprey was spotted in what appeared to be an agitated state.
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We’ve also been fortunate to enjoy a few other birds.
Prothonotary warbler, (immature) Griggs Park. We have at least two nesting pairs along the reservoir and river just below the dam.
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There seem to be lots of chipmunks right now.
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Being a mom isn’t easy.
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Sometimes being in nature just means relaxing.
Not a lunker but a nice Smallmouth Bass that went swimming right after this picture, Griggs Reservoir.
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Sometimes the opportunity to reflect on what’s been experienced is as good as reliving it a second time.
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Thanks for stopping by.
Category: Central Ohio Nature, Central Ohio Parks, Columbus, Griggs Park, Griggs Reservoir, nature, photography, Wildflowers Tagged: Baltimore Oriole, Black and Yellow Wasp, Black Swallowtail Caterpillar, Blue-fronted Dancer, Bronze Copper Butterfly, Butterfly Weed, Canadian Petrophila Moths, Chicory, Chipmunk, Crane Fly, Day Lily, Dusky Dancer, Eastern Phoebe, Great Blue Heron, Hackberry Emperor, Horsenettle, Mallard Ducks, Moth Mullian, Motherwort, Osprey, Pokeweed, Powdered Dancer, Prothonotary Warbler, Question Mark, Scarlet Pimpernel, Smallmouth Bass, Stream Bluet, Thimbleweed, White Mulberry, Widow Skimmer, Wild Lettuce
Posted on November 4, 2012
Often we decide to do an urban hike which takes us along the eastern shoreline of Griggs. The urban hike, about a six-mile loop in our case, reflects our desire to get some exercise without getting in the car. Being close to Griggs provides a chance to observe wildlife as well as the various plants growing along the reservoir. A small pair of binoculars as well as a superzoom camera are usually part of our equipment.
The first of November is not the time of year one expects to see a lot, but we hoped for some interesting waterfowl and maybe of few woodpeckers. Given the recent cold weather, we were surprised to still see Sunflowers, Black-eyed Susans, and Chicory. All of which looked a little tired but we marveled at their resiliency. Along the reservoir, taking closer looks at flowers invariably results in seeing discarded bottles and cans. A decent amount of time is spent picking up these items, but we seem to always be rewarded with a new flower or bird during our efforts. Some times it’s as though the birds know what we’re doing and come around as an act of appreciation.
We observed how plants, such as Common Mullien, look very different in autumn without their flowering stalks but very much standing out against the fallen leaves. Along with more wildflowers than expected, we did see a few birds; Kingfishers, Great Blue Herons, Cedar Wax Wings, Yellow-rumped Warblers, Downy and Red Belly Woodpeckers, Tufted Tittmouse and Chickadees.
It was a good walk!
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