Central Ohio NatureFall Warbler Migration
Posted on October 1, 2022
With a tradition of spending time hiking in the late summer and early autumn woods it’s not like we haven’t noticed fall migrating warblers in past years, but this is the first year we’ve made a concerted effort to see just how many we can spot as they move through our area making central Ohio home for just a few days as they head south to distant places in the Caribbean or south America. As always a few eluded the camera lens.
It may have been the Redstarts and Black and White Warblers at our Michigan campsite in late August that got us thinking that maybe it would be worth it to pay closer attention to fall migration this year.
There are several challenges to observing fall warblers; the trees still have most of their leaves providing many hiding places, the birds don’t call, and the male’s colorful breeding plumage is muted, or in some cases doesn’t even resemble that of spring, so identifying birds can be very difficult.
Even though the late summer wildflowers and the hint of red, yellow and gold in the leaves high overhead are beautiful, it’s still a time of year that it feels like nature is closing up shop. As they filter through the trees on their way south the warblers say, “not yet” and wake us to yet more of nature’s wonder.
With A Little Help From . . .
Posted on May 15, 2020
We are blessed to enjoy nature and this usually results in not being around a lot of people. A perfect combination for these times. Spring is the season of new life whether it be the young leaves and flowers of a buckeye tree, or the sometimes almost frantic activity of nesting and migrating birds. One day last week, along a wooded park road at waters edge, there seemed to be colorful “missiles” flying everywhere. In that moment, with the smell of spring flowers and a backdrop of surrounding tree green luminescence, it was hard not to feel the warm embrace and the affirmation of being part of something that is much more.
.
So with a little help from our friends, be they butterflies, birds, wildflowers or trees, we are invited into a world that to our peril is too often ignored. But to work it’s magic, it demands that we be in the moment, pay attention with intention, and extend our curiosity beyond it’s usual realm. At first, we may find our curiosity stunted because, equipped with little knowledge, our imagination of what lies beyond the next “mountain” is limited. Finding the answer to that first small question may start a journey that informs and empowers in ways never imagined and that far outreach the original field of inquiry.
.
In the spring birds are endlessly foraging for food in trees and in low lying brush. What in the world are they all eating? Observing bird behavior, particularly Baltimore orioles as they work over buckeye flowers, coupled with additional research reveals the answer. In the spring birds, including warblers, obtain nutrition from tree buds and the edible parts of flowers including their nectar in addition to insects. Could this be one of the reasons that the orioles like the park near our home with it’s numerous buckeye trees? Within limits, don’t look for a common yellow-throat in the top of a tall tree, most migrating birds find suitable food in a variety locations.
.
So below are some birds that have brought a dimension to life in our humble city park that will not be there in a few weeks. In doing so they have expanded our awareness of life that goes far beyond our current cares.
.
Black-throated Blue Warbler, Griggs Reservoir Park (GRP)
Take 2, GRP.
.
Male Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Duranceau Park (DP)
Male courting display, DP.
The female looks curious, DP.
.
Chestnut-sided Warbler, GRP.
Another view, GRP.
.
Male Indigo Bunting, GRP. Could we be so fortunate that it would nest in the park?
Take 2, GRP.
.
Male Baltimore Oriole, GRP. Baltimore Orioles build many nests in the park.
Another angle, GRP.
Immature male, GRP.
.
Palm Warbler, GRP.
Singing, GRP.
.
Pine Warbler, DP.
.
Male American Redstart, GRP.
Another view, GRP, (Donna).
.
Tree Swallows are hear for the season, GRP.
Male and female, GRP.
.
Barn Swallow, GRP, (Donna).
.
Northern Parula Warbler, GRP.
Another look, GRP.
.
Blue-headed Vireo, GRP, (Donna).
.
Warbling Vireo, GRP.
.
White-eyed Vireo, GRP, (Donna).
.
Yellow Warbler, GRP, (Donna).
.
Blue-winged Warbler, DP, (Donna).
.
Black and White Warbler, GRP, (Donna).
.
Yellow-throated Warbler, GRP.
Take 2, GRP, (Donna).
.
White-crowned Sparrow, GRP.
.
White-throated Sparrow, GRP, (Donna).
.
Magnolia Warbler, GRP.
.
Prothonotary Warbler, GRP, (Donna).
.
Scarlet Tanager, DP.
Take 2, DP.
.
Yellow-rumped Warbler, GRP.
.
The Great-crested Flycatcher nest in the park, GRP.
Northern- Flickers also nest in the park, GRP.
.
Tufted Titmouse are a year round resident, GRP, (Donna).
,
As are Downy Woodpeckers, GRP, (Donna)
.
House Wren, GRP, (Donna).
.
Catbirds are also a summer long resident, GRP.
.
Male Rose-breasted Grosbeak, DP, (Donna).
Female, GRP, (Donna).
.
Mallard family, GRP, (Donna).
.
We hope that this post finds you in good health and that in this season of new life and rebirth, you find your celebration.
Chipmunk
.
Thanks for stopping by.
Neighborhood 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.
.
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.
.
The Black-throated Green Warblers were very cooperative:
***, (Donna)
***
***. (Donna)
***
.
Only one Cape May Warbler was seen:
Female Cape May Warbler
.
A fair number of Northern Parula Warblers were spotted:
***
***
.
This Yellow-throated Vireo is not sure he wants to eat a stink bug:
***
***
.
We had only one sighting of a Black-throated Blue Warbler:
Good enough to ID the bird but that’s it.
.
The fairly common Yellow-rumped Warblers are often seen eating poising ivy berries:
***, (Donna)
***
.
A Nashville Warbler was also part of the mix:
***
.
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.
***
***
<<<>>>
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).
<<<>>>
While looking for warblers a group of very active Blue Birds was hard to ignore:
***
***
***
<<<>>>
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:
***
***
***
<<<>>>
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).
.
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.
.
***
Florida Wrap-up
Posted on April 26, 2019
After a week at Mike Roess State Park we travelled a short distance to what has become one of our favorite parks for wildlife viewing, Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park. After a week there we would travel to Blackwater River State Park which was a new park for us and recommended because of the beauty of the river. We planned on being there for a week before traveling home to Ohio for what we hoped would be just a brief period of winter before spring arrived.
.
Paynes Prairie is not a great paddling destination but does offer good hiking within the park and good bicycling opportunities in the park as well as on nearby roads and bike trails. The park offers great opportunities for viewing nature and is highly recommended if that is your passion. Just a short drive away the Bolen Bluff Trail, Barr Hammock Preserve, Sweetwater Wetlands Park, and the parks north entrance with a boardwalk along Alachua Sink are an added bonus. We had no problem keeping ourselves busy during our one week stay.
Remember: you can click on the images should you desire a better view.
.
The Bolen Bluff Trail turned out to be a great “wildlife” trail but in our case did require use of the car to get to the trailhead.
The area contained excellent habitat for a variety of birds.
Bald Eagle
A young Sharpe-shinned Hawk with a Yellow-rumped Warbler, (Donna).
Meal time!
. . . and feathers fly.
There were also a number of Red-headed Woodpeckers looking for something to eat.
Found a bug! (Donna).
.
There is no need to get into the car as we found plenty to see on park trails that can be accessed right from the campground.
On a trail not far from the campground a Barred Owl is spotted.
There is a huge expanse of wetland in the park which among other things is home to bison and wild horses.
Cloudless Sulphur on a large thistle.
Palamedes Swallowtail, (Donna).
Giant Swallowtail.
Zebra Swallowtail.
Eastern Towhee.
Pileated Woodpeckers are often seen on the park trails.
A large katydid visits our campsite.
A Northern Parula sings it’s heart out in the woods near our campsite.
Another look.
A paradise for large wading birds.
Always fascinating to watch, a Great Blue Heron stalks its next meal.
.
Paynes Prairie Preserve north entrance, Alachua Sink was another excellent natural area just a short drive away.
A Live Oak casts shadows on the waters surface near Alachua sink.
Graceful and beautiful an Anhinga preening, Alachua sink.
Alachua Sink.
A very small (and cute?) Alligator enjoys the sun.
Looking across the wetland, Alachua sink area.
Immature Little Blue Heron.
Mature Little Blue Heron.
It was a real treat to see these immature Great Horned Owls, Alachua sink area.
With mom nearby.
.
Finally another excellent area that is even a shorter drive is Barr Hammock Preserve. The preserve trail consists of a large loop circling what used to be farmland but which is now at least partially flooded.
Landscape.
A Tri-color Heron tidies up, (Donna).
Patterns in tree bark.
Immature White Ibis, (Donna).
Reflections
Largeflower Primrose-Willow
Little Yellow, a butterfly we don’t remember seeing before, (Donna).
American Bittern
Alligators large and small.
No hike in Florida would be complete without a turtle, Florida Cooter.
Swamp.
***
.
Compared to other parks visited, wildlife sighting were not nearly as common at Blackwater River SP. However quality made up for quantity with a rare wildflower sighting and the pleasant surprise of a Red-cockaded Woodpecker sighting. Also the river did live up to its reputation for being a beautiful and during our one paddle a bonus was enjoying the many turtles that had taken up residence on shoreline logs. Our stay in the park was a quiet one so walking along a park road or a trail offered an equal opportunity to see wildlife.
The Red-cockaded Woodpecker’s habitat is the Southeast’s once-vast longleaf pine stands. They also occur in stands of loblolly, slash, and other pine species. The birds dig cavities in living pines and live in family groups working together to dig cavities and raise young. Due to habitat loss the species has declined drastically and was listed as Endangered in 1970.
Not far from the woodpecker, but in the brush at ground level, a Brown Thrasher made an appearance.
.
Patterns in the sand, Blackwater River.
.
. . . and at river’s edge:
River Jewelwings, in this case males, were a real treat to see, (Donna).
Female
.
Enjoying the river’s beauty.
.
In the order of carnivorous insects, Odonata, we were also fortunate to see a beautiful Green Darner one of the larger dragonflies.
Green Darner
Another view.
. . . and also a pair of mating Cypress Clubtail Dragonflies.
Cypress Clubtails
.
Some low-lying areas along the trail required boardwalks.
.
Dragonflies weren’t the only insects mating, a pair of Carolina Satyrs were also seen, (Donna).
A beautiful Queen butterfly, (Donna).
Dubious Tiger Moth, (Donna).
Where there are butterflies there are often wildflowers.
Yellow Butterwort, a very rare sighting for us, this carnivorous plant is a Florida threatened species.
These purple flowers (False Rosemary?) were relatively common during our hikes.
Sky-blue Lupine
.
Due to weather and river flow conditions we only paddled once but it was energy well spent.
Tannins color the otherwise clear water.
A peaceful view.
The low winter sun highlights budding trees.
.
The next post we will be back in Ohio in search of Ohio’s spring wildflowers but whether it’s nature in Florida or Ohio we remain amazed and enchanted.
Blackwater River
.
Thanks for stopping by.
Central Ohio Nature 