Central Ohio NatureA Unlikely Door
Posted on December 17, 2020
Opening the door this time of year and venturing out into nature isn’t something most of us feel compelled to do. The landscape certainly doesn’t perk one’s curiosity. The wildlife that may be seen, which includes birds for the most part, have often migrated further south.
Along the Scioto River the landscape begs for a blanket of snow.
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However, with it’s lack of leaf cover, the landscape offers one good reason to pass through the door and see what’s still in the neighborhood or what may have moved in from further north. With their endearing behavior and colors that are often a cheerful contrast to their surroundings, birds are a welcome part of the December woods.
A resident all year long in Griggs Reservoir Park, the Carolina Wren’s song and chatter are especially welcome this time of year, (Donna).
Typically the only heron to hang around through the winter, the Great Blue is always a welcome sight along the Scioto River, (Donna).
A winter visitor from the north, the Dark-eyed Junco usually moves in small flocks and typically stays close to the ground. A fun bird to watch, (Donna).
A year round resident that’s always up to something, this Red-bellied Woodpecker has apparently found something to it’s liking, (Donna).
Another visitor from the north, this Tree Sparrow is an easy one to miss, (Donna).
The White-breasted Nuthatch arguably adds more cheer to the winter woods than any other bird, (Donna).
The immediately recognizable White-crowned Sparrow is another visitor from the north, (Donna).
Seen more often than the White-crowned, the the White-throated Sparrow is another sparrow we look for this time of the year, (Donna).
Assuming a graceful pose, a Ring-billed Gull preens on Griggs Reservoir.
Griggs Reservoir Park squirrels beware, this Red-tailed hawk is on the hunt.
In recent years, with the increase in the Catbird population, Mocking Birds have become a rare sight in central Ohio. Seeing this one was a real treat.
Carolina Chickees in Griggs Reservoir Park are always a delight.
Sometimes solitary and sometimes in a group of titmouse and chickadees the Downy Woodpecker is hard to ignore.
American Cardinals are abundant in Griggs Reservoir Park near our home.
As if out of nowhere a Brown Creeper suddenly appears. These birds may be present in the summer months but leaf cover makes them much harder to find.
Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers are not seen as often a some of the other central Ohio woodpeckers. This view would have been obscured by leaves in the summer.
Year-round residents in Griggs Reservoir Park, Eastern Bluebirds also bring joy to the December landscape.
With a beautiful song, Song Sparrows are a year-round resident but are pretty quiet this time of year.
The Red-breasted Nuthatch is another migrant from the north. I had to content myself with a feeder picture of this one at a Greenlawn Cemetery.
Ice covered waterways further north have brought waterfowl south. In a local flooded quarry these Buffleheads were no exception.
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In recent days some really special birds have graced us with their presence.
Not far from our home an American Kestrel makes it’s it’s home in a nondescript area of tall grass, brush, and trees adjacent to a quarry.
Just close enough for a decent picture
Perhaps the most noteworthy was a immature Snowy Owl that had travelled from the north country to hang out in central Ohio. They typically eat voles, lemmings, and other small rodents as well as birds so a shortage of such goodies further north is undoubtedly the reason for the visit. Seeing one this close to Columbus is rare.
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Time spent in nature seldom disappoints. The observant eye will always find something that inspires and rewards. One only needs to open the door.
Graced with a light blanket of snow.
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Thanks for stopping by.
A Stage Perfectly Set
Posted on January 6, 2020
On a long urban hike to work off the transgressions of the holidays, the morning was dark, cold, and wet, with light rain trying to turn to snow, and wind periodically gusting to remind one that it was colder than originally thought. Heading for the park through quiet residential streets, I wondered if any of the small friends that often inhabit the trees and brush along the river, would be there to greet me.
Brown Creeper, White-breasted Nuthatch, Tufted Titmouse, Easter Bluebird, Winter Wren, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Cedar Waxwing.
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Perhaps it was the chill and dreariness of the day, kept at bay by the pace of my stride, until, pausing for a time, I was warmed by the sight of such seemingly delicate creatures “cheerfully” going about their business. I do not know for sure. But in the contrast of the moment I was captured by their magic. A play of pure joy and color acted out against the seasons dull colors of gray and brown on a stage perfectly set.
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Thanks for stopping by.
Celebrating The Season
Posted on December 22, 2019
When I was a kid growing up in Michigan, I wished for a white Christmas and hoped the snow, with periodic additions of fresh whiteness, would stick around until spring. While my wish was never completely realized, being 150 miles north of where I live now, winter was a more satisfying if not tiring experience.
(Images may be clicked on for a better view)
The low December light pierces the open canopy revealing patterns in leaves and the geometry of trees and river.
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A few days ago, we woke up to a light covering of white. We rushed down to our local city park before too many foot steps marred it’s beauty. Now, despite colder temperatures, the snow is mostly gone, the victim of wind and sublimation. Winters are like that in central Ohio. Cold temperatures, when they come, often leave the dry, naked, and shivering landscape wishing for a warm white blanket. But while not a paradise for lovers of snow, for those willing to venture out and look carefully, this time of year provides an opportunity to enjoy a subtle beauty and be entertained by creatures making this place their winter home.
With snow, the forms of water and trees becomes sublime.
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It was very faint but unmistakable. You know how woodpeckers can be. Looking up into branches in the adjacent woods, it seemed hopeless. How about just looking for dead branches . . .
Working on a warm winter home?
A female Downy works away.
. . . as the male goofs off on a nearby branch.
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Quiet early winter morning along the Scioto.
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One advantage to living in an area subject to cold temperatures, but with little snow, is that ice is free to express itself.
Small icicles and patterns in ice.
Interesting shapes form as river levels recede, (Donna).
Near the river, a small frozen pool, and solstice ice.
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In the summer we don’t notice as many Eastern Bluebirds, a gift of the colder months?
Male Eastern Bluebird, (Donna).
Taking flight.
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Not far from their downriver nest, Bald Eagles are seen more often along the reservoir this time of year.
Perched across the reservoir and too far away for a really good shot..
Doing it’s best to avoid a photograph.
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At river’s edge, the roots of a sycamore struggle to maintain their hold.
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With the reservoir frozen, a pair of Hooded Mergansers were spotted in the open water of the river just below the dam. Eventually, if the reservoir stays ice covered, they will be joined by Goldeneyes, Common Mergansers, and other waterfowl not commonly seen in the area.
Hooded Mergansers on the Scioto River.
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These images were taken before realizing that the White-breasted Nuthatch it was eating lichen. An unexpected revelation.
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A quick look through the binoculars revealed it to be a Mockingbird which was a real treat as we couldn’t remember the last time one was seen in the park . . . then, one very average photo, and it was gone.
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There are a countless number of American Robins in the park this time of year. They are everywhere, and with their antics provide endless entertainment.
***, (Donna).
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Brown Creepers are not easy to spot. Sometimes their faint call is heard before they are seen. Their erratic movement make them a difficult subject to photograph.
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While working on a dead branch, this male red-bellied woodpecker really showed off it’s red head.
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Other local residents, as will as migrants from the north, have also entertained us in the last few days.
Tufted-titmouse, (Donna).
Carolina Chickadee, (Donna).
White-throated Sparrows can be found in Ohio in the winter but call the forests across Canada, the northeastern U.S., and the northern Midwest their summer home.
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A fox squirrel ran up the tree and hid just as I walked up causing my wife to miss a “good” picture. She had to make due with the image below.
***, (Donna).
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Winter along the Scioto River.
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This morning while standing in front of our church greeting incoming worshipers, a ruby-crowned kinglet flew into a nearby evergreen, paused for a moment as if to look my way, then flew off. Enchanted by what was an unusual occurrence, I had an extra big smile for the next group of parishioners. In nature the usual can also become enchanting, and in that enchantment, we may lose ourselves and in doing so find that we have become part of something much greater. We wish everyone the happiest of holidays and a wonderful new year!
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Thanks for stopping by.
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Beauty In Transitions
Posted on November 23, 2019
It’s hard to think of the period between autumn color and the arrival of colder temperatures and a land covered in snow, as anything other than a time of transition. Ohio’s late November sepia-tone landscape makes one wish for somewhere else, past or future. If we find ourselves walking along a wooded trail or stream our curiosity is challenged in ways not encountered as spring unfolds into the warmth of an endless summer day. Better to be home in a favorite easy chair with the warm glow of a fireplace, a cat curled up on your lap, and a good book as the season’s birds occasionally visit the feeder just outside a nearby window. But the magic of late November is that, surrounded by muted color, the endlessly varied dance of birds not present or as easily noticed during other seasons, is hard to ignore.
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A window into the future, wintry bare branches reflect on the surface of a small pool.
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A year round resident, the cheerful Carolina Wren comes into it’s own as the landscape darkens in late November.
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Tufted Titmice seem more common this time of year. Some migrants from the north?
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***(Donna)
A Red-winged Blackbird confuses us by it’s presence. Shouldn’t you be further south?
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In perhaps it’s last “voice”, a oak leaf graces the surface of a small stream.
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Few leaves obscure our view as we watch the comical journey of a White-breasted Nuthatch as it forages for food.
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A tidbit (perhaps a spider’s egg sack) is found, (Donna)
Woodpeckers are noticed at almost every turn, some of which are undoubtedly also northern migrants.
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker, (Donna)
Red-belied Woodpecker, (Donna).
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Before being caught by the wind and carried away, a lone Sycamore leaf catches the morning sun.
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Gray Squirrels are common and always easy to spot but they’re not always so busy eating.
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Almost invisible when trees are fully adorned with leaves the nervous movement of Golden Crowned Kinglets catches our eye.
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***(Donna)
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On mudflats left behind as a nearby reservoir is lowered for the season, a solitary oak leaf comes to rest.
Oak leaf
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With feeders out, other birds brighten the day with their presence.
House Finch
American Cardinal
Blue Jay
Carolina Chickadee
But not far away, a Cooper’s Hawk waits.
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Autumn’s fading color comes to rest among stream-side rocks.
Scioto River landscape.
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In the chill of the morning, birds enjoy the river without complaint.
An American Robin takes a bath.
Cedar Waxwings stop for a drink.
Blending into the bark, unless your eye catches it’s movement, the Brown Creeper is almost impossible to spot.
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“Snowbirds”, the presence of Dark-eyed Juncos alert us of what is to come.
***(Donna)
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Transforming place, an ephemeral first snow blankets the ground.
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As a metaphor for life, the passing seasons, particularly early spring and late autumn, may have something to teach us when in the midst of life transitions we wish for somewhere else. Perhaps the key is to look closer, be open to the beauty of the present time and place, and then in that moment allow ones self to be caught in it’s embrace.
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Thanks for stopping by.
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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.
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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:
***, (Donna)
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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:
***, (Donna)
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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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A Journey Back In Time, Mesa Verde NP
Posted on September 20, 2019
One comes to Mesa Verde National Park not for dramatic scenery, although it is spectacular when compared to many places in Ohio, but instead to take a journey back in time and in doing so to be caught up in the wonder of how an ancient people lived.
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The ancient Puebloans called the area home for almost 1000 years and during the last approximately 100 years, before mysteriously leaving around 1300 AD, they built elaborate cliff dwellings. They were hunter gatherers and practiced dry land farming. The ingenuity employed to capture the scarce rainfall for crops as well as other uses was truly amazing. Their pit houses and cliff dwellings, which provided an amazing degree of protection from the area’s mid-day heat, are marvels of engineering. One wonders why such an intelligent culture never saw the need to develop a written language. One answer would appear to do with the fact that written language was developed in “old world” cultures when the complexity of farming and trade practices necessitated the keeping of records. This soon led to language being further developed and employed in other areas of human endeavor. The ancient Puebloans apparently had no such need.
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As early as about 500 AD, before there were cliff dwelling, pit houses on the mesa tops were primarily where people lived. These structures evolved over hundreds of years into the adobe houses we see in the American southwest today.
Cutaway of a pit house. A ladder positioned in the rectangular hole in the center of the roof provided access. The mud roof kept the interior cool.
This particular pit house was incorporated into a cliff dwelling. A common practice.
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This photo, typical of the landscape, shows the mesa tops, cliffs, and canyons that comprise Mesa Verde. Hundreds of cliff dwellings and food storage areas have been found along the canyon walls. There are other cliff dwellings in the west but none this extensive.
Mesa Verde landscape.
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Cliff Palace on Chapin Mesa, the largest of the cliff dwellings.
Cliff Palace.
From the other end.
Cliff Palace window.
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The following photos illustrate how well concealed some of the cliff dwellings were.
Note white arrow,
Enlarged section.
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The mesa edge can be precipitous so perhaps the cliff dwellings were for protection. But from whom? No archeological evidence of violence has been found.
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At it’s peak, 7000 to 15,000 inhabitants may have lived in the area. If that was the case any number of factors, forgetting about an external threat by other indigenous people, may have led to their seemingly abrupt departure.
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Balcony House on the Chapin Mesa:
Balcony House
Balcony House
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Long House on the Wetherill Mesa:
Long House
Long House
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Canyon edge:
In places, Rabbit Bush in bloom and long since dead juniper frame the canyon.
Large rocks often create an interesting counterpoint to the canyon below.
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Fire caused by lightening strikes has shaped the landscape of the mesa tops. Many generations are required for the trees to come back.
The mesa top still shows the effects of a fire that may have burned the area 20 or 30 years ago.
Ute Peak looms in the distance through branches laid bare by a long ago fire.
With little to cause their deterioration fire damaged tree remain lonely sentinels on the landscape.
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But in this dry environment, so vulnerable to fire, life goes on.
Tailcup lupine.
Prairie Sunflower
Rabbit Bush.
This flower, perhaps Munro’s Globemallow, was seen in only one isolated location.
Sulphurflower Buckwheat.
A White Breasted Nuthatch near our campsite.
Raven.
Other butterflies eluded us but we did manage to get a picture of this tiny Western Branded Skipper.
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Barbed wire fence study. One can only wonder at it’s age.
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So after almost four weeks we bid farewell to Utah and Colorado. Now, over a week after our return, the trip is still fresh on our minds and energizes us to think about what might be next. Perhaps the American northwest? Other adventures always await.
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Thanks for stopping by.
The rig, GMC Yukon/Lance 1995.
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The Rifle River and A Mystery Bird
Posted on July 14, 2019
It’s that time of year again when we travel 6.5 hours north from our home in central Ohio to the Rifle River Recreation Area. Usually we enjoy checking out different areas for new adventures but this park’s unique beauty keeps us coming back. Whether paddling on the park lakes or hiking the trails there is always something to discover. From one week to the next different wildflowers can be seen. Spring warbler activity is complimented by the evening call of a Whippoorwill or Barred Owl and there’s always the distant call of a loon on Devoe Lake.
(click on images for a closer look)
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This year’s late June visit meant that in addition to increased warbler activity we’d also see blooming lady slippers and pitcher plants. Of course there would also be more mosquitoes to deal with and they’re always particularly pesky when one crouches down to study a flower or take a photograph.
A shaft of sunlight highlights a fern along the trail.
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My wife was nice enough to contribute the bulk of the pictures for this post as much of my time was spent fishing. However, to start the post off on a curious note I did notice something interesting one afternoon while hiking.
These rolled up birch? leaves littered the forest floor.
A closer inspection revealed a small caterpillar within the shelter of the rolled up leaf. It was in the process of eating it’s way out. Another egg sac near by? Based on an educated guess it would appear that a moth deposited it’s eggs on the underside of the leaf which then caused it to roll up and fall to the ground. Inside the leaf the caterpillar is safe from the prying eyes of birds until it escapes into the leaf litter and pupates soon to emerge as a moth and continue the cycle.
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When my wife wasn’t hiking and I wasn’t trying to catch a fish we did a fair amount of exploring by canoe.
Yours truly with a Devoe Lake Large Mouth Bass.
Exploring Grebe Lake
Common Loon, Devoe Lake.
Take two, (Donna).
Yellow Pond Lily, Grebe Lake.
Painted Turtle, Loud Pond, Au Sable River, (Donna).
Paddling trough the lily pads, Grebe Lake.
Trumpeter Swans, Grebe Lake.
A Mink checks us out along the Au Sable River, (Donna).
Au Sable River Walleye.
While Water Lily, (Donna).
Kingbirds entertained us as we paddled the Devoe Lake shoreline, (Donna).
Morning on Devoe Lake.
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One day as we drove back to our campsite after a morning paddle we came upon an unusual discovery in the middle of the road.
Our first thought was to move it along before it became the victim of a less observant driver.
But a closer look revealed that it was a Blanding’s Turtle something we’d expect to see in a nearby lake but not in it’s present location. Since it’s not a turtle we often see we were pretty excited, (Donna).
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However, perhaps the most unusual thing seen during our week long stay was the bird spotted while hiking along Weir Road.
The best ID we could come up with was a partially leucistic White-breasted Nuthatch but it’s beak didn’t look right. The mystery remains.
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We’d be remiss if we didn’t give special mention to the Ovenbirds and Yellowbellied Sapsuckers that entertained us each day at our campsite.
Ovenbird, (Donna).
With a white moth.
Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers, taken while hiking but representative of the activity around our campsite, (Donna).
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While on the subject of birds, while hiking a park trail my wife was excited to see a Black Billed Cuckoo. It was a life bird for her.
Black Billed Cuco, (Donna).
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Finally, below is a summary of other things seen as we explored the park trails.
A recently emerged mushroom translucent in the sunlight.
A family of very colorful but small mushrooms.
Wild Columbine along the trail.
Hawkweed and fern.
The Rifle River
Showy Lady’s Slippers along the park road. A real treat to see.
A closer look, (Donna).
Bunch Berry Flower
Spotted Thyris Moth on fleabane.
Deep into the woods.
Red-spotted Purple
Another view, (Donna).
Yellow Lady’s Slippers were also seen, (Donna).
The flower of the Pitcher Plant. The plant gets it name by the shape of the leaves at the base of the plant which trap insects in water the leaves collect.
Overlooking Pintail Pond
Hover fly on dogwood blossoms.
This fairly large moth has yet to be identified.
Fleabane
Eastern Wood Pewee, (Donna).
Elfin (not Slaty) Skimmer.
Yellow Goats Beard, (Donna).
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail, (Donna).
Another view.
Sheep Laurel, (Donna).
American Redstarts were fairly common, (Donna).
Blue Flag Iris, (Donna).
Dot-tailed Whiteface, (Donna).
River Jewelwing (M), (Donna).
River Jewelwing (F), (Donna).
Cedar Waxwing, (Donna).
Four-spotted Skimmer, (Donna).
Wood Frog, (Donna).
Coral Fungus, (Donna).
Chaulk-fronted Corporal
Wild Geranium, (Donna).
Little Wood Satyr.
Indian Pipe (before), (Donna).
After? (Donna).
A Green Heron stalks prey along the Devoe Lake shore, (Donna).
Black-shouldered Spinyleg, (Donna)
Another interesting plant we have yet to ID, (Donna).
Dead Mans Fingers, (Donna).
Delaware Skipper, (Donna).
Baby Robin, (Donna).
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As each day passes nature evolves. A wishful thought would be to spend one week each month in a place such as Rifle River Rec Area. Then one would truly appreciate it’s wonder. Thanks for stopping by.
Misty Day, Devoe Lake.
Enchanted November Woods
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.
Pileated Woodpecker, all photos may be clicked on for a better view.
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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.
Oak leaves on log.
Large glacial erratic.
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.
A study of leaves, tree bark, and fungi.
Resinous Polypore, (Donna).
A type of spreading fungi, (Donna).
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.
White Breasted Nuthatch, (Donna).
Another look.
Male Cardinal.
White-throated sparrow, (Donna).
Another look.
Tufted Titmouse, (Donna).
What are you looking at?
Downy Woodpecker
Take 2.
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There was also activity on the pond.
Male Hooded Merganser.
Male and female Gadwalls
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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.
Color suspended among slender trees.
A closer look.
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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.
November reflection.
November reflection, black and white.
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November reflection 2.
November reflection 2, black and white .
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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.
Char-Mar Ridge Park.
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Thanks for stopping by.
Central Ohio Nature 