Central Ohio NatureThe 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.
Cold Weather Brings Nature Our Way
Posted on January 8, 2018
Every two or three years a period of unusually cold winter weather results in the land and water north as well as in central Ohio being covered with snow and ice for a prolonged period of time. When this happens waterfowl and other birds that may not be able to make a living further north are forced to seek suitable habitats in our area. The result is the opportunity to see birds in locations where it would be extremely unlikely other times of the year. A gift to nature lovers courtesy of cold arctic weather.
Ice creeps out into the Scioto River below Griggs Dam.
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The negative to all of this is that windy 0 F to 15 F temperatures preclude the use of serious photographic equipment on long hikes. Briefly popping out of the car, if you are able to get close enough to your subject, is the only option. If one is set on doing a long hike, stuffing a smaller superzoom under your coat does work but fingers freeze almost immediately when you try to manipulate the camera.
Landscape transformed, Scioto River below Griggs Dam.
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A habitat that attracts birds almost at our doorstep is the open flowing water of the Scioto River below Griggs Reservoir Dam. In the past couple of weeks we’ve been fortunate to observe a variety of waterfowl at that location. Others birds, such as Trumpeter Swans, have been reported but we’ve yet to see them. Timing is everything as the birds move up and down the river corridor. More often than not there is a least one Bald eagle present as the number of ducks and geese make for easy pickings.
Ring-necked Ducks, Scioto River below Griggs Dam, (Donna).
A closer look.
Crowded conditions, Scioto River below Griggs Dam.
A Red-headed Duck tries to ignore a rambunctious Goldeneye, Scioto River below Griggs Dam.
Male Hooded Merganser on patrol, Scioto River below Griggs Dam.
This one found a crayfish. Did you know that 21 species of crayfish call Ohio home.
There were no shortage of Common Mergansers, Scioto River below Griggs Dam.
Male Common Merganser
A nice group of male Common Goldeneyes, Scioto River below Griggs Dam.
A little closer.
Three Goldeneyes pose, (Donna).
Canvasback a little too far away for a decent pic, Scioto River below Griggs Dam.
Mute Swan, Scioto River below Griggs Dam.
Cackling Geese, shot is courtesy of our follow birding friend Ed, Scioto River below Griggs Dam.
This buck seemed confused about the best place to relax. We thought it might be sick or injured but the next time we checked it was gone, Scioto River below Griggs Dam.
Red-headed Ducks, Scioto River below Griggs Dam, (Donna).
Amazingly, Great Blue Herons continue to make a living along the Scioto.
There is often at least one Bald Eagle observing the activity along the Scioto River below Griggs Dam.
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It’s also been a good year for Snowy Owls in Ohio with numerous birds being reported. The mechanism for that invasion, while perhaps partly due to the weather, also is the result of the past breeding season being a good one resulting in young owls looking for new hunting grounds further south as the increased population puts pressure on resources further north. Other birds such as Horned Larks and Lapland Longspurs, to a greater or lesser degree, find their way into Ohio from further north during most winters.
Along farm fields not far from our home a roadside spill of corn attracted Horned Larks, a real treat to see. “The barer the ground, the more Horned Larks like it. Look for them in open country with very short or no vegetation, including bare agricultural fields. They breed in short grassland, short-stature sage shrubland, desert, and even alpine and arctic tundra.” Ref: Cornell Lab.
Take 2.
At the same location, at first looking like some type of sparrow, was a Lapland Longspur, another first for us! They are a common songbird of the Arctic tundra, and winter in open fields across much of the US and southern Canada.
Take 2, (Donna).
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Other creatures have also been braving the cold.
Not far from the concentration of waterfowl on Scioto River this Fox Squirrel was trying to warm up in the 10F sunshine, Griggs Reservoir Park.
Nearby an immature Yellow-bellied Sapsucker was also spotted, Griggs Reservoir Park.
Take 2, (Donna).
Our friend Ed told us about two Eastern screech owls located not far from Griggs Reservoir Park and was kind enough to send some pics our way.
. . . and a red morph, Ed.
Ed and Bob, photo courtesy of Sheila.
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Returning home after a recent outing we were treated to some interesting bird activity right in our front yard.
Dark-eyed Junco. “Dark-eyed Juncos breed in forests across much of North America and at elevations ranging from sea level to more than 11,000 feet. They are often found in coniferous forests including pine, Douglas-fir, spruce, and fir, but also in deciduous forests such as aspen, cottonwood, oak, maple, and hickory. During winter and on migration they use a wider variety of habitats including open woodlands, fields, roadsides, parks, and gardens.” Ref: Cornell Lab.
Competing with a Gray squirrel for goodies.
The chickadees love the sweetgum tree.
And so do the goldfinches.
A female Downy Woodpecker also takes advantage of the front yard feeders.
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We feel very blessed to have so many fascinating creatures paying us a visit this winter. A very warm coat, that didn’t get worn once last winter, has come in very handy the last few days as we’ve been out and about. Today, as I finish writing this, the temperature is a balmy 35F. Time to get out and see what else we can find!
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Finally, one of the joys of being a lover of nature is meeting kindred spirits like Ed and Sheila when out in the field. Ed, thanks again for supplying the pics!
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Flowing water and extremely cold temperatures create ice pancakes along the Scioto.
Birds of Florida on Foot and by Canoe
Posted on April 6, 2016
Our recent six weeks of hiking and paddling in Florida resulted in a lot of photographs.
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The pictures below provide a record of some of the birds seen. While lovely in their right, we are left with the feeling that they don’t come close to conveying the overall sense of wonder experienced as we explored the trails and waterways of Florida. Equipped with the knowledge that places visited were home to many fascinating living things, the wonder was with us even when we didn’t see a plant, bird or other animal that begged to be photographed. We returned home with the feeling that just being in such places had been more than enough.
(click on images for a better view)
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Yellow-crowned Night Heron, from the canoe, Estero River, (Donna)
Palm Warbler, Ochlockonee River State Park
Ruddy Turnstones, Bald Point State Park
Sanderlings, Bald Point State Park
Royal Tern, near Ochlockonee State Park
Bald Eagle, St Marks NWR.
Brown-headed Nuthatch, Ochlockonee River State Park
White-eyed Vireo, Manatee Springs State Park
Red-shouldered Hawk, Manatee Springs State Park
Blue-headed Vireo, Manatee Springs State Park
Carolina Wren, Manatee Springs State Park
Yellow-rumped Warbler, Manatee Springs State Park
Northern Parula Warbler, Manatee Springs State Park
Cat Bird, Shady Acres RV Park.
Black and White Warbler, Manatee Springs State Park
Black Vultures, Manatee Springs State Park
Swallow-tailed Kite, Shady Acres RV Park
Little Blue Heron, Ding Darling NWR.
White Pelicans, Ding Darling NWR.
Immature Yellow-crowned Nigh Heron, Ding Darling NWR.
Little Blue Heron, Six Mile Cypress Slough
Blue-headed Vireo, Manatee Springs State Park
Black and Turkey Vultures over the Suwanee River and Manatee Springs State Park. Moments before these birds were all perched in trees around the spring, Then, as if on queue, they all took flight.
Mockingbird, St Marks NWR.
White Pelicans, St Marks NWR.
Pied Billed Grebes, St Marks NWR.
American Wigeons, St Marks NWR.
Brown Pelican with Kingfisher, St Marks NWR.
Red-cockaded woodpecker , Ochlockonee River State Park., These birds are threatened in much of their range due to loss of habitat.
Palm Warbler, Ochlockonee State Park.
Brown Pelican, St Marks NWR.
Horned Grebe, St Marks NWR.
Eastern Phoebe, St Marks NWR.
Palm Warbler, Ochlockonee River NWR.
Tri-color Heron, from the canoe, Wakulla River
Hermit Thrush, Ochlockonee River State River.
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Ochlockonee River State Park
Eastern Towhee, Ochlockonee River State Park
Pine Warbler, Ochlockonee River State Park,
Black-bellied Plover and Dunlins, Bald Point State Park
Great Egret, (Donna). We spotted this bird as we were making our way down the Wakulla River with the current, an outgoing tide, and a fairly strong wind at our back. Managed to get the canoe swung around and slowly headed back upstream while my wife started to shoot. While never our intention the bird soon tired of our interest and flew away. In my opinion it was the best bird pic of the trip.
Piping Plover, Bald Point State Park. A rare and endangered bird.
Bald Eagle, Bald Point State Park.
Laughing Gull, Bald Point State Park
Cardinal, Manatee Springs State Park
Black Vulture, Manatee Springs State Park.
Yellow-throated Warbler, Manatee Springs State Park
Red-headed Woodpecker, Manatee Springs State Park
Black Vultures, Manatee Springs State Park
Tri-color Heron and Brown Pelican, from the canoe, island off Cedar Key.
Great Egret, from the canoe, Ichetucknee Springs State Park
Take 2.
Juvenile Ibis, from the canoe, Ichetucknee Springs State Park
Green Heron, from the canoe, Ichetucknee Springs State Park
Roseate Spoonbill, from the canoe, Ichetucknee Springs State Park
Peleated Woodpeckers, from the canoe, Ichetucknee Springs State Park.
Osprey, from the canoe, Ichetucknee Springs State Park
American Oystercatcher, from the canoe, Cedar Key
American Avocets, from the canoe, Cedar Key
Black Skimmer, from the canoe, Cedar Key
Least Terns, Cedar Key
Wood Stork, Six Mile Cyprus Slough, Ft Meyers
Sandpiper, from the canoe, Lovers Key State Park
Snowy Egret, from the canoe, Lovers Key State Park.
Great Crested Flycatcher, Shady Acres RV Park.
Brown Pelican, from the canoe, Estero River
Ibis, Six Mile Cypress Slough, (Donna).
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Now back in Ohio, we visited one of our favorite spots earlier today. While nuthatches, creepers, and various woodpeckers were present, no Bald Eagles were seen nor did any Scarlet Tanagers show themselves. But we have seen them there before and you never know about tomorrow.
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Thanks for stopping by.
“Who Put This Thing Up Here Anyway?”
Posted on April 2, 2016
It was very windy today but even so we thought a long walk to our local slice of nature along the Scioto River might be in order. So off we went. An incriminating statement as to how seriously I take my windy day nature photography was that at the last minute I dropped a Panasonic ZS50 in my pocket along with a small pair of binoculars. I wasn’t expecting much.
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Arriving at the reservoir we noticed most birds seen seemed to be flying sideways so we decided to concentrate on looking for newly emergent wildflowers.
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As we shuffled along, looking down towards our feet at any small flower that managed to avoid being stepped on, it wasn’t long before a fellow nature lover and friend got our attention. Camera in hand, he was hoping to spot a Bald Eagle or other bird of interest. He asked if we’d seen the dead raccoon. Equipped with my negative response he lend us to a spot where the poor raccoon could be seen across the river, seemingly impaled high up in a very tall tree.
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Exactly how it got there and what caused it’s demise will remain a mystery but what we witnessed happening afterward was equally intriguing.
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At first it was hard to tell what the object being devoured was.
Nonetheless the Turkey Vultures appeared to be enjoying it, if not the seating arrangements.
“Who put this thing way up here anyway?”
The vultures took their turn at “the table” for some time but finally before the next in line could get seated, the sorry fellow (an immature raccoon) understandably lost his grip and fell out of the tree.
For those that have an appetite for it, a closer look.
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Desperate to cleanse my photographic palette, I aimed the ZS50 at anything that would sit still.
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Along the river a Great Blue Heron feels the wind’s effect.
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Since this type of thing doesn’t happen in our neighborhood very often I promise a the next post will be easier to stomach.
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As always, thanks for stopping by.
Warblers and Wildflowers
Posted on April 16, 2013
Spring has finally started to live up to its name. Recently we’ve been hiking Battelle Darby and paddling O’Shaughnessy Reservoir. Along with the many different wildflowers we’ve also seen Yellow-rumped, and Black & White Warblers and enjoyed the recently arrived Blue-gray Gnatcatchers. Today, while paddling back to our launch site, a Bald Eagle soared overhead.
White Trout Lilly
Toadshade Trillium
White Trout Lilly
Bloodroot
Question Mark
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker.
Yellow Trout Lilly’s
White Trout Lilly
Toadshade Trillium
Bloodroot
Dutchmans Breeches
Battelle Darby
Virginia Waterleaf
O’Shaughnessy Nature Preserve
Yellow Trout Lilly
Cutleaf Toothwort
Bloodroot
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Thanks for stopping by.
Home in December
Posted on December 25, 2012
A sunny day provided a great opportunity to see what birds were calling Greenlawn Cemetery home in the days before Christmas. Reports of White-winged Crossbills were what got us down there, but in a place as big as Greenlawn, they might be easy to miss.
For the first hour or so not many birds were spotted. However, the many mature Oaks and Evergreens were at least beautiful to look at even if they weren’t appealing to the birds.
Continuing to appreciate the trees, we spotted an interesting Oak in the distance that was worth investigating. Approaching it we found that it was full of White and Red-breasted Nuthatches! The Red-breasted Nuthatches, like the White-winged Crossbills, are winter visitors in this area.
A little while later we finally found the Crossbills in some Sweet Gum trees but not before we had nice views of Downy Woodpeckers, a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Chickadees, Brown Creepers, and a Carolina Wren.
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All in all a good day. Thanks for stopping by.
