tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-60479721600370249892024-03-13T12:32:50.851-04:00Heather of the HillsSharing nature through photographs and personal narrativesHeatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15791185232391134319noreply@blogger.comBlogger433125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6047972160037024989.post-66570352575998069152012-09-02T16:50:00.000-04:002012-09-02T16:59:56.895-04:00Getting back into the groove (?)As summer draws to a close, I find that I haven't taken very many pictures during this hot, humid, crazy season. I still have quite a backlog from springtime, though, so why not go with that?<br />
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This spring was heavy on the orchids for me, with many new species finding their way into my life and on the other end of my camera lens. Some were seen in Ohio, others in Michigan. And so we will turn our attention to northern Michigan where I encountered a number of "life" orchids.<br />
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I was delighted to be the person in our group who spotted this stunner blooming amid the leaf litter. It's Striped Coralroot, <i>Corallorhiza striata</i>. You will notice there's no green in this plant. That's because it doesn't produce chlorophyll and thus doesn't photosynthesize. I still don't understand all the mechanics behind plants that rely only on fungi in the leaf litter or the roots of other plants for their nourishment, but it's still fascinating, nonetheless.<br />
<center><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/DS2AjML2GWJiSUJ1aIBbvNMTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-WwHRCRuGSWs/UEO33zAerpI/AAAAAAAAKUk/2yogpHbui8E/s640/DSC_0266-001.JPG" height="640" width="426" /></a></center><center><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/YnTkGgPetp61fcG4BMmYNtMTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-wSxw74vES08/UEO36mDaWLI/AAAAAAAAKTw/i4S-KOJD-Z4/s400/DSC_0279-001.JPG" height="400" width="266" /></a> <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/3c3UA-dYyya68yFSTwzuaNMTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-zMFVpwQ0aY8/UEO37w_JRNI/AAAAAAAAKT4/lg5nMNMLCnE/s400/DSC_0287-001.JPG" height="400" width="230" /></a></center><br />
Another stunning orchid encountered during my May trip to Michigan was this Ram's-head Lady's-slipper (also called Ram's-head Orchid), <i>Cypripedium arietinum</i>. This was an especially wonderful treat due to its rarity, and was surely a life plant for almost all in our group (including <i>moi</i>). The population of these orchids in the area where we found this specimen was small and fragile, so we had to watch our step to make sure to not damage any of the existing plants.<br />
<center><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/_MdpdxtRUvlVPs1Q9HzkCNMTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ErST7fc5Jno/UEO4CrylnFI/AAAAAAAAKUQ/5A0_zqEyx8w/s800/DSC_0153-001.JPG" height="800" width="377" /></a></center><center><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/0CK-5NY6-UXaxQdppYMaE9MTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-lKl-lnSjP_A/UEO3-B04CiI/AAAAAAAAKUA/KWxgzmZXmDU/s400/DSC_0144-001.JPG" height="400" width="285" /></a> <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/6uKJjHi1oXTCBlThhYs7cNMTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-Q_-mnZXY_3s/UEO4AJKEsOI/AAAAAAAAKUI/Myf5SXyjd1c/s400/DSC_0149-001.JPG" height="400" width="275" /></a></center><br />
Perhaps more familiar, and certainly very common along our walks, was the Yellow Lady's-slipper, <i>Cypripedium parviflorum</i>. The huge flowers on these are sure crowd-pleasers. You could probably fit about 3 flowers from the Ram's-head Orchid into one of the Yellow Lady's-slippers.<br />
<center><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/K9wVqCehqqSAsmEnHxhNTNMTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-BZ25HT8Iwio/UEO4EQUINoI/AAAAAAAAKUY/Lp_mdfXy_tE/s800/DSC_0156-001.JPG" height="800" width="573" /></a></center><center><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/vV3GuHOmieUtvVe1zPRkVdMTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-a5t_EW4CK8I/UEO4G8fcJ5I/AAAAAAAAKUg/M8PzYbkjhTI/s800/DSC_0162-001.JPG" height="478" width="800" /></a></center><br />
My final plant for this post has an orchid-looking flower, but actually belongs to the milkwort family. It's dainty and bright, and is easily spotted even though it grows rather low to the ground. It's known by a number of common names such as Fringed Polygala, Fringed Milkwort, or Gaywings (scientific name is <i>Polygala paucifolia</i>). <br />
<center><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/04j_4l7aPc7AQTuiVKOV5tMTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-l9ZJcqqvd64/UEO4JbzcDwI/AAAAAAAAKUs/DZhRQCooEUA/s800/DSC_0310-001.JPG" height="800" width="532" /></a><br />
<a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/IygXBI0CL93VaLlnmuDB5dMTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-nW_7DiN0reM/UEO4M28_0BI/AAAAAAAAKU0/u9Zgs3fby-k/s800/DSC_0324-001.JPG" height="725" width="800" /></a></center><br />
For my next post, I'll share some orchids I've encountered a little closer to home.Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15791185232391134319noreply@blogger.com48tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6047972160037024989.post-9453204645564250442012-07-18T21:50:00.000-04:002012-07-18T21:51:17.560-04:00Michigan landscapesIt seems like it's been a lifetime since I was up in Michigan to attend the <a href="http://www.nettiebay.com/birding.html">Nettie Bay School of Birding</a>. Much has happened since then, and it turns out that Life has taken precedence over my blog. It lingers in the back of my mind, and I often think to myself "Maybe tonight I'll get a blog post done," only to realize that before I know it, bed time is upon me with nothing to show for my mental nod toward blog-land. I admire those who can keep a steady blog regardless of the bumps and curve balls that life might throw at them.<br />
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But I digress. I'll take you back to late May, when spring migration was just falling off its peak, and I was falling in love with Michigan landscapes all over again. Dramatic sunsets, birch bark, pristine lakeside beaches... all nostalgic memories of that great state up north. Enjoy.<br />
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<center><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/0Bm3SHylwjEMtngHyQKoRWbJd4OjqBCEYh4LvIuzz80?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-9PB7rKTnhdA/UAdkBRvDieI/AAAAAAAAKS8/y-5en2kvfKk/s800/DSC_0111.JPG" height="800" width="532" /></a></center><br />
<center><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/SRL3CvfBumN4fvkwfBJXQ2bJd4OjqBCEYh4LvIuzz80?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-2NUJ_qkRa-0/UAdkFHbCq1I/AAAAAAAAKTE/fcPUvVNJEUs/s800/DSC_0112.JPG" height="532" width="800" /></a></center><br />
<center><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/WxY3qG3XwKISoOoE_Yu-zWbJd4OjqBCEYh4LvIuzz80?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-1ZU50Ob7oyc/UAdkG9T1rmI/AAAAAAAAKTM/cbrOMHMkxWo/s800/DSC_0081.JPG" height="800" width="532" /></a></center><br />
<center><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/6aoZFUEolNtUABFL2NOhJmbJd4OjqBCEYh4LvIuzz80?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-xI0sW4HK2DQ/UAdkJ6S_jnI/AAAAAAAAKTU/Y3dImPXvWJY/s800/DSC_0345.JPG" height="800" width="532" /></a></center>Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15791185232391134319noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6047972160037024989.post-87889399017199461672012-05-28T21:00:00.000-04:002012-05-28T21:07:19.525-04:00Porcupine encounterI recently spent a week up in Michigan, and the primary purpose of my visit was birding. And bird I did, along with a small group of several other folks who signed up for the <a href="http://www.nettiebay.com/birding.html">Birding School hosted by Nettie Bay Lodge</a> in Presque Isle County. But as is often the case when I participate in nature expeditions like this, we often tend to veer off-topic and turn our attention to anything that might turn up and catch our fancy. The leader of our group, <a href="http://jimmccormac.blogspot.com/">Jim McCormac</a>, had been informed of the location of some porcupine dens during his time leading the birding group at Nettie Bay in 2011, and he was eager to share the dens with us this year. You can read more of what Jim had to say in 2011 about the dens and their residents <a href="http://jimmccormac.blogspot.com/2011/05/porcupine.html">HERE</a>.<br />
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I've never seen a porcupine den other than in Jim's photos, so I was excited to make this trip. There were 2 trees within walking distance of each other, but we were satisfied to examine the tree that was closest to the road. The easiest way to find a porcupine den, I would say, is to look for a developing mound of poo at the base of a tree. This indicates a den that has been used for a good number of years. My National Audubon Society Field Guide to Mammals seems to indicate that the tree dens are used primarily during winter months, but if you read Jim's post about the tree den they encountered last year (in late May), there was indeed a porcupine in residence. In addition to using trees for shelter, they will also use crevices and caves.<br />
<center><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/4UsQUixdf3sd4Si3nx_mg9MTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ecEOXA2KWrE/T8QEzg3Ey2I/AAAAAAAAKRw/L15KqtVoMx0/s640/DSC_0009.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a><br />
<i>Most scat I choose to poke at with a stick. This stuff, however, was so dry that I had no qualms holding it in my hand.</i></center><br />
Porcupines are strict herbivores, so there's not really much that would make their poo smell bad. In fact, this scat had no real odor to it at all. I have no idea how fresh it was, though, so it's possible that any smell it may have given off had faded long ago.<br />
<center><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/hdbh-vuT9H491eyVq33pZdMTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-7Fpv4uavo4k/T8QE75rh_KI/AAAAAAAAKSI/5ys-6P5nSW0/s640/Porcupine%252C%2520Presque%2520Isle%2520County%252C%2520Michigan%252C%2520May%252025%252C%25202012%2520%252823%2529-001.JPG" height="640" width="521" /></a><br />
<i>Yessir, this is what being a naturalist is all about. Not only holding the poo in your hand, but being willing to go on record with a picture that shows that it is, in fact, YOUR hand that is holding it! No snide remarks from the peanut gallery, okay? It doesn't show up well for some reason, but please note the "No Trespassing" sign on the tree. The porcupine, if it was in there, may have been annoyed by us rooting around in its toilet, but we did have permission from the property owner to be there.</i></center><br />
<center><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/QTZu3sQM2Wiq3fust7bAuNMTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-RZceuaDeK60/T8QFEwP-cJI/AAAAAAAAKSY/9OEtzes55HU/s640/DSC_0016-001.JPG" height="640" width="426" /></a><br />
<i>Nina got in on the poo exploration, too. Have you ever seen two ladies so happy to be surrounded by scat?</i></center><br />
<center><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/1mv6_RHPI5QCllaAp0HJMtMTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-S0XSfS_8MgM/T8QFBh881OI/AAAAAAAAKSQ/DFIJpXCVLRU/s640/DSC_0012-001.JPG" height="640" width="473" /></a><br />
<i>Here's Jim sticking his camera into the entrance hole of the den, in hopes of finding someone home (I haven't yet heard the verdict on that photo), while Nina examines the pile of excreta.</i></center><br />
As I mentioned above, porcupines are herbivores, and in addition to feeding on leaves, twigs, and plants such as lupine and clover, they are also fond of tree bark, especially the inner layer of the bark (known as the cambium). Here's an interesting fact presented by the aforementioned Audubon guide to mammals:<br />
<blockquote>"Fond of salt, the Common Porcupine has a great appetite for wooden tool handles that have absorbed human perspiration through use."</blockquote>Better keep your wooden-handled trowels and shovels locked safely away in the shed if you live in porcupine territory, which covers most of the western United States, almost all of Canada, northern Michigan, and most of Pennsylvania, New York and New England. (Interestingly, there was no mention of how they otherwise work salt into their diet.)<br />
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After we had thoroughly exhausted our exploration of the mound of excrement, we set off to look for other things. As luck would have it, though, perhaps our greatest find of the evening was a real live porcupine located in the up-most portion of a small, spindly aspen tree. This quilled creature was nowhere near the den we had investigated, so we did not find the resident of that specific den, but this was still a great sight to behold. <br />
<center><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/U9u2Gw4twbb2h7t9Rl3bv9MTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-Q8Jd9Oug8cM/T8QE1qJ_cWI/AAAAAAAAKR4/cRQILiGzWYc/s640/DSC_0034-001.JPG" height="640" width="434" /></a></center><br />
I spotted this "porky" up in the tree, and as we edged closer, we fully expected to see the tree simply bend over under his weight. The tree was smaller in diameter than my arm, and the tree - along with the porcupine - swayed easily in the breeze. After reading up on them, I learned that they are adept climbers, and actually spend a lot of their time in trees, sometimes even resting there during the day (they are primarily nocturnal, or active during the night). They are slow and deliberate in their climbing, as our small group observed. This porcupine would back down the tree a few feet, and then inch back up and return to the spot where he was when we found him. He seemed a bit baffled by our presence at first, but soon forgot about us and began foraging on the leaves of a neighboring aspen tree. He would used his long claws to hook onto a nearby branch and then draw it towards him, at which point he commenced stripping the leaves from their stalks.<br />
<center><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/7Tzkj4GliXciOkJhq3qbpNMTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-aQoFIT7sUWQ/T8QE2N1998I/AAAAAAAAKSA/pbhFN1QkLb0/s640/DSC_0037-001.JPG" height="640" width="438" /></a></center><br />
We watched him feed for at least 15 minutes, wondering if he would ever come down. He never showed any inclination to descend while we had our eyes on him. Dusk was coming on quickly when we found him, so he was probably just beginning his nightly routine. We were very lucky, indeed, to be able to observe him like this. It's certainly an experience I won't soon forget!Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15791185232391134319noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6047972160037024989.post-79849098163905372632012-05-06T21:39:00.001-04:002012-05-06T21:39:59.108-04:00Fabulous find at Flora Quest 2012When I last left you, I penned a post showcasing a cool find from a trip to Adams County, Ohio. That was almost a month ago, and I just found myself in Adams County again this weekend. This time I was at <a href="http://www.flora-quest.com/">Flora Quest</a>, which took place in and around Shawnee State Forest. The event, which was started in 2007, draws lovers of not only flora, but also fauna, from all around the state of Ohio and beyond. We spent a full day and a half in the field, looking for all of the wonderful gifts that Shawnee and environs has to offer. Given the incredibly warm spring that we've had, many plants are at least 2 weeks ahead of schedule, and many things that would normally be in bloom right now are well past their prime. The upside of this is that there are plants blooming now that we would not normally expect to see blooming until much later in May.<br />
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Honestly, I did not get many flower photos this year, partially because a hugely overcast day in a very wooded area made for miserable photo-taking conditions (especially since the flash on my camera is on the fritz), and partially because I spent a lot of time tuning in to the b-i-r-d-s. Nevertheless, my camera was always with me, and I was able to catch quite an incredible event with it.<br />
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First, though, a little bit of back story.<br />
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When I visited Adams County back in early April, I saw an Eastern Fence Lizard for the first time ever. Actually, we saw two of them that day: first a female, and then a male. One has to move quickly to catch these lizards, as they will immediately run for a tree the moment something starts coming its way. But we had some fast folks on hand that day who were able to carefully grab a specimen for observation (not to mention some very sharp-eyed folks to be able to spot them in the first place). The males and females are sexually dimorphic, meaning that the sexes can be told apart based on appearance. Below you will see first a female, and then a male. The females are more boldly patterned along the back.<br />
<center><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/KmXG1IlR9_T6bsPQjn3CMiuOwo-LmD4V3q-nSrjG3XI?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-Vj6wHsEHKQw/T6bmaDs3LyI/AAAAAAAAKQ0/tdKrRgAyYr0/s800/120407_Adams%2520County%2520foray.jpg" height="618" width="800" /></a></center><br />
If you turn them over, the difference between the sexes becomes more apparent. The female is plain-colored on the underside, whereas the male has a blue band across the throat, outlined in black, with blue also on either side of the belly.<br />
<center><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/s1lcbqM5y9b8VofTQtFklSuOwo-LmD4V3q-nSrjG3XI?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-H9VQK8eyhRQ/T6bmbt8kV0I/AAAAAAAAKQ8/ck6TIgftziU/s640/DSC_0081-001.JPG" height="640" width="426" /></a><br />
<i>Female fence lizard, with her plain belly showing</i></center><br />
<center><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/Fm1WpMXjd04Xf7_ZZRqvhiuOwo-LmD4V3q-nSrjG3XI?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-Of8lXPNo-Cw/T6bmdkq0WcI/AAAAAAAAKRE/Trsz1Yoxvao/s640/DSC_0137-001.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a><br />
<i>Male fence lizard, with blue throat band and blue on the belly</i></center><br />
These lizards hibernate during the winter months, and once they come out of hibernation, territories are set up and mating begins. According to the ODNR species account for Eastern Fence Lizards, incubation lasts from 6-8 weeks, and then a clutch of anywhere from 5 to 12 eggs will be laid. Fast forward from April to May, when our Flora Quest group on Saturday was extremely fortunate, in that we came across a female who was laying eggs.<br />
<center><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/LdPKPmcczFXubO7pIWZBYiuOwo-LmD4V3q-nSrjG3XI?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-gsduCkr9g7Y/T6bmhqsk_0I/AAAAAAAAKRU/CkrXYm_-l-w/s800/DSC_0066-001.JPG" height="761" width="800" /></a></center><br />
I've been able to make out 11 eggs in this photo, 6 directly behind the female (who is well-camouflaged among the leaves), and 5 more off to her right, near the right edge of the photo. The eggs are small, about the size of an M&M candy, but more oblong in shape. I'm not sure who in our group made this discovery, but we were all just blown away by it. Obviously she wasn't going to scurry away anywhere, since she was in the middle of some very important business. Given the incubation period of 6-8 weeks, that means that the female I photographed in early April could have very well already been pregnant when we caught her. Who knows, she could have been laying eggs on this very same day. (Saturday's lizard was in a location that is quite a distance from the early-April lizard, though, so it's definitely NOT the same lizard.)<br />
<center><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/BdcP5zUdWuWdkH5t7GxfLCuOwo-LmD4V3q-nSrjG3XI?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-lVJkfSQJer8/T6bmkNc83fI/AAAAAAAAKRc/aBLuumg6dOg/s800/DSC_0079-001.JPG" height="800" width="393" /></a><br />
<i>Female Eastern Fence Lizard, laying eggs</i></center><br />
Of course I felt very fortunate to have witnessed this in person, as I'm sure it's something I'm not likely to come across again. But I could not help but feel that we violated this process for her, and made it very stressful for her. She was right alongside the trail, and luckily she was off to the side enough that we weren't in danger of stepping on her. It was obvious that we had disturbed her, and I saw her draw in at least one very deep breath while I was taking photos of her. Whether that was part of her labor process, or if it was a stress response, I don't know, but I couldn't help feeling like we needed to leave her be as soon as possible. Luckily our group was small, so there weren't too many of us to cycle through, each taking photos. I just hope our presence and the attention that we paid to her didn't draw too much (or any attention) to her while she was in this very vulnerable state.<br />
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As we left her, we all wished her well, and thanked her for the story she enabled us to tell. Hopefully later this summer the eggs will hatch successfully, and the cycle will begin again.<br />Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15791185232391134319noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6047972160037024989.post-86703084473803788132012-04-07T21:12:00.000-04:002012-04-07T21:12:36.449-04:00More to see than just flowersToday was a great day spent with great folks among great nature. I traveled over to Adams County to meet up with some like-minded folk for what has become an annual early spring gathering to check out the fantastic flora in that part of the state. As is often the case on outings like this, what was originally billed as a foray to look at spring wildflowers turned out to be much more than that. We enjoyed plenty of flora, to be sure, but all manner of fauna was appreciated as well.<br />
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This unseasonably warm spring that we've had has brought lots of butterflies out already. We saw many species today, many of which were in constant motion and impossible to track down with a camera. But there were a few very cooperative specimens, which I will share here.<br />
<center><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/EMvwKny9jvTVuj76NgPbGtMTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-Sr1hcjB2EjE/T4DYnQ_YcCI/AAAAAAAAKPw/gDN56MDrK1k/s640/DSC_0019-001.JPG" height="422" width="640" /></a><br />
An Eastern-tailed Blue, <i>Cupido comyntas</i>. Since this one was under the shade of a leaf the colors didn't come out as brilliantly as they might have if it were in the light, but you can still see that it's a charming little butterfly.</center><br />
We came across another equally charming, but much more brilliant-colored butterfly right after lunch, and this one was a first for me.<br />
<center><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/oAPQcZezWwbN9hlJMwalntMTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-lTFIn9Nitsw/T4DYwM9HBsI/AAAAAAAAKP4/SwtbjIvyY6g/s640/DSC_0183-001.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a><br />
This is a Juniper Hairstreak (or Olive Hairstreak, depending on who you ask), <i>Callophrys gryneus</i>. It stayed in this mud puddle for a very long time while we all ooohed and ahhhed over it and shot plenty of photos. Isn't it beautiful? The colors are so saturated that the photographs of it almost look fake.</center><br />
<center><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/_sEaOak6G9H1KyxwdQmsvdMTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-d7zRQZup7Ok/T4DY1a9q98I/AAAAAAAAKQA/FWx-GVJLgJY/s640/DSC_0192-001.JPG" height="640" width="497" /></a><br />
Here, intrepid blogger and stunt butterfly handler extraordinaire, <a href="http://jimmccormac.blogspot.com/">Jim McCormac</a>, holds the hairstreak on his finger to give a sense of the scale of this tiny creature. I am happy to report that Jim's finger came out of this unscathed. No naturalists (or butterflies) were harmed in the making of this photo.</center><br />
More fantastic finds coming up!Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15791185232391134319noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6047972160037024989.post-53563865788589075342012-04-06T22:33:00.000-04:002012-04-06T22:33:43.560-04:00Who's looking at you?Can you identify these eyes?<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfBaFk8h7dPjJLYRmpTC0Z1GAcHdD4SpO4YvZif_64p4w3d1rWoYiDEzBz57DsaQG6WZibmkQu5DnQYM7EmErW9bOz_RDTmSq4oBNs4fZCuwCz4Tz5ygiTuIyGI47GMo5_lRr6sP20OXg/s1600/DSC_0020-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="238" width="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfBaFk8h7dPjJLYRmpTC0Z1GAcHdD4SpO4YvZif_64p4w3d1rWoYiDEzBz57DsaQG6WZibmkQu5DnQYM7EmErW9bOz_RDTmSq4oBNs4fZCuwCz4Tz5ygiTuIyGI47GMo5_lRr6sP20OXg/s400/DSC_0020-001.JPG" /></a></div><br />
Here's a hint: <br />
These "eyes" are a defense mechanism meant to scare away predators. Did they scare YOU?<br />Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15791185232391134319noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6047972160037024989.post-1467423058894558652012-04-01T21:35:00.000-04:002012-04-01T21:35:29.387-04:00Mother Nature airs her dirty laundryI've never been one for pulling pranks on April Fool's Day, and I'm not about to start now. However, after looking at some wildflower photos I took today, I couldn't resist sharing a few images that are joke-worthy all on their own.<br />
<br />
One flower that is prolifically in bloom right now is Dutchman's Breeches. Unfortunately, these pendulous pairs of pantaloons can be tricky to photograph. Being white flowers, any imperfections show up very easily, so getting a nice "clean" set of of breeches is somewhat of a challenge. Some fun can be had with the bad shots, though. Due to the way the flowers dangle on the stalk, it's easy to infer the notion of laundry hanging out on the line.<br />
<br />
<center><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/oM0JWa_iI-f1Rzxm38XSxNMTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-b53GiH26Tjs/T3j8k-jHgoI/AAAAAAAAKN0/PvbUeWmRdzM/s640/DSC_0015.JPG" height="640" width="426" /></a><br />
<i>For example, the dingy pair hanging off to the right looks like it was soaked in tea or coffee for a while, and just wouldn't quite come clean. Those stubborn stains!</i></center><br />
<center><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/P1V6tM6Zd6LbCKYCe0z6e9MTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-W4c5d9__57Q/T3j8iqskXJI/AAAAAAAAKNs/B3wCcvbTuZU/s640/DSC_0027.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a><br />
<i>I call this the "poopy diaper" shot. Shouldn't take too much of a stretch of the imagination to figure out why.</i></center><br />
I didn't come away with too many shots of this flower that I particularly liked, but here's one shot where someone got the bleach right and all the pants are clean:<br />
<center><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/DwcaXRMaBxho4ERciwl08tMTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-q-jCX5o3ScM/T3j_hlCyU-I/AAAAAAAAKOE/HG8O4y-hoLg/s800/DSC_0091-001.JPG" height="800" width="428" /></a></center><br />
Happy April! Get out there and smell the <s>dirty diapers</s> wildflowers!Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15791185232391134319noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6047972160037024989.post-36043435734579202692012-03-26T23:10:00.000-04:002012-03-26T23:12:44.146-04:00Springtime beautySpring has sprung in my little corner of the world, and how! Reports from around the state confirm that most flowers and trees are at least 2 weeks ahead of schedule (in terms of bloom time) due to the ridiculously mild winter we've had and also the early warming trend we've seen so far this spring. Tonight we are under a freeze warning, though, so I'm not sure what our heavily flowered landscape will look like upon awakening in the morning.<br />
<br />
Luckily I was able to get out on our property and some neighboring property over the weekend to get photos of just a few of the things that are in bloom. Enjoy!<br />
<center><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/ymxQS0gt4q8Ldc_oy9tlQxrfFiFjitc6PVO9vwd3wp0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-aC0gY84QPqc/T3Eq531WQ7I/AAAAAAAAKM4/naPOA6rtt44/s800/DSC_0011-1.JPG" height="800" width="570" /></a><br />
Bluebells in my garden. This is the first year they have bloomed, even though I planted them 2 years ago.</center><br />
<center><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/yOivT-A7foFEYkgzaKgxtxrfFiFjitc6PVO9vwd3wp0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-uSpyDrOKOeQ/T3Eq7L4sSTI/AAAAAAAAKNA/O8GuKIqPqcA/s800/DSC_0022-1.JPG" height="800" width="575" /></a><br />
Newly emerged Bluebell flower buds, kissed by a dew drop.</center><br />
<center><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/dGnTH0E_Kpycojfwhve0GxrfFiFjitc6PVO9vwd3wp0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-Tv3agiOXeF0/T3Eq8c4mu2I/AAAAAAAAKNI/yYrHEG-ouv0/s800/DSC_0090-1.JPG" height="800" width="532" /></a><br />
Bluets, a dainty but cheery flower.</center><br />
<center><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/2K0C7es5lteR5d4Q1upIjRrfFiFjitc6PVO9vwd3wp0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-2ZdLevFgw_c/T3Eq9OZC6AI/AAAAAAAAKNQ/wT7nkyiNEBk/s800/DSC_0083-1.JPG" height="344" width="800" /></a><br />
How could you not be cheered by a flower that has a sunshine burst in the middle?</center><br />
<center><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/104385817320364161840/HintsOfSpring?authkey=Gv1sRgCLyt3ZCl-YegZg&feat=embedwebsite#5724403861244416098"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-nRNCVdrmKn4/T3Eq-4xZEGI/AAAAAAAAKNY/Y_7Q6v7GgO8/s800/DSC_0334-1.JPG" height="800" width="532" /></a><br />
Bloodroot, which is normally just starting to bloom, is already starting to fade, with many plants already gone to fruit. This one is tattered and worn, but still beautiful.</center><br />
<center><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/_yEK1kS6kWt48MfMH7bPSBrfFiFjitc6PVO9vwd3wp0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-n5Fxom-xRmg/T3ErA2DjaDI/AAAAAAAAKNg/zF611X-TXC4/s800/DSC_0102-1.JPG" height="511" width="800" /></a><br />
When out looking at nature, you never know what you'll come across. Here, a pair of snail shells, the larger being about the size of a dime (if that), the tiny one being barely larger than a pin head. Always keep your eyes peeled for magical treasures!</center>Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15791185232391134319noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6047972160037024989.post-7446823346916524362012-03-12T21:30:00.000-04:002012-03-12T21:30:18.327-04:00When the Grackles descendedA few weekends ago I started to see Common Grackles in large numbers in a few spots in this corner of southeast Ohio. Around this time I also started to see Red-winged Blackbirds reliably. American Woodcocks have been doing their display flights since the beginning of February. With each passing day, the bird song becomes more melodic and beautiful, ushering in spring in such a magnificent way. And every few days, I come across a new sighting for the season - Eastern Phoebes and Wood Ducks are now seemingly everywhere, and I saw my first Field Sparrow of the season yesterday. Spring is on the wing!<br />
<br />
Following is an account of one of my grackle encounters, which I posted to the Ohio-Birds listserv (one of several "virtual" online birding communities for Ohio birders). Enjoy!<br />
<blockquote>Greetings, Ohio birders! This weekend has been a bit of a Grackle-fest for<br />
me here in Athens County! It started when I was leaving work on Friday,<br />
when a flock of approximately 50 birds landed in a couple of trees in a<br />
residential neighborhood in Athens. I heard at least one Red-winged<br />
Blackbird singing among the group, so I assume it was a mixed flock. That<br />
was the first large gathering of Grackles that I had seen so far this year.<br />
<br />
Turns out that was nothing compared to what I would experience yesterday and<br />
today. A group of several hundred birds caught my attention yesterday<br />
afternoon (Saturday) when I was out filling bird feeders at my home in rural<br />
Athens County (Albany). I could hear a rustling noise off in the distance,<br />
quite a ways across the road actually, and even though it was windy, I knew<br />
there was no way it was leaves blowing in the breeze. After a few squeaky<br />
gate sounds reached my ears, it dawned on me that there was a large pack of<br />
Grackles in the neighborhood. They were too far away for me to get any good<br />
views even with my binoculars, but I could make out movement well enough to<br />
estimate that there were probably 100-200 birds in the flock.<br />
<br />
This morning, a similar event happened on the hillside right next to our<br />
property, and I was able to observe the birds much better. Again, it was<br />
several hundred Grackles, probably about 300 of them, with at least a few<br />
Red-winged Blackbirds mixed in, but I was never able to spot one of them - I<br />
could only hear them. I'm guessing they were on the outer edges of the<br />
group? I felt very lucky to have them so close and to be able observe them<br />
so well. They spent a large amount of their time rooting through the leaf<br />
litter, stirring up whatever insects they could find. The noise was quite<br />
amazing: we all know what it sounds like when one person walks through the<br />
woods in fall or spring, kicking up dried leaves as they go - well, imagine<br />
that you and 50 friends are doing that all at the same time, and that's what<br />
these Grackles sounded like. Every once in a while they would all take off<br />
from the ground together, making a fantastic whooshing sound with their<br />
collective wings, and then land mere feet away from where they had just<br />
been, only to begin the whole rooting in the leaf litter process again.<br />
<br />
They were, of course, calling and vocalizing to each other during all of<br />
this, but it wasn't until they ascended into the trees that they became<br />
really loud. They were on our property by this time, and as I looked<br />
through the trees with my binoculars, I could see that many of them were<br />
preening. So it seems they had a quick breakfast, and then were off to hit<br />
the showers, so to speak, and making plans for the day. At least I imagine<br />
that was what all the raucous conversation was about.<br />
<br />
I uploaded a short video to YouTube that tries to communicate the din<br />
surrounding me. Even though you can't see the birds (my iPod Touch doesn't<br />
take great video), you can at least hear them pretty well. <br />
<br />
Good birding!<br />
Heather Aubke<br />
Albany, OH</blockquote><center><iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/7Mayrsddxmw" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></center>Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15791185232391134319noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6047972160037024989.post-8027638114003949662012-03-03T16:07:00.000-05:002012-03-03T16:25:02.967-05:00Today I saw: American KestrelFor a while I've been kicking around in my mind the idea of doing some serial-style posts that detail bird sightings and observations that I think you, my dear readers, might find interesting. Think of it as a "birders notebook" type of entry. I have shied away from the idea partly because there will invariably be birds that I do not have photos of from my own personal collection, meaning I will have to rely on online sources where I can get free images that are allowed to be used for public/educational distribution. Why? Because no one wants to read a post where there are NO pictures, but I will not just "lift" photos willy-nilly from web pages just to get images for a blog post. So we'll see how this goes. This will be my first installment of "Today I saw..."<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoUel99z2tLN9sKUPuEOozsVkLM9oWUEuJBag_kEYGyEm6BvDAKtuBJuv1kqZqeo4N-K9aEf5I1PfycRkMwz-n5aQkTRVpG_2T4g0hipb2IFI-nRupmQ6K-mNOahLn6sH4KQ3E9HNDD7U/s1600/kestrel_1_lg.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoUel99z2tLN9sKUPuEOozsVkLM9oWUEuJBag_kEYGyEm6BvDAKtuBJuv1kqZqeo4N-K9aEf5I1PfycRkMwz-n5aQkTRVpG_2T4g0hipb2IFI-nRupmQ6K-mNOahLn6sH4KQ3E9HNDD7U/s400/kestrel_1_lg.gif" width="335" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;">Kestrel image provided by <a href="http://etc.usf.edu/clipart/index.htm">Clipart ETC</a>, originally published in 1869 in Louis Figuier's <i>Reptiles and Birds.</i></div><br />
Today I saw an American Kestrel. It was perched on a phone wire along a mildly traveled county road, looking out into a corn field, prime habitat for this falcon. At first glance I wasn't sure that it was a kestrel because it was not doing its characteristic tail bobbing, a behavior that is a "gimme" for quick field identification. Luckily, there was a spot just up the road where I could safely pull off, and I was able to hop out with my binoculars and work my way toward the bird. Not having had a ton of experience with kestrels, I wanted to get a better look at it, just to be sure about the ID. My curiosity was well-rewarded.<br />
<br />
As I approached I noticed another bird on the wire, which was a Rock Pigeon, and the still-in-question kestrel was quite a bit smaller than the pigeon. American Kestrels (also known as "Sparrow Hawks") are the smallest falcon in North America, so it was good to see this size comparison in person. For reference, Rock Pigeons are about 12"-14" long, whereas American Kestrels are about 9"-12" long. As far as field marks go, the lighting was not great, so it was a bit difficult to see any field marks well, but I was able to pick up barring in the wings and some vertical striping on the head, so I was pretty confident by this time that I was looking at a kestrel, even though it never bobbed its tail once while I saw it on that wire.<br />
<br />
A cold, biting breeze was blowing, so it was time to head back to the car. Just a few feet from my car I took another look out into the field, and saw a dove-like figure flying over the field, except it wasn't behaving in a dove-like fashion. This bird was obviously hunting, so I knew I was seeing the kestrel. I quickly forgot about the chilly breeze and enjoyed the show this small raptor was putting on. It was hovering with shallow but fluid wing beats, and at times it was able to catch the breeze just right and simply hang in the air for 5 seconds at a time. When not hovering, it would fly in a roughly circular pattern over the area it was hunting, and I was finally able to pick up the rusty coloring of its back and tail. Such a slim, graceful bird it was. It dove to the ground twice, but both times it come up empty-taloned. Here's an interesting factoid that I gleaned from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology's <a href="http://www.allaboutbirds.org/">All About Birds</a> site:<br />
<blockquote><i>Unlike humans, birds can see ultraviolet light. This enables kestrels to make out the trails of urine that voles, a common prey mammal, leave as they run along the ground. Like neon diner signs, these bright paths may highlight the way to a meal—as has been observed in the Eurasian Kestrel, a close relative.</i></blockquote>It then took off to another portion of the field, and maybe eventually made its way back to the perch on the phone wire where I had originally spotted it. I was glad I took the time to stop and watch this bird. The observations gave me a good field experience that adds to my growing mental library of bird behavior, and gave me a good opportunity to share this bird with you.<br />Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15791185232391134319noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6047972160037024989.post-70171568955750656612012-02-26T20:12:00.000-05:002012-02-26T20:13:32.466-05:00A certain stillnessLast weekend was the Great Backyard Bird Count, which normally has me planning to go to different locations to count birds. That was indeed my original plan, but life had other ideas. Last Saturday morning I awoke to a sick dog, and unfortunately he did not get better as the day progressed. A time that we had been anticipating and dreading had finally come. It's hard to believe that it's been a week since we had our poor, sweet Emmett put to sleep.<br />
<br />
Our house is now feeling a bit empty. Emmett was the last of a host of pets that Dave and I have had the pleasure of knowing over the last 11 years. At 15-1/2, he was the oldest of them all. His sister, Jupiter, passed away a little over 2 years ago, just shy of her 13th birthday.<br />
<br />
Amid all the bird songs that I hear daily now that are a sure promise of spring, a certain stillness hangs in the air. It's hard to adjust to not having a wagging tail and happy puppy to greet us when we get home from work. But instead of focusing on the things that are difficult, let me share some happier memories with you, memories of both Emmett and Jupiter.<br />
<br />
I didn't know them as puppies, unfortunately - they were already full-grown by the time Dave and I started dating. I met them both the first time I came to Dave's place, and they were both very accepting of me, which was something that I felt was important if Dave and I were going to be a couple. I was especially grateful that Jupiter, the "other" girl in his life, took a liking to me.<br />
<br />
They were both very cute adults, but as puppies... well, it was just ridiculous.<br />
<center><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/NUTLOARmuOCmyGMuJZE2t6xUiG3TYKd_klGcpqXwBaQ?feat=embedwebsite"><img height="417" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-p5Syrz298rk/T0hIR5vK61I/AAAAAAAAKK0/YCeC-vlRnK0/s640/Emmett%2520poof.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
Emmett was quite a little ball of fluff. It took him a little while to grow into his face and his ears, though.</center><br />
<center><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/XwN_7b3cbweiTxmqspvQPaxUiG3TYKd_klGcpqXwBaQ?feat=embedwebsite"><img height="422" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-P1uHTDZR3dc/T0hIU5g8c7I/AAAAAAAAKLM/kUTFOAhSO9A/s640/Emmett%2520the%2520teenager.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
Emmett in his "adolescence."</center><br />
<center><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/g4F6d0Zg3b7Elcf1T5q_NaxUiG3TYKd_klGcpqXwBaQ?feat=embedwebsite"><img height="425" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-UxAA9CkRxks/T0hIVvNIcaI/AAAAAAAAKLU/R7A1n2ijtNU/s640/Jupiter%2520the%2520teenager.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
And Jupiter in hers.</center><br />
<center><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/WhBNb19uakrJRcFMqMNiqaxUiG3TYKd_klGcpqXwBaQ?feat=embedwebsite"><img height="427" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-ewMl6ZVelpg/T0hIUcZaTnI/AAAAAAAAKLE/IsmGTjPU5tY/s640/Jupiter%2520Emmett%2520run%2520in%2520circle.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
They loved to chase each other and play. I can't tell who's chasing who here, but I can hear them going "nyyeeeaaawwwwwrrr," round and round in circles!</center><br />
<center><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/I8HYTUI2SwJcddkVOhsDUqxUiG3TYKd_klGcpqXwBaQ?feat=embedwebsite"><img height="432" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-OkdFdvToWwk/T0hITZR2aUI/AAAAAAAAKK8/gXL1oZ6gPys/s640/Jupiter%2520chomps%2520Emmett.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
They also liked to bite on each other, especially Jupiter on Emmett. This is when they were wee pups...</center><br />
<center><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/gbjl6k7j4B77ifdnPTJcKqxUiG3TYKd_klGcpqXwBaQ?feat=embedwebsite"><img height="426" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-Yx1Y-kUarQU/T0hIZyc4AQI/AAAAAAAAKLs/Of4mG7kuWRU/s640/DSC_0083.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />
... and as adults. It's a move Jupiter would repeat over...</center><br />
<center><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/8HWFJJ-xcMTWvMXonPLH8axUiG3TYKd_klGcpqXwBaQ?feat=embedwebsite"><img height="426" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-tDCijyCLZ5Y/T0hIbE4073I/AAAAAAAAKL0/7wJ2MPBXk1s/s640/DSC_0091.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />
... and over. Eventually, many years into adulthood, Emmett finally developed a strategy to shake her off when she chomped on him like this, and it was a move that I called the "butt block." Actually, it was more of a hip block, where he'd ram his hip into her to get her off of him, but "butt block" sounds way more fun. </center><br />
<center><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/tAdyddxyX5jPcLelHz-99axUiG3TYKd_klGcpqXwBaQ?feat=embedwebsite"><img height="408" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-yyixVcFpEAA/T0hIWtKVyMI/AAAAAAAAKLc/uB5XBrn6fwk/s640/Emmett%2520chomps%2520Jupiter.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
This isn't to say that he didn't get his own chomps in on her, though! </center><br />
Their exact lineage is unknown, but "husky mix" was the breed reference we always gave. Having husky blood meant they liked to roam, often quite far from home. They always came back, but Dave and Jupiter one day learned the hard way that some folks don't take kindly to having strange dogs on their property. Jupiter got shot in her rear left leg, and fragments of the bullet stayed with her until the end. Living on 8 acres in the country made containing the dogs a challenge, to say the least. A radio fence was employed after the shooting incident, but both Emmett and Jupiter were masters at finding ways to get through the field of the fence, and they were always testing it, waiting for those times when a rodent chew or a deer run-through caused a break in the line, leaving the whole system down.<br />
<center><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/r1VCtBcwHRGqiM4WXSzF7axUiG3TYKd_klGcpqXwBaQ?feat=embedwebsite"><img height="432" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-LVZiuIQTmsE/T0hIYCOVenI/AAAAAAAAKLk/8RPiDXpco8E/s640/pups%2520on%2520engagement%2520day.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
The day Dave asked me to marry him, the dogs "broke out" and came over into the field where we were (across the road from the house) to congratulate us. They didn't want to be left out! This was one time that we didn't mind that they were naughty dogs who disobeyed the rules.</center><br />
Overall, they were good dogs. For as long as I knew them, they were outside dogs 90% of the time (with plenty of shelter available when they needed it, of course), and they seemed very content being that way.<br />
They both loved the snow...<br />
<center><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/xXx5iU4QPHhK5c3k01eG76xUiG3TYKd_klGcpqXwBaQ?feat=embedwebsite"><img height="400" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-5LiyNWTLIsI/T0rU714sxhI/AAAAAAAAKMc/dpKphG_HD6g/s800/DSC_0150.JPG" width="266" /></a> <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/xAjsg55_HAWuGonUOwA7MqxUiG3TYKd_klGcpqXwBaQ?feat=embedwebsite"><img height="400" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-GiShRsioXzo/T0hIfi6qKpI/AAAAAAAAKMM/UYuMVV2w80g/s400/DSC_0127-1.JPG" width="313" /></a></center><br />
... and they both loved a good leaf pile.<br />
<center><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/eRQ7-cgl7X2IM7dKkPnw5ChBprfPVUNqy5ySGRd4Loc?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-RL1La3Iww54/Srg3xJPSv_I/AAAAAAAAF9Y/KxrRlcYlOx4/s640/DSC_0015.JPG" /></a><br />
<a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/vLQHRWE4DAPwpxoZk6ekNaxUiG3TYKd_klGcpqXwBaQ?feat=embedwebsite"><img height="426" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-REeVD-IDkJI/T0hIeILE_hI/AAAAAAAAKME/sq7N_bOkkJo/s640/DSC_0063.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />
</center><br />
And we loved them both very, very much. Two weeks before Emmett reached his end, I was able to get some nice photos of him. When I look at this photo now, it still tugs at my heart strings, but it also makes me smile. It captures his essence very well.<br />
<center><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/RKCTlDRklEt35Oxa1a_PU6xUiG3TYKd_klGcpqXwBaQ?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-BmgTZhiEdDQ/T0hIhabAxyI/AAAAAAAAKMU/IQPv2_AZSiU/s800/DSC_0336-1.JPG" height="800" width="532" /></a><br />
We miss you, dear friend. Rest in peace.</center>Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15791185232391134319noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6047972160037024989.post-36287496562725273172012-02-12T19:47:00.000-05:002012-02-12T19:48:44.686-05:00Oh, how I love my birdsIn my last post, I mentioned how Carolina Wrens are the apple of my eye as far as species that dine at my feeders in winter go(or any time of year, really). If a weekend of counting for Project FeederWatch goes by with a goose egg on my list next to "CAWR"* (<i>the 4-letter shorthand, known as bander's code or alpha code, for <strong>CA</strong>rolina <strong>WR</strong>en</i>), it makes me sad. I worry.<br />
<br />
This weekend I was sitting at the dining room table having a late breakfast, and I wondered out loud if "my" wrens were okay, because I had not yet heard a peep from them or seen them. Oftentimes they are one of the first birds I hear in the morning, so that was why I was a little concerned. Not to worry, though. As soon I finished posing the question to my bowl of cereal, up popped a wren onto the railing and right into the bowl that holds the bird dough.<br />
<center><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/lHPyGXmqToism33i1YSZJyo5Rwn6dp7ljfuiF9Us8MM?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-gzVWT1ZceRo/TzhSSW032WI/AAAAAAAAKJE/dMDW_M5NyOU/s640/DSC_0029-1.JPG" height="580" width="640" /></a></center><br />
It's when things like this happen that I can't help but wonder if there is some kind of connection between myself and the birds. I mean, come on! Wonder about the bird and then it shows up immediately thereafter, as if conjured?! <br />
<center><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/pOlfjPUidAob7mPM9JU-bio5Rwn6dp7ljfuiF9Us8MM?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-ax4yZfA-jk4/TzhSTTyb1UI/AAAAAAAAKJM/J4uGi8cWuDY/s640/DSC_0030-1.JPG" height="422" width="640" /></a><br />
<i>Don't worry, Heather - we are here and we are fine. Now, if you don't mind, I'm just going to sit in the food.</i></center><br />
There were actually 2 of them sitting in here at one point, but I wasn't fast enough with the camera to get a shot of that. In total, there were 3 Carolina Wrens at my feeders at one time this weekend, as was the case last weekend. I had 3 of them at one time in early December, too. This is remarkable because this is the first year in 7 years of counting for FeederWatch that I've ever seen 3 Carolina Wrens at once at my feeders.<br />
<center><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/A1fcLublkRqNmEbca4teQCo5Rwn6dp7ljfuiF9Us8MM?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-Rx78HPUjrJE/TzhSUvlOe6I/AAAAAAAAKJU/McBeGgRHUBI/s640/DSC_0034-1.JPG" height="420" width="640" /></a><br />
<i>Contemplating his/her next bite?</i></center><br />
I also enjoy the woodpeckers, and we get three species of them reliably: Downy, Hairy, and Red-bellied. The Downies seem to be the most tame of the three, readily coming in to the suet feeders even if I'm standing right next to them. This sweet little female Downy Woodpecker looks like she just landed, what with the little spray of snow under her tail.<br />
<center><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/eZu_t3tAy6EXWHRE_64NuSo5Rwn6dp7ljfuiF9Us8MM?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-qWKjskSgAEY/TzhSVhfn4SI/AAAAAAAAKJc/pDTp59LzDks/s640/DSC_0001-1.JPG" height="383" width="640" /></a></center><br />
Tra-la-la, minding her own business, making sure I'm getting her good side...<br />
<center><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/0gFUItbNc1VNiZj4KY1l9So5Rwn6dp7ljfuiF9Us8MM?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-kWSF50o2Y2o/TzhSWjc-gbI/AAAAAAAAKJk/auNl_o8QZEc/s640/DSC_0004-1.JPG" height="422" width="640" /></a></center><br />
... then this feisty fella shows up. Doesn't he look MAD?! His little head feathers are all puffed up, full of 'tude.<br />
<center><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/kvX4WU1TVyyqqFrVZnUKUyo5Rwn6dp7ljfuiF9Us8MM?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-8JQFtZBGLLM/TzhSXoahl6I/AAAAAAAAKJs/BpoS6oTp7w4/s640/DSC_0007-1.JPG" height="423" width="640" /></a></center><br />
Here's a look at his puffed up mane from the back:<br />
<center><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/_Z9Q0ceO0GRWX7DtKxFQ_yo5Rwn6dp7ljfuiF9Us8MM?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-g4QSkQEWKY8/TzhSYRoP_VI/AAAAAAAAKJ0/my9VeDl8E9M/s640/DSC_0011-1.JPG" height="640" width="469" /></a></center><br />
And even though he's chased the female away by now, his bravado continues:<br />
<center><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/MeD_ZkiFIbdtz__eVYF31io5Rwn6dp7ljfuiF9Us8MM?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-KCr_8k6uIHc/TzhSZMG3vRI/AAAAAAAAKJ8/eXBQOYu2dNU/s640/DSC_0012-1.JPG" height="640" width="455" /></a></center><br />
Oh wait, never mind. It's all cool. No problems here, lady.<br />
<center><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/xTZ2QokxVp3xFuk34M7KYSo5Rwn6dp7ljfuiF9Us8MM?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-f137wLPaInA/TzhSZwspbCI/AAAAAAAAKKE/PNOCPdiWtOg/s640/DSC_0013-1.JPG" height="640" width="392" /></a></center><br />
Lemme jus' grab a big ol' hunk o' dough...<br />
<center><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/WrK-4Pn2a0FbxZSaagUKtyo5Rwn6dp7ljfuiF9Us8MM?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-RMvuQzTmLi4/TzhSa5YQ28I/AAAAAAAAKKM/dhnyuWkNu-Q/s800/DSC_0021-1.JPG" height="361" width="800" /></a></center><br />
And get on outta here!<br />
<center><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/JGp3SBi7BI2N33slSvGc0Co5Rwn6dp7ljfuiF9Us8MM?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-1wsHHFlZ-1I/TzhSbdPrTUI/AAAAAAAAKKU/zRPkSusvVuo/s800/DSC_0022-1.JPG" height="317" width="800" /></a></center><br />
I soooo love this shot, caught serendipitously by depressing the shutter at just the right time, of course. It almost has the feel of a raptor caught in flight rather than a woodpecker.<br />
<br />
Yes, friends, these are just a few examples of why I love my birds. They are wonderful in every way.<br />
<br />
*<i>Okay, regarding the alpha code for Carolina Wren... CAWR isn't technically correct, because that abbreviation could also refer to 2 other wren species in the United States: CActus WRen and CAnyon WRen. The correct bander's code for each of these species is as follows: CACW (Cactus Wren), CARW (Carolina), and CANW (Canyon). I use CAWR for my wren, though, because the chances of me encountering either of the other 2 species, which live out west, is pretty remote at my feeders. Besides, it's shorthand that's supposed to be easy for ME to read. But I digress.</i>Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15791185232391134319noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6047972160037024989.post-88560537592262811382012-02-07T19:59:00.001-05:002012-02-07T19:59:51.062-05:00Vultures, creepers and wrens - oh my!So what was I talking about when last I blogged... Birds, you say? Well, here's some more bird stuff.<br />
<br />
Vultures are common where I live in southeast Ohio, and they are here year-round. This has not always been the case, but it's all I've ever known since I started birding and paying attention to such things. Folks up in northern portions of the state are starting to see their first Turkey Vultures of the year, but Turkey Vultures, as well as Black Vultures, abound in Athens and Hocking Counties (and probably many other southeast Ohio counties). My interest in Black Vultures in Athens County began around this same time last year when a large group set up camp on and around an empty house along my route to work (click <a href="http://heather-heatherofthehills.blogspot.com/2011/01/vultures.html"><u>HERE</u></a> to read that post). This year they continue to fascinate me as I try to figure out where they are roosting around town.<br />
<br />
One reliable spot, I have found, is The Ridges on the Ohio University Campus. This area used to be known as the Athens Lunatic Asylum, but now it houses university offices, the campus recycling center, and an art museum, among other things.<br />
<br />
<center><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/vGFkXeGW1uUhzCQm0sl1Si5LlmH-SatW7P8jSo-mQMQ?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-vN_ChtwjRkI/TzCAcHQQytI/AAAAAAAAKIA/dok3E7Ey908/s640/DSC_0090-1.JPG" height="304" width="640" /></a><br />
<i>One Black Vulture among many, coming in for a landing. Notice the bits of whitewash along the brick wall. Yeah, that's vulture poo.</i></center><br />
The Black Vultures that I've been seeing during the past few months have been flying rather close to downtown Athens, and I see them often on the days that I choose to walk Uptown (that's what we call downtown in Athens) for lunch. They swirl around down low, and they are sometimes found flying close to the local middle school, which is a little creepy (don't fly off with one of the kids!)<br />
As I've been studying the vultures these past months, I've been tricked by several different shapes they can take in flight. We mostly think of them soaring, which they certainly do, but I've learned that they look very different when they are actively flying and really trying to cover some ground to get from point A to point B. So just because its wings aren't outstretched doesn't mean it's not a vulture.<br />
<br />
<center><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/BgLYOA25qaNYHOWFRlBqCy5LlmH-SatW7P8jSo-mQMQ?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-UXHXtuXsHDM/TzCAaDlELVI/AAAAAAAAKHo/m2IihZBxAic/s640/DSC_0071-1.JPG" height="425" width="640" /></a><br />
<i>Turkey Vulture in a hurry</i></center><br />
I've also had to really concentrate on field marks to separate the Black Vulture from the Turkey Vultures in flight. The tail should be a reliable clue (short and stubby on Black Vultures, longer and more round on Turkey Vultures), but sometimes it's not the best indicator for me. The white "finger tips" are probably the best marking to look for, but the light has to hit at just the right angle for that to really show. I'm also getting a better feel for the relative sizes (Black Vultures are smaller then Turkey Vultures.)<br />
<center><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/MfpQq2N_F04NJNNGOFlcWi5LlmH-SatW7P8jSo-mQMQ?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-Oqmg4RffpwE/TzCAamt3VII/AAAAAAAAKHw/k4fZxAoKPMk/s640/DSC_0080-1.JPG" height="640" width="322" /></a> <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/6F0qp9praWx1jdw_XkOThS5LlmH-SatW7P8jSo-mQMQ?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-S5cHkR6U6Kc/TzCAbMWbNEI/AAAAAAAAKH4/DaDYaaqOOsk/s640/DSC_0111-1.JPG" height="640" width="420" /></a><br />
<i>One of each. Can you tell which is which?</i></center><br />
In case you thought I only cared about the Black Vultures, here's a small roost of Turkey Vultures, also found at The Ridges, but quite removed from the spot where I photographed the Black Vultures. Normally they don't make any noise, but sometimes they do hiss, as the top-most Turkey Vulture in this photo is doing.<br />
<center><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/BRov-YXTbbaXRHaNHz90ty5LlmH-SatW7P8jSo-mQMQ?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-fG7FDmdrsOg/TzCAZ5Qt3DI/AAAAAAAAKHg/xfiC2m9eKeQ/s640/DSC_0005-1.JPG" height="640" width="544" /></a></center><br />
Another bird that's been high on my fascination-meter this winter is the Brown Creeper. I've seen more Brown Creepers this winter than I ever have, and have spotted them on at least 15 different occasions. While I don't get the impression that they are terribly uncommon, they certainly aren't as abundant as, say, woodpeckers or chickadees. They put me more in the mind of Carolina Wrens, who seem to have a fairly high territory:bird ratio (meaning few birds to a large-ish territory). One thing is for sure: a Brown Creeper is not a bird that you're going to just stumble upon. You've got to know what to look for, and more times than not it will be their sibilant call note that will alert you to their presence.<br />
<center><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/JZVacUAq1_fpHTkK4vjJuC5LlmH-SatW7P8jSo-mQMQ?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Q3XrYpXE7_0/TzCAeO6-2jI/AAAAAAAAKII/XDurowPN8tk/s640/DSC_0263.JPG" height="640" width="426" /></a><br />
<i>For example, there are 2 birds on this tree, a creeper and a woodpecker. The woodpecker is peeking, and I'm positive you can pick it out, but I bet you're in a pickle to point out the presence of the creeper.</i></center><br />
<center><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/eH3sjKTIfnzI-dD-xh9WDy5LlmH-SatW7P8jSo-mQMQ?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-KsOg5u9LGZI/TzCAgC1VViI/AAAAAAAAKIQ/MfjVdUZkJc0/s640/DSC_0263-1.JPG" height="640" width="355" /></a></a><br />
<i>Here we are, zoomed in. The cute little creeper is just below dead-center. See why they're so hard to spot? Blend right in with the bark. That's some camouflage, eh?</i></center><br />
<center><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/ZUdkPDt9fV2K49lkGs-BYi5LlmH-SatW7P8jSo-mQMQ?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-3PLwUkwKiF0/TzCAgsvNQ6I/AAAAAAAAKIY/lAvnZKWoUts/s800/DSC_0272-1.JPG" height="545" width="347" /></a><br />
<i>Please pardon the quality of this photo, but it is severely cropped. This was one of the few times when the creeper was at the base of the tree, and there's at least a little contrast with the moss that's around it. It's hard to see, but there's a band on this bird's leg. I photographed this Brown Creeper at the house of my friend Bob Scott Placier, who is a licensed bird bander. He has banded at least 4 of these little gems in recent months, and they have a steady supply of food at Bob's, so they'll probably stick around until it's time for them to migrate north for breeding season.</i></center><br />
On the home front, the birding has been pretty steady this winter, with the same 14 species (give or take 1 or 2) showing up reliably each weekend that I count birds for Project FeederWatch. We had an ice storm a few weeks back, which finally brought a pair of Eastern Towhees and an American Tree Sparrow to my feeders, but otherwise it's been a predictable cast of characters.<br />
<br />
<center><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/gxImwOnpUBrjzlGVACwu4y5LlmH-SatW7P8jSo-mQMQ?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-MVkIUaG-zVQ/TzCAiTThZjI/AAAAAAAAKIo/5yDyItSxYek/s800/DSC_0285-1.JPG" height="800" width="504" /></a><br />
<i>Singing male Carolina Wren, the apple of my eye at the feeders. Any time I put something special out, like mealworms or homemade bird dough, I tell them out loud that I've put out something just for them. It's for all of the birds to enjoy, of course, but a special kind of joy comes over me when the wrens show up.</i></center><br />
<center><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/f-XS1YPJQ7i1cGx8PqunOi5LlmH-SatW7P8jSo-mQMQ?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-LKxVoMT__88/TzCAjeKwPRI/AAAAAAAAKIw/hbJCImlWLw0/s800/DSC_0317-1.JPG" height="800" width="719" /></a><br />
<i>I love watching the woodpeckers at this little feeding station - the distance from the railing is perfect for tail-propping.</i></center><br />
<center><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/JO9eHBvgYnbp9oIbR6Ocay5LlmH-SatW7P8jSo-mQMQ?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-9xPeJzKlCqk/TzCAktVF5JI/AAAAAAAAKI4/B6w9aMp_TgU/s800/DSC_0329-1.JPG" height="800" width="612" /></a><br />
<i>And no feeder watching session would be complete without a visit from at least one Sciurus carolinensis, or eastern grey squirrel.</i></center><br />
Good birding!Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15791185232391134319noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6047972160037024989.post-17454920099962199712012-01-08T20:26:00.000-05:002012-01-08T20:26:07.341-05:00Putting birding skills to useOne of the most rewarding aspects of birding for me is being able to put something that I recently learned to use by making new discoveries of my own based on that learning. I had one such experience today.<br />
<br />
I was walking along our rural road, enjoying the sunshine and abnormally warm temperatures for January. I stopped often to look and listen for birds. One particular area caught my interest for some reason, maybe because I don't normally pay much attention to this particular spot, or maybe I caught some special birdie vibes. I saw movement in the grass, heard some Song Sparrows and saw some other sparrows that I couldn't make out well enough to positively identify. Then I heard a chip note that caught my ear. At first I thought it was an Eastern Phoebe, which would have been a really cool find for this time of year. Once I got my binoculars on the culprit, though, I realized it was a Swamp Sparrow. I was especially excited about this because this was a new find for me along our road.<br />
<br />
What was more intriguing to me, though, was the fact that I had been tricked by this Phoebe-sounding chip note just about a week ago while doing the Hocking Hills Christmas Bird Count (CBC). My neighborhood habitat is very similar to that of our CBC Swamp Sparrow habitat: close to a creek, with lots of overgrown grasses in a low-lying area that's known to get wet (and stay wet) after too much rain, and with moderate but spotty tree density. When we first heard the "chip!" during the count, our group leader, <a href="http://jimmccormac.blogspot.com/">Jim McCormac</a>, thought it was a Phoebe. The closer we got to the source, though, the less convinced we were that it was actually a Phoebe. It eventually dawned on Jim that it was more likely to be a Swamp Sparrow. While we never actually saw the bird in question that day, after comparing recordings of a Phoebe "chip" to that of a Swamp Sparrow "chip," all 3 of us agreed that what we were hearing was a Swamp Sparrow.<br />
<br />
<center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOWRRzsMyw2fw_87qGNvk8J7ykmNzAZeL7XrNyqQBKuAC_JLQhWsa-1gCcHQzai9MwOpPBle2rYjk6U0gQXy5fO7NeFo7xFOnAQODmL78u6GbcG5jbBMdLdaDjg1smSEfHawH5v1rOFOo/s1600/SwampSparrow_from_Wikipedia_788px.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="303" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOWRRzsMyw2fw_87qGNvk8J7ykmNzAZeL7XrNyqQBKuAC_JLQhWsa-1gCcHQzai9MwOpPBle2rYjk6U0gQXy5fO7NeFo7xFOnAQODmL78u6GbcG5jbBMdLdaDjg1smSEfHawH5v1rOFOo/s400/SwampSparrow_from_Wikipedia_788px.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
<i>Swamp Sparrow in winter plumage. Photo by Kevin Bearcaw, via <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:SwampSparrow.jpg">Wikipedia</a></i></center><br />
Sure enough, I was being confronted with the same situation on my home turf. Only this time I got to see the bird. I even went so far as to walk back home and get my spotting scope so that I could get a really good grasp of what this bird looked like. To look at it, it seems like not a very exciting bird, unless you like trying to categorize different hues of brown, rust and grey. I have to admit that I would be hard pressed to identify this bird by looks alone simply because I haven't seen very many of them. (I can tell you a Song Sparrow from a White-throated from a White-crowned from a House, but that's about the extent of my ability to ID sparrows on sight. They don't get the nickname "Little Brown Jobs" (or LBJs) for nothing!)<br />
<br />
Swamp Sparrows winter in southern Ohio, but it seems few stick around these parts for breeding season. Preliminary data from the recently completed <a href="http://www.ohiobirds.org/obba2/">2nd Ohio Breeding Bird Atlas</a> (2006-2011) show, however, a handful of confirmed breeding locations in the southern 3rd of the state. This is in stark contrast to the last Ohio Breeding Bird Atlas (1982-1987), which shows possible and confirmed nesting only in the <a href="http://bird.atlasing.org/Atlas/OH/Main?cmd=stateSummary&theme=species&edition=previous&species=swaspa">northern 2/3's of the state</a>. Having now seen (and heard) this bird in my own neighborhood during winter, I will now be keeping a watchful eye out for a possible breeding record this coming summer. Now THAT would be exciting!Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15791185232391134319noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6047972160037024989.post-91528293953469842512012-01-05T21:05:00.000-05:002012-01-05T21:05:00.223-05:00Hocking Hills Christmas Bird Count<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Mlp68eZBTtU/TwZVG5nTGZI/AAAAAAAAKGg/gfJVHNUMf34/s1600/DSC_0081.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Mlp68eZBTtU/TwZVG5nTGZI/AAAAAAAAKGg/gfJVHNUMf34/s320/DSC_0081.JPG" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Snow-flocked Hemlocks in the Hocking Hills</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
January 2nd turned out to be a cold, brisk, wintry day, perhaps not
the best of days to be out birding. The roads went from dry to
snow-covered in a matter of hours, and we found ourselves in near
white-out conditions at a few points in the day. As a result, the birds
stayed hunkered down for the most part, except for a few pockets of
activity here and there. I had hoped for at least 40 species for the
day, and we ended the day with 44 species; however, only 35 of those
were in our count territory - the other 9 were "borrowed" from Lake
Logan, which was the territory of another count group.<br />
I'm glad we
stopped at the lake first thing, though, because there was much
waterfowl to be seen. Due to the mild weather that we've had thus far,
the water was completely open (i.e. not frozen), so there were many more
waterbirds than one would find if the lake had been even partially
frozen. We saw several good-sized rafts of American Coots and Hooded
Mergansers (with females greatly outnumbering males), a couple of
Pied-billed Grebes, a Double-crested Cormorant, and a Horned Grebe.
Please let it be noted that, with the exception of the Coots (and maybe
the Mergs), I probably wouldn't have been able to ID the other waterfowl
due to utter lack of experience (especially since they're all in basic,
or non-breeding, plumage right now!). Thanks to our fearless leader,
Jim McCormac, for pointing out all these great birds!<br />
<br />
As
strange as it may sound to some, I find an odd type of enjoyment in
driving around and stopping and looking and listening for birds. Of
course, this is all done on rural roads, so traffic is not too much of
an issue, but you do have to be mindful of private property. We stopped
and "staked out" a couple of yards with feeders, and if the homeowners
would have happened to look out while this car full of people with
binoculars was checking out their house, they might have been a little
alarmed! One of these feeders got us our only House Finch of the day,
though.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Jy8TN0nIkqw/TwZVzXfACJI/AAAAAAAAKGs/mM9eHDVzJaQ/s1600/DSC_0088.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Jy8TN0nIkqw/TwZVzXfACJI/AAAAAAAAKGs/mM9eHDVzJaQ/s320/DSC_0088.JPG" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="photo_right"><span class="caption"><i>My bird count partners, Olivia and Jim</i>.</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Some species came easily, and were spotted or
heard at almost every stop, with the American Crow probably taking the
prize there. Dark-eyed Juncos were also observed in great numbers (101
for the day for our group, I believe). Other species like Carolina
Chickadee and Tufted Titmouse were observed in surprisingly low numbers,
especially given the number of forested habitats we encountered. We
got all 5 woodpecker species that we expected (Downy, Hairy, Red-belied,
Northern Flicker, and Pileated), but we had to work really hard for the
Hairy, and all the Pileateds were silent fly-bys. That's one
woodpecker you tend to hear more than you see it, but not on this day.
We had 4 Belted Kingfishers for the day, which I thought was a high
number, but very few Starlings or House Sparrows, both of which I would
have expected to see in decent numbers simply due to their commonness.<br />
<br />
Surprises for the day came both in the form of what we saw and didn't
see. The aforementioned Horned Grebe was a nice find, as were several
hearty-souled Savannah Sparrows cavorting with a large flock of Juncos, a
Bald Eagle soaring over Lake Logan, and a few Killdeer holding out on
the mudflats at the lake. We had several misses, too, that were
disappointing: no Turkey Vultures (did see a number of Black Vultures,
though), no Red-tailed Hawk, and no American Kestrel. Regarding the
latter two, I suspect our chances would have been better if the weather
weren't so dreadful. Who wants to be teed up in a tree or perched on
autility line when the wind is blowing the snow sideways? We had also
hoped and tried for Red-breasted Nuthatch, Winter Wren and maybe an
overwintering Eastern Phoebe, but no luck. And so it goes.<br />
<br />
The
day wrapped up at Crane Hollow Nature Preserve, where we had a group
gathering and pot luck. It was nice to sit in this warm, cozy house
with some yummy snacks and in the company of friends, new and old, while
we compiled the day's findings. It was a wonderful way to start the
new year!<br />
<br />
Here's the full list of species that our group saw and/or heard, if anyone cares to know:<br />
<ul>
<li>Hooded Merganser</li>
<li>Double-crested Cormorant (new for the Hocking Hills count!)</li>
<li>American Coot</li>
<li>Canada Goose</li>
<li>Pied-billed Grebe</li>
<li>Horned Grebe</li>
<li>Mute Swan</li>
<li>Mallard</li>
<li>Killdeer</li>
<li>Belted Kingfisher</li>
<li>Bald Eagle</li>
<li>Red-shouldered Hawk</li>
<li>Northern Harrier</li>
<li>American Crow</li>
<li>Norther Cardinal</li>
<li>Blue Jay</li>
<li>Carolina Chickadee</li>
<li>Tufted Titmouse</li>
<li>White-breasted Nuthatch</li>
<li>Brown Creeper</li>
<li>Song Sparrow</li>
<li>White-throated Sparrow</li>
<li>Dark-eyed Junco</li>
<li>Savannah Sparrow</li>
<li>Swamp Sparrow</li>
<li>American Tree Sparrow</li>
<li>Eastern Towhee</li>
<li>Hermit Thrush</li>
<li>Eastern Bluebird</li>
<li>American Robin</li>
<li>Pileated Woodpecker</li>
<li>Downy Woodpecker</li>
<li>Hairy Woodpecker</li>
<li>Red-breasted Woodpecker</li>
<li>Northern Flicker</li>
<li>Mourning Dove</li>
<li>American Goldfinch</li>
<li>House Finch</li>
<li>Carolina Wren</li>
<li>Golden-crowned Kinglet</li>
<li>Black Vulture</li>
<li>Northern Mockingbird</li>
<li>House Sparrow</li>
<li>European Starling</li>
</ul>Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15791185232391134319noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6047972160037024989.post-29065214540680339502011-12-27T22:00:00.000-05:002011-12-27T22:22:55.238-05:00My Birdy Big YearWhen looking back on things, whether it's a month, a season, or a year, it is in our nature, I think, to look for the high points. I had many high points this past year, too many to name, actually, but some stand out more than others and are worthy of being recounted in a year-end round-up fashion.<br />
<hr style="border: 1.5px solid #7aa9dd; width: 80%;" />
I knew going into 2011 that it was going to be a big year for me as far as birding was concerned, and I was right. The entire year has been a turning point in my birding career, and I feel like I have started to come into my own. Do I have lots more to learn? Sure, but that's a big part of the fun. Lots of details finally started to click for me this year, and I'm happy to say that I'm beginning to see a bigger picture. I don't see "just a bird" anymore, but also how the bird is connected to the habitat it uses, and how we are affecting those habitats (for better and for worse). I'm also paying more attention to bird behavior, and find myself continually asking "what does that mean? why are you doing that?" My own birding "philosophy" continues to evolve, which I will share at some point (I already have to a certain extent, when I wrote about the <a href="http://heather-heatherofthehills.blogspot.com/2011/05/life-list-and-emotional-birder.html">Emotional Life List</a>), and I watch with curious interest some of the discussions other birders have about things like "what differentiates a birder from a bird watcher?"<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rgF8FzrW5Gw/TdRqKYBEHrI/AAAAAAAAJj8/ri-dkSnWc_Y/s1600/DSC_0113-1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rgF8FzrW5Gw/TdRqKYBEHrI/AAAAAAAAJj8/ri-dkSnWc_Y/s400/DSC_0113-1.JPG" width="362" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>A male Magnolia Warbler, captured and released at the New River Birding and Nature Festival, May 2011</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The <a href="http://birding-wv.com/">New River Birding and Nature Festival</a> that I attended in May in West Virginia went a long way to expanding my bird knowledge. A full week of birding immersion was better than I ever could have imagined. I look forward to making a similar trip in May of 2012, this time up in Michigan. It will be a different set of birds, different habitat, different flora, but some of the same friends will be there, and I have no doubt the experience will be spectacular.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lLikpNm8gfs/Tf5clD_i2gI/AAAAAAAAJrY/oBV6vrp0oQI/s1600/photo-1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lLikpNm8gfs/Tf5clD_i2gI/AAAAAAAAJrY/oBV6vrp0oQI/s400/photo-1.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
<center><i>A Red-eyed Vireo fledgling, probably newly out of the nest the day this photo was taken.</i></center></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<center><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-34ez-LYX_lg/Tf5a0s-oypI/AAAAAAAAJq0/gIY2zv6gXMM/s1600/DSC_0126-1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="227" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-34ez-LYX_lg/Tf5a0s-oypI/AAAAAAAAJq0/gIY2zv6gXMM/s400/DSC_0126-1.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Breeding pair of Orchard Orioles, a first-year male on the left and a female on the right.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</center><br />
Participating in the Ohio Breeding Bird Atlas this summer was also a fantastic experience that contributed to my growing avian knowledge base. This was an activity that I took part in largely on my own (as opposed to a festival or group birding outing), and it was empowering to be able to recognize and identify some new birds without assistance, as well as to find evidence of breeding either in the form of a nest, adults carrying food, or in some rare cases, fledglings that were not too many days out of the nest. I still remember the joy in my heart at finding several teeny Red-eyed Vireo fledges along the side of our road, and the great excitement at tracking down a begging Blue-winged Warbler on our neighbors' property and a whole party of begging Ovenbird babies just feet from my own front door! (A challenge for upcoming breeding seasons is to find an actual Ovenbird nest on our property, which is a tall order, as their nests are notoriously well-camouflage and difficult to find!)<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-J0LpMf7hIo8/Tnk7tH-7u1I/AAAAAAAAJ6s/3TzpFQA1swk/s1600/great+egret.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-J0LpMf7hIo8/Tnk7tH-7u1I/AAAAAAAAJ6s/3TzpFQA1swk/s400/great+egret.JPG" width="265" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>A Great Egret flies over Meadowbrook Marsh near Lakeside, OH</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The last big birding "event" for the year was the <a href="http://www.birdwatchersdigest.com/mwb2011/about.php">Midwest Birding Symposium</a> (mark your calendars for September 19-22, 2013, when the symposium will be back at Lakeside, OH!), where I found myself with so much to do and see that although we went up to Lakeside a few days before the symposium even started, I still didn't get to visit all of the birding hotspots on my list. This time around we took part in the sunset cruise (we missed it when we went up in 2009), which was my first pelagic-style experience (although I'm not sure if riding a boat in the windy chop of Lake Erie really counts as pelagic cruise). I was surprised and pleased to see many birds at Magee Marsh at close range. Magee is known as a mecca for spring migrating birds (they rest there before crossing Lake Erie to get to Canada), but it is also obviously a good resting spot for them during fall migration as well.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-s-E990hQHCo/Tb2Ivlou_yI/AAAAAAAAJd4/FmKB21uRXNs/s1600/DSC_0009-1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="290" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-s-E990hQHCo/Tb2Ivlou_yI/AAAAAAAAJd4/FmKB21uRXNs/s400/DSC_0009-1.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The male of our nesting Eastern Phoebe pair after being banded.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Speaking of migration, another thing that I got a little more in tune with this year was the arrival patterns that define spring migration. Before breeding season even begins, it pays to listen to when the year-round-resident birds start to sing, sometimes as early as February. Likewise, I listen especially close every day starting in early April as I await the return of our nesting Eastern Phoebes. The Woodcocks also start moving into southeast Ohio in mid- to late April. Come the beginning of May, the floodgates open, the trees are flowering and new singers are added to the dawn chorus every day. Just thinking about it right now on a damp December evening makes me giddy!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FNeylHOW8vQ/Trc19cw-sfI/AAAAAAAAJ-4/pUHmOvjCGuw/s1600/DSC_0351-1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FNeylHOW8vQ/Trc19cw-sfI/AAAAAAAAJ-4/pUHmOvjCGuw/s400/DSC_0351-1.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Surprised? Scared? Happy? Who knows what's going through this little Saw-whet Owl's mind here, but it was love at first sight for me!</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
An especially poignant moment came on my birthday in early November, when I got to not only observe the banding of a Saw-whet Owl, but I even got to hold, "pet," and release the bird. You can read the full details of the experience <a href="http://heather-heatherofthehills.blogspot.com/2011/11/special-owl-on-special-day.html">HERE</a>.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jNThr_KobO0/TvqJXp5VDWI/AAAAAAAAKGI/I8hIiRvp5j4/s1600/DSCN0084.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jNThr_KobO0/TvqJXp5VDWI/AAAAAAAAKGI/I8hIiRvp5j4/s400/DSCN0084.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Yours truly giving a birding program at the Athens Public Library in January 2011.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
As I look forward to 2012, I anticipate a similar array of experiences, each with something new to teach me. I also hope to engage more with my local community, teaching them about birds and showing them why I think birds are awesome, and just maybe setting a foundation in place for a local birding group, which this town is sorely lacking. I dearly love my birding friends from other parts of Ohio and beyond, but I also want to make more birding friends right in my own back yard. <br />
<br />
Here's wishing you all a very birdy 2012!Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15791185232391134319noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6047972160037024989.post-40518406443616269052011-12-22T11:30:00.000-05:002011-12-22T11:36:39.520-05:00Dauntless Downy WoodpeckerAt our feeders nestled in the woods, 5 species of woodpeckers have been observed dining on suet, and occasionally on sunflower seeds and peanuts. In order of appearance from least to most common, those woodpeckers are: Pileated Woodpecker, Northern Flicker (yellow-shafted form), Red-bellied Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker and Downy Woodpecker. On very rare occasions I will see Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers on our property, but they have never come to the feeders.<br />
<br />
As you might imagine, the least common visitors get the biggest hoots and hollers from me, and are most likely to find themselves in the cross-hairs of my camera lens. This is unfair to the more common visitors, such as the Hairy and Downy Woodpeckers. As I was looking for photos to illustrate this post, I noticed that I don't have very many photos of Downy Woodpeckers, and the ones that I do have all look virtually the same. <br />
<br />
<center><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/c4JLYvcr9-8C8a1TPM3HkXnx8OXS_H9kutJTw3WKZjU?feat=embedwebsite"><img height="800" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-yRmHtJ8_k2U/TvEsMBdnhQI/AAAAAAAAKDM/sEB4yMSmxxE/s800/DSC_0202-1.JPG" width="693" /></a></center><br />
Yup, that's a male Downy Woodpecker clinging to the suet cage. We can tell that it's a male by the little note of red on the back of his head; female Downies have no red on their head.<br />
<br />
While I may not jump up and down every time I see a Downy Woodpecker, I certainly do appreciate each appearance they make. They are easily visible year-round, and the parents will bring their begging fledges to our suet feeders once they are old enough to leave the safety of the nest. One time, about 5 years ago, they nested in a snag just above our driveway, and we were alerted to said nest by the incessant begging of the babies within. It took a few days to figure out where this high-pitched squeaking, reminiscent of a mouse with a megaphone, was coming from, and I was happy to learn that it was a clutch of successfully hatched wee Downies.<br />
<br />
Since woodpeckers aren't songbirds, we don't really think of them making much noise except for pecking and drumming with their bills on trees or fence posts. They do emit a number of vocalizations, though. Downies make a loud "pick!" sound as well as a whinnying-type of call that descends in pitch at the end. They also make some other squeaky and churring calls, especially when several birds are in close proximity to each other. The Downy population in our woods has slowly been on the rise since I started counting them for Project FeederWatch seven years ago. At first we would only see 1 or 2 Downies at a time, but now it is common to have at least 4 within view at once. I know there are more of them around than that, but keeping them all in sight at one time is tricky! When they are not perched on a feeder, they are in constant motion, hitching up and down the trees in search of bugs in and under the bark, and during the winter it seems like they are constantly bickering, harassing each other, and shooing each other away.<br />
<br />
<center><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/voCMJJCSXGpFqWteXlKpCnnx8OXS_H9kutJTw3WKZjU?feat=embedwebsite"><img height="400" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-AwT4zrIY5_c/TvEsNHgNEUI/AAAAAAAAKDQ/dp7OK7jrKjY/s400/DSC_0007-1.JPG" width="222" /></a> <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/Y6tQ6X9SJIZN32iyMUhBInnx8OXS_H9kutJTw3WKZjU?feat=embedwebsite"><img height="400" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-K69kU0E8lWc/TvEsONSjUsI/AAAAAAAAKDU/ues7YRRX2Ow/s400/DSC_0008-1.JPG" width="220" /></a> <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/tfzuD2EQ6kOpOlf9SjaU_nnx8OXS_H9kutJTw3WKZjU?feat=embedwebsite"><img height="400" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-3DDQJAQhS4k/TvEsOwBGsBI/AAAAAAAAKDY/ugtvX9pvYU4/s400/DSC_0009-1.JPG" width="220" /></a><br />
<i>A Downy at the homemade bird dough bowl, watching someone else fly by. Perhaps another Downy?</i></center><br />
This year I have noticed an interesting trend among my Downies. Normally when I step outside to refill the feeders, or just to have a look around on the deck, all the birds scatter except for the fearless Carolina Chickadees. Now the Downies are joining the ranks as the next species to be unperturbed by my presence. I can stand right next to the suet feeders with a Downy at arm's length, munching away like it doesn't even see me. Yet another bird whose trust I have presumably earned. I feel mighty honored to stand so close to these fantastic creatures.<br />
<br />
<br />Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15791185232391134319noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6047972160037024989.post-4141114370282735092011-12-07T11:30:00.000-05:002011-12-07T11:59:06.666-05:00The Frost Hunt<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/i24g9dAXytFgkM0HRqBCW5G89HyHeCTra-oFOlCcPOY?feat=embedwebsite" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: .3em; margin-right: .3em;"><img height="200" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-LNlUz2Ns2lc/TtuiYh6wZ-I/AAAAAAAAKCY/kY4YIQEenMQ/s200/DSC_0056-1.JPG" width="76" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>tiny buds </i><br />
<i>await spring</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>A recent string of cold nights with clear skies and calm winds made for some delightfully frosty mornings, bringing the landscape into a characteristic state of being right on cue for the first days of December. These frosty mornings occurred, of course, during weekdays, when there was no time for stopping and capturing photos that could be savored later. I eagerly watched the weather forecast for the weekend, and was happy to see that conditions would be ripe for a good frost on Saturday morning. Excellent! Finally, I could go on a Frost Hunt! The title alone conjured crisp images in my mind, and helped me to get myself out of bed early on a morning when I might otherwise prefer to sleep in.<br />
<br />
It wasn't until I got outside and really started looking at how the frost clung to leaves and flowers that I realized that it had been far too long since my last truly connected encounter with the land. It ended up being one of those multi-sensory experiences that I truly cherish.<br />
<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/T10ZYVc-OL13rumieNK3O5G89HyHeCTra-oFOlCcPOY?feat=embedwebsite" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: .4em; margin-right: .4em;"><img height="320" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-ckpzpjbZYIE/TtuiV_jLkdI/AAAAAAAAKCQ/RnHQXVHzhNk/s320/DSC_0043-1.JPG" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Bee Balm seed head, covered in frost</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>In addition to each flower or blade of grass that I stopped to admire, there was the singing and calling of the birds. There's that mischievous Blue Jay that wants everyone to believe he's a Red-shouldered Hawk just from the sound of his voice, but I know his true identity. A Pileated Woodpecker sounded off amid the treeline along the ridge top, with a slightly erratic flight that took it out of sight. Song Sparrows gave their raspy call note, and then one daring male took me by surprise with a short song, repeated several times - something I did not expect to hear in early December. His song, combined with the smell of ever-present ground ivy, momentarily tricked my brain into thinking it was spring, but the frost crystals jolted me back to the reality that winter is just around the corner.<br />
<br />
My "hunt" took place just across the road from my house, in an area with which I have become very familiar over the years. Photographing the flora had me feeling like I was among old friends, and they welcomed me happily, not caring that I had been away for a while. Each plant has its own "personality," both in the growing season and in the quieter times of fall and winter. Sometimes I think it is easier to appreciate the lines and curves of the plants in the dormant season, because most of the color is drained and withered away, leaving only the bare essentials to draw your attention.<br />
<br />
<center><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/muDPGnKDTQsvHkfq1HTjSJG89HyHeCTra-oFOlCcPOY?feat=embedwebsite"><img height="693" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-erlwmGi3ZvU/TtuiXo7qwDI/AAAAAAAAKCU/6Xq4QepFrc8/s800/DSC_0054-1.JPG" width="800" /></a><br />
Even so, some color remains to enliven the landscape!</center><br />
<center><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/dafBUDOuwiosUzl6er1VMJG89HyHeCTra-oFOlCcPOY?feat=embedwebsite"><img height="212" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-vyKwd1mY6IE/TtuiZkG3fZI/AAAAAAAAKCc/-k3BuwBw1iU/s320/DSC_0061-1.JPG" width="320" /></a> <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/6SR5pOQDzyzB8XeLipncHJG89HyHeCTra-oFOlCcPOY?feat=embedwebsite"><img height="212" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-8iN-WMvxD6Y/Ttuiagv-VEI/AAAAAAAAKCg/DEE_aM-z_RE/s320/DSC_0062-1.JPG" width="320" /></a><br />
Mysterious features become more prominent with frost glistening on them. I found many of these galls on the stalks of goldenrod plants, most of which had a perfect hole drilled right in the center on one side. Downy Woodpeckers and Carolina Chickadees are known to excavate these galls in order to get to the goldenrod gall fly larvae that is contained within. This is a phenomenon I have yet to observe myself, but one I very much hope to see in the future.</center><br />
<center><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/nC5mK3c0nJBQmV-FJFIb95G89HyHeCTra-oFOlCcPOY?feat=embedwebsite"><img height="400" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-qPiz3pMTnyk/Ttuifvp4oXI/AAAAAAAAKCs/bqTAalxc21s/s400/DSC_0079-1.JPG" width="266" /></a> <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/iIKp6GqrqN9jGG38izzHHJG89HyHeCTra-oFOlCcPOY?feat=embedwebsite"><img height="400" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-vqFlPAdgogU/TtuidwI4wYI/AAAAAAAAKCo/q9z4bT4j3gA/s400/DSC_0075-1.JPG" width="350" /></a><br />
Virgin's Bower is one of my absolute favorite flowers to observe in fall and winter. The feathery fronds, to which the plant's seeds are attached, catch the light of sunrise and sunset with perfection, and frost adds yet another dimension of beauty to them.</center><br />
<center><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/vwG36EKppHXxzrt7r7Byt5G89HyHeCTra-oFOlCcPOY?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-UquW9GwgWnI/TtuioHb2mjI/AAAAAAAAKDA/3AmHYmfjrfk/s640/DSC_0101-1.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a><br />
Teasel is another flower that presents strong architectural interest in fall and winter. Interestingly, the frost made the seed head look much softer than usual, tuning what normally looks like something akin to a porcupine into an object resembling a soft brush. The bracts at the base of the seed head, however, retained their harsh curls, reminding me of Medusa's head of snake hair.<br />
<a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/ltDHa6S2T_ZWwLICnLAPA5G89HyHeCTra-oFOlCcPOY?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-_m1dJcNv-1I/Ttuimk2VQFI/AAAAAAAAKC8/MBqASWLyJws/s800/DSC_0103-1.JPG" height="800" width="620" /></a></center><br />
Next, the sun comes out...Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15791185232391134319noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6047972160037024989.post-60808918219083220722011-12-04T11:57:00.001-05:002011-12-04T12:02:28.891-05:00Abstracts in frostWordless, abstract Sunday...<br />
<br />
<center><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/104385817320364161840/111203_frostyMorn?authkey=Gv1sRgCJaasJPzm6_V5gE&feat=embedwebsite#5682314083606757666"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-GwujhMLT0ps/TtuijYeUgSI/AAAAAAAAKC0/QiTqzMyKbQs/s800/DSC_0090-1.JPG" height="800" width="527" /></a></center><br />
<center><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/PEk-otYxKKh0PpDL_fxbopG89HyHeCTra-oFOlCcPOY?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-Lk5Xqy4j6fg/TtuilO0BYdI/AAAAAAAAKC4/QhkrTs8Jvoc/s800/DSC_0091-1.JPG" height="800" width="532" /></a></center><br />
<center><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/srnMwqqgDZ-B7PT1DeSnvpG89HyHeCTra-oFOlCcPOY?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-m0SlbiNBc2g/TtuihjqHWxI/AAAAAAAAKCw/u_lU-VgqZc0/s800/DSC_0080-1.JPG" height="800" width="743" /></a></center>Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15791185232391134319noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6047972160037024989.post-67406132493882722772011-12-01T19:04:00.001-05:002011-12-01T20:23:09.401-05:00Puffballs, part IIContinuing with my puffball adventures, we move from the behemoth to the dwarf. These next mushrooms that I'm about to share are VERY small compared to the large puffballs from my <a href="http://heather-heatherofthehills.blogspot.com/2011/11/late-summer-puffballs.html">last post</a>. I would gauge these little guys to be around 1/50th the size of that huge puffball that was at least as big as my shoe.<br />
<center><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/djSW3bxXfO_1L3fc3cZlwx3-U4xct5RzfyO0-uOS53w?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-xZpdjcOgnsA/TtgUC4XaWQI/AAAAAAAAKCA/1XlVDNdYeVs/s640/DSC_0096-1.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a><br />
At first glance, you might mistake them for a bunch of nuts on the forest floor. Perhaps we have stumbled upon a squirrel's not-so-secret stash of acorns?</center><br />
<center><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/laYLaOyrLUtIcNG995OSFh3-U4xct5RzfyO0-uOS53w?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-59OjY5cLPeA/TtgT49jyvYI/AAAAAAAAKBk/k_cgu0G86LM/s800/DSC_0045-1.JPG" height="532" width="800" /></a><br />
Upon closer inspection it becomes apparent, though, that they are stacked a little TOO neatly to be nuts. Indeed these are mushrooms, and as far as I can tell, they fall into the puffball category.</center><br />
<center><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/Nzfeu9ZEVfAoHae4BQgPmh3-U4xct5RzfyO0-uOS53w?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-f_FMda49d3o/TtgT_TDyPDI/AAAAAAAAKB8/JPc6h5nWQG8/s640/DSC_0086-1.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a><br />
While most were found existing only in large clusters, a few were visible singly or in pairs. I should have put something next to these to give you an idea of their size, but I would describe them as being as large as a cherry tomato. While I cannot claim with much certainty their identity, I am inclined to say these are probably the pear-shaped puffball, <i>Lycoperdon pyriforme</i>, a species that is known for growing in clusters.</center><br />
<center><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/zfY2vHaUKK55rQz7EV7xuR3-U4xct5RzfyO0-uOS53w?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-670Ez_7vmVo/TtgT8Lzs1XI/AAAAAAAAKBw/fNZAv-HfDWY/s800/DSC_0097-1.JPG" height="532" width="800" /></a></center><br />
<center><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/ou0FWolDSAfmTjFhhxAeHh3-U4xct5RzfyO0-uOS53w?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-4JlnMOVSADk/TtgT574EIOI/AAAAAAAAKBo/dzDMxtQDzTQ/s800/DSC_0080-1.JPG" height="800" width="532" /></a></center><br />
<center><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/aFs-RM-SckfEAJVH5dsSGx3-U4xct5RzfyO0-uOS53w?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-g8Fk1TGkwOQ/TtgT60_K7zI/AAAAAAAAKBs/TDCKfevNghA/s800/DSC_0093-1.JPG" height="532" width="800" /></a><br />
Mushrooms may be one of the easiest subjects to photograph in nature. They are photogenic, they don't fly or walk away from you, and rarely do they blow in the wind. A nice stationary subject, not something you come across very often in nature photography!</center><br />
<center><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/lroLFBW_QKa5t1Z1mDuSYR3-U4xct5RzfyO0-uOS53w?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-hWiamnXc_Jk/TtgT-LnEkyI/AAAAAAAAKB4/3gzLDhVJgoM/s800/DSC_0098-1.JPG" height="532" width="800" /></a></center><br />
<center><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/ELkYStosAR1yR6NDXD3a6B3-U4xct5RzfyO0-uOS53w?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-uft8-5BrRUI/TtgT9Ihzz_I/AAAAAAAAKB0/uvsJJm-mZs8/s800/DSC_0100-1.JPG" height="532" width="800" /></a></center><br />
I hope you've enjoyed this look into the world of puffballs. I will admit that I know very little about mushrooms and fungi, but the more I photograph them, the more my interest becomes piqued. One more item to add to my list of things to learn about!Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15791185232391134319noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6047972160037024989.post-60520841976333122962011-11-22T19:23:00.001-05:002011-12-01T20:23:57.080-05:00Late summer puffballsToday has been a typical wet, dreary November day. Well, except that the temperatures seem a little above average. Regardless, I am mourning the loss of summer, and have been for a number of weeks. Now would be a good time to go back and reminisce a little. Take a look at some of the cool stuff I found out and about during those verdant, warm, long days.<br />
<center><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/ab8WJs24bEvTEg7dSyc8XqC4rIPcOuR7Fl8atchEA_w?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-_pIqxjpF4Yk/Tsw2cEeY4MI/AAAAAAAAKBM/2Ckq-MfN3nw/s640/DSC_0049-1.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a><br />
I would forgive you if you didn't identify this correctly. It's the kind of thing you might not necessarily investigate at close range. Wait, who am I kidding? If you're reading this blog, you probably like getting up close to things in nature! But I would understand if you thought maybe this was a zoomed-in photo of the hide of a giraffe.</center><br />
<center><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/fF31Pt4LSg-JElvzxXYc56C4rIPcOuR7Fl8atchEA_w?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-vdTMkpAcBUQ/Tsw2hMWMnbI/AAAAAAAAKBY/oXt9bNoe7oA/s800/DSC_0012-1.JPG" height="532" width="800" /></a><br />
I would also understand if you thought this was a close-up of a print of some turkish art. I am reminded of both of these things when I look at these photos.</center><br />
<center><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/Sssqw_cS8K_TRexOeQCGs6C4rIPcOuR7Fl8atchEA_w?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-iC90-tIXQSI/Tsw2fJ5IDvI/AAAAAAAAKBU/OgaFe_MhTtM/s640/DSC_0015-1.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a><br />
It is, however, neither of these things. It's a lovely (gigantic!) puffball mushroom. My shoe next to it gives you some idea as to the scale. If there are any mycologists or mycophiles out in the audience who can pin this down to a species, I'd love to hear from you!</center><br />
<center><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/ELC0tUjCW9p-eWmNMyLqg6C4rIPcOuR7Fl8atchEA_w?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-emH3zXdC4GI/Tsw2dHnPgxI/AAAAAAAAKBQ/3du1Gn50VbU/s640/DSC_0021-1.JPG" height="640" width="426" /></a><br />
<i>Puffball crater</i></center><br />
<center><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/Bz8VaW0twJ4H_Jj1o7z306C4rIPcOuR7Fl8atchEA_w?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-21u0yl4hrLQ/Tsw2ZGpdbqI/AAAAAAAAKBE/hQVqRNen7W0/s800/DSC_0057-1.JPG" height="800" width="532" /></a><br />
They seemed especially abundant this year, mostly occurring in groupings of 2 or 3 (sometimes more). From afar they all look the same, but up close, you can see how unique each one is.</center><br />
<center><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/X6yLSKXKCyHQ5IhJWtt1-KC4rIPcOuR7Fl8atchEA_w?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-lrVzSpgyVqs/Tsw2X8OaluI/AAAAAAAAKBA/DPxfBYF9dAc/s640/DSC_0059-1.JPG" height="640" width="407" /></a><br />
This grouping caught my fancy. Almost like a family posing for their portrait. I love how there's a line in the middle 'shroom that seems to carry right into the pattern of bottom one.</center><br />
<center><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/NwWHAn3KiE8Bios3EKTDaaC4rIPcOuR7Fl8atchEA_w?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-_5SfWkGOTY4/Tsw2afDPpnI/AAAAAAAAKBI/R1eVWhRjlxQ/s640/DSC_0053-1.JPG" height="640" width="426" /></a><br />
Ahhh, mushrooms in a field of green with a backdrop of green leaves. I think maybe I can still smell the summer air if I try hard enough...</center>Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15791185232391134319noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6047972160037024989.post-72221356293220119322011-11-18T21:06:00.001-05:002011-11-18T22:29:22.339-05:00Interesting feeder observationsDuring the Project FeederWatch season I keep a closer eye on what's going on at my feeders, for obvious reasons. When FeederWatch is not in session (i.e. spring, summer and some of fall), however, I don't always pay a lot of attention to the feeders, usually due to a combination of being busy with other outdoor stuff and lack of bird activity at the seed buffet.<br />
<br />
A few weeks before this year's FeederWatch season began I did notice a few interesting feeding behaviors. <br />
<br />
<center><strong>Interesting behavior #1 - Carolina Chickadees eating thistle seed.</strong></center> <br />
Thistle is widely know as the caviar equivalent for finches of all types. I have never seen thistle listed as a seed that chickadees will go for. If you look at the various charts that show what birds will eat what kind of food at your feeders, you will usually see two listings: one for what is "preferred" and one for what is "readily eaten" (read: tolerated). Thistle doesn't show up as either of those choices for chickadees. And yet, my chickadees really got into it during a period where I wasn't offering sunflower or safflower seeds.<br />
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<center><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/OXCafm6xMjy_lQYPkxkK10dMr48qpvRWTN9vA9SsaZQ?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-HLe8z-Rb7-I/TrsNamoEJQI/AAAAAAAAKAI/4R7ec0vDo4s/s640/DSC_0503-1.JPG" height="640" width="282" /></a> <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/f7qwFBIqyOj9PUiN7dFVZ0dMr48qpvRWTN9vA9SsaZQ?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-RAeHZgBSqLk/TrsNcVoQ6oI/AAAAAAAAKAM/7qixD8X6nnw/s640/DSC_0524-1.JPG" height="640" width="344" /></a><br />
<i>Chickadee-dee-dee clinging on the thistle feeder, and also sharing the feeder with an American Goldfinch.</i></center><br />
Once I started offering black-oil sunflower and safflower seed again, I thought for sure they would ditch the thistle, but they proved that theory wrong. They will, of course, partake of sunflower, safflower and suet, but they still also come to the thistle. Anyone else out there ever see their chickadees eat thistle? I know the Juncos will eat it, but only on the ground. A friend once told me that Mourning Doves would routinely eat thistle at his feeders (he had a thistle feeder with perches on it; otherwise, I wouldn't have believed him because there's no way a Mourning Dove could cling to a feeder like the one I have pictured here.)<br />
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<center><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/rVwzQBXHOhjZ5Ai_EV5fykdMr48qpvRWTN9vA9SsaZQ?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Igtl7wc51rE/TrsNd7s4LoI/AAAAAAAAKAQ/QHRlsyhOOhg/s800/DSC_0551-1.JPG" height="528" width="800" /></a><br />
This proves to me that it's not just one rogue individual who developed a taste for the thistle; at LEAST two of them are fond of it. And look how those toes are clinging to the mesh-like material of the feeder!</center><br />
<center><strong>Interesting behavior #2 - Northern Cardinals eating suet... from the suet cages.</strong></center><br />
This one surprised me even more than the chickadees eating thistle seed! Why? Because, typically, cardinals are not birds that cling to things well. Other birds are much more suited to this (especially woodpeckers and nuthatches, but also chickadees, wrens, titmice and finches) simply because of the way their bodies are built and adaptations they have developed over time. How often do you see a cardinal clinging to the side of a tree? Never! Perched on a branch or on the ground is most common, or on a flat feeder like a platform or other type of feeder where they have room to stand. I have seen them attempt (and sometimes succeed) to perch on tube feeders that have those small, 4-inch long perches, but even that is often a tremendous struggle because it's hard for them to keep their balance. So hanging onto a suet cage was beyond my comprehension. (Please excuse the graininess of the following photos - the light was low, so camera settings where cranked up to compensate, making for less than perfect images.)<br />
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<center><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/YzDNS3EGg7wEnEJhwuyiVkdMr48qpvRWTN9vA9SsaZQ?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-0FuAqhErGOU/TrsNQe7HL8I/AAAAAAAAJ_0/W6xQ0u2U8Uk/s640/DSC_0306-1.JPG" height="640" width="514" /></a><br />
Cardinal on top of the suet cage? Okay, I can deal with that. I have watched them bend over and peck suet from the top of the cake when it's still new and tall enough to come up to the top of the cage.</center><br />
<center><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/S-uOlWQ9u0CKNL6wVKrIDUdMr48qpvRWTN9vA9SsaZQ?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-iJckUlEci6M/TrsNS7fBe9I/AAAAAAAAJ_4/LpDHFSivj1s/s400/DSC_0478-2.JPG" height="400" width="267" /></a> <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/vLFZzFxitfXa1xVrJBiI90dMr48qpvRWTN9vA9SsaZQ?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/--QwKhFBwn2k/TrsNVblsyLI/AAAAAAAAJ_8/UMc0yL41NPA/s400/DSC_0487-1.JPG" height="400" width="263" /></a><br />
Wow, far out! Not only is she exhibiting excellent clinging skills, but great maneuverability as well. Notice how she's making her way down closer to that tiny sliver of suet cake at the bottom of the cage.</center><br />
As with the chickadees turning to thistle, the cardinals were turning to suet because there was no sunflower or safflower seed available. They continue to repeat this when the seed runs out, but UNLIKE the chickadees, they abandon the suet as soon as seed becomes available again. So the suet is an item of last resort for the cardinals, whereas the thistle got incorporated into the daily diet for the chickadees.<br />
<br />
We don't normally see suet "marketed" toward cardinals because most suet is sold in cakes or plugs and offered in feeders that aren't cardinal-friendly. I learned last winter, however, that cardinals DO LIKE suet if it's offered in a way that they can get to it easily. When I make my homemade bird dough, I crumble it into different-sized chunks and scatter it along the deck railing, and also put it in a small dish. They really took to that last year. Knowing this, it makes me wonder if the cardinals that I'm seeing on the suet cages this year are the same cardinals that ate my bird dough last winter, and somehow recognize the suet cakes as something similar, and "oh, hey, this stuff might be good, too, and I'll try my darndest to get to it!"<br />
<center><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/dNEpoB4pZYbSGwqaWKdJ9EdMr48qpvRWTN9vA9SsaZQ?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-7rI-VS6YfVI/TrsNXyyQvrI/AAAAAAAAKAA/svtG77UFxdc/s640/DSC_0489-2.JPG" height="640" width="420" /></a><br />
<i>Suet score!</i></center><br />
I would love to hear your stories of odd or interesting feeder behaviors! Feel free to share in the comments.<br />
<br />
<br />Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15791185232391134319noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6047972160037024989.post-63071965544415082562011-11-14T20:45:00.000-05:002011-11-14T20:52:15.164-05:00May the counting begin!<a href="http://www.birds.cornell.edu/pfw/">Project FeederWatch</a> got underway this past weekend. This will be my 7th season counting for this citizen science project run by the <a href="http://www.birds.cornell.edu/">Cornell Lab of Ornithology</a>, and I can't wait to see what kind of new and interesting things I'll see at my feeders this winter, whether it be a new species, a record-breaking flock of Grackles, or a never before seen behavior or interaction among the birds.<br />
<br />
Already I have some interesting data to look at from my first counting session. Looks like things are getting off to a start that is practically identical to last season. The exact same species showed up, with only the tiniest variation in the numbers of each. How about that?<br />
<br />
<table border="1" align="center"><tr bgcolor="FOE68C">
<th>species</th>
<th>wknd of 11.13.10</th>
<th>wknd of 11.12.11</th>
</tr>
<tr>
<td bgcolor="87CEEB">Mourning Dove</td>
<td align="center">13</td>
<td align="center">13</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td bgcolor="87CEEB">Red-bellied Woodpecker</td>
<td align="center">1</td>
<td align="center">1</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td bgcolor="87CEEB">Downy Woodpecker</td>
<td align="center">2</td>
<td align="center">2</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td bgcolor="87CEEB">Hairy Woodpecker</td>
<td align="center">1</td>
<td align="center">2</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td bgcolor="87CEEB">Carolina Chickadee</td>
<td align="center">4</td>
<td align="center">5</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td bgcolor="87CEEB">Tufted Titmouse</td>
<td align="center">3</td>
<td align="center">2</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td bgcolor="87CEEB">White-breasted Nuthatch</td>
<td align="center">3</td>
<td align="center">4</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td bgcolor="87CEEB">Northern Cardinal</td>
<td align="center">2</td>
<td align="center">2</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td bgcolor="87CEEB">American Goldfinch</td>
<td align="center">9</td>
<td align="center">10</td>
</tr>
<tr bgcolor="FFD700">
<td><strong>Total individuals</strong></td>
<td align="center"><strong>38</strong></td>
<td align="center"><strong>41</strong></td>
</table><br />
Looking back on past seasons' data, I should expect to see some Juncos next weekend. I have seen a few in town already, but none yet in our own yard.<br />
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I can tell that my fascination with goldfinches and their striking plumage is going to continue.<br />
<center><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/cUNdjHgc7W2iI52-2EXt0I_nIk65U6Jikwfz66jaBWo?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-O7YMEyx1Utw/TsHD5cReNvI/AAAAAAAAKAw/G7EZiHCTPtw/s640/DSC_0061-1.JPG" height="394" width="640" /></a><br />
<i>Here we got a nice look at their white patches above the tail, not feathers you see terribly often</i></center><br />
And the nuthatches will continue with their bold antics, running each other off from the feeders. I hope to catch some good shots of them with their various displays of aggression, but they are fast and hard to keep up with the camera. Unless they're eating, that is.<br />
<center><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/pTNQEx3_tjAZ_Ss9p99-tI_nIk65U6Jikwfz66jaBWo?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-PHlOKeVLR6Y/TsHD4DGtCyI/AAAAAAAAKAs/qBhM0CTOo6o/s640/DSC_0027-1.JPG" height="637" width="640" /></a></center><br />
One new bird that I hope to draw in this year is the Brown Creeper. They are definitely in our woods, but they're not exactly a bird that takes to traditional bird feeders. I'm going to try some homemade "bark butter" to see if that will bring them in.<br />
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And, it will be time to start making <a href="http://heather-heatherofthehills.blogspot.com/2011/01/treats-for-birds.html">homemade bird dough</a> soon, once the temps actually decide to get cold (as I write this at 8:30 in the evening, it's still 69 degrees outside... I'm not complaining, but it is a bit odd for mid-November!). Will <a href="http://heather-heatherofthehills.blogspot.com/2010/12/my-special-christmas-treat.html">my Pileated Woodpecker</a> come back again this year for a sample of that tasty treat? I surely hope so!Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15791185232391134319noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6047972160037024989.post-45438190509147939172011-11-09T18:41:00.000-05:002011-11-09T18:41:50.714-05:00Chickadee loveI've been going through some photos in preparation for an upcoming post, and just couldn't wait any longer to share these 2 photos of a Carolina Chickadee at our feeders. It's a gorgeous, tough little bird, and I can't quite get over how handsome it is. While they won't eat from my hand (yet!), our chickadees are pretty fearless when I'm outside, and I was only about 3 feet away while taking these pictures.
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<center><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/8H06-EqGnyrY-Jv1wA6Tk0dMr48qpvRWTN9vA9SsaZQ?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-iOE7zw-_308/TrsNfVLnORI/AAAAAAAAKAY/VQA6KFAXfek/s800/DSC_0503-2.JPG" height="800" width="569" /></a></center></br >
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<center><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/Dcn3POoKoXug8F1M7_6_oUdMr48qpvRWTN9vA9SsaZQ?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-3h5spfe9BP4/TrsNev4SiOI/AAAAAAAAKAU/IaFoMQKJkO8/s800/DSC_0559-1.JPG" height="800" width="497" /></a></center>
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More to come!Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15791185232391134319noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6047972160037024989.post-15038831375312885222011-11-06T23:20:00.000-05:002011-11-10T08:47:28.124-05:00A special owl on a special dayRemember a few posts back when I showed you a cute, tiny owl? I said I could have taken it home in my pocket, and estimated that it was smaller in size than my head. <br />
<center><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/4Ag6STp5DJslmDJ4q9q53Me88pBqie3jVUv7SOXF0mU?feat=embedwebsite"><img height="800" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-DQP0sDxo00Y/Trc1Vre7puI/AAAAAAAAJ-I/tA9VvdXReLQ/s800/peregrine%252520portrait-2.JPG" width="527" /></a><br />
<i>A captive Northern Saw-whet Owl who is part of the educational display for the <a href="http://backtothewild.com/">Back to the Wild</a> wildlife rehabilitation center</i>.</center><br />
This past Friday, I finally got a chance to meet one of these little cuties up close. But let's back up a little bit.<br />
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I had never even heard of Saw-whet Owls until last spring. It was at the ODNR's annual Wildlife Diversity conference that I heard a presentation about Saw-whet Owls given by Kelly Williams-Sieg, an Ohio University grad student and licensed bird bander. The presentation detailed her work with Project Owlnet and how she's been banding and researching Saw-whets (and other birds) since 2004 at Earl H. Barnhart Buzzards Roost Nature Preserve in Chillicothe, Ohio. As her presentation wrapped up, I jotted down some notes and thought, "Wow, wouldn't it be cool to attend one of these banding sessions?" I left it at that, thinking it a purely whimsical notion at the time. Fast forward 6 months or so to an event at Killdeer Plains Wildlife Area, where Ohio Certified Volunteer Naturalists met for a weekend of pure nature bliss, full of learning about and looking at birds, butterflies, flowers and beetles. It was here that I met Bob Scott Placer, a licensed bird bander, who also happens to live practically down the street from me. Bob has been helping Kelly band owls at Buzzards Roost from day one. After some discussions with Bob, I went out to Buzzards Roost once last year to check out the banding operation, but we struck out. It was early December, and they hadn't seen any Saw-whets for a week or so. Bob advised that we come in early November the next year for better luck.<br />
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And so we did just that. There was no pressure to see an owl or anything. It just so happened to be my birthday on the day that I chose for our owling adventure.<br />
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A group of folks from the <a href="http://www.svbnc.org/">Scioto Valley Bird and Nature Club</a> was already there by the time we arrived around 8:15 pm. Kelly, Bob and Lisa, our banders for the evening, made several checks of the mist nets between 8:30 and 10:15, each time coming up empty-handed. By 10:30 all the bird club folks had headed home, so Dave and I were the only onlookers left. Around 10:45 the nets were checked, and still there was nothing. Bob said that during previous banding sessions so far this season the owls had been showing up pretty late, so we all hung in there for one more net check at 11:15. Lo and behold, Kelly checked a net and said she had an owl. I let out a small squeal of delight and rushed down to see for myself. Kelly deftly but gently untangled the owl from the net. It clacked its beak several times, a sound of warning. We heard plenty more of that as our time with the owl went on.<br />
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<center><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/ITUAS24priPKvUVHlu6mmse88pBqie3jVUv7SOXF0mU?feat=embedwebsite"><img height="426" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-EE82yj4mNsc/Trc1am_0JyI/AAAAAAAAJ-M/YTztThM-9aU/s640/DSC_0295.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />
<i>Kelly Williams-Sieg and Bob Scott Placier prepare to collect data from a Northern Saw-whet Owl.</i></center><br />
Once the owl was freed from the mist netting, we brought it inside to band it and collect various data, such as wing and tail length, weight, and amount of fat observed. <br />
<center><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/IDnGDamOQOg6hC0sW3C04ce88pBqie3jVUv7SOXF0mU?feat=embedwebsite"><img height="546" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-pS7tCWeeBFQ/Trc1tkkbalI/AAAAAAAAJ-U/NAOyqpi70rU/s640/DSC_0303-1.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />
<i>Kelly blows the owl's feathers out of the way so she can look for fat deposits under its skin. This bird showed no fat deposits, which is typical of a bird that is in the middle of migration. Kelly also showed me how she feels along either side of the breast bone for fat, and let me feel for myself.</i></center><br />
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<center><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/1igES0PYjNzjRCMGIKC5uce88pBqie3jVUv7SOXF0mU?feat=embedwebsite"><img height="640" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-a7c8Okh3gaE/Trc1xyQ5TqI/AAAAAAAAJ-Y/cApJLJ6kLSg/s640/DSC_0307-1.JPG" width="490" /></a><br />
<i>Kelly demonstrates how a Saw-whet bite doesn't hurt. That hooked beak looks intimidating, but that's mainly a tool for ripping the flesh of its prey. The real danger on this little predator is its talons, which Kelly experienced first-hand several times over the course of several minutes.<i></i></i></center><i><i><br />
<center><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/oa_DBg1ryE6IML3OVLM_-se88pBqie3jVUv7SOXF0mU?feat=embedwebsite"><img height="426" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-5ryCCc3zPz4/Trc12gnGfkI/AAAAAAAAJ-k/dErlp6eahwU/s640/DSC_0324-1.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />
<i>Normally docile and seemingly tame in the hand, this Saw-whet was an exception to the rule. She was feisty right from the start, complete with lots of bill snapping and much kicking and grabbing with those talons. Here Lisa gives the owl a momentary distraction of a pencil to hang on to while Kelly tries to reposition her for more data collection.</i></center><br />
<center><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/5rJUgsfLSCG5GPYlkf22VMe88pBqie3jVUv7SOXF0mU?feat=embedwebsite"><img height="640" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-_E_IP_sjGC0/Trc11QmR4yI/AAAAAAAAJ-g/AfnNabeCAIU/s640/DSC_0320-1.JPG" width="494" /></a><br />
<i>Taking the tail measurement. I think the owl has a most displeased expression here.</i></center><br />
<center><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/1GdgS8WzqG-JO-K32eh4gse88pBqie3jVUv7SOXF0mU?feat=embedwebsite"><img height="640" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-8BKsYLZTqTw/TrdRZQc2NCI/AAAAAAAAJ_A/26MQBDxXdbY/s640/DSC_0332-1.JPG" width="426" /></a><br />
<i>For those of you wondering how you weigh an owl (or any other small bird), this is how it's done. They go head-first into some kind of tube, which keeps them from wiggling around too much. This Saw-whet weighed in at 98.2 grams, which Kelly said was on the high side for this species. The weight, combined with tail and wing measurements suggests that this owl is a female (typically, female owls are larger than the males).</i></center><br />
<center><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/XGJFmnzD7KyAKl-ncdVoMce88pBqie3jVUv7SOXF0mU?feat=embedwebsite"><img height="426" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-nj-rTk26Y5Y/Trc13jG7TcI/AAAAAAAAJ-o/58LZyx_6sNI/s640/DSC_0328-1.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />
<i>A black light is used to help age the bird. There is a certain pigment in the owls flight feathers that show up in varying degrees of pink, depending on its age. This photo doesn't do the test justice because the whole bird shows up as pink, which is not what we really saw. Based on the amount of pink we saw, and how bright the pink was, Kelly determined that this owl was born this year. That's called a hatch-year bird. So we had ourselves a fiesty, hatch-year female.</i></center><br />
<center><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/diyfM4Oir55qXmxAjpyC4Me88pBqie3jVUv7SOXF0mU?feat=embedwebsite"><img height="800" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-d882xt8Z7Dc/Trc1zwxdHlI/AAAAAAAAJ-c/0HMSrFX9TiM/s800/DSC_0313-1.JPG" width="636" /></a><br />
<i>Now that we've got her vitals, let enjoy her cuteness, shall we?</i></center><br />
<center><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/mzbzP4eOrc7rEZKACXIGZMe88pBqie3jVUv7SOXF0mU?feat=embedwebsite"><img height="457" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-lpuF2F8e9Ro/Trc16oNqoxI/AAAAAAAAJ-w/rZasMEIQToE/s640/DSC_0333-1.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />
<i>Rock, paper, scissors, owl! Just kidding. Kelly's showing me how to hold my fingers as I prepare to get the best birthday present a birder could ask for...</i></center><br />
<center><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/DwE-Iqmk3flFlf8jLURV38e88pBqie3jVUv7SOXF0mU?feat=embedwebsite"><img height="426" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-FNeylHOW8vQ/Trc19cw-sfI/AAAAAAAAJ-4/pUHmOvjCGuw/s640/DSC_0351-1.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />
<i>... A loving gaze from a teeny, tiny owl. Say it with me everyone: Awwwwwwwwww.</i></center><br />
<center><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/OTY6qwByMlM7f4UmxTbfL8e88pBqie3jVUv7SOXF0mU?feat=embedwebsite"><img height="603" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-zVNKrJK-qU8/Trc18ak3yLI/AAAAAAAAJ-0/y_18FUSOFQ4/s640/DSC_0341-1.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />
<i>Despite all the attitude and the feistyness, this little ball of fluff could not resist the power of a good head rub. I have read about this phenomenon from others, and she did indeed just keep pushing her head back farther and farther as I ran my finger down her head and back. She did show some signs of resistance though, as she simultaneously pushed into the head rub while snapping her bill half-heartedly. The theory behind what seems to be the owl's enjoyment of this action is that it reminds them of mutual grooming and preening that they do in the wild (especially mother with owlet).</i></center><br />
<center><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/82xr8hPyTEj4InrnSqxoVse88pBqie3jVUv7SOXF0mU?feat=embedwebsite"><img height="511" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-UV_6dHYnd14/Trc1oZeAaPI/AAAAAAAAJ-Q/SUf2rVxt0PU/s640/Heather%252527s%252520birthday%252520saw-whet.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />
<i>One last pose with "my" owl before we took her outside to be released.</i></center></i></i><br />
It took a few minutes for us to walk down to the spot where we released her, which gave her eyes time to adjust to the dark enough so that she could see to fly off to a nearby perch. Kelly placed her on my arm, and I had a feeling it wouldn't take her too long to fly off, given all the attitude she had given us while in our care. Sure enough, she took off within 5 seconds, wooshing over my head into a tree just behind me. Luckily I was able to turn around fast enough to see her outstretched wings back-lit against a sky brightened by a waning moon just before she landed.<br />
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All in all, I'd say that experience was a pretty cool birthday present. Thank you Kelly, Bob and Lisa. And thank you, little owl. I was very honored to meet you.<br />
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But wait, don't go away yet! Please be sure to check out <a href="http://www.ohiomagazine.com/Main/Articles/Night_Owls_4074.aspx"><u>THIS ARTICLE</u></a> from the October 2008 issue of Ohio Magazine that goes into a little more detail about the Saw-whet banding project. And to see the banding process in action, watch <a href="http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/Default.aspx?tabid=23656"><u>THIS VIDEO</u></a> by ODNR's Division of Wildlife.Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15791185232391134319noreply@blogger.com5