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Gadwall, in creamy waters
Of all our dabbling ducks, I would venture that the Gadwall may be the most overlooked. To ignore such a subtly beautiful animal would be an aesthetic crime on the part of the observer. The Gadwall in...
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First butterfly of the year!
A Question Mark, Polygonia interrogationis, basks in warm sunlight in Shawnee State Forest this afternoon. This species is an extraordinary dead leaf mimic, at least in this posture. When the wings are...
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First spring wildflower in bloom!
In my quest to deliver the coming gospel of spring and all things vernal, I offer up the news of our first spring wildflower, which is in full bloom. Yesterday, butterflies, today, flowers.It is...
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A few birds of late
Last Saturday, I got up really early, and was down in deep southern Ohio not long after sunrise. This was a bird mission, primarily, and my target was a large wild area in Adams County that I had not...
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Leap Day leapers!
Being that it's Leap Year, which only rolls around every four years, I figured that I'd better do something saltatorial. And as today is Leap Day, the time is now. So here for your viewing pleasure are...
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Cityscapes
I love experimenting with photography of all kinds. Even cityscapes, on occasion. And last night offered an unusual opportunity to shoot the city of Columbus from an unusual perspective - the roof of a...
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A stunning snowscape
I stepped out into a wintry wonderland this morning. An inch of soft wet snow blanketed everything. The snow's consistency was just so, and it clung to everything it touched. Every branch of every tree...
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Longtime advocate for Ohio streams, Mac Albin, will be missed
John Tetzloff, left, and Mac Albin work a seine as they check life in Little Darby Creek in April of 2014.Longtime Advocate for Ohio streams will be missedCOLUMBUS DISPATCHMarch 6, 2016NATUREJim...
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Two ducks, gaudily beautiful
Last Saturday was the 13th annual Amish Bird Symposium in Adams County. As former co-organizer Roman Mast always joked: "What's an Amish Bird?"I was able to make the scene, and hear several great...
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Salamander (mega) migration!
In this part of the world, amphibian enthusiasts pay close attention to the weather at this time of year. Towards the end of the day, yesterday, it was apparent that Wednesday night would produce the...
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Goose Pond, Indiana: Part I
David FitzSimmons and I co-led a photography workshop over the weekend, at an amazing place known as Goose Pond, in south-central Indiana. Read more about this site RIGHT HERE. Dave is one of the best...
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Goose Pond, Indiana: Part II
As mentioned in the previous post, I spent the weekend past at the amazing Goose Pond in Indiana. You can read why, and see other photos from that foray, RIGHT HERE.Two particular challenges face the...
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Woodcock's looks, gait laughable, but courtship display showy
The American woodcock courts females with dazzling aerial displaysCOLUMBUS DISPATCHMarch 20, 2016NATUREJim McCormac"I'd rather be a little weird than all boring."— Rebecca McKinsey (perhaps speaking...
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A hodgepodge of vernal biodiversity
It was a well-traveled weekend just past for your narrator. The planning committee for the annual Midwest Native Plant Conference, of which I am a member, met on Saturday at Cedar Bog. This will be the...
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One of my favorite birds, Agelaius phoeniceus
A male Red-winged Blackbird surveys his domain from atop a broad-leaved cattail. He was one of hundreds of territorial birds in this 500+ acre Hardin County, Ohio wetland.I spent all day yesterday in...
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I'm not in Kansas, anymore
I returned LATE last night from a whirlwind trip to Kansas. The expedition was filled with fascinating sites, noteworthy observations, and pixels and pixels of pictures. I'll be sorting, editing, and...
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Star Trails over Castle Rock
The stars appear to orbit Castle Rock in west-central Kansas. A 20-minute exposure reveals the earth's rotation, creating the star trails. It was nice to be in a locale with very little light...
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Flowers burst forth!
Spring is said to advance northward at a clip of about 16 miles a day. So take heart, ye tundra-people of Cleveland and other points north - you'll get some floriferous action soon enough.The plants...
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Prairie-chickens, once common in Ohio, have been gone for a century
A male greater prairie chicken shows more color than the hensCOLUMBUS DISPATCHApril 17, 2016NATUREJim McCormacAbout 50,000 people lived in Ohio in 1803, the year it became a state. They were greatly...
View ArticleOSU Museum of Biological Diversity - Open House!
This Saturday marks the 12th annual open house at the Ohio State University's Museum of Biological Diversity. You won't want to miss it. This is a rare opportunity to see fascinating collections that...
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