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A hodgepodge of biodiversity
Less than no time for proper blogging of late, between travels, talks, preparing for travels and talks, and myriad other things. So, a briefly captioned photo montage from last weekend's forays in...
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House Sparrows nest in Osprey nest!
An Osprey wheels protectively over its nest, while the female is on the nest, incubating a clutch of eggs.While on a whirlwind birding tour of central Ohio on April 16, Bernie Master and I stopped by...
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Some West Virginia flora and fauna
As has been the case for nearly a dozen years, I'm spending early May down in southern West Virginia, leading field trips for the New River Birding & Nature Festival. Despite some rainy weather...
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Grassland Bird Workshop: June 17 & 18
A Henslow's Sparrow bursts forth with its 3/5th's of a second insectlike hiccup. This declining species is a charismatic grassland bird, and one that is much sought by birders.On the weekend of June 17...
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Eastern Box Turtle, with orchids, and others
An Eastern Box Turtle clambers over a branch in a rich Hocking County woods, last Thursday. Handsome Pink Lady's-slippers, Cypripedium acaule, provide a photographic flourish.I have covered major...
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A warbler extravaganza at Magee Marsh Wildlife Area!
I spent the weekend up in the marshland region of western Lake Erie, and am darn glad that I did. Saturday was excellent, with many notable bird observations, but none to rival the amazing Curlew...
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Northern Michigan!
The picturesque shoreline of Lake Huron at Thompson's Harbor State Park, Presque Isle County, Michigan. For the seventh year in a row, I headed to Nettie Bay Lodge to lead a natural history excursion....
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Showy Lady's-slipper alert!
I (quite fortuitously!) had business at Cedar Bog today, and it just so happened to coincide with the blooming of what many would argue is North America's most spectacular orchid, the Showy...
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Long-lived Blanding's turtle threatened by loss of habitat
Blanding's turtles wander a bit, making their conservation more complicated.LONG-LIVED BLANDING'S TURTLE THREATENED BY HABITAT LOSSColumbus DispatchJune 5, 2016NATUREJim McCormacThe average American...
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A positive note about flies
In my warm-season wanderings, I notice flies. Lots of flies, everywhere, in all sizes, shapes, and forms. Mostly doing interesting things, and more often than not, very valuable things.Flies get a bad...
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The amazing Canon 5DS-R
The amazing new Canon 5DS-R, which was released about one year ago. I had been paying close attention to this camera, as my trusty 5D Mark III was going on three years old, and had lived a hard life....
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Wild Lupines
Colorful clumps of Wild Lupine, Lupinus perennis, dot a recently burned oak savanna at The Nature Conservancy'sKitty Todd Preserve in the Oak Openings west of Toledo. This well-managed tract is one of...
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A dangerous flower-stalker
The Amen of Nature is always a flower.--Oliver Wendell HolmesThe ivory flowers of White Milkweed, Asclepias variegata, are irresistible to pollinating insects. And photographers.I had a great day last...
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Beech tree killer still unknown, UPDATE
A forest of young American beech, Fagus grandifolia, withering under the attack of an as-yet unknown plant disease. Lake County, Ohio.Just over two years ago, I wrote about a mysterious affliction that...
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Wasp puts on reproductive show in Hocking County preserve
A Xorides stigmapterus wasp lays eggs in a maple.Wasp puts on reproductive show in Hocking County preserveColumbus DispatchNATUREJim McCormacJune 19, 2016On May 12, I trekked into a wild area of...
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Teeming with rabbits
The golden glow of a June sunset in Muskingum County, Ohio illuminates an adult Eastern Cottontail. This is one of the most abundant Leporids (rabbits) in the Americas, ranging throughout the eastern...
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Miscellaneous flora and fauna from recent days
Not much time for long-winded blog posts, so a briefly captioned slideshow ensues. Any one of these photos - all from last weekend - could warrant its own post, and perhaps I'll get around to treating...
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Of Bees and Bugloss
The golden glow of a recent early morning sunrise illuminates the stark barrens of Oakes Quarry Preserve in northeastern Greene County, Ohio. This site is the northernmost holding of the conservation...
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Once rare, blue grosbeak sightings increase throughout Ohio
The blue grosbeak is expanding its range north.COLUMBUS DISPATCHJuly 3, 2016NATUREJim McCormacThe blue grosbeak has long been a coveted bird in Ohio.Until relatively recently, the best chance at seeing...
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Flora-Quest + Rails!!
Fringed Gentian, Gentianopsis virgata, a plant so striking it inspired William Cullen Bryant to commemorate it in poetry.If I've added properly, this year marks the 10th anniversary of Flora-Quest, an...
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