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Cooper's hawk strikes, misses!
I was in my home office around noon today when I heard a loud BANG! against a window. That can only mean one thing, the local Cooper's hawk is staging a raid. Window strikes are nearly nonexistent...
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Nature: No foolin': Rare oriole really did visit Ohio
A male hooded oriole makes a dazzling display in an okame cherry tree in Tim Hutson's yard/photo courtesy Tim HutsonNature: No foolin': Rare oriole really did visit OhioColumbus DispatchApril 19,...
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Heart-leaved Water Plaintain: Rare, and getting rarer
A damp gravel bar in a tiny Adams County stream is dominated by eastern North America's largest plantain, the heart-leaved water plantain, Plantago cordata. The basal leaves can reach two feet across...
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Stream Cruiser: A "life" dragonfly
A stream cruiser, Didymops transversa, rests briefly, moored to a low plant. Note those lanky legs! I was exploring a prairie in Adams County yesterday, when we noticed two moderately sized dragonflies...
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Nature: Private group protects land from developers across Ohio
Goldenstar lily at the Arc of Appalachia's Gladys Riley Golden Star Lily Preserve/Jim McCormacNature: Private group protects land from developers across OhioColumbus DispatchMay 3, 2020NATUREJim...
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A tale of two elms
For many years, I would admire this massive American elm, Ulmus americana, on my trips to southern Ohio lands via State Route 104. It had the classic elm vase shape, and an enormous canopy spread....
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Henslow's Sparrow
A stunning Henslow's sparrow grasps the withered stalk of last year's Queen Anne's lace, his singing perch. Note the intricate details of this seldom-seen sparrow (at least not often seen by...
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Buckeyes, and birds
Yesterday morning, at nearly the crack of dawn, I went to a local Columbus greenspot known as Duranceaux Park. It sits along the banks of the Scioto River, and that big stream is a thoroughfare for...
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Purple-rocket, a beautiful native mustard
As always, click the photo to enlargeI spent yesterday morning on a privately owned piece of Adams County, Ohio real estate, and birds were the target. There was one very special treat that sent me...
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Nature: Red head is feather in bird's cap
A red-headed woodpecker looks back at its mate at Shawnee State Forest/Jim McCormacNature: Red head is feather in bird's capColumbus DispatchMay 17, 2020NATUREJim McCormacA bird that serves as the...
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Black Vulture chick
A ramshackle shed, long past its heyday, disintegrates in a scrubby Adams County, Ohio woodland. A friend, Randy Lakes, put me onto this site. A pair of black vultures had made the derelict outbuilding...
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White-tailed Deer fawn
An unexpected treat! A white-tailed deer fawn, very recently born. It was in the back part of the back yard, which is very wild, especially compared to my neighbors. I was Facetiming my mom this...
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White-tailed Deer fawn, Part II
Yesterday I posted about a newly born white-tailed deer fawn that I found in the backyard. Apparently my yard served as a deer nursery. When I found it, the fawn was absolutely tiny and remained...
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The beautiful fire-pink, and an ultra-long exposure
As always, click the image to enlargeA fire-pink, Silene virginica, in portraiture. Taken in situ on a steep roadbank in Shawnee State Forest, Scioto County, Ohio. It was so deep into twilight that the...
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Waterscorpion!
As always, click the image to enlargeAt the onset of last Monday's aquatic expedition (perhaps more on that later) to Rocky Fork in Scioto County, Ohio, I mentioned to Laura Hughes that I'd really like...
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Nature: Orange you glad you saw lots of orioles this spring?
A male Baltimore oriole plunders an orange/Jim McCormacColumbus DispatchMay 31, 2020NATUREJim McCormacThis was the spring of the oriole.Staggering numbers of Baltimore orioles appeared at feeders...
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Nature: Longnose gar a sight to behold in waterways across Ohio
The business end of a longnose gar/Jim McCormacColumbus DispatchJune 7, 2020NATUREJim McCormacUPDATE: Following publication of this column in this morning's Dispatch, artist Juliet Mullett sent me a...
View ArticleDragonfly images requested!
Last year marked the final season of the three-year statewide Ohio Dragonfly Survey. A major byproduct of that massive census will be a comprehensive guide to Ohio's damselflies and dragonflies. It...
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Southern Flying Squirrels!
A southern flying squirrel, Glaucomys volans, pauses nuthatch-like, headed down a tree trunk. Last year, about this time, I received an invite from Roman Mast to come to his place in Knox County to see...
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White-tailed deer fawn, at 24 days
This fawn was born in my backyard on or very near May 23, so it's around 24 days at this point. This photo is from this morning. The doe brings it in frequently. They enjoy noshing on the day lilies,...
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