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Moth book talk: April 1, Franklin Park Conservatory
I'm giving a talk on the wonderful world of moths, based on my and coauthor Chelsea Gottfried's new book, Gardening for Moths. Chelsea will also be at this event, which is Saturday, April 1, 1pm to...
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American Toad
A burly American Toad (Anaxyrus americanus) levels an inscrutable stare at the cameraman. Many of the warty amphibians were on the move last Thursday night in Logan County, Ohio. That night was fairly...
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Spring Peeper
A tiny Spring Peeper (Pseudacris crucifer) belts out his incredibly loud song. He was in a pool filled with countless other peepers, and the collective din was ear-splitting, almost painful at times....
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Birds of Ohio checklist grows from 420 to 443 species in 14 years
Harlequin ducks, rare in Ohio, grace the cover of the new Checklist of the Birds of Ohio/Jim McCormacBirds of Ohio checklist grows from 420 to 443 species in 14 yearsColumbus DispatchApril 2,...
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Pyramid of trilliums
As always, click the image to enlargeA pyramid of Large-flowered Trillium (Trillium grandiflorum). It appears as if a fissure in the cliff above opened, and scores of beautiful flowers tumbled out. I...
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Ohio Wildlife Center a haven for animals in need of treatment
Stevie, a melanistic red fox ambassador animal at the Ohio Wildlife Center/Jim McCormacOhio Wildlife Center a haven for animals in need of treatmentColumbus DispatchApril 16, 2023NATUREJim McCormacIt...
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Podcast: Moths, and the Gardening for Moths book
Bevin Cohen at the Seeds & Weeds Podcast asked me to come on one of his podcasts, which I did last week. We talked about moths in general, and more specifically, the new book shown above. He was a...
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Cardinal eating elm samaras, bonus bluebird
A Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) leans into some tasty American Elm (Ulmus americana) samaras. I was standing quietly near a woodland pond, watching the behavior of a pair of Wood Ducks,...
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Impressive Great Blue Heron likely to be found in all 88 Ohio counties
A great blue heron rookery along Paint Creek in Ross County/Jim McCormacImpressive Great Blue Heron likely to be found in all 88 Ohio countiesColumbus DispatchApril 30, 2023NATUREJim McCormacThe bird...
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Mothapalooza! July 14-16, 2023
Pandorus Sphinx artwork by Ann GeiseBetween travels and the general busyness of spring, I have been remiss in posting about the upcoming Mothapalooza. It takes place from July 14 thru the 16, at the...
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Nest boxes, game laws bring wood duck back from brink of extinction
A drake wood duck watches his mate investigate nest sites/Jim McCormacNest boxes, game laws bring wood duck back from brink of extinctionColumbus DispatchMay 7, 2023NATUREJim McCormacFew birds, in...
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West Virginia flora and fauna
Babcock State Park and its legendary gristmill. Mills are popular photo fodder but few if any are photographed as frequently as this one. I made this image LATE in the day on May 6 - so late it was...
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Another fawn, spawned in the yard
A very young White-tailed Deer fawn peeks at your narrator from the cover of my front yard garden. I went out to get the mail a few days ago and saw some speckles in the plants just a few feet off the...
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Green Heron nest
A Green Heron (Butorides virescens) stalks the marshy verges of a small pond. Its mate was nearby, and they had a nest in a thick section of a willow tree. I visited Leaves for Wildlife Native Plant...
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Northeast Ohio Pollinator Festival: Conneaut, Ohio, June 10
Click the image to expandIf you're in or around northeast Ohio and our largest county, Ashtabula, on June 10, here is an event that might interest you. Click the image above to expand it and see all...
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A smattering of flies
I spent yesterday morning afield in Crawford County, Ohio, casing field trip sites with Chelsea Gottfried for the upcoming Ohio Odonata Society's annual meeting. We found some notable dragons,...
View ArticleMoth talk June 13, 7 pm, with Black Swamp Bird Observatory - webinar
I'm giving an online talk about the mysterious and wonderful world of moths on Tuesday, June 13 at 7 pm, sponsored by the Black Swamp Bird Observatory (BSBO). It is free if you are a BSBO member or...
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Blue Grosbeak
A male Blue Grosbeak (Passerina caerulea) atop his singing perch, a sprig of Yellow Sweet Clover. This impossibly good-looking bird is much easier to find in Ohio than it once was. During Ohio's first...
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Fawns, reunited!
Back on May 22, I glanced into the front garden and lo and behold, a tiny face was peeking at me from the plants. A few day old White-tailed Deer fawn! This is an annual event around here but one I...
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House Wren production in the yard
A House Wren peeks from its nest box. Their abode hangs ten feet from my kitchen window. When I placed this box early this spring, I had high hopes that the local wrens would select it. As always, the...
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