Sandy Ridge Reservation Redux

The weather held out for a trip today. I didn't want to venture too far with the broken glasses of doom so I went to Sandy Ridge as it gets a lot of foot traffic.

This Sandhill Crane was fearless. People were walking a foot away from it and it didn't care. One guy joked about trying to pet it, but while I was close enough that I could have, one look at the huge beak and I was not tempted. I took a lot of photos of the crane.

I can totally see the birds as living dinosaurs thing here.

I cannot get over those eyes!

The crane was so big, it was actually hard to get it all into the picture. 

I saw quite a few turtles. They always make me think of my sister.

I saw a few white egrets too. 

This is a female red-winged blackbird. They look nothing like the males. 

This butterfly has seen better days. 

This is actually a second butterfly.

And finally a decent dragonfly picture this season!

And finally this is what happens when you catch a warbler in flight at just the wrong time. 

Valley Parkway Trail

 I finally had a day where it wasn't super grey and raining when I was out of work. We saw quite a few swallowtails, a monarch, and a big dragonfly that refused to land and have their picture taken.

I almost missed this beauty on the side of the trail.

I think these may be butterflies. I thought maybe they were a male and female of the same species, but the antenna and bodies look quite a bit different.

I am not sure what the dark black spot on this is. Maybe a mite of some sort?

I suspect this is supposed to mimic bird poop

Check out this funky fungi. And no dragonflies today. but we found some ebony jewel wings!

Cuyahoga Valley Park - Ledges

Over the holiday weekend I went wit my brother to Cuyahoga Valley park. The trip was a bit of an adventure. There was some kind of event and no parking, I didn't have a memory card in my camera and I learned that mosquito repellent is a paint stripper. I also wrote out text for this whole post that disappeared into the belly of the internet.

Black Swallowtail

Viceroy (not a monarch)

brown thrasher

red-winged blackbird

I didn't know Ohio had poppies.

female brown-headed cowbird.

Giant millipede of doom. (it was deadish)

Of course we saw chipmunks. 

Finally a song sparrow.

Mill Stream Run Reservation - Sugar Bush Trail

After all the rain I should have been prepared for the worst but I was not..... So many mosquitoes! I even got a mosquito bite on my "trigger" finger that swelled enough it was difficult to move it.

This snake (probably a garter) was probably the most interesting observation of the day. I had stopped to look at a mushroom and happened to spy it in the leaves.

You can see it was quite wet and dark at the park, but the slugs seemed to enjoy it more than me!

I saw a lot of evidence of woodpeckers, but only a few birds were out and about in the drizzle, including this blue jay. 

I am so accustomed to seeing raccoons in trash cans and such, that I was surprised to see this one up a tree in the woods.

This is a white-breasted nuthatch.

I think this is a Swainson's thrush, and if so that is a new bird species for me.

Lastly, we almost always have a chipmunk. Toby calls these "chipmonkey cheeks".

Amherst Beaver Creek

It was a dark and windy day at beaver creek today. I didn't see many animals tough I heard a few birds around.

Tree squirrel in a tree. (shocker!)

Female northern cardinal

Mallard. If you look closely you can see the serrations on the bill, they look like teeth. 

Red-bellied woodpecker. I've seen these stick around for a few minutes before but this one was in and out. 

Hello D7500

I had been considering upgrading my camera for some time now and I happened to stumble across a local store having a demo day and big sale. With the sale, sales tax break, and me trading in my old lenses I was able to get a Nikon D7500 bundle and a tamron telephoto lens. 

Of course the weather has not been cooperating this weekend so I only have a few test photos. I hope to have a proper play session soon. 

Hello brown-belted bumble bee. This is actually much better than I anticipated as I was standing probably 10 feet away. 

This house sparrow was hanging out on the power line. I'm not sure why the feathers are all askew. 

Rocky River Reservation

 At first I thought this was some kind of woodpecker, but it is a belted kingfisher. 

 I would have never gotten this picture if it were not for my brother. I do not think I will wander across another barred owl anytime soon. 

 The scarlet tanganer looks like a cardinal from a distance, but it is much brighter. 

I usually only post the photos I am remotely happy with, but just to show how difficult wildlife photography is this was the best photo I got of a hummingbird. All that you can see if the butt....if you squint. 

Rocky River Nature Center had a ton of woodpeckers and several different kinds. I admit I still cannot tell some of them apart. 

 And this is why I am looking at an upgrade for the camera!

 Call me the chipmunk whisperer!