In my neck of the wood, that is on the south shore of Lake Erie in Northeast Ohio, October is the best month to walk the trails with my camera. This October was truly fantastic, and I was having a marvelous time, but then Halloween arrived, and October came to an abrupt end! With a …
Celebrating Autumn: an overview
The Holden Arboretum is hands-down my favorite location for celebrating the arrival of Autumn in northeast Ohio. Every year, when the page of my calendar flips over to October, I schedule my photowalks in the Arboretum to trek the trails, camera in hand, hoping to capture some special images that announce AUTUMN IS HERE! For …
I couldn’t believe my eyes
The sun was shining in a brilliant blue sky...October at its finest! I couldn't believe my eyes! If you know me at all, you will know that I quickly packed up my camera and headed to the Arboretum for a photoshoot. A morning like this is an unexpected gift...not to be spent indoors. I started …
Special backyard visitors…
A pair of bluebirds made my heart happy today! I haven't seen a sign of either one in months, and I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw him sitting on top of the nesting box this morning. And then she joined him and together they checked out the neighborhood. She peered into the nest, …
An abrupt change
The blue jay landed, but didn't hang around for long, just long enough for me to get one good shot. Then he took off, and was replaced by a woodpecker. ...who posed long enough for us to see the red feathered "cap" on top of his head. Apparently he is proud of the bright …
Fall field trip
As it does every year, last week the calendar heralded the time for our "friends fall field trip". Some years we drive around the countryside in Ashtabula County, visiting covered bridges or we be-bop around other scenic locations in Lake and Geauga Counties. This year rain was threatening, and we got a later start, but …
Almost Autumn
Today's temperature hovered around 90 degrees as I headed out for a trail walk in Holden Arboretum. Although most of the trees along the trail are still green, a few, like the beauty above, are definitely announcing the arrival of Autumn. Am I looking forward to cooler temperatures? You bet I am! Hands down, Autumn …
Happy hummers
Unlike many backyard birders, I don't often see multiple hummingbirds when I look out the kitchen window. This month has been different, and today was a really lucky day. Enjoy the happy hummers and a couple of misfits at the end of today's post.And now for today's surprises... That's it for today's backyard birding post. …
An abundance of pileated woodpeckers
For the past month, these Woody Woodpecker look-alikes have been regularly visiting the trees in our backyard. They're not nesting here, but every day, morning, noon, and night, they fly in, help themselves to the woodpecker blocks and suet cakes, and provide us with entertainment. Just look at this pair. I'm no woodpecker expert, but …
Backyard birds online again
Since early June I've been off the trail more than on it! Two months have passed in what has been a very busy summer, and I have chronicled very little of it. Shame on me! So to get started again, I am posting a few pictures from my backyard birding collection, starting with a few …
SEEN ALONG THE TRAIL 