Mr. Red-bellied Woodpecker discovered a cache of bark butter bits in the old tree stump and wasted no time flying in to get his share before they were all gone. I was standing nearby, hopefully out of sight, because I have been trying to learn the best settings on my camera to get action shots …
A ducky day!
Today was definitely a ducky day because I captured several good pictures of a Blue-winged Teal, a small dabbling duck. Yesterday two birders, walking along the edge of the bog in Chagrin River Park, told me where they had spotted the Teal. I looked and looked, without success, but today, when I wasn't even looking for …
Landing gear down!
I was in the park early today, hoping to see bluebirds. That didn't happen, but it was such a beautiful morning, I didn't mind. It was just great to walk the trails and watch for the signs of spring that are popping out all over the place. The fishermen were out in full force and …
Angry bird
Walking back to my car today, I spotted a grackle at the edge of the bog struggling to pick up a large strip of plastic that repeatedly slipped out of his beak and slid back into the water. He persisted for a while, but finally gave up in disgust. From the look on his face, I'm thinking he muttered a …
Everybody likes a cardinal
That may be a bit of an exaggeration because I don't suppose everybody likes a cardinal, but it is no stretch to say that he gets his share of attention, both in the park and on my blog. So he is the headliner today. He really did pose beautifully, so I suppose he deserves that …
Is it Spring yet?
Happy Spring, friends! Just a few pictures to show everyone what Spring looked like in northeast Ohio when I took my trail walk in Chagrin River Park yesterday. It definitely didn't look like SPRING, but at least some people were loving one last chance to have fun on the sledding hill. And to be honest, a little …
Would you like to try…
...a tasty bark butter bit? I'll share. You can have this one! I don't know how humans feel about bark butter bits, but I know the birds love them, not just red-bellied woodpeckers like me, but all the birds, and even the deer. Trail Walker sometimes brings a handful of these to the park to share with us, …
Another day, another bluebird!
It was a cold morning (30 degrees), but the sun was shining brightly, so I took to the trail in search of the elusive (to me) bluebird, and today, he was there, right on the nesting box where I hoped to see him. There was only one, no mate, but possibly she was inside the …
A blue bird, but not a bluebird
I've been keeping an eye out for the bluebirds at the nesting boxes, so when another walker told me he had sighted a bluebird there, I was excited. However, when I checked out his information, I discovered that the "blue bird" was actually a tree swallow. It's true, they are blue and, yes, they frequently …
Take off!
I've been using manual mode a lot these days, trying to get the look I want in my shots. I like the results this time...a little blur, but still clear enough to tell what is happening as the cardinal flies away with the "bark butter bit" he has just grabbed off the post. The blur …
SEEN ALONG THE TRAIL 