ONAPA visits Lakeside

 Saturday the 20th of September 2014 was a big day for Ohio Natural Areas and Preserves Association.  Our second Annual Meeting was held in Lakeside, Ohio. This organization is only two years old, but it has grown by leaps and bounds!  We have amazing volunteers working in preserves and the backing of some very impressive scientists and educators all across our state- and beyond.

Mr. Allison Cusick gave the Keynote address.

 Retired Ohio Natural Areas and Preserves Chief Botanist, Allison Cusick, gave a rousing program on The New Sandusky Flora.

Besides being an excellent public speaker, Allison has also authored or co-authored 3 books. Currently, Allison is a Research Associate of the Carnegie Museum of Natural History in Pittsburgh, PA. This man has hardly retired!

 He encouraged us to  "lament what has been lost, marvel at what has persisted and cheer at what has been preserved."  We literally cheered for some plants during this program, as Allsion is a gifted orator who knows how to engage a crowd!

His program referenced E.L. Moseley's Sandusky Flora which cataloged the plants of the Marblehead Peninsula and surrounding areas at the turn of the century (1900.)

 There were displays by supporting non-profits, Ohio Ornithological Society and Mid-West Native Plant Society were both in attendance (special thanks to Julie Davis and Kathy McDonald.)

Kevin Sibbring visits the ONAPA display.

The ONAPA display (thanks to Jan Kennedy) was also present, and Lakeside's CEO, Kevin Sibbring attended the event and gave us all a warm "Welcome to Lakeside."

Black Swamp Bird Observatory's display.

ONAPA supporters Kim and Kenn Kaufman.

 My friends, Hugh and Judy Kolo-Rose brought along the BSBO display and offered an amazing selection of books for sale.


ONAPA's Silent Auction, was an outstanding success, thanks to the efforts of Mary Christensen and Katryn Renard.  A special thank you goes out to the generous people and companies that donated items to this auction.  You have been a great blessing to ONAPA, and we appreciate your kind support.

Guy Denny

ONAPA  President, Guy Denny, gave an overview of the year and the amazing things ONAPA has accomplished.  Of course, he wouldn't say this, but Guy is the glue that holds this organization together!  We appreciate all he does and the incredible knowledge of leaders like Guy, Dick Moseley, Jim McGreggor, Bob McCance, Tim Synder, Ray Heithaus, Jim Mason and all the other board members who attended (and those who were unable to be with us.)  They do so much to protect our natural areas.

One field trip was held in Lakeside Ohio along the Ohio's Most Beautiful Mile.

 Field Trips!  What would an ONAPA event be without free Field Trips?  Guy Denny led a group to Castalia Praire, while Dick Moseley led a trip to Sheldon Marsh.  Meanwhile, your blogger got to lead a field trip on the shore of Lake Erie in Lakeside, Ohio.  We had wonderful groups both Saturday and Sunday. We discussed the unique Carolinian Forest botany of Lakeside and visited many native trees and plants along the lakefront path.

The self proclaimed "Cane Brigade."

As always, when leading groups one often gets more than they give.  It was such an honor to spend time with friends on this beautiful shoreline to exchange information on botany and plant ecology.  But even more than that, I was reminded how important it was to have this simple offering available to some wonderful folks who would have physical barriers to enjoying the other field trips.  Lakeside lends itself to the enjoyment and education of people in all walks and ages.  It was a distinct honor to be able to share one of my favorite vistas with my botanical friends.

Thank you to everyone who attended and supported the Silent Auction.  You are making this state a better place by supporting our Natural Heritage!

Birding Events Matter.

How does a tiny back-water town like Shreve, Ohio become a eco-tourism Mecca-for-a-day each year?  Shreve Migration Sensation 2014 was a big hit as usual. What draws the 1000 plus crowd and makes this event so popular?

A gang gathers round the Time and Optics booth.  
Someone must be telling a great fly-catcher story.

 It is the people.  We love the slow pace of the town of Shreve, often no faster than a horse's trot. This event is an opportunity to take a step back in time. One can witness how large families interact with love and respect.  This is one "gang" of teens I can't wait to meet up with on a back road, because they know where all the best birds are hiding!

A motto to live by.

 The Amish and English (non-Amish) gather together and much is accomplished.  The gentle ways shine, clear through to the core of this event.  From the school principal and kind custodians, to the folks at the door, cooperation rules the day.

Snake-boy flashes a smile.

 There are tons of children's activities, from dip-netting, snake petting, face painting, crafts and good food. One of my annual favorites (like most birders) is the homemade pie! The Wildness Center provide an education display and live birds are featured by the Medina Raptor Center.  The Ohio Certified Volunteer Naturalists offer family activities.

Judy Kolo-Rose and Hugh Rose

 It is a time to meet up with dear friends.  I met Judy and Hugh some 10 years ago at a birding Big Sit! They have run countless birding information booths and cultivated friendships across Ohio.  They are the dearest of friends.

Sally Deems-Mogyordy wants you to "just go birding."

Birding friends really are the best kind of friends.  We share stories and smiles.  We love to help beginners. Birders offer their equipment to strangers.  We invite non-birders to "step up and take a look" through our scopes.  When was the last time a fisherman or hunter offered to share their pole or gun with you?

Big hugging going on at the Greater Mohican Audubon Booth.

 Shreve is about meeting up with friends and making new ones.  Real people who care about your family and want to know how the Bobolinks at Byers Woods fared this year.
Greater Mohican Audubon folks "man" and "woman" the field stations at Shreve Migration.  This year it was a very cold and wet job; so we send them a special  "thanks"  for their services!

Bobolink painting (by Linda Scheck) was presented
to Cheryl Harner for serving as Pres. of  GMAS 2007-13

 Bird art abounds at Shreve! From full-sized canvas paintings, photos, note cards, ceramics, painted rocks, and the ever-popular birds painted on roof-slate by Linda Scheck.  I forgot to take a photo of her booth, but here is a photo of me holding a  favored treasure, one of her paintings!  It was given to me by the Greater Mohican Audubon Society.

A few of the speakers from Migration Sensation 2014 

 Speakers!  All day long, speakers come and go in the auditorium. Some of them are nationally known like Jim McCormac and Kenn and Kim Kaufman.

Let me tell you something about these speakers: they want to be there.  They are all about spreading the love of birds, their song, and migration.  They want to help you find your way to the best birding spots.  They don't do this event for the money- their pay cannot even cover all their expenses- much less their time.  They are here in Shreve, Ohio because they love to share their love of birding  and want to help protect birds on migration and the habitats which serve them.  These speakers want to interact with beginning birders, non-birders and old friends alike.  Chuck Jakubchak has a wonderful teaching style, and Lisa Rainsong helped people train their ears to hear birds in a new way.  Jim McCormac has been my long-time mentor and one of the best speakers I have ever seen or heard, in Ohio or beyond.

This is the spirit of Shreve.  It is the spirit of people who want to share their passion for nature.

Kim and Kenn Kaufman of BSBO and Kaufman Field Guides

Kim was unable to be with us this year (I used this old photo from a free field they did for Ohio Birding Facebook group), but Mark Shieldcastle did a bang-up job on her program about the Winter Bird Altas. Kenn's program opened our eyes to some interesting migration patterns and to a world perspective on birding.

These are two passionate people- passionate about birding, and kids and yes- even each other!  There have never been two people who worked any harder to promote nature. Believe me, they are not motivated by fame or money. As you can see by their flashy mode of transportation- it's not just about them. They want to bring everybody along for the ride.  Ohio is lucky indeed to have the likes of the Kaufmans living here.

Birding festivals matter. Eco-tourism allows us to celebrate birds and monetize habitats in a way that gets the attention of non-birders. Believe me they notice when 1000 new folks show up in Shreve on a Saturday in March. Sign up now for the Biggest Week in American Birding and the Ohio Ornithological Conference. You will be helping save bird habitats with eco-tourism. Do good and have fun at the same time!

A Great Egret pondering its great regret, "Why am I back in OHIO?"

Most of all, this festival celebrates birds.  The photo of a forlorn Great Egret was shot out my car window as I drove home through the sleet and snow.

Yes, there were plenty of birds in Shreve- or rather nearby Killbuck Marsh and Funk Bottoms Wildlife Areas. We had scads of ducks, a congregation of coots and a fly-over of Sandhill Cranes. It was everything one could hope for in a one day birding event and I sincerely hope we will see you there next year!

Fall Birding and Discovery

Fall has unwrapped her colors across Ohio, yet this is but one gorgeous moment in time, and times. Sunday found me standing on the edge of Meadowbrook Marsh in Marblehead, Ohio where it was a privilege to witness a scene which has unfolded here for countless ages: fall migration.

This location which previously was inaccessible to “birders” has changed very little over the last several hundred years.  The purchase of the wetlands was kicked off by the CarbonOffset Birding Project at Midwest Birding Symposium 2011; our goal was to see it protected and conserved to aid birds far into the future.

To many people fall migration is the sight of ducks and geese in formation flying across the sky.  It can also be the trickle of south-bound warblers in toned-down dress.  Fall hawk watchers set up in the narrow crossings of Lake Erie at Detroit and New York.  They know the sky above open water is generally avoided by soaring birds such as eagles, falcons and like.

This weekend the Ohio Young Birders converged upon the viewing platform at Meadowbrook to hold a Big Sit!  Their bird sightings were certainly impressive. But most remarkable was the number of raptors seen, nine species in total: Bald eagle, golden eagle, red-tail hawk, American kestrel, merlin, sharp-shinned hawk, cooper’s hawk, northern harrier and peregrine falcon.

  

Golden Eagle photographed in Ohio (2011) by Cheryl Harner

 These birds of prey generally  prefer to go around the lake.  Safe crossing lies above terra firma, as these soaring “flap and glide” experts utilize thermals, those warm air columns that rise off of land.  There are no buoyant air columns created upon the water, and therefore, no raptors. The sheer number of raptors seen at Meadowbrook this weekend seemed to belie that logic. 

We butterfly enthusiasts know the Monarchs use the Erie islands as stepping stones; one must wonder if birds do the same when weather conditions allow.

Our map of the Western basin of Lake Erie shows a straight trajectory from Point Pelee in Canada, to Pelee Island, on to Kelleys Island which leads to a perfect ending above Meadowbrook Marsh.  If warming land masses create columns of rising air, the soaring birds could skip across these thermals as easily as butterflies island-hop mere feet above the water.

Thanks to the Ohio's Young Birders weekend's findings,  we have more support for a theory that birds can hop-scotch the air-columns above the islands. Meadowbrook Marsh may now become a popular hawk watch location along the North Coast.

Ohio Young Birders, Photo provided by BSBO / Kelly McKinne

The Ohio Young Birders Club presents Danbury Township Trustee Dianne Rozak with a check for more than $1700 for the continued efforts to preserve Meadowbrook Marsh! The students raised the money during last year's Big Sit!

A special thank you goes out to Kenn and Kim Kaufman, Mark Shieldcastle and all the other leaders (Katie, Kelly and Rob!) and supporters of the Ohio Young Birders.  It was a great privilege to bird a bit with my friends and some of the greatest kids around.  Not only does BSBO help kids learn more about nature, they are grooming conservationists for the future. 

Doing good pays off, big.

Meadowbrook Marsh in Marblehead, Ohio was the Carbon Offset Bird Project for the 2011 Midwest Birding Symposium.  Birders from all across the country joined the Ohio Ornithological Society's efforts to purchase this land, which kicked off a very good thing. 

The wetland at Meadowbrook Marsh was not protected prior to MBS 2011.

Thanks to your support, we engaged  Rob Krain of  Black Swamp Land Conservancy in the effort. BSLC worked long and hard to complete the deal for this property and to put a conservation easement in place.

Now the watery viewscape of Meadowbrook Park, a significant birding area, is protected from future development.  This will always be a place for nature.

Q: What could be better than saving a wetland for protecting birds?  

A:  Protecting an area that "works" for us by storing carbon.

Recently, a study cited in the Smithsonian says wetlands are extremely efficient for storing carbon.

The prairie/meadow in the park also provides excellent habitat for insects and small passerines.  The woods which lines the park provides food and safety for all manner of wildlife.  Handicap accessible trails make outings easy-going, even for those in a wheelchair.  This biologically diverse property is good for birds and good for people at the same time!

A sight -for-sore-eyes, a singular Monarch butterfly

 A few days ago I photographed a male Monarch butterfly nectaring on Swamp Milkweed in the meadow.  The Monarchs have been M.I.A. this year, and much has been written of the impact farm chemicals are having on this iconic species of insect. Every school child knows of the Monarch and their annual migration to Mexico.  However, their numbers are diminishing so rapidly, they have become a species of grave concern.

Meadowbrook provides a chemical-free place for butterflies to nectar and breed, for the next generation.

Fall at Meadowbrook Marsh.

 As fall colors the trees with golden hues, those Monarchs will arise from Meadowbrook's meadow and fly south to their wintering grounds in Mexico.  Just in time to bid them farewell, will be the birders of Midwest Birding Symposium.

Once again, the viewing platform at Meadowbrook will be filled with eco-minded birders, admiring the fall shorebirds and warblers as they too, fly away south.  Please stop by Meadowbrook and witness the good work birders started by instituting our very first ever Carbon Offset Bird Project.

Go here for a Meadowbrook map and location guide provided by Kenn Kaufman and the Black Swamp Bird Observatory.

Please, join our efforts at MBS 2013 to increase the carbon holding capacity of another birding area, to benefit both birds and mankind.  If you like being part of a good thing, then print off the form below, and send it in. Or better yet, bring it by the Carbon Offset booth in the main auditorium during MBS and see the nice people working there.

This year's project is at the Boss Unit at Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge. You will feel good when you write that check, and help us help the birds.  Thank you.  (Click on the form below to enlarge and print.)

Biggest Week and Beginning Birders

Wednesday morning was bright and beautiful along Lake Erie.  We are visiting with friends and meeting folks at the Biggest Week in American Birding.  Les Payton and I must have pulled the lucky straw, as we were offered one of the best gigs around: the beginning birders' trip.

A "Birds and Blooms" moment with Blue Jay.

Too often we long-time birders forget to enjoy the "common" birds.  It is wonderful to spend time with folks who are happy to look at the real stunners, like a Blue Jay.              

Les Payton (wearing gold guide's hat) and our group of birders.

 We started off at Pearson Park's window on wildlife.  Les gave a little information on binoculars and we started looking at everyday birds: Northern Cardinals, Black-capped Chickadees, and Blue Jays.  We got lucky with some unusual birds: Eastern Phoebes, White-crowned Sparrows and Purple Finches.

A female Purple Finch gives us a modeling session.

 There were a number of  female Purple Finches coming into the feeder and this apple tree.  This was an excellent opportunity to note the white eye-line that most easily sets them apart from the more common House Finch.

A Pheasant Back fungus. 

Next we walked the trails of Pearson Park, which offered a wonderful wildflower display, and we also enjoyed a bird of another sort- a Pheasant Back fungus.

Weedpicker Cheryl drives the BSBO bus.

 We loaded up the troops and headed to Pearson Park's wetland area to get a good look at a few other species.

Female (left) and male Red-winged Blackbirds

Unpredictably, the most difficult bird to get for the group was the female Red-winged Blackbird!  The males were numerous and conspicuous, but the females were quite shy.  Perhaps they were already tending to nesting chores.  We tried (and failed) to get the females in spotting scopes, but finally this pair came out to wave good-bye as we left the marsh.  Go figure.

 Off again to Metzger Marsh, where we studied two egrets, the Great and the Snowy Egret.

Snowy Egret dancing in the marsh.

 Les commented on the feeding differences between Great Egrets and Snowy Egrets.  Snowys hop and dip, chasing about in a frenzied manner.  The Great Egrets hunt with more dignity and reserve.

 This is Les.  No he is not hiding from our group, he was trying to get enough shade on his cell phone screen to file a twitter report on the Snowy Egret.

Thanks to all the great guides, and support staff (Rob Ripma, Kim Kaufman, Delores Cole, and Ryan Steiner) who make these trips possible.  The new and old birders alike are enjoying the Biggest Week in American Birding.  Thanks to Black Swamp Birding Observatory in their efforts to educate and conserve birds.  They are doing incredible work!

Killdeer Plains... unraveled

What good is a love of nature, if we do not share it?   People want to see "good birds", and that is fine as long as we also teach them to become advocates for protection of habitats and species.

It is all about education,  and no one does bird research and education better than Black Swamp Bird Observatory in Ohio.  

This weekend they rounded up tons of  Young Birders and a good number of adults (about 60 people in all) for this well organized trip at Killdeer Plains. Killdeer Plains Wildlife Area has long been noted for its "owl grove." 

It is posted on the ODNR web pages, and Jim McCormac refered to Killdeer Plains in his  Columbus Dispatch article. 

        

Since its location is no secret, isn't it best to offer these supervised trips?

 The main owl grove had a Saw-whet Owl peacefully sleeping in the pine boughs.

 Our group was enthralled- in a quiet and respectful way.  THIS is good education.  No stomping around or hollering here.  Just good birds and quiet birders.

 

Another grove offered distant, but acceptable views of  Long-eared Owls. I have a lot of zoom on my little camera, but you can see, I don't push the shot.  Here is a sleeping, plumped up owl.

If you see the bird stretched-out with ears standing (called "sleeking") you are too close.  Back off!

Enjoy the bird, but respect the bird.  I am the "Queen of Bad Bird Photography."  I don't have the patience to wait forever for a shot, nor will I hang around all day stressing a bird.

You can quietly take a shot and move on.  This is birding at its best.  We collected an owl pellet and explained to the beginners the process of  coughing up the bones and fur from those "mice" meals the owls enjoy.

Yes, kids are kids. They do get restless and goofy.  But these kids were well away from the birds and were waiting their turn to sneak quietly into the grove for their peak.  

All the book learning in the world, all the talk cannot add up to experience.  We each want to experience a Long-eared Owl in the wild.  Blessings to BSBO for endeavoring to create a "controlled" opportunity for learning.  If we left these kids on their own, I guarantee mayhem would ensue!  After all, they are still kids.  

But now they are kids with a new life experience under their belt, and a little more understanding and love for nature.  That will go farther to protect these species than a million games of "Angry Birds."

 Sunset at Killdeer Plains.  

Owls are wonderful, but nothing says "wet plains" like tall grass and the call of wild geese. 

It was my honor and privilege to share this location with young minds- and the potential future leaders.  To tease apart the layers of nature and to welcome another into the fold of responsible birders is a gift we must share to receive.

Killdeer Plains... unraveled to reveal the mystery of nature and shared with youth-  both blessings.

More Meadowbrook

 More Meadowbrook.  Let's face it, the world would be a better place if there were "more Meadowbrooks."

Great Egrets lined up at Meadowbrook Marsh

Meadowbrook Marsh is a park in Danbury Township on the Marblehead peninsula of Ohio.  It was set aside for nature and recreation through some great community efforts, and some statewide birding projects are helping to conserve even more of the wetland.

It was the first ever Carbon Offset Bird Project- rolled out at the Midwest Birding Symposium 2011.

A towering Bur Oak.

In addition to the wonderful wetlands, you'll find woods, fields and the most incredible oak tree that dwarfs mere humans.

Julie Davis, Kim and Kenn Kaufman, Jen Sauter, and Cheryl Harner hope you will bird at Meadowbrook.

Two of Ohio's largest bird organizations, BSBO and OOS are working together to protect and preserve this area which provides excellent bird habitat.

I hope you will join us on Sept 28-30 in Lakeside for the OOS Conference... and join a field trip to Meadowbrook Marsh to see what all the fuss is about!

Perspective from Point Pelee

Another amazing trip hosted by Black Swamp Bird Observatory is the Jet Express boat ride to Point Pelee. The Elderhostel crew from Put-In-Bay joined us, adding Tom Barlett and crew's talents to the leadership pool.



Large-flowered Bellwort, Uvularia grandiflora was the head-turner of the trip. So many folks asked what this was- I started to just answer "large-flowered bellwort" whenever asked a question...



The vegetation at Point Pelee, Canada was surprisingly good. Very few alien plants were seen, despite the obviously human-made trails, buildings and amenities. This Canadian National Park was very well maintained, and we barely scratched the surface of all the places to bird on this excellent preserve. There is a tram system available too, but if you are able- I recommend the woodlot trails.

We had an excellent day of birding with well over 100 species. This Magnolia Warbler was so up close and personal, I was able to snap a decent shot. The bird du jour was Baltimore Oriole. There were times we could see 4 or more chasing about, with a Orchard Oriole as the trump card.

Cheryl Harner and Julie Davis at Point Pelee, Ontario

But what is Point Pelee if you don't visit "the point?" Here is your blogger with fellow OOS board member Julie Davis posing on the point. There were numerous birds lounging off-shore, and a decent collection on birds on the lee side, resting from their journey.

More later... have another trip right now.