Fall wrap up

Fall has arrived in cooler weather and a rush of Kinglets.

My camera got left behind this weekend, so I only have a few snaps from my cell phone to keep you us to date.  The weekend started off with a Friday night Saw-whet Owl banding at Lowe-Volk park in Crawford county.  Sorry to report it was a bust. (Go here if you want to see last year's owl post.)  

The Saw-whets seem to be in short supply this year, but my friend Bob Scott Placier caught a few passerines on Saturday morning.

Golden Crown Kinglet

The kinglets are here in good number now.  They make the high pitched tse-tse-tse call you might be hearing as you pass through a white pine grove.  They are a true hearing test bird, and likely one of the first bird calls "lost" when your hearing starts to go.  They come in two flavors.  The Golden-crowned Kinglet as seen in the photo above, and the Ruby-crowned Kinglet as pictured in Bob's hand below.

Golden-crowns are a bit more common in Ohio, but both species regularly occur here in October during the fall migration.

Bob Scott Placier and a Ruby-crowned Kinglet

Both species of frenetic feeders are impossibly small, weighing less than the standard U.S. mint's quarter. Kinglets can hover feed off the tips of pines, or bounce from limb-to limb in search of insects. They are seen as a blur as they energetically feed and fly in tree tops.  It is a rare treat to have close-up looks like these.

Thanks to Bob Scott Placier (Dendrology professor at Hocking University and long-time Flora-Quest guide) for all the fine educational and scienticific  work he does while banding birds.  I encourage you to attend his one of his programs at Lowe-Volk Park next spring. Bob is truly one of Ohio's unsung heros!  He may be on the quiet-side, but do yourself a favor and engage this man in conversation!  He has much to say on birds and books, our two favorite topics of conversation.

Shelly and Mark Goodman gearing up for a run.

 On a personal note, I shared much of this weekend with one of my favorite couples: Shelly and Mark Goodman. If you haven't heard, Shelly (Michelle) joined the U.S Army and reported for duty at Ft. Sill, Oklahoma this very morning.  Of course we wish her the very best, and Mark will have to fill in for her on all my adventures.  Sure hope he is ready to hike, bike and paddle his way around Ohio and beyond!  Actually, Mark is a very fine teacher in a Columbus school, and we are very proud of him as well.

More birding with Jim McCormac at the OOS Killdeer Plains event.

On Sunday, I joined up with my OOS friends at Killdeer Plains for birding and homemade soup.  Unfortunately, I forgot my camera, so I this is the only shot I have.

As always, it was great to be teamed up with my long-time mentor and friend Jim McCormac.  And for a special treat, I hope you will click the link to his blog post to learn all about the Red-headed Woodpeckers and Rusty Blackbirds that we saw.

Special thanks to Bob Placier and Jim McCormac for all the educational work they have done throughout Ohio.  I was fortunate to serve with both on the Ohio Ornithological Society's board and for many years at Flora-Quest. Thanks to their efforts, many people in Ohio have learned more and enjoyed the beauty of our birds, trees and native plants!

"Owls make my face hurt!"

We had a grand time at Lowe-Volk Park on Friday night. 

Oh geesh, another human!

We saw several Saw-whet owls up-close and personal.  And they saw us... mostly making fools of ourselves.

"Owls make my face hurt!"

 Madison may have said it best.  When I noted every one had besmitten looks on their faces, she said she had been smiling so much that,"Owls make my face hurt!"

 And it is not just Madison that loves these pint sized birds.  Look at Kaily.  "Ah..."  She has been struck daft.  

It is not just children either:  grown adults, men, women.  They are all mesmerized.  Every time I have been in a roomful of saw-whet watchers, the reaction is the same.

Thanks to Bob Scott Placier for traveling to Crawford County to make it all possible.  He has banded owls three years in a row and we have had success each time. Thanks to the park for offering this wonderful outreach program for birders and non-birders alike.

After all, NO ONE can resist the charms of these little owls.  One you've seen them up close, your face will hurt too!

My Birdy Buddies

If you are in the Mid-Ohio region, tonight could be your big chance to see a saw-whet Owl up close and personal!

Saw-whet:  the little owl with a huge personality!

There may be nothing on earth cuter than a Saw-whet Owl, and tonight is dedicated to Saw-whets at  Lowe-Volk Park.  Come out to learn more about these little owls.  Once you have seen them up-close and personal- you may never be the same.

Bob Scott Placier with saw-whet owl

My friend Bob Scott Placier, College Prof., bird bander and OOS Board member extraordinaire will be at Lowe Volk park this evening: Friday Nov 2.  He'll have his nets strung for Saw-whet Owls.  

 Hope you join us this evening.  All the details are here.

Mystery Science Theater 3000 or Greg Miller?

Saturday Night is a big deal too!  We will have an encore showing of The Big Year at Gorman Nature Center- and Greg Miller will be on hand to crack-wise and answer your questions. 

 You'll not want to miss this! Join us at Gorman Nature Center,2295 Lexington Ave., Mansfield Ohio, 44907 Details here.

Greg Miller and Cheryl Harner

So, join us for two nights of fun and birding!  I would love to introduce you to my wonderful friends!

Whoo's Messing with Me?

If ever there was a chance to overdose on "cute" it would be around Saw-whet Owls. The good folks at Lowe Volk Park in Crawford County invited my friend Bob Scott Placier up from Chillicothe to try his hand at banding the night fliers in our neighborhood. Good thing we were prepared for cute.

It was well after 10:00 PM when he netted a bird, unfortunately the little kids had long headed home on this school night. We lamented, "What a shame." Saw-whets are a huge hit with the youngsters and a prime opportunity for hands-on time with an amazing creature of the night.

Even as this little gal was carried back to the banding station, she was clacking her bill in threats and curses. Not a happy camper, this one! These owls are generally noted for their easy-going attitudes, and often show little or no fear of humans.

Bob has handled tons of these micro-owls, but this one was not impressed by his credentials. Here she is giving Bob the evil eye, as if to say, "Make my day..." This gal doesn't even care if he did give her a "ring."

It is a good thing the kids had gone home, or little Miss Feisty might have terrified them!

After the weigh in and general health and size data has been collected, Bob calmed this hatch year female down by stroking here head. Saw-whet really go for this and studies have shown it is similar to the motions a mother owl might use in grooming young.

Finally, she responds to his kindness a little late, she had already inflicted holes in Bob's hand with her sharp talons and bites. Note his bloody knuckles.

Holding a Saw-whet Owl is an amazing thrill. But these birds aren't banded just so we can get our jollies (although we certainly do!)

Banding birds allows these professionals to track and better understand the movements of birds, their ranges, habits and habitats. I have been to numerous banding stations and I've always been impressed with the ease and ability the pros exhibit while handling the birds, collecting data and returning the birds unharmed into the wild.

Saw-whet Owl banders are a highly knowledgeable group of birders, who care enough about monitoring species to endure the coldest, darkest nights of the years- to learn more about these enigmatic birds.

I was just lucky enough to tag along.

Saw-whet Owls invade Crawford Park

It is a rare opportunity to see a Saw-whet Owl, but even rarer to see several up close and personal! What a pleasure to take part in Lowe-Volk Park's Owl banding program with one of my favorite friends, Bob Scott Placier!




Bob was able to net 3 owls at the Crawford County Park District last night, and collecting data on micro-owls has taught us a lot about the "cute" little visitors from the north. Saw-whets are found mostly in Canada during breeding, but some disperse south for the winter. Mostly, females (80%) are found in Ohio during the winter, and last night Bob banded 2 females and one male.


What a cool opportunity for the Junior Naturalists (J.Nats) from Ohio Bird Sanctuary to learn about the birds! They assisted Bob by carrying the bird, safely contained in a laundry bag, into the warm building.

Bob gathered all the data, sex, age, weight... and placed a numbered band on the bird. Saw-whets seem to be re-captured rather frequently, which allows us to understand their winter migrations better. These owls of the boreal forest may have never seen "people" before; they remain relaxed, and do not show signs of being stressed.

Saw-whets make the perfect ambassadors for the birding world. Maggie and Kaily will never forget this night and their big chance to touch an owl!

It seems the owl is enjoying it almost as much as the girls!

Thanks to Crawford County Park District for this wonderful program, presented by Bob Scott Placier. And a special "Heya" goes out to Jan Ferrell and the "Jr. Nats" from Ohio Bird Sanctuary. It was a pleasure to meet this group of teenagers interested in our natural world. They are our future!