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!

Greg Miller's Big Day!

If you are connected at all with the birding world or just into movies in general, you are probably aware the movie The Big Year premiered tonight. And most of us in mid-Ohio who bird, made a real event out of it.

After all, it was inspired by the true story of our friend, Greg Miller. "How cool is that?" Greg likes to say.

Does he look happy here? He was grinning so much, he admitted he looks like he has a "coat hanger in my mouth sideways!"

Friends and family gathered from around the state to share this night with him. Dan Sanders and Doreene Linzell are two very special birding friends who took him for "birding therapy" while he was fighting off cancer (after his big year.) Two of his other long-time birding companions, cousin-Kent Miller and friend-Su Snyder were also there.

Tim and Laura Dornan provided this hysterical cake- which was also quite yummy. Sorry, not one crumb is left.

After all, we had a packed house with over-flow into the next room. Everyone wants to wish Greg well, because he is the nicest guy in the world. No matter if he becomes famous or the movie flops- he will always be our lovable, silly Greg. Those tumbles in movie? I have actually seen him do that in the field.

Alan Dolan, Greg Miller, and Cheryl Harner (your blogger.) It was wonderful for the Canton Audubon and Greater Mohican Audubon to work together to make this night happen for Greg in Canton, Ohio. He wanted to be close to home for the big evening.

The movie filled our evening with some good chuckles and a few pulled heart-strings, but for those of us who know him well- he gives us that each day. No one at the movie laughed louder or cheered more than Greg. What you see, is what you get. That's Greg.

So Greg- here's to you! The world is a better place for having you in it.

May your movie inspire others to live their dream!

Birding with Greg

If you are a birder, I imagine you have heard about this terrific book...

A highly entertaining, true-to-life story was written about three obsessed birders and a competition to see the most birds in one year. And it features an Ohio birder, who is a heck of a nice guy, and a pretty good friend of mine. Last night Greg Miller gave a presentation at Shawnee Nature Club in Portsmouth, Ohio and had them all in stitches.



Greg (on the right) told his tales, signed some books, shook hands like a politician and helped them celebrate their Annual Potluck Banquet. Having some compelling business in Southern Ohio, I tagged along to enjoy the show.




And in case you have not yet heard, that book is the basis for this fictional story- about three similar birders. It should be released this summer and is creating quite a stir in our birding community.

If you missed the event at Portsmouth, don't worry.

Greater Mohican Audubon Society will be hosting Greg as a speaker on Saturday January 8th at 2:00 pm at Gorman Nature Center in Mansfield. Put it on your calendar now, 'cause you'll want to join in the fun!


And although it was a snowy, gray day for travel, we scored a total of 5 Bald Eagles and a pleasant stop at a natural area off Route 23, just north of Waverly, Ohio offered a few special highlights.



Keep this place in mind next spring, as Scioto Trail State Forest and Park is like a mini- Shawnee Forest. Greg says it produces some excellent warbler-watching in late April. Even today, the lovely wooded roads with steep embankments and ambling stream beds offered a sprinkling of Juncos, Northern Cardinals and a Carolina Wren.




This old bald hornet's nest was being raided by a Tufted Titmouse- he flew out from that hole in the center. I was a second too late on the shutter, or I would have had the photo of the year!

This dilapidated cabin proved less troublesome for me, and I was able to capture the image before it moved. Honestly, it could have fallen in before our very eyes!

It was a great day of watching the birds glean seeds along the roadside and enjoying our first snow of the season. I hope you enjoyed the day too!