I think I am becoming addicted to oding...

Looking for something to hold me by until fall migration, I have recently taken up the hobby of oding. What is oding you ask? It is the term for the hobby of observing dragonflies and damselflies. Oding comes from the Latin name for the order in which dragonflies and damselflies belong, Odonata. Last Wednesday, while in the area, I decided to stop by Miami Meadows Park to look for odes. The place was hopping!

The Calico Pennants were awesome! A lifer

Some damselflies were so small, I could hardly see them. Below is my attempt to photograph a Citrine Forktail. You can't tell it here, but it was cool looking.

Citrine Forktail, a lifer.




Skimming Bluet

Eastern Forktail

Fragile Forktail, lifer


Species list for the day (what I could ID):

Calico Pennant
Black Saddlebags
Common Whitetail
Eastern Amberwing
Blue Dasher
12 Spotted Skimmer
Widow Skimmer
Eastern Pondhawk
Common Green Darner
Familiar Bluet
Skimming Bluet
Citrine Forktail
Eastern Forktail
Fragile Forktail

I don't take a guide in the field with me, as I find the best way to learn to ID Odonata is to just start by taking photos of everything that you can't identify with a quick glimpse. I then go to the guides and Internet once I have uploaded them. At first, I thought it was nearly impossible for me to ID odes, however I find it is easier then iding many birds. Just like birds, immatures and females present more problems. But unlike birds, odes fly around attached to each other while mating, giving an opportunity to ID females by association.

I find that the one dragonfly guide I have (doesn't cover damsels) is a little difficult to start out with, because it covers all of North America. The first guide I go to is actually on the net and put out in print by ODNR Division of Wildlife - Dragonflies and Damselflies of Ohio.

Another awesome site that I use is William Hull's (who I credit with getting me hooked on oding! ;-) site Mangoverde. This site also has a world bird guide as well as odes and butterflies.

My favorite ode is the Ebony Jewelwing, pictured below -

Taken at 8 Mile Creek in Hamilton Co., behind my sister's house.

Illegal Documentation

I recently made my first trip to Everglades National Park on June 18, 2009. While there may be virtually unlimited access to this incredibly vast wildlife venue that encompasses a major footprint on the southern peninsula of Florida by water, there are only two official primary entrances to the park by land. These include the Shark Valley Visitor Center at the northern edge of the park between Naples and Miami and the primary access to the park at its main entrance in Homestead south of Miami which allows access for a slice through the park all the way to Flamingo at the end of the highway.

The Black Skimmer above at Lovers Key State Park is always a special treat to observe as it can never be counted on for a sighting.

Everglades National Park is considered to be a world class venue for wildlife viewing. One can expect that for its enormity in size and diversity including eight habitat types. In my limited research of the park, it has been noted that more than half of its area may have been negatively impacted due to man's intervention for control of its water sources for urban and agricultural needs. Weather consequences as well may have been attributable to concerns of a reported 90 percent reduction in the numbers of wading birds observed in the recent past. It is believed that the birds, however, are on a significant rebound.

As with many popular wildlife venues in this part of Florida, it may be expected that wildlife is especially abundant as the water levels from torrential summer thunderstorms and hurricanes subside to the point where food for avian and land creatures is virtually cherry picked for the taking. This scenario was recently described to me by a friend whom observed this reality at Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve before the beginning of this year's rainy season. I've made a few visits to the slough with the closest experience seen first hand at the National Audubon Society Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary this spring when a veteran volunteer told me of an alligator getting the better of a wading bird some years ago. Such an event is surprisingly not much more frequently observed at that time as dozens of egrets were seen in the company of a handful of what appeared to be very well fed alligators.

It was during my initial journey into the national park on the way to Flamingo that I made my first observation of the Swallow-tailed Kite with its flight along the road toward me as it made a flyover. The observation was especially exciting as I had not seen the species before. This past week has offered the sighting of the kite in Fort Myers on two additional occasions. I'm very optimistic to offer my own photographic evidence of this species in the future.

In the meantime, you may see the Swallow-tailed Kite as observed by my friend, Tim Rucci, here. I hope you encounter a similar experience.

Beware poo

What you are about to read is hopefully of interest to you. The subject matter will predominantly involve the photography of birds which I've become enthralled with.

Why this subject of interest? One can't ignore this incredibly varied species which makes their presence known virtually everywhere. For the very fortunate of us, even if you keep a homestead within a very small region of the earth, the sight or sound of many hundreds of these species may be experienced over a human lifetime.

The Brown Noddy above was a special sighting of a rare visitor to the area I live which I had the great fortune of documenting at Lovers Key State Park for the first time. This is a must see venue which borders the Gulf of Mexico.

When one observes a bird, it is typically at the time of its greatest activity which will likely be in the few hours around sunrise and sunset. The specific environment may have great significance for a viewing opportunity. Fresh or saltwater provides the food chain which may have a particular species of bird migrate through or make a home in the area of its sighting.

In my home of Florida, state and federal agencies are in cooperation for the support of the Great Florida Birding Trail. This endeavor is a benefit to business and enthusiasts alike. It is a goal of mine to visit all the sites on the trail and to report my observations and opportunities you may see at them at specific times of the year.

2009 Queen City Bird Festival

Volunteered for the Queen City Bird Festival held at Hueston Woods State Park last Saturday. It was a nice change of pace for me. I enjoyed talking to children and adults about birds, much more enjoying than dealing with threats of violence from coworkers at work.

I was at the bird feet table, which teaches children about how a birds' feet are adapted to their way of life. I was able to demonstrate with real specimens. I had a good time, the children were learning - always good. It seemed to me that we had a good turnout, but there could always have been more people!

I decided to stay at the lodge, since I planed on attending both days. There were vultures sitting on the balcony just outside the door and all over the building.

Black Vulture sitting on the balcony outside the room.

I want to thank Dr.s Jill and Dave Russell and all those involved with the QCBF for taking the lead in educating people, especially youth in the tri-state about birds. Their work with the Avian Research & Education Institute and with the Queen City Birders Club is to be commended.

Sunday, I paid a visit to the banding station at Hueston Woods State Park. Some good birds were caught, including a RT hummingbird. Some pics are below.

Canada Warbler

Bander Dave Russell with a Northern Waterthrush


Young male Indigo Bunting


Triall's Flycatcher (can't be ID in hand, song must be heard to ID)


A protesting Barn Swallow (Dave's first time banding this species)


Children always love seeing the the birds like this male Baltimore Oriole up close. Hopefully he will grow up to pursue a career in science or at least gain respect for our earth.


Hummingbird bander Tim Tolford with a male Ruby-throated Hummingbird.


This is how small a hummingbird band is!

New Tree Species for Ohio Found Locally

ODNR Celebrates Discovery of Sugarberry (Celtis laevigata) Tree in Ohio

I haven't seen this anywhere else, thought this was interesting. I have probably walked right past one before and not even known it, I used to spend a lot of time in the area when I was a child.

I used to be fairly up to speed and good at IDing local flora, but my "job numbness" has dried my botanical knowledge up almost completely. There are probably other species of plants along the river that are yet to be known to occur in Ohio, as the habitat is so diverse and varied.



New Tree Found Growing In Clermont County

'09 Birdathon & A Swainson's Warbler Quest

David Brinkman and I participated as a team in the '09 Birdathon last weekend. The Birdathon goes from 5pm Friday to 5pm Saturday, and just like clockwork, it started to rain right at 5 on Friday. We had a Ruffed Grouse drumming and a turkey gobbling before the start and then the rain came (we later got turkey, but no grouse). I got soaked as we continued to hike in the pouring rain and lightning. Dave jumped a Chuck-wills-widow up in the rain at Lynx Prairie in Adams Co. I did not see it. It rained all evening. The only owl we got was a nest rule Barn Owl (the hardest owl to get).

We tried to get a hotel, but they were all full for the East Fork Regatta. Camping in the mud and rain - no good (plus cost too much). We ended up sleeping in the car at the Miami Whitewater Wetlands parking lot. Our team total was 115 species, the winning team was in the 140's. I am way too much out of practice with my sounds and birding in general.



A Swainson's Warbler quest
On Tuesday, May 15th, David Brinkman and I went down to try for a Swainson's Warbler at the Red River Gorge in Daniel Boone National Forest in Kentucky. Swainson's Warbler would be a life bird for the both of us. Dave had old records of locations where they had been found in 1988.

As soon as we turned on the road that was marked on the old map as a potential SWWA spot, Dave heard one singing. We parked the car and walked down the road a bit to the spot the bird was singing from. We looked and looked, but I only caught a glimpse of the bird, Dave did not see it.

I decided to briefly play an audio lure to get a glimpse of the bird. Shortly after it started playing, the bird jumped up to exposed perches and started singing. It was very fast and agitated, flying around in circles around us. I got good looks, but all were brief - this bird wouldn't stop moving for nothing. I almost got a pic, but my camera was giving me all kinds of hell (it does weird things often). Even with a good camera, it would have been hard to get a shot in the dark woods. It almost seemed too easy for a life bird. It was the only SWWA we had for the day.

We had many good warblers, many spished to a few feet of us. They are not afraid of people down there. My camera was giving me hell all day, couldn't get any good shots. I need a new job so that I can get a new camera - job offers and camera donations accepted.




Black and white and Yellow-throated. My camera takes too long to focus!

Nesting Pine Siskins

Just talked to the coordinator of the Ohio Breeding Bird Atlas II. He said that my observation of Pine Siskins carrying nesting material would qualify for confirmed breeding. This would be a first Clermont Co., OH record. Pretty cool. Right in the backyard.

Just walking around the neighborhood, I noticed (heard and seen pairs) that there are Pine Siskins in the trees everywhere. I think there are more than 30 birds.

Pine Siskin breeding in Ohio OBBA II