Hard to believe May is over already, it went too fast. In Ohio, it was way chillier than most Mays. I did get out birding a good amount around central Ohio and didn’t make it up to Magee this year for migration. I still saw and/or heard 20 types of warblers, our hummingbirds arrived, and all of my favorite summer birds started showing up so it was definitely an excellent birdy month.
This male Ruby-throated Hummingbird had his back to the sun on the morning I saw him at Scioto Grove so I missed out on the beautiful flash of red that is so special to see. But he still looks very handsome and made my day all that much better by showing up.
Our local eagle couple, Athena and Apollo are proud parents to a single eaglet this year. As you can see, junior is wasting no time getting ready to leave the nest, as all young do. The eaglet gets all the food rather than sharing with sibs so is growing very quickly.
One of the many reasons May is so fabulous is the arrival of Indigo Buntings and their boisterous singing. They’re a summer favorite for many of us once they arrive from the journey from Central America each year. And they, unlike many migrants, will sing all summer.
And speaking of singing, this Orchard Oriole was doing his lovely song from the top of a tree at Scioto Audubon metropark. Much of the year, video and photos are way more difficult when birds hide behind branches and leaves but in May, they want to be seen and heard.
The bestest time of the birding year is in progress. Migration is in full swing in Ohio and we have had some spectacular weather. We have had some awful weather too but that is the definition of spring in Ohio. I didn’t get out birding a ton and my bonus photos will explain why. But the couple times I did get out, I was treated to some great birds.
Red-headed Woodpeckers are what’s termed ‘facultative’ migrants, meaning some populations migrate and some don’t migrate based on food availability. Facultative is a fun new word for you to try to use in a sentence soon. This one was calling beautifully while perched in the open so nicely.
A Brown Thrasher is what’s called a mimic and can sing over a thousand songs. Recent research suggests some sing close to 3000 songs. Pretty impressive memory and sometime these ‘songs’ sound more like car alarms or smoke detectors. Birds are amazing.
This Eastern Towhee played hide and seek pretty well…at least he didn’t let me get a great shot. But he sung beautifully for me.
This was the first Gray Catbird I saw and heard in 2025, singing and looking gorgeous at Prairie Oaks metro park in late April.
And here’s one of the biggest reasons I didn’t bird a lot in April. I fostered Loki, a 68 pound boxer/pit full of unconditional love. He was adopted by a wonderful family and I enjoyed getting to know him on our long walks. I miss the big blockhead and am soooo happy he’s found his forever home!
Last but not least, the 5 other reasons I didn’t get out birding as much in April. Because I didn’t have enough going on, I agreed to foster momma and her 4 kittens. They will be available for adoption soon…assuming I don’t foster fail hard. :)
Migration has started in Ohio and I couldn’t be more excited to welcome the winged travelers from the south. I did not get out birding a ton in March in part because of weather and because I am fostering a lovely dog who keeps me hopping. But knowing migration is in progress, I will get out and enjoy and I hope you do as well!
Eastern Meadowlarks are one of my favorite early migrants to Ohio. Their cheery call can often be heard as early as February in central Ohio. And their coloring is amazing, looking like the daffodils and forsythia that have started to bloom here.
This Bald Eagle is from Avon Lake, where my folks live. The pair are named Stars and Stripes and they’ve had several years of raising a successful brood from this nest. As of the end of March, no eggs were reported yet but fingers crossed, they are on the way.
Common Merganser males are looking sporty on Lake Erie. I often say Common Mergansers are not common to me, at least not in central Ohio. But I often see them on Lake Erie and their coloring always impresses me and more importantly the females nearby.
And my post would not be complete if I did not include my sweet foster pup, Loki. He is available for adoption at Columbus Humane and has kept me hopping with so many walks to get him the exposure he needs to find his forever home. He is great with other dogs, is quiet most of the time, is playful and sweet. Contact me or check out Columbus Humane’s website if you’d like to learn more!
Red-winged Blackbirds are returning to Ohio! Each February, one of the sure signs we are ALMOST done with winter is hearing and seeing Red-winged Blackbirds. This was one of two I heard and saw that morning in the latter half of the month with the promise of more to come soon!
Athena (I think) fluffing her (?) wings on a cold morning. Sadly, we lost our female eagle two years ago from the nest across the river. Happily though a new female, Athena, has been hanging around with our male, Apollo. Well more than hanging out. I think she like likes him. Fingers crossed for a successful family.
There’s a lot to unpack in this photo so bear with me. The Trumpeter Swans, the two in the water, generally stick around central Ohio all year. The Tundra Swans on the ice come down from, you guessed it, a super cold tundra far north. The Trumpeter Swans also have 2 young and are slightly defensive of their territory. So in this photo, the parent Trumpeter Swans are reminding the Tundra Swans they are visitors to this lake and to stay away from the young ones. They didn’t fully chase them off but wanted to send a message.
And one more sign of spring on the way, our Canadian Geese are becoming more active and vocal as the days grow longer.
Looking forward to March and all of the arriving migrants we will see, check back soon for more of my bird nerdiness :)!
I am not the biggest fan of winter but I’m getting better at leaning into the beautiful things about each season, even if it is freezing cold. And that is in itself a form of mindfulness, which I “preach” so I’d best practice.
My January went by oddly fast and slow. I’m keeping pretty busy with volunteering, spending time with family and friends, projects around the house, and all the other stuff I do this time of year. But January and February are typically slow months when I don’t get outside to bird and enjoy nature very much…I so look forward to that coming soon. I often tell myself to appreciate the slower pace and that the days are getting longer now…slowly but surely. Plus my heated vest, gloves & slippers help me stay toasty warm and that’s a game changer for me.
So enough rambling and on to birds, cats and other fun updates of the month…
Einstein is a 9 month old Tuxedo cat I found in my backyard. He is a true story of the cat distribution system at work. I heard a strange noise in my yard one morning in May. I couldn’t figure out what it was until I went out later in the day and saw a stocky cat who led me to the noise. She wouldn’t come near me but wanted me to help. He was stuck upside down in a pile of bricks. I took him to Columbus Humane to find him a home but they couldn’t take him for a couple weeks. And once he crossed the threshold of the house, I foster failed almost immediately. He is a talkative cat and gets along wonderfully with our other (foster fail) cat, Bugs.
Apologies for the poor quality photo but this is a screenshot from a web cam of our feral cat, Creamsicle. I’ve been feeding Creamsicle since fall and once it started getting really cold, I got him a warm house with a heated floor mat. I put food in the house to get him inside so he would get the idea this is a safe place to eat and warm himself. Despite the temps dipping under zero in January, he’s still seeming to thrive out there.
White-throated Sparrows are one of the beauties of winter. They will be heading back up north within a few more weeks so here’s a great example of living up to my goal of appreciating the present and the amazing creatures living nearby.
Blue Jays and all birds in fact are WAAAAAAYYYY easier to spot in trees when trees have no leaves. And they are truly beautiful birds. Interestingly, Blue Jays are one of the only birds my cats really respond to hearing their calls. I tested several for a post I was doing and most birds get a ho hum reaction but Blue Jays almost always get them up and looking out the window.
See, look at me all appreciative of the wonderful things January has to offer. Boom!
As most of us do at the close of a year, I’ve been reflecting on successes and lessons of 2024. I use the word lessons very purposefully because the word ‘failure’ implies little good comes from outcomes that are less than stellar.
My blog this month introduces the cat angle because the internet has taught me cats are WAAAAAAAY more popular than birds. Sorry, avian friends, but you don’t get the same traction and credit as my goofy cat posts. And of course the weather does not make me want to run right out birding every morning in December like it does in say May or June.
Secondly, like I do in my books, I’m going to tie my photos and updates with lessons. I have learned a lot of lessons later in life and use “Lessons from a Birdbrain” in the self deprecating way. And I believe if a specific lesson comes along at the right time, it will resonate and perhaps make someone’s life a little bit better and brighter for that insight.
Lesson 1 – love with no regrets and always remember our time with every living creature has an expiration date.
I lost my beloved Tof in December after 13.5 years. I took this photo just a few days before he passed during one of our nightly cuddle sessions. After the young cats went to bed, he would come snuggle with me while I read most evenings. I also started each day sharing a cup of coffee with him and playing. (I drank coffee and he played, to clarify.) The pain of losing him is still sharp at times. But of course my life was richer for his presence and I appreciate his reminder of how short and precious all lives are.
Lesson 2: when one door closes, another opens.
This is Kelton. She’s an 11 year old, cranky senior kitty who may be the next Tof. My volunteer work at the Columbus Humane society has taught me there are always lots of kitties in need of a loving home. So when the time is right, I will bring one of them home to give them a loving place to live out their days. And while I would give anything to have Tof back, he opened a new door for some lucky kitty.
Lesson 3; “Size doesn’t matter; it’s all about the mental aspect and having heart.” T. Austin
The American Kestrel is the smallest falcon in North America. It weighs about as much as 34 pennies, 3-6 ounces. Fun fact: American Kestrels often hunt as a family group, giving young a chance to learn hunting skills before they are on their own.
Often times in life, we think our size will hold us back from accomplishing something. Do you suppose a kestrel thinks that when it goes out hunting? That’s right, it doesn’t. There will always be someone bigger or smaller, taller or shorter, wider or thinner but what we accomplish in life is all about how well we cope with setbacks.
Lesson 4: Always bring the weather with you.
I had the privilege of visiting Puerto Rico at the end of December for a family vacation. Much as I love Ohio, I don’t love Ohio weather for the winter months. The temperatures were lovely, mostly in the 70s. We did get a decent amount of rain and especially when we went to the only tropical rainforest in the United States, El Yunque. As is the case in most of the northern hemisphere, bird activity is low in December and I didn’t see a ton of species. This Mangrove Cuckoo was out in between light rain events though and did not seem to mind.
I love the phrase “always take the weather with you”. I can be depressed when it rains or when…happens in my life or not. The beauty of our brains is we can look at every last situation in whatever way we wish. I lost my job…therefore I suck, I’m doomed, blah blah blah. OR…I lost my job…it wasn’t a good fit for my skills, it was a business decision, not personal…etc.
And to close out my blog for the month, it’s time for a shameless plug for my first foray into fiction, Focus On. Sophia learns these lessons and more. If you would like to be an early reader / provider of feedback, reach out on my contact page for a complimentary preview copy.
By November, birding activity has wound down with the days becoming shorter, temperatures dropping and food sources dwindling. I pulled some fun photos from a Florida birding trip to reminisce about warm, sunny days.
Also November was pretty busy with final editing and book production for my first work of fiction so my birding activity was also limited.
Yellow-crowned Night Heron was fishing as the sun rose in the east.
Did you know Red-shouldered Hawks are much more common in the south, Red-tailed Hawks in the north.
Belted Kingfisher hangs out on a big electrical wire.
Loggerhead Shrike is a tiny bird but apparently a tough customer, known as a ‘butcherbird’ for their fierce hunting skills.
As I look back on October, I didn’t do much birding, oddly. The weather was fantastic but I was busy. Spoiler alert, I have a new book coming out and that took a decent amount of time. I’m also volunteering in a few places and before I knew it, poof, the month was over. I hope you enjoy the selection of birds I did see and photograph this month all the same. Have a great day.
American Coot looks coot. I mean cute. I saw this one all by itself, which is unusual in my experience and I saw it in a place I’ve never seen them before. So all around unexpected yet happy sighting.
Another unusual sighting for me, a Trumpeter Swan and Mute Swan hanging out together. According to the naturalist at this park. the two swan groups have been vying for territory for quite awhile. Maybe they came to terms they can agree on, finally!
Eastern Bluebird looking classically beautiful in morning sun. That day I was chasing an Eastern Meadowlark for a video which I did not get. But this bluebird is a pretty nice consolation prize all the same.
And finally, a classic Song Sparrow photo for your enjoyment. I thought this was a different type of sparrow when I started taking a video and so I have a LOT of Song Sparrow video from this particular morning, if you ever need any for any reason. :)
First off, I feel a little silly posting my September update on October 6th but my life has been busy lately. Second off, the birds I’m going to post are from a trip awhile ago to Florida. They are a shameless plug for my newest book coming up in the next few weeks, a novel set in a fictional town on the shores of Virginia. It’s called artistic license, right? I hope you enjoy.
Brown Pelican has an interesting name because I see gray, white, yellow but brown…not so much. Juveniles are brown and White Pelicans are mostly white so I guess I get the naming convention. And maybe when they first saw them and named them, the lighting was low?
Fish Crows have such a cool voice. If you’ve been to the Atlantic coast, especially the southeast, you’ve probably heard a Fish Crow. It’s a very nasal call described as “eh-uh”. They’re difficult to tell from American Crows by looks but the sound will give them away.
American Kestrels look cute and fluffy, like little stuffed animals. They’re around the size of a Bluejay at 9-12 inches long. They are the smallest falcon in North America and their diet consists of grasshoppers and other insects, lizards, mice and (!) small birds.
Sanderlings are very entertaining to watch. They scurry around in groups feeding on crustaceans in the sand. The way they move away from the water they look to me as though they’re trying not to get their little feet wet.
August birding was enjoyable if a little on the slow side just because it was birding. I got out camping and got some great photos and sightings just from being a little out of the city. Juveniles were hanging out with their parents and some birds have already started their migration journey. Lights Out, the collision monitoring initiative already started up. So I’m up even earlier than usual on Mondays walking the streets of downtown Columbus looking for birds who have struck windows. Last week, we brought in a live Song or Chipping Sparrow and as I always tell people that’s what gets me out of bed and into my car. That little bird has a much better chance of surviving now that we got it out of downtown than if it had stayed at the Capitol buidling.
Eastern Wood Peewees are birds you likely hear more than you see. They have a distinctive whistle call that is fairly common in summertime in Ohio. But they are small and can hide well in branches and leaves.
Black Vulture (left) and Turkey Vulture hang out at a state park. I learned several fun facts about them, such as they often hang out together. Turkey Vultures have a better sense of smell and Black Vultures sometimes follow them to food. We sometimes see them circling this time of year, which may be groups gathering to migrate together in flocks or “kettles”.
Downy Woodpeckers hang out together. Seems my post is starting to have a theme. I am not sure why these two were hanging out. They were doing some flapping before this photo was taken which makes me think the juvenile was hoping a parent would feed it.
A stunning male Baltimore Oriole was whistling and getting breakfast during this time. The theory I’ve read about orioles calling in the fall is they are keeping their family groups together as they are migrating. Very cool stuff to me.
