I am getting ready to hang out with several bloggers from around the country and tour Swarovski Optik’s facility in Cranston, Rhode Island. So far our trip out here has been great, including a few life birds (more about them later!) and several states I’ve never been to before (including Rhode Island). Here’s a view
Month: July 2008
Rhode Island Ospreys
Welcome to Rhode Island! We have made it to Rhode Island with a backlog of photos and information. We’ve been pretty busy but here is a shot of an Osprey nest at Rhode Island Audubon’s Marsh Meadows. Notice that the Ospreys are being videotaped and there is a House Sparrow to the left that is
Cuyahoga Valley National Park
On our journey to Rhode Island, we stopped in Cuyahoga Valley National Park in Ohio before making our first night’s destination in Erie, Pennsylvania. Cuyahoga Valley National Park is nestled along the Cuyahoga or “crooked river”, south of Cleveland and north of Akron. Despite being in a heavy populated area, Cuyahoga feels untouched and wild.
Phriday Photo – Eight-legged Water Strider
Upon finding an eight-legged water strider we questioned whether the apparently clean stream was in fact full of radioactive runoff. Turns out, it was just a mating pair! Yes, they only have four legs each. Birdfreak is getting ready for a trip to the east coast, specifically New York and Rhode Island. Excited level: dangerously
Devilish Trails Lead to Blood-colored Birds
Devil’s Lake State Park near Baraboo, Wisconsin is the most visited in the state, and may very well be the most gorgeous. The best views require a rough hike that gains large amounts of elevation in a fairly short stretch. Perhaps it isn’t the lake that is the Devil’s, but the trails. By the time
Continue reading Devilish Trails Lead to Blood-colored Birds
Hemlock Draw – Sauk County Wisconsin
A draw or hollow refers to a valley or long narrow gorge between two clefts of rock. – The Nature Conservancy In our south central Wisconsin search for the Worm-eating Warbler (and other great birds), we took a hike at Hemlock Draw Nature Preserve. Many species found here are typical of northern Wisconsin, making it
Birding Baxter’s Hollow
Nestled in the Baraboo Hills in south-central Wisconsin is a magical place called Baxter’s Hollow. Owned by the Nature Conservancy, this wooded creek corridor is not what many expect to find in Wisconsin. The rocky, rough terrain, rushing water, and the wildlife all feel either western or northern, not exactly midwestern. Singing Ovenbird This spectacular
6 Ways to Make a Better Duck Stamp
1998 Duck Stamp featuring Barrow’s Goldeneye The Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp [Duck Stamp] is now in its 75th year of existance and still provides one of the best sources of funding for direct conservation. However, many birders are unaware of the importance of these stamps so we offer the following suggestions. #1 –
