Hot, but not-so-hot birding

Tweet Despite the forecast, I just had to get outdoors Sunday. So I decided to go hit a couple of spots down on the Ohio River. With the heat, I wasn't expecting much bird wise. The morning started out way too hot and humid - I was already sweating profusely by 9AM.

I checked out Crooked Run Nature Preserve in Clermont Co., Ohio first. It was very dead bird and bug wise, with the best bird being a young Broad-winged Hawk being mobbed by a family of Eastern Kingbirds.

Here is my attempt to photograph a Slender Spreadwing at Crooked Run:

Slender Spreadwing

I then decided to head to my cousin's farm in southern Brown Co. Ohio, but on the way I had found a good sized patch of Swamp Rose Mallow and Swamp Milkweed in a little river inlet. I decided to stop and look around. It was just too marshy to go into. I did see a Giant Swallowtail butterfly winging it high above me, so I decided to look around some more. I could hear a Yellow-breasted Chat and White-eyed Vireo calling on the other side of the inlet, but could never find them. A Ruby-throated Hummingbird was flitting around with some Silver-spotted Skippers on teasel . Other than that, it was just hot and humid. While walking back to the car, I noticed two Great Egrets flying upriver along the far Kentucky shore. When I got back to the car, this bright orangish-yellow wildflower caught my eye. It was growing on the sandy bank (atop a cliff) of the Ohio River.

Most likely Wormseed Wallflower Erysimum cheiranthoides?
Growing in Clermont Co. not too far from the Brown Co. line. 2' high.

For some reason, I tend to have a hard time remembering the names of plants that I have seen before. I usually just think "I know that I know this plant, just can't remember the name" and go on. I couldn't remember having seen this plant before. I could tell it was in the mustard family by looking at its flowers and seed pods, but that's about it. I can't find it in any of my wildflower books and the internet search results are confusing (some kind of wallflower). Is this likely a non-native/garden escape? Comments welcome.

Update: Flower is most likely European Wormseed Wallflower. Thanks goes to Jim McCormac for his botanical expertise.

Butterflies appeared to be more abundant recently with the heat. I guess the cool, damp start to the summer had everything on hold. I finally heard katydids for the first time in a while, it was eerily quiet without them.

Little Wood Satyr

Female Common Whitetail

Had to get back to the A/C!!!

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A Po' boys cruise & Birds of Prey Day

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On June 28th, I took my mother, girlfriend and nephew on an Ohio River cruise aboard BB Riverboat's Mark Twain. My mother always said she wanted to go on a cruise, and this is as close as I can afford, a poor man's cruise if you will. We boarded at the Chilo Lock #34 Park in Chilo.

We all had a good time. At the start of the cruise before boarding, Jaime dropped mother's disposable camera in the river - it was hilarious.

This is the first time that I have ever been in a lock. Pigeons and Barn Swallows were nesting in the cavities of the walls. Plants were growing on the ledges of the lock doors, creating a sort of micro habitat that moves. Below is a picture of a tiger lilly growing on the lock door.



The ride only lasted about an hour and a half, most of which was spent in the locks. It was interesting to see how they work.

After the boat ride, the Clermont Co. Park District's Raptor Day was starting to get going. Susan with Raptor Inc. was 1st up. I always enjoy her enthusiasm. There needs to be more people like her around.

Susan with Sylvester. (Click on her blog link above for better and more pics)

Next up was the Cincinnati Zoo's Wings of Wonder Bird Show. Below is a new bird for me, (too bad can't add it to my lifelist) the Spectacled Owl of Central and South America.

Mother thought it looked like a monkey. It had real silky feathers.

Next, was a Laughing Kookaburra from Australia. The audience was able to get it going.

And next, a Hyacinth Macaw from South America. The largest of the macaws and the largest flying parrot species.

And last but certainly not least, Sam the Bald Eagle. Sam is a local celebrity that works for the Cincinnati Reds and even has his own baseball card. Sam is flown before games at Great American Ballpark.


And, just in time for the 4th of July, this nice shot





In between presentations, Jaime and I took a walk in the nearby Crooked Run NP. The insects were better than the birds.

Male Blue-fronted Dancer

Banded Hairstreak

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