Hiking With Friends

Pictured left to right: Rob, Ryan, Doug - obtaining information on a Red Oak

Tuesday, after being released from clinicals a bit early, I decided to see what Doug Marcum was planning for the rest of the day. He had informed me that he was going to a plot of woods near Kent State University's campus to work on a project for his forestry course that he is taking; He asked if I cared to join. I figured that this could be a great learning experience for me - I know nothing about forestry. On the way to the plot, Doug pointed out a Great Blue Heron rookery which I cannot wait to go peek at within the next couple weeks. Also, Doug pointed out to me that Turkey Vultures have been making their return for the past 3 weeks -  I had not seen one yet! Once he said that, It was as if that was all I would spot, one after another. I was now wanting to just go birdwatch and forget about the upcoming forestry lesson. However, I am glad to have gone because I met a couple of his friends who, along with Doug, shared great insight with me about the local species of trees growing on this plot. Also, while waiting for his colleagues to arrive Doug and I saw a Cooper's Hawk fly overhead. Once Rob and Ryan showed up the forestry lesson began. After the couple of hours spent learning about trees from the three amigos and a special appearance by their professor, I was able to differentiate between a Red Oak, White Oak, Black Oak, Cherry, Beech, Butternut Hickory, Red Maple, and Silver Maple (even though not located on this plot). The guys were marking trees, taking their diameters and heights, for a project which correlates with the forestry course. The picture above shows how they would work up each tree: Ryan is holding a measuring device used to measure diameter and height. Rob is marking the trees with the noticeable orange ribbon with correlating numbers for each tree. Doug is logging the information in his notebook. They are working on a Red Oak, with a large Beech Tree in the middle and a Cherry Tree along the right edge of the picture. 

Detail of a Cherry Tree's bark

Doug and I then ventured out of the plot around 4:30 to meet up with my friend Alex Martinelli from my nursing courses. He just so happens to be an avid outdoorsman/hiker like Doug and me. I have often told him about the outings that Doug and I go on, which he always showed interest in. I decided to ask him earlier in the day to come along with us for a hike through Towner's Woods (located in Kent, OH). So, Doug, Alex and I set out to check up on a couple of vernal pools which Doug was interested in keeping tabs on for the upcoming salamanders, wood frogs, and spring peepers (I cannot wait to hear them - the sounds of spring). 

Alex on the ground, Doug on the downed tree, vernal pool in background

It was here where I was able to give Alex his first lesson on Birds. A male Red-Bellied Woodpecker made an appearance for us to peep at through my binoculars. We watched him fly from tree to tree, having a few pecks at each one, then he flew away out of our sights. I advised Alex that the way to tell apart a male and female is from the red stripe on its head. If it connects from the back of the neck to where the beak starts, it's a male, whereas the female's stripe ends about half way up the head. We then hiked on and came across a habitat fit for a bat. So, Doug checked it out...

Doug peeps up the hallowed-out Black Oak

He found nothing but an open cavity. Who is to say that there wont be future residents, though...

View up the hallowed-out Red Oak

Alex, Doug and I continued to walk the path through Towner's Woods as it grew from late afternoon to early evening, with the temperature starting to drop. We were amused by the call of a distant Pileated Woodpecker, which would be followed by a returning call from another Pileated in the opposite direction. This is easily one of my favorite birds! We never did spot it, but I knew what it was up to. We pushed forward and Doug spotted a beaver dam at another wetland area of the park. We sat there for a bit and looked on from our bench made from a downed tree. We noticed tracks going to and fro the dam, which is evidence that there is a resident of the shelter! It's something to go back to and observe throughout the spring and summer. 

Reflection 

The following morning I was woken up by a text from my friend Jeremy Alfani letting me know that there was a flock of Hooded Mergansers in a little pond behind the rec center at Kent State. I have never been able to observe them prior to this, so even though it was raining pretty steady, I made my way out to watch them a bit. I was a nervous that they would be gone by the time that I got there and that I would be wasting time, and dry clothes for that matter, but they were there! I set up my spotting scope and continued to view them from a distance as they are extremely skittish. I counted 6 males and 1 female - it's that time of the year...

As I was watching I noticed that there was a female Belted Kingfisher (Photo of Female Belted Kingfisher from Doug Marcum's Flickr - not taken this day) in the same pond scooping up lunch! They are another one of my favorite birds. I called Jeremy and told him to come up so that he could see them through the binoculars and spotting scope. He originally only saw them through the window at the rec. I give him credit for the proper identification of them and for letting me know about them being there! After getting drenched in the rain, we both went to our nursing class and called it a day for being "Out and About..."

A Cold Day At Veteren's Park

Snow-covered juvenile beech trees, still holding onto their leaves

For the past five weeks I have been held prisoner inside my house due to a fractured foot. Not being able to go out to the parks has been eating at me the whole time. So, today while sitting at home I decided that I have been away from the beauties of nature for far too long and went forth with strapping on my winter boots and bundled up for the bitter weather. I decided that I did not want to go out to a park that would contain rough terrain, so I figured that Veteren's Park would be the best option for me. It's close to home and offers a lot of great wildlife and scenery. I was hoping that when I arrived I would see a thawed out pond (it's pretty big) since we have had temperatures a bit more mild the past couple days, but it still was at least 80% frozen. Normally this is a pretty good spot this time of year as migrating waterfowl stop for a rest before they cross the largest pond around...Lake Erie. It may be just a bit early yet, but it's not uncommon to see Red-Breasted Mergansers, Canvas Backs, Coots, Buffleheads, and more. As for today, all I was able to see were the resident Mallards and Canada Geese. The mallards will allow for pictures to be taken of them, even with my point-and-shoot style camera, which tells you how close they will get. The geese are more fiesty and get upset if you come near - I keep my distance. Today they were honking at each other and defending their areas from other geese who may be migratory geese and not year-round residents of the pond.

Two males and one female mallard

After scouting the pond for migratory waterfowl and coming up empty-handed, I decided to walk the path along the pond to see if I could spot any good birds or other wildlife. As I walked I heard a Blue Jay mimicking the sound of a Red-Shouldered Hawk (which got me excited to see a RSH...Buteo lineatus), American Crows and their familiar "caw", Red-bellied woodpeckers and White-Breasted Nuthatches laughing, Cardinals and Tufted Titmice making their call, and song sparrows singing their beautiful, fluent song. All of which I was able to spot and observe through my binoculars. The song sparrows hopped around through thickets of brush while singing along the pond, cardinals perched in trees, standing out with their bright red feathers on a white, winter backdrop calling for their mates, Woodpeckers (red-bellied and downy) drilled holes in trees looking for a meal, and the mimicking Blue Jay flew from tree to tree. It was nice because I was the only one in the park basically, being quiet and letting the birds do what they do uninterrupted. After walking the perimeter if the pond I decided to enter the path that goes through the woods to see what was going on within...

Snow-covered bridge that leads into the woods

I have often found that if one stands on this bridge as still and quiet as possible, birds will put on a show for you. This is a great time of year for snowbirds who migrate from the North at this park. You can see the brush on the left of the picture...this is a perfect habitat for them. The thickets offer coverage and protection from hawks and other predators looking for a meal. So, I sat for a few minutes and sure enough, the birds came. Black-Capped Chickadees, Dark-Eyed Juncos, and Tufted Titmice. All of them, in flocks, buzz around this area feeding and chirping. I enjoyed watching and listening to them - it may be one of my last chances of the year to see them before they migrate North back to the cold tundra in Canada. I pushed forward through the woods and came across a few things that I was not expecting at all. First, I was stopped by the sight of a Brown Creeper, a small, brown tree-climber. I don't know how I even spotted it, as it was perfectly camouflaged with the bark of the tree it was climbing. I stood back and watched its behavior through my binoculars. It would start at the base of the tree and climb upward in a spiral pattern around the tree while picking out bugs from the cracks in the bark. It would make it about fifteen feet up the tree and drop down to the base of another tree and continue its feeding pattern. I watched it go back and forth for about ten minutes or so, switching back and forth from my binoculars to plain sight. I moved along because the temperature was in the twenties and my fingers were starting to throb from the combination of cold temperatures and bone-chilling wind (I forgot my gloves). It was not much further when I noticed a massive, freshly bored hole in a tree that had to be the work of the Pileated Woodpecker. I could easily fit my entire fist all the way into the hallowed out cavity. It amazes me the size of hole a Pileated can make. It was roughly 4"w x 6"h x 6" d.

Hole bored from a Pileated Woodpecker

After looking at this and realizing how lucky I am to not have to work like that for food I continued on through the woods. I made it about 100 yards away from the Pileated hole and noticed a huge nest in the crotch of a pretty tall Beech Tree. This was definitely the work of a hawk, however I saw no residents occupying it. I looked to my right and saw another hawk nest in a different beech tree! There is a potential for some good hawk sighting in that area which I will be sure to check back at. If nothing else, maybe an owl has taken over a nest and it was just roosting. I will go back one day closer to dusk and listen for a Great-Horned Owl. I continued on with my trek and came across a herd of White-Tailed Deer that were bedding down about fifty yards off the path and pretty close to someone's backyard. I have seen a lot of deer in that park, usually in pretty large packs, but never this many at once. I counted twelve! I tried to get closer to get a picture of them, however, when I got close enough they all stood up. The adults started to hiss at me and stomp its foot, telling me to get away. So, I snapped a quick picture and did just that.

There were more deer to the right of the picture totaling 12 

I pushed forward and continued to see beautiful things. The freshly snow-covered earth just amazed me with each step that I took. Perhaps it was the feeling of euphoria, finally back out into nature and not couped up in a house with a broken foot. On my way back to my car I saw a Pileated Woodpecker. I was not able to get my binoculars on it to tell if it was a male or female though- unfortunately. I hadn't seen it until it flew from the tree it was in. Once it started flying I never saw it stop. It vanished from my sight voicing its repetitive call the whole way. I also saw a Cooper's Hawk speed by me on its hunt. It was a good exiting walk out of the park, seeing two amazing birds - I can't wait until the next time that I get to go "out and about..."