Purple Martins at Slate Run

Two pairs of Purple Martins- The males are midnight blue, the females are much more drab.

It had been a while since we last visited the historical farm at Slate Run Metropark.  Sometime since, several purple martin trees had been installed.  Our largest swallow nests almost exclusively in artificial nest structures in the east, while in the western part of their range, they nest in abandoned woodpecker holes.

It's been nearly a decade since I've photographed this species- the last opportunity came on North Bass Island before I had any decent telephoto lens capability.  Although the light was fairly atrocious on this day, I managed to capture a few images I liked.

What I noticed about the martins is just how large they are.  They forage quite high in the air, and even when viewed from a distance, they're noticeably bulky.  If I hadn't known they were around, it probably would have taken me a while to figure out what they were from their in-flight silhouettes alone.  Viewing my photographs after the fact, it's easy to see the blue colors of the males, but through the binoculars, I was pretty much only seeing their outline.

-Tom

Barn Swallows

I don't believe this male barn swallow realized that it was Mother's day yesterday.  If he did, he wouldn't be scolding her like this.  At least that's what he appears to be doing.  Maybe he's just trying to impress her with his wide gape?

Slate Run Metropark, just south of Canal Winchester, is really a great place to photograph barn swallows.  They nest in the big red barn, and they're quite used to people.  Wait long enough, and they're sure to perch on the fence rails just behind the barn. Fair warning, however- if the wind is blowing just right, you may be standing directly in the path of the malodorous pig pen!

-Tom

Slate Run Historical Farm

The Columbus Metroparks' Slate Run Historical Farm is a gem of the Columbus area.  It's close enough to the city to not be too far away, but distant enough that you feel like you're in another world.  An 1880's world. It's one of our favorite places to visit.  If you go now, you'll see a bunch of baby lambs- they were certainly the highlight of this trip.

-Tom

Slate Run Historical Farm Megapost

We always enjoy a trip to the Slate Run Historical Farm.  Thank you Columbus Metroparks.

-Tom

Barn Swallows

Today Megan, Weston and I traveled to Slate Run Metropark, one of our favorite haunts in central Ohio.  I decided to bring the big heavy lens along, and I was glad that I did. Yesterday, I saw my first barn swallows of 2010, and today, I was able to photograph them.  They really are amazing birds to watch- they whipped around the hay fields and in and out of the doors of the pig barn.  And when I was standing in the doorway, unknowingly blocking access to their nest they really let me know it.  A quick step to the side and I had barn swallows whooshing by at eye level.  This individual is resting after all of that work.

Tom

A Photographic Journey to and through Slate Run

A few mile west of the park entrance, we came across this lovely field of dairy cows. This even brought Megan's camera out. She loves cows.


And then it was on to the park, first a trip through wetlands, then fields, and to the farm, and back again.

This week's Sky Watch Friday Image

Travel to Slate Run Metropark

Although I am tempted to save this image for this week's sky watch, I couldn't resist using it to kick off a series of posts on our adventure to one of our favorite central Ohio Metroparks, Slate Run, near Canal Winchester. We typically park at the wetland area, and then hike to the historical farm. Here we are hiking up towards the high ground, from which you can observe constructed wetlands that zoom with dragonflies. In the meadows here, Metroparks has planted native Ohio prairie species, which are just starting to bloom. Only a quick 30 minute drive, this park is our quick escape out of the city and into the country. Kudos to MetroParks. Tomorrow, we'll take a closer look at some of the prairie forbs that grow in this meadow area.

Tom

Sky Watch Friday- An Autumn Afternoon in Ohio

Megan and I came across this magnificent sky during a hike at Slate Run Metropark, October 21, 2007, near Canal Winchester, Ohio.

For more about Sky Watch, visit Wiggers World (Wigger is not a racial reference by the way!)

The Wheel Bug, one of Nature's Assassins

This past Sunday, as Megan and I were walking along a lichen covered split rail fence at the Slate Run Farm, we encountered this rather nasty looking bug. It turns out that it was a member of the assassin bug family. A quick look in the Kaufman Field Guide to Insects of North America led me to the Wheel Bug, Arilus cristatus.

There are two interesting things about this insect besides in huge size (Its body alone was about an inch long, and it holds itself quite off the ground). First is that really interesting comblike projection on its thorax. I'm guessing that is where the scientific name cristata comes from, since cristata is Latin for crest or comb. Thank you University of Notre Dame Latin Dictionary and Grammar Aid. You may recognize this root from scientific plant names like Carex cristatella or even Iris cristata.



The second extremely interesting part of this creature is that long beak or needle like projection extending backward underneath its head and neck. In the Kaufman guide, it says that assassin bugs can use this to inflict excruciatingly painful defensive bites! Fortunately, I was spared. An interesting bug indeed.

Tom

Autumn

The weather this past weekend was awesome. I had hoped to get a few pictures up sooner, but I had a little camera card mishap (thanks to Google Picassa) and spent most of last night recovering about 200 raw photo files. Fortunately, I was able to get all the images off the card thanks to Zero Assumption Digital Image Recovery.

So here goes. A sampling of fall color from central Ohio: