26 July 2018 Watching Hummingbirds

Every year we try to set aside time to visit Smith and Bigelow Cemeteries. We missed them last year as I worked through a super busy year at the office. These small spots of prairies are protected lands in central Ohio and have large stands of prairie wildflowers. We came here years ago to see the cemeteries and the wildflowers. Now each year's journey is at least as much focused on our best chance to see gathering of hummingbirds at Bigelow. We planned for a longer weekend to relax a bit and hike in a different area. We started our day in Marion County hoping to reach fifty finds in the county. It wasn't to be today. We had a few finds and enjoyed some wildlife sightings before moving southwest.

This goldfinch and a gew others were feasting on the flower seeds.

Our first prairie stop is always Smith Cemetery.

Bigelow Cemetery has great wilflowers including royal catchfly and prairie dock, but it really has hummingbirds. They gravitate to the flower selections. They buzz madly around searching for the perfect nectar and looking to chase away their fellow hummingbirds. It's like a miniature aerial dogfight carried out each day over the cemetery. This year was one of the best for numbers of hummingbirds and the opportunity to view them.