20 May 2022 Walking the Tanbark Trail

 We always set aside a day in May to take a short hike on the Tanbark Trail.  This section of the Tanbark is filled with painted trilliums, other wildflowers and occasionally a few birds that I actually see.

Starflower twins

One of the many painted trilliums

It's too early for oxalis to bloom, but there were plenty of plants.

Clintonia was gathered on the top of a tall rock face.  There were no spikes visible signaling potential future blooms.

Rose-twisted stalk was in bloom at the top of a tall upright rock.  We had missed this plant for years until another couple pointed it out.

Ali spotted large-flowered bellwort.

Indian Cucumber Root getting ready to blossom.

Fringed Polygala

16 May 2022 Gressard Lake Park

Gressard Lake Park was a new park for me to visit this evening.  I was hoping for a nice walk and a couple geocaches.  I wasn't expecting many yellow warblers.  It is a super place to walk with a trail winding around the water.  I completed about two thirds of my walk before the rains started.  It was a quick run back.

15 May 2022 Another Day in PA

 It was a perfect day for chores and walking the property with the dogs.  The evening brought an exceptional moon.

14 May 2022 Spotting a Scarlett Tanager

We were happily surprised on a trail walk at our place to spot a scarlett tanager busy at a nest.

Spring wildflowers were blooming nicely and salamanders were in view along the trail.

12 May 2022 Walking an Old Golf Course

As old golf courses fade away many are being converted into parks. One of these old courses is near my office. I stopped this evening for a walk after leaving work. I was greeted near the start of the trail by a grackle.

A few mockingbirds could be heard in the trees along the trail. I was lucky to spot this one.

A small stream crosses the path of the old golf course. I stopped for an image of the quiet stream and noticed a couple mergansers on the water in the distance.

8 May 2022 More Spring to Enjoy

Spring was marching on so we were out on our trail to enjoy the sights of spring. We took Phineas and Lizzie on their normal trail walk. I was pulling invasive plants and noticed a few shell fossils in a rock. We don't have many fossil rocks so spotting one is always a treat.

Wild ginsing and ramps were visible on the trail while areas around the house were showing forget-me-nots in bloom.

One the way back to Ohio we stopped to enjoy the spring sights in an SGL while finding a few geocaches. There are a few gamelands where spotting a jumping mouse is possible. Today we spotted a couple. I missed both jumping, but captured an image of one.

7 May 2022 Spring in Pennsylvania

It's official. A pair of phoebes have moved into the nest in our downspout!

Trout Lilies are plentiful again this spring.

Our property has become a traveling spot for turkeys walking through.

Spring beauty indeed!

We closed our day with a walk at Irvine Flats and a surprise visit with a couple of friends sitting streamside to enjoy the birds. Warblers were plentiful.

6 May 2022 New York to Pennsylvania

I was headed home to Pennsylvania after aa work trip to New York. The weather was perfect for a stop at Allegany State Park. My first spot was at Red House Lake where a cormorant. There were also a few mergansers on the water.

I moved on to the eastern end of Quaker Lake hoping to spot an osprey. I was lucky and not only spotted one guarding the nest. The mate was on nest.

After watching the osprey for a bit, I moved on to a spot at the edge of the park. We had stopped here the last year to look for a cache, but passed by the hunt when we couldn't find a place to park. The area was crowded with an essentially single-lane road back. Today there was no one at this scenic area.

I found the cache quickly and was very happy to spend time enjoying the spring wildflowers.

After a pleasant stop at ASP I headed for Pennsylvania and home. My bird watching was not done for the day as I spotted a turkey at the house.