Wandering Wren Photography

09/04/2026

This is the second year that I have had a cardinal family raising babies in my back yard. They look like they are getting old enough to eat for themselves, but what do I know? LOL.

08/30/2026

Five miles and two hours later and this was all she wrote. I just have not had much luck lately finding birds. The barn owl was a lifer for me, so that made it all worth it. If you are interested in seeing the barn owl at Pickerington Ponds there is a parking lot within 1/4 mile of the viewing area. I would suggest you go near sunset. I plan to go back soon to see if we can see it come out, as we were there at 3 in the afternoon.

08/28/2026

My little girl, getting all plumped up for her long journey south. I sure will miss them!

08/27/2026

I've went out two days in a row birding and turned up almost nothing. I went to Scioto Trails yesterday and saw only Canada Geese and heard a Pee-wee and Goldfinch. Today I went to Seip Earthworks and saw only two Cedar Waxwings, a vulture, and three doves. I have never went there before and not seen red winged black birds or meadowlarks. I ran into another birder and she hypothesized that the birds are molting early so they are laying low. I did see lots of beautiful butterflies there.

08/25/2026

I have taken a lot of pictures of Great Blue Herons, but this is my favorite so far. This was at Deer Creek and he was just taking off from the shore.

08/23/2026

Herron Downs Fen is a 174 acre nature preserve on 159 just north of Chillicothe. Its just down the road from Kinnikinic Fen. As you walk down the trail you first walk along the solar field. The fence and solar panels are a great place to bird watch. I saw about 8 Eastern King birds, field and song sparrows, pee-wees, and phoebes using the fence as home base for insect catching. I also got a new lifer there, this Willow Flycatcher. Isn't it sweet?

08/23/2026

08/22/2026

Three days ago when I saw the swallow tailed kite I was at Deercreek State Park to see if I could spot two rare birds that had been hanging around. I was able to locate both of them. So I had three lifers and three rare finds that day. Here are a Black Backed Gull and Sabine's Gull that had been spending time on Deercreek Beach.

08/19/2026

A sharp fork of ink on a canvas of blue, A silhouette striking, entirely new ... So Monday August 18 I got up early and headed to Deercreek State Park to try to catch a glimpse of the black backed gull and Sabine's gull. This would be my last chance for awhile because I had to start back to school today. I located both on the beach (I will post those pictures another time) and decided to visit the marina and then the Wildlife Area on down the road. I arrived at the Wildlife Area on County Road 58 just north of Pencoastburg around 8:30 am to find the gate locked due to flooding. I parked by the gate and walked down the road. The sun was just at eye level and very bright so I was having trouble seeing when a large white bird flew from near the water on my left, over my head, and then on past the trees on my right. I thought it was an osprey and clicked a couple photos. I walked on down to the osprey platform, another osprey flew over and I also saw a green heron and a couple great blues. I headed home. I had a busy day so I didn't get to pull up my pictures until later that evening. When I opened this picture I shouted out loud. I couldn't believe it, it wasn't an osprey, it was a swallow tailed kite! I wish the sun hadn't been right in my eyes and I wish I had known at the time what I had seen. My daughter stopped down there this morning and did not see the bird anywhere. I really think this was a case of post breeding dispersal and I was in the right place at the right time. It is a gorgeous bird!