Duck nuggets and pellets

I was at the Midwest Native Plant Conference today with some of our birds.

Invariably, someone asks, "Why have raptors at a native plant conference?"  I don't answer the question for them, I let them answer it themselves.
Put native plants in your yard.
This attracts lots of great insects and other animals who depend on the native plants.
Raptors and other predators come and eat the prey that is attracted to the insects, etc, that are attracted to the native plants.  And the balance is achieved.  Easy.


So enough about native plants for now. Let's get to the gravy of my day.  I'm going to keep the words short because frankly, the photos and video stand well on their own.

I set up by some doors that led to a courtyard.  Well, there were ducks.  A mama duck and BABY DUCKS.
Baby ducks are my Kryptonite.  This loud and obnoxious gal turns into sugary goo when baby ducks are involved.

Here they are:












And after all the squealing and melting was done, I went back inside, where Sylvester was trying to cast a pellet.
Check out the laughing in the background...this woman seems to be a little bit off-balance.
But anyway....pellet time:

Come meet the birds!

I'm doing a program at Pine Hill Lake Park for their Earth Day Expo tomorrow from 12:30 to 2:00 pm.
Come on by and meet our birds!

East of nowhere, with lots going on

Here I sit, in beautiful rural Adams County Ohio. Tomorrow morning is the Adams County Bird Symposium, and a tradition of mine is to come out the night before and get a nice quiet hotel room. The birds sleep in their carriers and I get to sleep in a bed by myself.
Another tradition is the "Open Curtains". The first year I came out here, I took a picture of my tiny hotel room, and Swami, my ever-vigilant father-in-law commented on the curtains.
I took a picture last year, too.

This year, I continue the tradition:



(I'm on the second floor, just as I always am. Nothing out there to peer in, except....)

While unloading my car, I heard some killdeer. And some spring peepers. Then some sounds that I have only heard on bird websites...WOODCOCKS!
(Whistling and 'peenting', the males show their stuff to the females as they perform aerial displays. )
This video didn't pick up a lot of 'peents' but if you listen closely, you might be able to hear some of the whistles and a few peents:



From what I have read, the dusk displays last about 30-40 minutes, while the dawn displays can last for an hour. Maybe I will get up early and listen for them. Or maybe I won't.

It's quiet out there now. I guess they are all having sex down in the mud.

The Great Outdoor Weekend 2008

Okay, dudes. You need something to do this weekend.
(Well, Mary will be stuck in her house watching the rain due to gas shortages, so get out there for her!)

If you are in the Cincinnati area, do yourself a favor and get out to one of our fantastic parks for free...get your kids involved in a nature-related craft or a nice long nature walk.

If birds of prey are your thing (or even if they're not) come see me at the Cincinnati Nature Center tomorrow (Saturday) from 12 pm- 4 pm. A display of some of our education birds and my charming persona will be there to titillate your senses. The barn owl may make an appearance and he is quite the show-stopper!

Last year's program...click here.

And just like last year, RAPTOR, Inc. will have a Member's picnic at our new property, complete with S'mores and a roaring bonfire.

P.S. If you have been trying to reach my on my cell phone for the past 2 weeks, it has been in Hilton Head with the newlyweds. Long story.

"Idiot. Who lets their cellphone go on someone else's honeymoon?"

Girls, girls, girls...

Last night's program went swimmingly, and the Powerpoint slideshow was stellar!
Thanks to all of you who sent in photos...they were a hit!

I talked for 2 hours about owls...what they look like, what they eat, where they live, how they see and hear. Man, I would love to be an owl for just 5 minutes.

This was an informal setting, so instead of a captive audience, people came and went. But some folks seemed to be there the entire 2 hours!

The highlight of my evening...well, two:
Cute Little Girl #1: (about 8 years old) Asked me about a hundred questions (good questions, too). Later, after I told her grandmother that we had a budding naturalist on our hands, Cute Little Girl said to me, "When I grow up, I want to do what you do."
*insert Susan's eyes tearing up*
I told her that when she is old enough, we will be waiting for her and we will put her to work.

Cute Little Girls #2 and 3: (about 12 years old) Thanked me for "such an interesting educational program" (That's what they said!) And then asked if they could HUG me.
*insert Susan's eyes tearing up a little more*

Know what the boys in the front row were doing? Laughing loudly and making fart noises.
I've had girls come up to me after programs wanting more information, and I can clearly see the passion and desire for knowledge in their sweet glowing faces. And it just slays me every time.
Here's the post when a young lady made my day with her thoughts on the war between the sexes.
Now, don't get me wrong...men have their place. But history has put men (and boys) in all places at the exclusion of girls and women. That is changing, thank goodness, but for some reason there are still stereotypes. It thrills me to no end to speak to a crowd and see girls making connections, asking questions, getting really into the program.

I think this post was in part inspired by me seeing Mamma Mia today. (Our 8th wedding anniversary is on Sept. 9 and this was the only day we could go out and be alone.) If you haven't seen it, do yourself a favor and go. A great flick to see with your best girl friends (or a showtune loving husband).
There's a scene with the song "Dancing Queen" and all the women on the island joining in. Made me really really look forward to Cape May next month and West Virginia in April.
So, girls....shall we sing "Waterloo" on the porch?

Need something to do this weekend?

Sure, there are picnics to be had, grills to fire up one last time, fireworks to "ooh and ahh" over.

But if you are looking for something different to do this Labor Day weekend, come and visit some of the lovely Hamilton County Parks.
Every Labor Day weekend, the Parks and RAPTOR, Inc. team up to give three days of birds of prey presentations. The Parks bring some of their birds, we bring some of ours. No repeats!

: )
Saturday: Mitchell Memorial Forest, 12 pm-4 pm (I will be there!)

Sunday: Shawnee Lookout, 12 pm-4 pm (Marc and Cindy will be doing this one)

Monday: Farbach-Werner, 12 pm-4 pm (I will be there, too!)


Come take a walk in a shady forest, meet some of our birds and learn more about these fantastic creatures.
I think the coolest thing ever would be for someone I've never heard of, to come up to me and whisper, "I read your blog."