Loop Island (Thanks Steve, Ann & Rosie)

After a tip from the kind folks over at Diggin in the Dirt, we ventured down to Loop Island wetlands Sunday Morning, and it was definately worth it:

Humming Bird By Charity

Double Crested Cormorant taking off

Great Egret Flying

"Shore Party!"

Great Egrets, Blue-winged teal, Great Blue Herons, and Hen Mallards

Killdeer

Fall is here....

By far my favorite season! I would suggest to the few followers of this blog to take the time to get out there in the world, and you don't have to drive far to experience some of the best mother nature has to offer....

And sometimes, more often than it should happen, we get not so subtle reminders that we are but stewards of this amazing world, it does not belong to us, we only borrow it from our children and the animals which live here with us, and we are NOT doing a very good job....

" Do I leave Animal Carcasses in your living room?"

Other blogs have covered the damage of the windstorm rather well, and I too, had made the tour with camera in hand, but this I absolutely loved. A lot of people know about the herd of deer at the radio towers on grant line road (if you dont, all you have to do is drive by right before the sun goes down, and usually you can three to eight deer, bucks, does, and yearlings)

This particular group of deer pictured above can be found in the early morning hours on Coes Lane, just off of Charlestown road. I have never seen them after 7:30am, but have seen them more often than not if I drive down Coes lane before 7:15. Look for them on the left side of the road if you are driving away from Charlestown road just before the first bend in the road.

Another scene, which of course, I did not have my camera for this morning were three raptors all in a row, lined up from big to small, a red tailed hawk, a red shoulder hawk, and an American Kestral. Reminded me of one of those commercials "more bars in more places".

Hope the clean up is going well for everyone, and please try and help out a neighbor!!

Every Cloud...Er wind has a silver lining

5 large grills filling the electric free air with the wafting aroma of steak, burgers, BBQ chicken, sausage, hamburgers and dogs....
Children laughing and playing, adults talking and relaxing, and EATING like there was no tomorrow.
From about 5pm to late into the night that was the scene here in the neighborhood. The meat from freezers that was about to be lost was lined up, seasoned, and slapped on charcoal and gas grills, before too long, what started off as a way to be able to keep the meat a little longer should the power not come back on, turned into a no-electric post hurricane winds, block party.
After the trees blocking the street were cleared, and the fireworks provided by the exploding transformers had banged its last bang, it was time to relax, and what the hell, there was no TVs with the exception of two small battery powered TVs, a battery powered radio.
What could have been a total disaster, at least in this neighborhood turned into something good. Connections were made, dialogs were started, and a few running problems were solved over paper plates full of steaks and hot dogs.
By the time the last chunk of cow came off the grill, and no one could possibly eat anymore, everyone was relaxed, and ready for bed. At least if nothing else, it knocked quite a few hours out of what was to be a long and VERY dark, and eerily quiet night. Some of the neighbors hung outside until about 2am or a little later, and when the sun came up, we were all back out there helping each other clean up.....
Its just a shame it took a storm like this to bring this neighborhood back together, but at least it happened....

St. Mary of the Annunciation

Built in 1853, it would appear that the remnants of Hurricaine Ike has severely damaged one of New Albanys most beautiful churches, the steeple as of monday at 2:30 was being held up by a pair of cranes and was leaning badly towards 8th street.
For more information on the church: http://www.stmarysna.org/index.html

First Real Day Out In A While

Its been a little while since I could go out trekking around on foot for hours taking a hike with my camera, and the wait was rewarding today....

Photo #1 A Juvenile Osprey, one of Five currently hanging out at the falls of the Ohio.
A Black Vulture, one of hundreds who have been down there, this guy was nearly close enough to reach out and grab.
A double crested Cormorant Juvenile, one of a pair who was swimming and flying around. Usually these guys are extremely wary of people and do not often get close enough for a good shot.
My all time favorite "shore bird", the green heron, he and I ended up playing a game of Hide and Seek, he decided if he hid in a cherry tree I would not be able to find him.
One of the neatest things I have seen in a long time, this wood spider was trudging her brood of young across the fossil beds of the Falls of the Ohio. Every time she would stop dozens of baby spiders would crawl off of her back and scurry around, when it was time to move on, they would all climb on her back and she would run off, I watched her do this for about 25 yards.