Darters and avian rarities

I saw a lot of our great state of Ohio this weekend (as etched out by the red line). On Saturday, I visited one of my favorite places, the vast Edge of Appalachia Preserve in Adams County. I was invited to participate in a field trip hosted by Josh Knights, director of The Nature Conservancy, and he, TNC'er Briana Walsh, and I led some Edge supporters through the wonders of Abner Hollow.

An impossibly colored male Rainbow Darter stares slack-jawed at your narrator.

This morning, I met three of the most knowledgeable aquatic ecologists you'll ever cross paths with at Little Darby Creek in southwest Franklin County. I'll tell that tale, with plenty of pictures, soon. After our highly successful fishing expedition, I headed north to Huron on Lake Erie. A very rare (in Ohio) Scissor-tailed Flycatcher has been frequenting a golf course there for several days. I saw it and basked in the bird's presence for several hours, and got plenty of photos. More on that tomorrow.

In all, I covered about 500 miles this weekend, from the Ohio River to Lake Erie, and took well over 1,000 images in the process. I look forward to sharing some with you as soon as I can sort them all out.