Natural Play Area - Highbanks Metropark

We had fun!  Thank you Columbus Metroparks for creating fun and free places for families to explore.

-Tom

Exploring Nature at Highbanks Metropark

Bald Eagles at Highbanks Metropark

Attending the nest

This past Sunday, March  19th, I spent almost two hours observing the bald eagles at Highbanks Metropark.  If you'd like to see them, I detail all that you need in this post.  Yes, the eagles are far away, but from the platform at highbanks they can easily be observed with a good pair of binoculars.  All it takes is a little bit of patience.

When I first arrived, the was little activity at the nest.  In fact, I wasn't able to tell if an eagle was even in the nest.  After a few test shots, I finally did see a white head and a yellow bill resting on the edge of the sticks.  About a half hour later, the eagle in the nest emerged.

The nest sits atop the branches of a tall sycamore tree above the Olentangy River

Both the male and female eagles incubate the eggs, and at various times during the day, they switch duty.  When I first arrived, only one eagle was in the area, but after about an hour, this bird flew up the river corridor from the south and alighted high above the riverbank.  By this time, a small crowd had gathered at the platform, and we were ready for some eagle action- they didn't disappoint.

High above the Olentangy

This eagle was hungry- it wasn't long before it started diving down towards the river, and then flying back up into the trees with sustenance.

Can I capture a meal?

Yes, I often think of bald eagles as eating carrion, but this one appeared to capture fish right out of the river- It's possible the fish were already dead, stunned gizzard shad from the recent flooding. 

Gizzard shad perhaps?

 Whatever the fish was or how the eagle captured it, it was quite thrilling to watch an eagle obtaining prey above the Olentangy, in the middle of Central Ohio.

Let's eat.

Although I had to rush back home to help with the kids, I left with a smile on my face after watching our national's symbol soaring around Central Ohio.

If you would like to see the eagles at Highbanks, I have posted details here.

Tom

Highbanks Metropark Bald Eagles 2011

Highbanks Overlook- March 20, 2011-  Click on image for a MUCH larger photograph.

The bald eagles are once again nesting at Highbanks Metropark, and it is quite a place to visit.  By far, the most popular page on my blog the past year has been last year's posting about the highbanks bald eagles.

The eagles have apparently built a new nest.  If you click on the image above, I've drawn an arrow that points at a dark spot that is the nest.  Although the overlook is really far away, the eagles fly up and down the corridor of the Olentangy River and they can be seen with the naked eye.  To see them in the nest, however, you really need to have a good spotting scope.  On weekend afternoons, metroparks volunteers are often setup with a spotting scope aimed right at the nest.  Take a look at their Facebook page for more updates on the eagles and when the volunteers will be staffing the overlook platform.

To get to the platform, drive into highbanks, and turn left at the first picnic area.  Drive through the picnic areas until you get to the last small parking lot on the left.  Park.  While facing the woods, you'll want to take the trail that heads to the left.  Metroparks has done the work for you after that- they've placed very nice signs that lead you back to the overlook.  Here's a map.  The walk is about a mile through the woods and up and down hills, but the path is solid crushed limestone, doable even with a jogging stroller.  If you can't find it or have questions, just check in at the nature center. 

And finally, I think one of the biggest questions I've heard about this nest is the web camera.  It is NOT up and running yet, but hopefully it will be soon.  I know it will be extremely popular.

If you can, get out to Highbanks and check out the eagles.  This past Sunday I watched them attend the nest, soar up the valley of the Olentangy, perch high in the trees, and dive down twice into the river to catch and eat fish.  More on that, including photos, will be coming soon.  It was awesome.

Tom

And the Challenge Continues! Metroparks Challenge #7

Mom! I lost my shoe!

Last fall, you might remember that Megan, Weston and I had set out to visit all of the central Ohio Metroparks before the snow fell- we titled it our "Metroparks Challenge". We set our goals high- and we simply didn't meet it in the time allowed. That doesn't mean we have given up on the goal! Last week, we went to Highbanks Metropark, located about 2 miles north of our home, for a quick walk around the dog friendly trail, which led us through young woods and old farm fields.

In one of the fields is a prehistoric earthwork, often known as an "indian mound". There are several other interesting earthworks at Highbanks Park.

One of the reasons we chose this particular trail was the opportunity to see birds we had not yet encountered in 2010- birds that frequent open fields and similar habitats. The trail didn't disappoint. We first heard this field sparrow with its dropping ping-pong ball call, and after several minutes of scanning the field, I spotted its pink bill through the binoculars.

And finally, just before we arrived back to the parking lot, we spotted a pair of eastern bluebirds. The female is pictured above.

The lack of posts this week was with reason- I've been busy working at something, something that I'm extremely excited about, which I'll soon announce here.

Tom

Highbanks Metropark Bald Eagle Nest

There's nothing that brings the people out like a bald eagle, and these two birds are doing just that at Highbanks Metropark.  We here in landlocked central Ohio have been gaining more eagles and nests over the years, but they are still quite a rare sight.  And now, there is a nest about two miles north of our home, high above the Olentangy River in a sycamore tree.  I might also add that this nest is over a section of the river that is an officially dedicated State Scenic River, and a part of the Ed Hutchins State Nature Preserve.  It is protection efforts like these that allow eagles to find a home at highbanks away from the hustle and bustle of a rapidly developing southern Delaware county.

If you go to see the eagles nest, bring your binoculars.   The birds are about 350 yards from the overlook deck. If you're there on the weekend, most likely a metroparks volunteer will have a spotting scope aimed right at the nest.  Be prepared to walk about a mile and a quarter back to the overlook deck, which is located at the extreme southern end of the park.  Here's a great map-  you just have to get yourself to the overlook deck.

Friends, keep your fingers crossed, and hope for a successful hatch.

UPDATE- 5/9/2010

In their May electronic newsletter, Metroparks is reporting that two eaglets were confirmed at the Highbanks Nest.  Yes!  A successful hatch!  Since the leaves are out now, the nest is NO LONGER VIEWABLE from the platform- the overlook deck that I mentioned above.  Volunteers have stopped staffing this area.  This doesn't mean, however, that the adult eagles can't be observed flying high above the park.

In great other news, metroparks has also confirmed the presence of one eaglet in a nest at Three Creeks Metropark.  This nest is not viewable from a public area.

Cheers and Happy Eagle watching,

Tom

Northern Cardinals like Maple Sap Too

From Blendon Woods-  This image wraps up my Blendon Woods series.  If the weather holds, Megan, Weston and I are going to go to Highbanks Metropark to see if we can spot the brand new bald eagle nest, and hopefully bring back a few photos.

And if you haven't been there already, check out my Tom Arbour Photography blog. This is where I post my best images at large sizes.

Tom

My First T.V. Interview- Gypsy Moths at Highbanks Metropark Revisited

Well, this video pretty much tells it all. Thanks to our local Metropark District and Peg Hanley, whom happened to see my writeup of the Gypsy Moth infestation at Highbanks Metropark, The Ohio Nature Blog and I were featured last evening on our local T.V. Station. Ben Gelber, a fine meteorologist with Channel 4, does environmental stories- stories that typically don't get airtime on the local news.

Anyways, this all happened very fast, and I was pretty nervous and excited all at the same time. I think the video footage from June really added to the story, since quite a bit of the forest has started to leaf out once again, plus, the defoliation is best appreciated on a sunny day. Yesterday was gray and rainy.

Here's the the footage that I took that was featured on Channel 4:



The bottom line here? What we nature bloggers do is really important- In the past week, two stories have made it to the mainstream central Ohio media. First it was Pinky, then this story about the gypsy moth defoliation at Highbanks Metropark. Thanks Ben for taking an interest in environmental news and bringing it to the mainstream.

Tom

Gypsy Moths at Highbanks Metro Park

Spring in late June???

A unsolicited, rather interesting comment appeared on my blog several weeks ago, completely unrelated to the post subject on Carex.

"Just thought you might know about Highbanks Metro Park. I was walking there today and noticed that a few acres near the top paths across from the nature center seem to have lost all of their leaves. Have you seen this and do you know what is going on there? All the trees are bald in that section of the trail."

My reply: "Maybe Gypsy Moths?"

Well, surely, an outbreak of the non-native gypsy moths, have defoliated at least ten, if not closer to forty, acres of oak dominated forest southwest of the nature center.
On Saturday, June 27, Megan, Weston and I went to hike at Highbanks, and I wasn't quite ready for what we experienced. Megan perhaps described it best, as "a fairy land". We were walking through dark, shaded forest, slowly coming upon the defoliated tree area. We were greeted with not only bright sun and mostly naked trees, but also thousands of fluttering male gypsy moths. They weren't shy either, and had no problem landing on me as I photographed them.

A male gypsy moth

Female gypsy moths, flightless, with eggs

The ultimately gross pupae cases of the moths. Notice the silk- they were originally imported to Massachusetts for their silk producing abilities, escaped, and the rest is history.

A few ash trees were spared- the maples and oaks were not.

The park now has excellent signage that tells the whole story. Regular runners and hikers at the park seem unfazed by the creepiness that is a gypsy moth infestation. Next year, the park will be using GypCheck to limit damage. GypCheck is actually made from dead gypsy moths, and is currently the most environmentally friendly control method available.

Tom