The Hits Just Keep on Comin'

Kimberly Kaufman (in green) and her support staff following a morning in the marsh; July 20, 2017

One steamy summer morning this past July, I had the privilege of guiding a handful of staff members and a handful of board members and volunteers from the Black Swamp Bird Observatory (BSBO) along portions of our interior dike system to take in the sites and sounds and to talk conservation and restoration. I say "portions" of the marsh because for those of you who are or who know birders, you can appreciate that tours tend to move at their own (slow) walking pace!

I really enjoyed our time together. It is always fun to see a group taken aback by a solitary bald eagle resting at close range on the dike. I got a real kick out of watching synchronized binoculars race to catch up with a young sandpiper scurrying across the path and hearing the collective "ooohhh!" as a black-crowned night heron banked overhead. Even though we didn't see anything especially "rare" -- particularly to a group of seasoned bird watchers -- everything seemed to be enthusiastically perceived as special.

The morning was particularly special for me and for Standing Rush. Of course, I loved the time together on the tour. But as the sun gained height and intensity, and as we sought refuge in the shade of some towering cottonwood trees before going our separate ways, BSBO's Executive Director Kimberly Kaufman made an informal presentation of sorts that really left me humbled.

This BSBO thank you note from our July field trip together
sits on my office window sill as a reminder and motivation

I've come to learn that $5 of every online registration for BSBO's stunning Biggest Week in American Birding is pooled into a collective "conservation fund." And each year the staff, board, and supporting committees vote on recipients to be stewards of these funds. Under the shade of those quaking leaves, Kim announced to me and to the group that Standing Rush would be this year's unanimous and sole recipient.

To say that I was (and am) flattered would be a gross understatement. It was a surreal moment in the life of this project -- and a tough secret to keep until Kim could make this announcement public.

Kim presenting me with an unrestricted gift of $8,000
to be used for on-the-ground restoration efforts
at Standing Rush

My wife and I were again flattered, this time as guests of BSBO's 25th anniversary gathering this past Saturday evening at Maumee Bay State Park. A packed tent braved crisp autumn temps to take in this historic milestone for the non-profit and to hear Kim's remarks (which she echoed in her notes that prefaced the organization's recently released newsletter, see page 2).

We were truly honored to be a part of the night. And I appreciated the opportunity (1) to tell all those in attendance that each dollar of their collective gift would be put to good use -- and (2) to reciprocate a thank you!

ASIDE: As another incredible example of the serendipity of this project, I recently found that all of our unanticipated costs incurred because of challenges associated with this year's historically high water (dike damage, extra water conveyance, etc.) ultimately tallied to a now familiar dollar amount: $8,000. (See photo at right.) Unbelievable.

P.S. Whether you are a birder or not, if you have an interest in or passion for the environment, do yourself a favor and learn more about BSBO -- maybe even consider becoming a member. While birds reign supreme, there is a lot more to their organization than beaks and feathers!

Speaking of Visitors . . . More Tours, More Fun

Independent of weather, I literally always enjoy driving the dikes in the Mule; but when it's 74º F with low humidity and a breeze off the Bay . . . well in my world, it's hard to get much better

An unusually moderate August with afternoon highs in the 80s (or even 70s) rather than 90s with lower than typical humidity have lead to some good touring conditions. A handful of my older nieces were nice enough to make the trek out almost two weeks ago. Where does the time go? . . .  I'm just catching up with the photos.

The weather was ideal, and we had a really nice morning together. True to form, my niece Ellen is always behind the camera, so she isn't pictured. But I'm planning to share some of her really solid photos from our outing in a subsequent post. I've watermarked the photos above and below as ours, but truth be told, she should be credited. Thanks, El! And thanks again to all of you guys for spending a morning on the marsh!

Four of my oldest nieces taking in some of the finer points of marsh management; they really asked some good questions over the few hours we spent together -- raised right! (not that I'm biased)

We took advantage of more perfect late summer weather this past weekend, and finally checked off a "bucket list" bullet of our own (see previous post). Jenny and I were excited to host our neighbors and great friends for a driving/walking tour and maybe more importantly (for our respective 9-year olds) frog hunt. Our Anderson has been wanting to get his best friend out to the property for . . . well, since we took possession of it. With ten kids between the two families, timing has been a challenge to say the least. But we finally made it . . . with seven of the ten kids, at least!

The 4-wheeler got a workout at times, but the kids ended up really having fun chasing leopard frogs in the tall grass of the dike fringes. Sometimes the little guys marched ahead and other times they lagged behind, but either way, their hand nets were busy chasing leapers and fliers.

I always wish we could find a way to bug these conversations; it would be so fun to know what is being said between the distraction of a jumping frog, slithering snake, or buzzing dragonfly

Success can come in small packages

Eagles and waders were characteristically plentiful during our drive. Blackbird numbers continue to build. We got good looks at a handful of trumpeter swans and probably flushed 100-150 ducks (by far the most I've seen since spring). Most were in last year's millet to begin with, but we had fun watching them bounce back and forth between the Rest Pond and the main West Marsh. I would say 75% were wood ducks and most of the rest were mallards. I did see a few small groups (6-10) of green-winged teal. The fall migration is coming! More on that soon.

Sunday's stop at the marsh was bookended by a dip in Lake Erie (at the beach at East Harbor State Park) and dinner on Cold Creek. The kids slept well that night. The adults are still recovering. Fun stuff.