Scott Carpenter

Geese being geese - rowdy and dramatic.

Seasonal divide. Lake Erie beach Saturday morning, the last day of meteorological winter. - Magee Marsh Wildlife Area

The Indians say that the blackbird
Was flying too close to the sun
And the bright burning flames changed his wings and his name
To remind him how far he had come

- "Red Winged Blackbird" by Dr. Hook

The Indians say that the blackbird
Was flying too close to the sun
And the bright burning flames changed his wings and his name
To remind him how far he had come

- "Red Winged Blackbird" by Dr. Hook

Metroparks Meetup: Photo Arts Club of Toledo’s annual photo contest They say a picture is worth a thousand words and starting this weekend at the Secor Center, there will be plenty to talk about.

The free exhibit opens Saturday at Secor Metropark.

www.13abc.com/2026/02/26/m...

Great blue herons are making their way back to northwest Ohio as more open water is available on local streams and marshes. This bird was fishing the Maumee River last week. - Side Cut Metropark

Trumpeter swan flyover a few weeks ago at Howard Marsh Metropark.

A pair of noisy Canada geese fly through the fog over the Maumee River Monday morning. - Side Cut Metropark

Golden hour with a little lingering fog on the Maumee River Monday morning. - Side Cut Metropark

I finally caught up to a pileated woodpecker – my nemesis bird – at Secor today. He hung around awhile and wasn’t bothered by me or the kids at a nearby playground.

Looking back on the winter landscape before the snow melts away. It's been fun. Now, on to spring.

It was a nice morning for a walk along the river.

A runner crosses the bridge at Silver Lake yesterday morning. - Side Cut Metropark

Another batch of winter birds. Robin downtown, blue jay at Secor Metropark, mourning dove and Northern flicker at Cullen Park in Point Place.

Ice fishermen head out onto frozen Maumee Bay this morning. The guy in the pickup truck goaded me into driving on the ice, but I said, I'd take pictures of him instead. He promptly got stuck. It was awkward.

More winter birds from a very active Window on Wildlife today, including Mr. and Mrs. Cardinal. - Secor Metropark

Winter birds. From the last two weeks.

Walking in a winter Wildwood wonderland. Yesterday morning.

Preschoolers learned about groundhogs and other members of the squirrel family, sang, played games and went on a snowy nature walk in search of Wildwood Willie, who did not see his shadow on this cloudy Groundhog Day.

A sneaky red fox at Metzger Marsh last month.

Snowy scenes at Wildwood Preserve Metropark earlier this week.

I didn't go out in the cold looking for pigeons, but that's what I found. This flock was hanging around open water on the Maumee River, just downstream from the I-475 bridge. - Side Cut Metropark

Toledo Botanical Garden with fresh snow this morning.

Middlegrounds, Pearson and Glass City Metroparks during the snow this morning.

Critters in the snow this morning.

Participants in the Frozen 5K braved subzero windchills yesterday to ice skate on The Ribbon. They raised $11,000 for the Scott Hamilton CARES Foundation and Nationwide Children's Hospital-Toledo. - Glass City Metropark

Snow blowing from a field Monday along Elliston Road between Jerusalem and Williston roads.

Taking pictures at the Oaks this morning, I didn’t realize it was Squirrel Appreciation Day, but this varmint apparently knew what day it was. - Oak Openings Preserve Metropark

What an awesome experience to have this eagle fly so close overhead yesterday afternoon on the beach at Maumee Bay. It was officially 12 degrees, wind chill -5, and even colder on the lakeshore, but it was worth it.