SW Ohio – Page 4 – D. Brent Miller

March 22, 2023

We Have an Eagle Hatch

Previously, I wrote about how mesmerizing it was to watch the eagles now that they are back in our area. And of course, a big thanks goes to the Little Miami Conservancy for the Eagle Cam.

The pair of eagles, named Baker and Bette, have been judiciously nesting a pair of eggs, and now, the first one has hatched. Of course, this happens on the first day of Spring. What could be a better sign of Spring than a new eagle chick. Small, still weak and uncoordinated, the chick depends upon the parents for food, and it comes quickly.

We are so fortunate to be able to watch the eagles. Yes, it is mesmerizing, and now everyone is waiting for chick #2. It is hard to see, but there appears to be a small crack in the egg from the inside out! Will we see #2 today? Tomorrow?

UPDATE: The second egg hatched today at 12:22 p.m. The screenshot is a little fuzzy, but here it is. The chick is climbing out of the egg just to the right of the first chick.

You can follow along at the Little Miami Conservancy Eagle Cam and watch for yourself.

A very big thank you goes to the Little Miami Conservancy for providing the eagle cam and sharing this remarkable event with all of us.

See you on the highway… or maybe as we gather ‘round the screen to watch a beautiful piece of nature.

Brent

February 15, 2023

Eagle Cam is Mesmerizing

Last year, Lin and I were mesmerized by an eagle camera near our home. A little over one mile away, as the eagle flies, the Little Miami Conservancy installed a camera above an eagle nest. From Winter into Spring, we watched a pair of eagles build up the nest, lay two eggs, watched them hatch, and raise the two eaglets until they fledged and disappeared on their own journey.

And now, the eagles are back. The camera is live. And, one egg was laid on Feb. 11, and a second egg laid on Valentine’s Day … captured on camera of course. It’s fascinating. Mesmerizing.

We live in a world where cameras are everywhere. We carry them in our pocket. Not much escapes the scrutiny of a camera somewhere, including our front doors. It’s like a George Orwellian fiction come true.

But, if you are interested in a mesmerizing view of nature, take a look at the You Tube live camera of the Little Miami Conservancy, and the wonder of the eagles.

See you on the highway. Don’t forget your camera.

Brent

January 18, 2023

Rediscovering Your Own Backyard

Some people travel the world to learn or experience new cultures. Some travel to find themselves. Some never leave home. But like Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz said, “There’s no place like home.”

There is nothing wrong with expanding one’s horizons. It is good for the soul and personal growth, but what about exploring one’s own backyard? For me, it started with a presentation at a fly fishing club dinner meeting with a topic that renewed my interest of “rediscovering” the Little Miami River near my home.

The Little Miami Wild & Scenic River “has the distinction of being the first river in Ohio to be included in the National Wild & Scenic River System (1974), and the first to be added to the Ohio Scenic Rivers Program (1969).” Little Miami Conservancy.

Alongside the river is the Little Miami Scenic Trail, a Rails-to-Trail route that is 78 miles long and connects with other recreational trails.

I am sure that I am not alone in overlooking what is in my own backyard. We dream of places far away. Adventures into the unknown. Testing our limits. And yet, here is this incredible, river in my own backyard, and I want to know more about it. To enjoy its stream and the communities that it flows through. This is not a tall order, for it is truly in my backyard, just a hike down a hillside path through a nature preserve, or a quick drive down the road.

One of my favorite motorcycling roads follows the river, and I am always on the lookout for river access to wet a line with one of my fly rods. This year, I am going to spend more time fishing the river, and visiting the communities along its banks. Places like Clifton, Ohio, where the river passes through a spectacular gorge, and one can visit the Historic Clifton Mill for a meal and to step back in time. And then there is Yellow Springs, Xenia, Loveland and Milford, and others all ripe for exploration.

Maybe, just maybe, I will finally use one of the river canoe and kayak companies to canoe down the river. To see the wildlife and the river from a different perspective.

An incredible site to behold, even from the convenience of your home, is the Little Miami Conservancy Eagle Nest Cam. It is mesmerizing to see a pair of eagles build the nest, lay an egg or two and watch the chicks grow into maturity and then leave the nest after testing their wings. January is when it all begins.

This nest can be seen from the road along the river where I wander. It’s huge and most visible when the trees are barren of their leaves, but you have to know where to look.

Even though I have lived near this river for nearly 16 years, there is so much more I want to learn and experience. It’s going to be a rediscovery of my own backyard.

What’s in your backyard?

See you on the highway.

Brent