June 25, 2024 • 19 mins
Marion County Park's District Naturalist James Anderson joined the show to talk about Hummingbirds in our area, and how to attract them to your property. James also highlighted the July activities at your parks.
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Episode Transcript
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(00:00):
And all that good stuff. Allright, here we go joining me today
from the Marion County Park District.It's James Anderson, our naturalist. James.
How you doing, man? Ohwonderful. How are you great?
It's good to talk to you,catching up on things going on. I
know that you guys at the ParkDistrict have been busy. You've got a
lot of programming going on, andit's been a good summer. You've got
(00:23):
an intern talk a little bit aboutjust the state of things going on right
now, your perspective in the MarionCounty Park District. So, of course,
you know, we are very verybusy with our programming. Of course,
we started our kiddos at the parkoutdoor preschool program this summer, so
we've been getting some good attendance.I will met last week when the one
(00:43):
hundred degree weather. Yeah, wedidn't get any participants, which this is
fine. I'm bringing the little onesout in that extreme geet can be a
little difficult, sure, But otherthan that. Our Olivia, our intern,
she's been really great. She isgoing to be a senior. She's
currently at River Valley, but shegoes to the Dellari Career Center. They're
off twenty three for their Wildlife Resourcemanagement program. Oh perfect. Yeah,
(01:08):
so she's been a wonderful, wonderfulasset and we'll be sad to lose her
at the end of July because Iguess they start pretty early. They're at
the Dellar Career Center. Okay,well, we wish her best luck.
But hopefully next month we'll have heron air with you and do a segment.
That'll be great. I'm looking forwardto that. So you were saying
that you wanted to talk about hummingbirds, which is great because my wife and
(01:30):
I have been trying to attract hummingbirdsbut we just don't seem to be getting
it right. And you can probablyfill us in with some great details.
So let's talk hummingbirds. So I'mnot sure what all is on your agenda,
but do your thing, my friend. Yeah, so little hummingbirds.
The ruby throwder hummingbird is the primaryspecies that we get in the state of
(01:51):
Ohio. Every once in a while, we got a rare visitor, the
Rufus hummingbird that's usually only during migrationtime in about September October, and that's
usually too if storms push them.Is obviously being a very small bird,
they get very easily pushed with weatherwinds and things like that. But it's
(02:12):
actually interesting. We have actually hadbeen more sightings of the Rufus hummingbird than
in years past, so that couldbe from climbing change. We're not sure.
But you know, these little guys, they start arriving for the ruby
throw at hummingbird. They start rhymingabout about mid late mid to late April,
and then they'll start leaving, probablytowards the end of September, and
(02:35):
then the big drive usually or inabout late October. So I tell people
to start putting their feeders up usuallyabout late April, early May, and
then start putting them down about lateSeptember early October, because especially for late
September early October, if you keepleaving the feeders up, then that's going
to encourage the little humming birds ofoh hey, maybe I could stay a
(02:59):
little long. And of course ifa cold snap comes by, well that
can really do a lot of damage. But I mean, these guys are
traveling hundreds and even thousands of milesjust depending on where they're starting out from.
But a lot of these guys goand parts of South America Mexico region
and it's just amazing how a littlebird is able to travel for very very
(03:21):
long distances, but also to duringthat migration time, especially in September.
You know, still provide you knowthat nectar are on your hummingbird feeders because
it's very important for them to refuelbecause those guys burn a lot, a
lot of energy, very very quick. I think I read one time,
if we had the metabolism of ahummingbird, I think they said, we
(03:45):
we need about fifty to seventy poundsof potatoes just to keep up with the
metabolism. So as you do,they burn a lot, a lot of
energy and altitude, not just thehummingbird feeders but also too. Native answers
definitely the ultimate way to help outyour local hummingbird friends, putting things like
(04:06):
wild Bergamont Lobelia's, things like that. And of course everybody always asked,
well where can I find these localplans to buy? Unfortunately not in Marion
County, but two places in DelawareCounty the Biota Gardens and Leaves for Wildlife,
and then out in Morrow County Nativesin Harmony. So those are some
(04:26):
places you can incorporate native plans andput them on your property and not just
great for hummingbirds, but also forlocal pollinators as well. But you know,
you were kind of talking about,you know, you're having trouble bringing
humtingbirds into your property. So itcould be of several factors. One of
the factors is there may not beenough shelter for them. So these guys,
(04:49):
I mean, they're really small,so they don't need very large trees.
They're gonna nest in trees. ButI always tell people if you can
put in definitely bushy or shrubs,that's a fairy free, good area for
them to hide, especially in theextreme heat, especially like what we had
last week. So of course,you know, there are some native shrubs
(05:12):
that you can get as well inthose stores that I mentioned. But then
also to you know, having thelarge tall trees, that's very important for
the female, you know, duringthe nesting season, which is going on
right now. And it's funny,their their nests are really really small.
They're a little bit bigger than theold half dollars if you remember those,
and they usually on a lay aboutone to two a and but usually one
(05:38):
usually always hatch. But also waysto bring hummingbirds to your yard is like
other birds of course other living thingsjust water, so bird baths and also
too, I always recommend that puttingbubblers or misters that will really really attract
a lot of birds because when theyhear that, they think it's a natural
(06:00):
setting like a creek or a stream, and so that can bring in a
lot, a lot of diversity ofbirds onto your property. Now, of
course, when it comes to thefeed you know I just mentioned about plants,
about native plants, but of courseyou know, putting up your actual
hummingbird feeders. Now, I willtell you, and I know I've mentioned
many years being on your program,but never ever use the red dye.
(06:24):
Even if it says at like youryour stores, they say, oh,
it's you know, friendly towards thehummingbird. The problem with the red dye
is, you know, the governmentregulates, you know, how much of
that number forty red dye that humansare supposed to intake. Well, hummingbird
doesn't care. A humbering bird isgoing to keep going at it and add
it. Now, we don't havea lot of solid concrete evidence, but
(06:46):
scientists are slowly starting to realize thatI think the red dye is not as
good as what we thought it usedto be. They're noticing a lot of
hummingbird species they're getting spots on theirlivers and also to in some hummingbird species,
their eggshells are getting really thin,so kind of like almost like the
bald eagle at instance, as momis incubating them, they're actually crushing them.
(07:10):
So in certain areas, yeah,some of the hummingbird population has diminish.
And again we don't have the solidevidence, but we're really thinking it
is from the number forty red dye. So and you have to remember too,
I mean from the from the nativeplants when they're producing nectar, they
don't have dye, and they're they'rejust basically a sugar water substance. And
and that's all honestly what you need. It's a very very simple recipe is
(07:34):
just one cup sugar, four partsof water, you know, boil it
down, get it cool, andthen put it into your feeders. And
I always recommend, and like whatI do at my house, I use
just red glass feeders because that reallyreally will work because it looks like the
(07:56):
red dye. But and also toyou know, we're talking about a lot
of the red Now you know howmany birds will also go after orange yellows
things like that, but anything brightlycolored because in nature, when they're looking
at this native plants, the brightlycolored flowers represents at hey, it's a
great nectar bearing plant. This iswhere food is, so again doesn't always
(08:18):
have to be red And now wehave to remember too, being in the
summer season, you know, thisstuff does spoil pretty quickly, especially anything
ninety or above. You have tochange it every day. If it's above
eighty degrees, you can do aboutevery couple of days. If it's a
little above seventy degrees about every threedays, and about sixty degrees, you
(08:39):
know, it's about every four days. But definitely in this extreme heat we've
been having, you have to haveto keep redoing it because if not,
it spoils ferritory fast. And youknow we've talked about white sugar, that's
great, don't use brown sugar,don't use honey. Those things spoil really
quickly. And also too, theyspoil and in a way that humming birds
(09:01):
aren't used to, so that actuallycan really hurt them, especially if you
use honey and a lot of thingstoo. I've seen reports that the humming
when people will try to use honeyin their mixtures. The humming bird will
stick their beak and because of thethick honey, they accidentally get stuck,
and some people have rescued and unfortunatelysome have passed away. And so that's
(09:24):
why again, just the simple whitesugar water substance is really really great.
Also too, if you got anyfruit that's going bad, bananas, watermelon,
things like that, they're really notgoing to go after the fruit,
but guess what they're going after.They're going after things like nats, small
flies, and small bees. Becausea lot of people don't realize that.
(09:46):
They think that hummingbird that's the onlything they eat is nectar. Now don't
get me wrong, that is agood portion of their diets, but they
do need protein, and there's noprotein in nectar or no protein in your
sugar water them. So yeah,they do eat insects. So when you're
putting ronning fruit aile, that willencourage small insects to combine and that will
(10:09):
eat and they will eat that.So that's really cool and kind of go
along with that too. That's greatfor butterflies too, if you want to
track butterflies into your property. Ofcourse, like watermelon, but you have
to be very careful because, especiallyon very hot days, they can spoil
quickly and ferment quickly, and andfunny cases, sometimes the butterflies can get
(10:31):
drunk. Oh wow, I didn'trealize that. Yeah, yeah, it's
it's it's interesting. I have seenthat now on my property. But I
have seen videos and all of peoplehaving drunk butterflies and like during the fall
time, but pumpkins and the pumpkinsper men a little bit and the drunk
squirrels on their property. So yeah, that's why it's very yeah, very
(10:52):
important too. Yeah, make sureyou you know, you change things out
and put in if you have acompost file things like them. But again
just keeping bubler misters and providing aproper shelter. Again, different of the
food sources we talked about with thehummingbird feeder and providing the insects, those
(11:13):
things will highly increase your chances ofbringing hummingbirds into your property. Now,
I will tell you if you livein town, I mean, yeah,
you'll have some hummingbirds, But ifyou especially live in rural areas or especially
around forested areas or native areas likearound Big Island, of course, you're
going to have more hummingbirds, right, and kind of talking about that too.
I always have people that will say, I have this one hummingbird and
(11:37):
it bullies all the other hummingbirds,but I want them to all share.
Well, you kind of thing aboutbeing in nature, there's really much sharing.
So it's all about me. It'sall about survival. So I said,
you're usually having a very our timewith one hummingbird dominating your feeder.
If you can, if you haveland on your if you have some area
on your property, put in multiplefeeding stations, uh sprawled around and that
(12:01):
will avoid competition so that multiple hummingbirdscan use all the different feeders. Okay,
okay. I have a friend you'regonna love this story, and she's
my age. But when she wasa little girl, she would go to
a friend's house and her friend's motherwould literally go out on their back porch
with a ladle that had nectar init, and hummingbirds would come and eat
(12:26):
right out of the ladle in herhand on her porch. Really, isn't
that amazing up in Wyandot County?Isn't that amazing? I mean, of
course that was a while ago,but it's like holy smokes. Yeah,
yeah, that's yeah. I've neverheard that about hummingbirds. I usually hear
them with chickadees. Okay, they'llput the seed in your hand and they'll
(12:48):
they'll come eat in your hands.So yeah, being a ladle, just
take it right out of the potwhere they made the nectar and hold it
in a ladle and they would.I'm like, that is just amazing.
That's interesting. Yeah. I meanwhen you have a feeder, is it
better to be in the shade andthe sun and a tree away from a
house. Is there any of thatthat might help any of the attracting Yeah,
(13:09):
so probably during especially the extreme heatwe've been having. Definitely, if
you can put it in a shadedarea, okay, will help. Now,
I know the sun will help makeher especially have like like a grass
excuse me, a glass feeder,like will you know, increase the air
distance, but they'll essentially find it. But yeah, definitely put it in
(13:30):
shades, especially in the really hotdays. Now, you know, if
it gets down to the seventies,it really doesn't matter, but the really
hot days. Yeah, yeah,and look shape. Well that's some really
good advice. I appreciate that.So you've got a calendar coming up.
You're looking at June. You've gota lot of programs going on. Between
you, your intern, and thetwo of you together talk about what's going
on. Yeah, So for themonth of July, we have a lot
(13:54):
of fun, exciting programs coming up. So our first program is the Mopaloosa
at the Trail that will be onJuly sixth. That'll be from nine to
twelve PM. So I know that'sreally late, but that's when a lot
of our moth species come out.And we've had Bill Benders. He's a
local and Marion County, a bigmoth enthusiast and he at tracked him by
(14:16):
light and base and that's really reallygood time. So we're really hoping to
see a lot of the big mothspecies. Every once in a while we
do. But if you want tolearn about your moths of Ohio, I
highly recommend coming. But again,that'll be from nine to twelve and Mathapalooza
at the Trail. On the atthe eighth, at six o'clock PM,
we'll be doing a Creaking for Crittersprogram at the Teradise Nature Preserve, So
(14:41):
make sure you know where things youdon't mind getting wet, dirty, because
we will be going in the oldin Tangi and talking about the critters in
there. On the tenth at sixo'clock PM where Olivia will be doing a
crap day at the tall Grass Trailthe trail heads, so that will be
determined. And then on the twelvewe have our kiddos at the Park Outdoor
Preschool program at ten o'clock am,and so that's a great opportunity to learn
(15:05):
about nature with your little ones.On the fifteenth, we have our our
buck Quest insect collecting program. That'sat six o'clock. So, as you
might right remember CJ one of ourprevious Eagle Scouts, we have some several
boxes we still need to fail up, so if you want to help us
out with that project, we'd loveto have anybody come out. We will
(15:26):
over finde the nest if you wantto bring your own, that's fine.
On the eighteenth, from forty eightwill be then the Downtown Marion Third Thursday,
so come see us. On thenineteenth at ten o'clock am. It's
the other kiddos at the Park OutdoorPreschool program at tall Grass Trail. On
the nineteenth we'll be doing a nighthike at the park and this will be
at ten o'clock PM. But thisone will be at Marion OSU there at
(15:50):
the Yoder Prairie. If we willmeet on the south Student Launch three,
so kind of closest to their newscience building and the where the prayer is,
So please bring a red light andwe will be doing science in the
dark. On the nineteenth and twentieth, we will be at the Waldo Festival,
so there in the village of Waldo, so come see us. On
(16:11):
the twenty third, Olivia will bedoing a Mammals of Ohio presentation at Paradise
Nature Preserved at six o'clock PM.On the twenty six we'll be doing our
kiddos at the park outdoor pre schoolprogram again at ten am at the tall
Grass Trail. And then on thetwenty sixth at nine to thirty pm we'll
be doing another night night program attall Grass Trail there at the trailheads,
(16:33):
so again please remember to bring ared light. Then on July thirtieth,
at six o'clock pm, we'll bedoing a Prairie Prairie plant tour at the
Yodo Prairie again there at Marionosue.Meet there at the South Student Lot three
again by the new Science building andwhere the prairie region is. And then
on the thirty first, at sixo'clock pm, we'll be doing another prairie
plant tour, but at the BeaverWildlife Area. If you're not familiar,
(16:57):
we're Biab Wildlife Areas sits outside ofthe city of Marion, heading Forst.
Green Camp and I think the addressis one nine four six Marion Green Camp
Road, Maryon, Ohio. Soit's a really really great time during July
and August to see a lot ofour prairie plants in bloom. And I
know I've mentioned many times on yourshow that Marion County where one of the
(17:21):
few prairie regions in the state,originated before and pre senttlement time, so
kind of get a glimpse of whatMarion County used to look like. So
I highly recommend coming out to thoseprograms. Excellent. You got a lot
going on, man, which isgreat. I know that's what you like
to do, especially when you getinto summer and everybody's looking for great things
to do outdoors and check out natureand see some of the parks. So
(17:45):
you've got a lot of great thingsgoing on, James, I think that's
fantastic. Anything else you wanted toadd today, what's going on? Just
make sure to you know, keephydrated when you come out to our parks,
and especially if you bring your caninefriends also to just make sure too.
And you know, I see onlinethat you know, in the asphalt
is really hot. You know,I always saw if you can touch in
(18:07):
it's hot, then it's hot ontheir palls. So just always think about
your your can nine friends. Greatdoes not. Just make sure to go
out and explore your Marion County parks. I love it. Marion County Park
District naturalist James Anderson, James,tell everybody how they can keep track of
what you guys have going on atthe parks. Yeah. So of course
there's our social media accounts, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter threads. I think
(18:32):
so all the social media platforms,especially on Facebook, that's where our biggest
platform is. And but also toDan will be updating on our website.
So if a lot of you don'tuse social media, but if you type
in Marion County, Ohio Park District, make sure you're the Ohio there's about
you know, several other Marions inthere in the state or in the United
(18:53):
States, and we'll be updating ourJuly map on our calendar on there.
Oh yeah, I was just goingto ask you send me the July calendar,
but I'll find it on your websitewhen you guys posted in a couple
of days. That'll be great.James, have yourself a great day and
I'll see you at the parks.
And all that good stuff. Allright, here we go joining me today
from the Marion County Park District.It's James Anderson, our naturalist. James.
How you doing, man? Ohwonderful. How are you great?
It's good to talk to you,catching up on things going on. I
know that you guys at the ParkDistrict have been busy. You've got a
lot of programming going on, andit's been a good summer. You've got
(00:23):
an intern talk a little bit aboutjust the state of things going on right
now, your perspective in the MarionCounty Park District. So, of course,
you know, we are very verybusy with our programming. Of course,
we started our kiddos at the parkoutdoor preschool program this summer, so
we've been getting some good attendance.I will met last week when the one
(00:43):
hundred degree weather. Yeah, wedidn't get any participants, which this is
fine. I'm bringing the little onesout in that extreme geet can be a
little difficult, sure, But otherthan that. Our Olivia, our intern,
she's been really great. She isgoing to be a senior. She's
currently at River Valley, but shegoes to the Dellari Career Center. They're
off twenty three for their Wildlife Resourcemanagement program. Oh perfect. Yeah,
(01:08):
so she's been a wonderful, wonderfulasset and we'll be sad to lose her
at the end of July because Iguess they start pretty early. They're at
the Dellar Career Center. Okay,well, we wish her best luck.
But hopefully next month we'll have heron air with you and do a segment.
That'll be great. I'm looking forwardto that. So you were saying
that you wanted to talk about hummingbirds, which is great because my wife and
(01:30):
I have been trying to attract hummingbirdsbut we just don't seem to be getting
it right. And you can probablyfill us in with some great details.
So let's talk hummingbirds. So I'mnot sure what all is on your agenda,
but do your thing, my friend. Yeah, so little hummingbirds.
The ruby throwder hummingbird is the primaryspecies that we get in the state of
(01:51):
Ohio. Every once in a while, we got a rare visitor, the
Rufus hummingbird that's usually only during migrationtime in about September October, and that's
usually too if storms push them.Is obviously being a very small bird,
they get very easily pushed with weatherwinds and things like that. But it's
(02:12):
actually interesting. We have actually hadbeen more sightings of the Rufus hummingbird than
in years past, so that couldbe from climbing change. We're not sure.
But you know, these little guys, they start arriving for the ruby
throw at hummingbird. They start rhymingabout about mid late mid to late April,
and then they'll start leaving, probablytowards the end of September, and
(02:35):
then the big drive usually or inabout late October. So I tell people
to start putting their feeders up usuallyabout late April, early May, and
then start putting them down about lateSeptember early October, because especially for late
September early October, if you keepleaving the feeders up, then that's going
to encourage the little humming birds ofoh hey, maybe I could stay a
(02:59):
little long. And of course ifa cold snap comes by, well that
can really do a lot of damage. But I mean, these guys are
traveling hundreds and even thousands of milesjust depending on where they're starting out from.
But a lot of these guys goand parts of South America Mexico region
and it's just amazing how a littlebird is able to travel for very very
(03:21):
long distances, but also to duringthat migration time, especially in September.
You know, still provide you knowthat nectar are on your hummingbird feeders because
it's very important for them to refuelbecause those guys burn a lot, a
lot of energy, very very quick. I think I read one time,
if we had the metabolism of ahummingbird, I think they said, we
(03:45):
we need about fifty to seventy poundsof potatoes just to keep up with the
metabolism. So as you do,they burn a lot, a lot of
energy and altitude, not just thehummingbird feeders but also too. Native answers
definitely the ultimate way to help outyour local hummingbird friends, putting things like
(04:06):
wild Bergamont Lobelia's, things like that. And of course everybody always asked,
well where can I find these localplans to buy? Unfortunately not in Marion
County, but two places in DelawareCounty the Biota Gardens and Leaves for Wildlife,
and then out in Morrow County Nativesin Harmony. So those are some
(04:26):
places you can incorporate native plans andput them on your property and not just
great for hummingbirds, but also forlocal pollinators as well. But you know,
you were kind of talking about,you know, you're having trouble bringing
humtingbirds into your property. So itcould be of several factors. One of
the factors is there may not beenough shelter for them. So these guys,
(04:49):
I mean, they're really small,so they don't need very large trees.
They're gonna nest in trees. ButI always tell people if you can
put in definitely bushy or shrubs,that's a fairy free, good area for
them to hide, especially in theextreme heat, especially like what we had
last week. So of course,you know, there are some native shrubs
(05:12):
that you can get as well inthose stores that I mentioned. But then
also to you know, having thelarge tall trees, that's very important for
the female, you know, duringthe nesting season, which is going on
right now. And it's funny,their their nests are really really small.
They're a little bit bigger than theold half dollars if you remember those,
and they usually on a lay aboutone to two a and but usually one
(05:38):
usually always hatch. But also waysto bring hummingbirds to your yard is like
other birds of course other living thingsjust water, so bird baths and also
too, I always recommend that puttingbubblers or misters that will really really attract
a lot of birds because when theyhear that, they think it's a natural
(06:00):
setting like a creek or a stream, and so that can bring in a
lot, a lot of diversity ofbirds onto your property. Now, of
course, when it comes to thefeed you know I just mentioned about plants,
about native plants, but of courseyou know, putting up your actual
hummingbird feeders. Now, I willtell you, and I know I've mentioned
many years being on your program,but never ever use the red dye.
(06:24):
Even if it says at like youryour stores, they say, oh,
it's you know, friendly towards thehummingbird. The problem with the red dye
is, you know, the governmentregulates, you know, how much of
that number forty red dye that humansare supposed to intake. Well, hummingbird
doesn't care. A humbering bird isgoing to keep going at it and add
it. Now, we don't havea lot of solid concrete evidence, but
(06:46):
scientists are slowly starting to realize thatI think the red dye is not as
good as what we thought it usedto be. They're noticing a lot of
hummingbird species they're getting spots on theirlivers and also to in some hummingbird species,
their eggshells are getting really thin,so kind of like almost like the
bald eagle at instance, as momis incubating them, they're actually crushing them.
(07:10):
So in certain areas, yeah,some of the hummingbird population has diminish.
And again we don't have the solidevidence, but we're really thinking it
is from the number forty red dye. So and you have to remember too,
I mean from the from the nativeplants when they're producing nectar, they
don't have dye, and they're they'rejust basically a sugar water substance. And
and that's all honestly what you need. It's a very very simple recipe is
(07:34):
just one cup sugar, four partsof water, you know, boil it
down, get it cool, andthen put it into your feeders. And
I always recommend, and like whatI do at my house, I use
just red glass feeders because that reallyreally will work because it looks like the
(07:56):
red dye. But and also toyou know, we're talking about a lot
of the red Now you know howmany birds will also go after orange yellows
things like that, but anything brightlycolored because in nature, when they're looking
at this native plants, the brightlycolored flowers represents at hey, it's a
great nectar bearing plant. This iswhere food is, so again doesn't always
(08:18):
have to be red And now wehave to remember too, being in the
summer season, you know, thisstuff does spoil pretty quickly, especially anything
ninety or above. You have tochange it every day. If it's above
eighty degrees, you can do aboutevery couple of days. If it's a
little above seventy degrees about every threedays, and about sixty degrees, you
(08:39):
know, it's about every four days. But definitely in this extreme heat we've
been having, you have to haveto keep redoing it because if not,
it spoils ferritory fast. And youknow we've talked about white sugar, that's
great, don't use brown sugar,don't use honey. Those things spoil really
quickly. And also too, theyspoil and in a way that humming birds
(09:01):
aren't used to, so that actuallycan really hurt them, especially if you
use honey and a lot of thingstoo. I've seen reports that the humming
when people will try to use honeyin their mixtures. The humming bird will
stick their beak and because of thethick honey, they accidentally get stuck,
and some people have rescued and unfortunatelysome have passed away. And so that's
(09:24):
why again, just the simple whitesugar water substance is really really great.
Also too, if you got anyfruit that's going bad, bananas, watermelon,
things like that, they're really notgoing to go after the fruit,
but guess what they're going after.They're going after things like nats, small
flies, and small bees. Becausea lot of people don't realize that.
(09:46):
They think that hummingbird that's the onlything they eat is nectar. Now don't
get me wrong, that is agood portion of their diets, but they
do need protein, and there's noprotein in nectar or no protein in your
sugar water them. So yeah,they do eat insects. So when you're
putting ronning fruit aile, that willencourage small insects to combine and that will
(10:09):
eat and they will eat that.So that's really cool and kind of go
along with that too. That's greatfor butterflies too, if you want to
track butterflies into your property. Ofcourse, like watermelon, but you have
to be very careful because, especiallyon very hot days, they can spoil
quickly and ferment quickly, and andfunny cases, sometimes the butterflies can get
(10:31):
drunk. Oh wow, I didn'trealize that. Yeah, yeah, it's
it's it's interesting. I have seenthat now on my property. But I
have seen videos and all of peoplehaving drunk butterflies and like during the fall
time, but pumpkins and the pumpkinsper men a little bit and the drunk
squirrels on their property. So yeah, that's why it's very yeah, very
(10:52):
important too. Yeah, make sureyou you know, you change things out
and put in if you have acompost file things like them. But again
just keeping bubler misters and providing aproper shelter. Again, different of the
food sources we talked about with thehummingbird feeder and providing the insects, those
(11:13):
things will highly increase your chances ofbringing hummingbirds into your property. Now,
I will tell you if you livein town, I mean, yeah,
you'll have some hummingbirds, But ifyou especially live in rural areas or especially
around forested areas or native areas likearound Big Island, of course, you're
going to have more hummingbirds, right, and kind of talking about that too.
I always have people that will say, I have this one hummingbird and
(11:37):
it bullies all the other hummingbirds,but I want them to all share.
Well, you kind of thing aboutbeing in nature, there's really much sharing.
So it's all about me. It'sall about survival. So I said,
you're usually having a very our timewith one hummingbird dominating your feeder.
If you can, if you haveland on your if you have some area
on your property, put in multiplefeeding stations, uh sprawled around and that
(12:01):
will avoid competition so that multiple hummingbirdscan use all the different feeders. Okay,
okay. I have a friend you'regonna love this story, and she's
my age. But when she wasa little girl, she would go to
a friend's house and her friend's motherwould literally go out on their back porch
with a ladle that had nectar init, and hummingbirds would come and eat
(12:26):
right out of the ladle in herhand on her porch. Really, isn't
that amazing up in Wyandot County?Isn't that amazing? I mean, of
course that was a while ago,but it's like holy smokes. Yeah,
yeah, that's yeah. I've neverheard that about hummingbirds. I usually hear
them with chickadees. Okay, they'llput the seed in your hand and they'll
(12:48):
they'll come eat in your hands.So yeah, being a ladle, just
take it right out of the potwhere they made the nectar and hold it
in a ladle and they would.I'm like, that is just amazing.
That's interesting. Yeah. I meanwhen you have a feeder, is it
better to be in the shade andthe sun and a tree away from a
house. Is there any of thatthat might help any of the attracting Yeah,
(13:09):
so probably during especially the extreme heatwe've been having. Definitely, if
you can put it in a shadedarea, okay, will help. Now,
I know the sun will help makeher especially have like like a grass
excuse me, a glass feeder,like will you know, increase the air
distance, but they'll essentially find it. But yeah, definitely put it in
(13:30):
shades, especially in the really hotdays. Now, you know, if
it gets down to the seventies,it really doesn't matter, but the really
hot days. Yeah, yeah,and look shape. Well that's some really
good advice. I appreciate that.So you've got a calendar coming up.
You're looking at June. You've gota lot of programs going on. Between
you, your intern, and thetwo of you together talk about what's going
on. Yeah, So for themonth of July, we have a lot
(13:54):
of fun, exciting programs coming up. So our first program is the Mopaloosa
at the Trail that will be onJuly sixth. That'll be from nine to
twelve PM. So I know that'sreally late, but that's when a lot
of our moth species come out.And we've had Bill Benders. He's a
local and Marion County, a bigmoth enthusiast and he at tracked him by
(14:16):
light and base and that's really reallygood time. So we're really hoping to
see a lot of the big mothspecies. Every once in a while we
do. But if you want tolearn about your moths of Ohio, I
highly recommend coming. But again,that'll be from nine to twelve and Mathapalooza
at the Trail. On the atthe eighth, at six o'clock PM,
we'll be doing a Creaking for Crittersprogram at the Teradise Nature Preserve, So
(14:41):
make sure you know where things youdon't mind getting wet, dirty, because
we will be going in the oldin Tangi and talking about the critters in
there. On the tenth at sixo'clock PM where Olivia will be doing a
crap day at the tall Grass Trailthe trail heads, so that will be
determined. And then on the twelvewe have our kiddos at the Park Outdoor
Preschool program at ten o'clock am,and so that's a great opportunity to learn
(15:05):
about nature with your little ones.On the fifteenth, we have our our
buck Quest insect collecting program. That'sat six o'clock. So, as you
might right remember CJ one of ourprevious Eagle Scouts, we have some several
boxes we still need to fail up, so if you want to help us
out with that project, we'd loveto have anybody come out. We will
(15:26):
over finde the nest if you wantto bring your own, that's fine.
On the eighteenth, from forty eightwill be then the Downtown Marion Third Thursday,
so come see us. On thenineteenth at ten o'clock am. It's
the other kiddos at the Park OutdoorPreschool program at tall Grass Trail. On
the nineteenth we'll be doing a nighthike at the park and this will be
at ten o'clock PM. But thisone will be at Marion OSU there at
(15:50):
the Yoder Prairie. If we willmeet on the south Student Launch three,
so kind of closest to their newscience building and the where the prayer is,
So please bring a red light andwe will be doing science in the
dark. On the nineteenth and twentieth, we will be at the Waldo Festival,
so there in the village of Waldo, so come see us. On
(16:11):
the twenty third, Olivia will bedoing a Mammals of Ohio presentation at Paradise
Nature Preserved at six o'clock PM.On the twenty six we'll be doing our
kiddos at the park outdoor pre schoolprogram again at ten am at the tall
Grass Trail. And then on thetwenty sixth at nine to thirty pm we'll
be doing another night night program attall Grass Trail there at the trailheads,
(16:33):
so again please remember to bring ared light. Then on July thirtieth,
at six o'clock pm, we'll bedoing a Prairie Prairie plant tour at the
Yodo Prairie again there at Marionosue.Meet there at the South Student Lot three
again by the new Science building andwhere the prairie region is. And then
on the thirty first, at sixo'clock pm, we'll be doing another prairie
plant tour, but at the BeaverWildlife Area. If you're not familiar,
(16:57):
we're Biab Wildlife Areas sits outside ofthe city of Marion, heading Forst.
Green Camp and I think the addressis one nine four six Marion Green Camp
Road, Maryon, Ohio. Soit's a really really great time during July
and August to see a lot ofour prairie plants in bloom. And I
know I've mentioned many times on yourshow that Marion County where one of the
(17:21):
few prairie regions in the state,originated before and pre senttlement time, so
kind of get a glimpse of whatMarion County used to look like. So
I highly recommend coming out to thoseprograms. Excellent. You got a lot
going on, man, which isgreat. I know that's what you like
to do, especially when you getinto summer and everybody's looking for great things
to do outdoors and check out natureand see some of the parks. So
(17:45):
you've got a lot of great thingsgoing on, James, I think that's
fantastic. Anything else you wanted toadd today, what's going on? Just
make sure to you know, keephydrated when you come out to our parks,
and especially if you bring your caninefriends also to just make sure too.
And you know, I see onlinethat you know, in the asphalt
is really hot. You know,I always saw if you can touch in
(18:07):
it's hot, then it's hot ontheir palls. So just always think about
your your can nine friends. Greatdoes not. Just make sure to go
out and explore your Marion County parks. I love it. Marion County Park
District naturalist James Anderson, James,tell everybody how they can keep track of
what you guys have going on atthe parks. Yeah. So of course
there's our social media accounts, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter threads. I think
(18:32):
so all the social media platforms,especially on Facebook, that's where our biggest
platform is. And but also toDan will be updating on our website.
So if a lot of you don'tuse social media, but if you type
in Marion County, Ohio Park District, make sure you're the Ohio there's about
you know, several other Marions inthere in the state or in the United
(18:53):
States, and we'll be updating ourJuly map on our calendar on there.
Oh yeah, I was just goingto ask you send me the July calendar,
but I'll find it on your websitewhen you guys posted in a couple
of days. That'll be great.James, have yourself a great day and
I'll see you at the parks.
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