Hooded Warblers at Shawnee

If you want to see Hooded Warblers, go to Shawnee State Park. They are easy to spot, and you don't have to go far from the lodge to see them. A lovely mile-long loop hiking trail called Lampblack Nature Trail is located right off the lodge parking lot. Every time I've walked it I've seen Hooded Warblers and Ovenbirds. This year I also saw Cerulean Warblers (I know...Cerulean Warblers! More to come on the Ceruleans...), plus Kentucky Warblers and Scarlet Tanagers...Yellow-billed Cuckoos and Wood Thrushes...you get the picture. Here are a few of the Hooded Warblers we saw along the way (not my best photos ever, but they show the beautiful color of the bird)...

...the black hood around the Hooded Warbler's bright yellow face is truly a remarkable sight, but when you add in their huge black eyes, the look is breathtaking! If you can't get enough of Hooded Warblers, walk the Lampblack Trail near the lodge--you're almost guaranteed to see one...or two...or three...

...the deep shadows of the forest understory coupled with a rainy morning made it difficult to photograph these feathered rays of sunshine, but even through the gloom and fuzzy images, you can get a feel for that special shade of yellow they bring to the world. (Those huge black eyes melt my heart every time I see them!)

...here you can get a glimpse of the flashy white of the underside of his tail...

...shortly after I took this photo, we watched three Hooded Warblers chase each other through the branches like they were playing Hooded Warbler games! It was an unusual sight...

...I painted Hooded Warblers on an antique 100-year old slate tile later in the day.

100-year old Virginia slate tiles found in the woods!

...a naturalist found a stash of 100-year old antique Virginia Slate tiles deep in the woods of Hocking Hills. This is one of the tiles. If you're an artist, and you're interested in painting on these antique slate tiles, you can buy them at the camp store in Shawnee. The tiles will be available for purchase in Hocking Hills too, but I don't know if they are for sale yet. I think the slates will be priced at $25.00 each as a fundraiser. You can call the Shawnee camp store at 740-858-4561 for more information. When I get more info on the slates being available at Hocking Hills, I'll post it.

It's easy to paint on slate!

I had never painted on slate, so I was surprised at how fun and easy it was. You don't have to put a lot prep work into the slates either...just clean the slate and let it dry...then use a towel to scrub off any loose flakes...then paint on it with acrylics. After the paint dries, seal it with a spray sealant. I painted a couple slates with Hooded Warblers and one with a male and female Northern Cardinal to be used around the park. The yellows and reds really pop against the smooth, gray stone. So if you want to give it a try, drop by the camp store to purchase one, or give them a call.