Jul 08

1920–Devastating Hurricane Visits Willshire Vicinity

The Willshire Herald, 2 April 1920

The Willshire Herald, 2 April 1920

DEVASTATING HURRICANE VISITS WILLSHIRE VICINITY—That was the headline of the Friday, April 2, 1920 edition of The Willshire Herald. It was published less than a week after one of worst tornadoes swept through this part of the country.

Why do I have an interest in tornadoes? A while back my mom gave me some old photos. Among them were some showing the aftermath of wind damage and one of a barn being rebuilt. I suspected these photos may have been taken at the Schumm farm, east of Willshire, where my mom grew up. Her grandfather, Lewis J. Schumm, purchased the farm in 1878 and the farm has been in the family ever since. However, the barn roof has the date 1886 on the shingles. No one that I have talked to has ever heard that the barn was once destroyed and rebuilt. My mom only has knowledge that the orchard was destroyed by a tornado many years ago.

My research mission this time was to find out if a tornado had ever hit the Schumm farm. So, I headed off to the Brumback Library in Van Wert and to the Mercer County Public Library in Celina to look through some area newspapers on microfilm and see what I could learn about local tornadoes that occurred  nearly 100 years ago. I have included a list of the newspapers I used as sources of information at the end of this blog.

Quite a few tornadoes have gone through this part of the country over the years. I remember the Palm Sunday Tornadoes in April 1965 as well as the tornadoes that struck Van Wert County in 2002. The Willshire area was also hit by a tornado in March of 1918.

But a group of even more destructive and deadly tornadoes struck the area on Sunday, March 28, 1920 at 7 o’clock in the evening. There was extensive wind damage near Chicago before the storm moved into Indiana and Ohio. The 1920 Van Wert Times referred to it as the worst tornado in the history of Van Wert. The storm followed a path similar to that of the 1918 tornado. Although the 1920 storm was not as wide across as the tornado two years before, it was more serious. It came from the southwest, crossed parts of Mercer County and went on into Van Wert and Auglaize Counties. Just about every township in Van Wert County, as well as portions of Mercer, Auglaize and Darke Counties were struck by the high winds. Also hard hit were Monroeville, Bryant, Geneva, Berne, and Zulu in Indiana.

DEVASTATING HURRICANE VISITS WILLSHIRE VICINITY—(The Willshire Herald, 2 April 1920, front page): The country to the southwest, south, southeast and east of Willshire was in the path of the hurricane that swept over portions of eight states Sunday afternoon and evening, leaving death and devastating ruin in its wake wherever it struck. Up to noon Thursday 326 fatalities had been reported from the various stricken districts, while the maimed is estimated at several thousand…Edgerton, a small town in Williams county, Ohio, near the Indiana state line, was practically wiped out of existence, as was the little hamlet of Zulu, a few miles west of the state line…the country surrounding Geneva and Berne was visited [and] several persons, relatives of Willshire people, were killed and injured. Fred Miller, a son of Mr. and Mrs. Dave Miller of this town, had both legs broken, and his wife was also painfully injured. Mrs. Simon Riffle, mother of Mrs. Fred Miller, was killed, as was her grandfather, George M. Ramseyer, aged 82. The entire Riffle family was more or less injured… Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Smitley and children were seriously hurt. Edward Anspaugh, also of the Berne district, whose back was broken, is a cousin of Mrs. W.A. Dull and Mrs. G.M. Clouse of this town. The dead in the Bryant district total nine, and the Geneva district three.

Tearing on east the hurricane struck the Willshire territory in the Milo Campbell-W.E. White neighborhood, spreading out from one-half to one mile in width…The Campbells were left without shelter…Will Evans had his house wrecked and barn demolished. The Duckcreek church was razed and the wreckage strewn over ten acres of ground. The M. Branstetter place was hard-hit, as were the G.W. Sapp, Perry Hoblet, Jesse Tickly, Frank Dudgeon, Elmer Stetler, Floyd Friedly and many others. Coursing northeast the hurricane struck the Ridge territory with terrific force. The Shell brick school house was leveled to the ground; Audie Stetler’s barn was demolished and several horses and a cow killed; the F.C. Myers and Mart Stamm, E.A. Acheson, Joe Doner, John Wright, Jesse Wheeler, Jesse Boyer and Wm. Buechner farm buildings were all badly damaged, and over in Liberty Township the big barn on the J.M. Dull farm was wrecked and his fine brick house damaged. Wm. Rader in Ridge Township was instantly killed and Mrs. Rader died while being taken to the hospital in Van Wert.

Damage after 1920 tornado, Van Wert County, Ohio.

Damage after 1920 tornado, Van Wert County, Ohio.

SWEPT BY TORNADO was the headline of the April 1, 1920 edition of The Rockford Press. This newspaper reported the damage in Mercer, Auglaize and Darke Counties in Ohio, as well as in Indiana.

Sweeping across many states, spreading devastation and taking its toll of human lives, the terrific windstorm struck this section early Sunday evening. While the wind blew a stiff gale all day, the sky was clear and the sun shone brightly and no one really suspected that a cyclone was on its way.

The storm in it greatest severity crossed Mercer County in two places, the northwest and southeast corners. In the northwest part the Duckcreek Church in Blackcreek Township seemed to be the first object on which the wind vented its fury; the structure was laid flat. And from this point northeasterly on into Willshire Township, Van Wert County, the wrecked homes and farm buildings, and other debris, plainly mark the storm’s path. No less than 25 farm homes were badly damaged and but few places escaped injury of some kind.

Mercer County was indeed fortunate there was no loss of human life. Many people had narrow escapes; some were blown out of their homes, yet landed safe. The loss of livestock is large. The animals being crushed under the falling structures, struck by flying timbers or dashed to death.

The large barn of Charles Schumm on the Willshire Road was badly twisted by the storm. Among the heavy losers from the cyclone in Blackcreek Township are Wm. Evans, Mike Branstetter, Wm. Hamrick, Milo Campbell, Oscar Krall, John McGough, Clarence Hoblet, Frank Dudgeon, and many others. All suffered the demolishing of houses or barns or both and had narrow escapes from injury. Nearly everyone lost livestock of some kind.

In the southeastern part of the county, the storm vented its greatest fury on Marion, Franklin and Granville Townships. The neighborhoods of St. Rosa, St. Johns, Maria Stein and Chickasaw being most severely affected…the Catholic Church at St. Rosa had a tower blown off…damage done here will touch at least 25 or 30 farms…

At Moulton, in Auglaize County, the new Lutheran Church, the Methodist and the United Brethren Churches were all blown down. Services were being held in the Lutheran Church when the storm came up and the pastor advised his congregation to go to the cellar, which saved many of his members from death. A department store and an elevator were wrecked…eight residences were demolished. The reported dead are Henry Lechner aged 16; the six year old son and a four year old daughter of John Kacheiries; and another child was missing. In Darke County there were eight dead and 30 injured.

In Jay County, Indiana, the little town of West Liberty was struck and only three houses left standing…The death list there includes Frank Smith, Mrs. Goldie Smith, Florence Smith, Clarence Smith, Mrs. Frank Haggot, Keith Haggott, David Kessler, Mable Fields, Katharine Fields, Katherine Gross.

The storm struck heavily east of Berne, Indiana, and damaged many houses and buildings. Monroeville, Indiana, was touched by the storm and in a district north of the town Mrs. William Simons and two children named Giant and Grodian were killed.

The damage reported in Willshire Township: Louis Schumm, barn down; William Buechner, barn destroyed and dwelling seriously damaged; Otto Stetler, barn destroyed and three dead horses; Robinson house and barn down; Jesse Boyer and Jesse Weiler, houses and barns badly wrecked; barns destroyed at Jacob Gunsett, Thomas Friedly, Maynard Stetler, Jesse Tickle, and Dudgeon farms. The George F. Robinson farm in Van Wert County occupied by Frank Wright was swept of its buildings. [This may be the Robinson farm mentioned above.] In all there were fourteen barns destroyed in Willshire Township. Blackcreek Township, Mercer County, also suffered severe losses.

Damage after 1920 Van Wert County Tornado

The 1920 tornadoes were deadly. A day after the storm a resident near Convoy reported that Dr. Morgan of Dixon found seven dead between New Haven and Monroeville and that he and had not yet reached the worst part of the damage. Mr. & Mrs. William Rader were both killed. Darke County, hardest hit in Ohio, reported eight deaths. One family there lost the father and three children. Mercer County escaped without the loss of life. The Van Wert Daily Bulletin, Tuesday, March 30, 1920, reported that over 176 were killed in eight states: Illinois, 30; Georgia & Alabama, 75; Ohio, 32; Indiana, 28; Michigan, 9; Wisconsin, 1; Missouri, 1.

Others were seriously injured: Mrs. Fred Stephenson, two ribs and an arm broken, a scalp wound and badly bruised; Fred Stephenson, bad cut on the side of his face, scalp wound and bruises; Myron Stephenson, left leg broken below the knee, bruises; Mr. & Mrs. Martin Roth, scalp wounds and bruises.

A firsthand account from Mrs. Ora Schaffer, who lived a short distance north of the Ridge Township House: “This didn’t seem to be a tornado like the one two years ago. It was simply a terrific wind which seemed to come from all directions. It had been raining hard and then the hail started. The house started to shake. I said to my husband, ’We’d better get to the cellar.’ We grabbed the children and got half way down the cellar when the cellar windows were blown out and the house went entirely off its foundation.” (The Van Wert Times, Monday March 29, 1920)

It was reported that a piano belonging to the Leplys, east of Van Wert, was picked up [by the wind or just picked up? not sure] and put on a pile of wreckage. (The Van Wert Times, Monday March 29, 1920) It was also reported that the tornado, almost a mile wide, moved a house several feet on its foundation.

The 1 April 1920 edition of the Van Wert Twice Weekly Bulletin estimated the loss of property from the storm in Van Wert County at $2 million. The paper also reported that many residents discovered too late that they were not covered by insurance. Apparently during the month preceding the storm some families neglected to transfer their insurance policies after they had transferred ownership of farm lands. They were not insured, according to insurance company rules.

The good people of Van Wert County chipped in to help their neighbors. Reconstruction work was started in all parts of the county Sunday night after the storm and yesterday and today hundreds of men and boys are at work. The entire county is uniting in helping the sufferers. The schools, county officials, Red Cross, the Farm Bureau, churches and other organizations are co-operating. Temporary shelters are being constructed, fences are being built to keep in cattle, repairs are being made to damaged buildings and debris is being collected. (Van Wert Times, 30 March 1920, front page)

Clean up and rebuilding after 1920 tornado

Rebuilding a barn (1920)

The 1920 tornado is also mentioned in the history of Duckcreek Church, Mercer County: Late in the evening of March 28, 1920, just after dark, the church was completely blown apart by a cyclone. It destroyed the church building and turned over or broke cemetery stones, but the church bell came straight down and was later moved and used in the Mount Hope Church, four miles to the west.

The Willshire Herald was the only area newspaper that referred to this storm as a hurricane. Did we really have a hurricane here in landlocked west central Ohio? According to Dictionary.com, today’s definition of a hurricane is 1. A violent, tropical, cyclonic storm of the western North Atlantic, having wind speeds of or in excess of 72 mph. 2. A storm of the most intense severity. 3. Anything suggesting a violent storm. Webster’s Dictionary, copyright 1943, defines a hurricane as A gale of extreme violence characterized by fitful changes of the wind and, sometimes, thunder and lightning. According to those definitions, you could call the storm that hit the area in 1920 a violent hurricane.

I still don’t have the answer to my original question. The newspaper article said the Louis Schumm barn was destroyed by a tornado but no family members remember Louis or Cornelius talking about a tornado that destroyed their barn. The barn’s slate shingles appear to be the original 1886 shingles. Louis Schumm’s barn was a banked barn but the barn being built in the photos was not a banked barn.

Perhaps Louis lost a small barn-type building and the newspaper exaggerated. And perhaps these were photos of a neighbor’s tornado damage and someone else’s barn being rebuilt. I may never know for sure.

These newspaper articles also give me ideas for future research. I can research the March 1918 Van Wert County tornadoes. One of the articles mentioned that a cyclone struck Mercer County in May 1884, causing the loss of several lives and much destruction in Liberty and Hopewell Townships. Even more research opportunities…

Newspaper sources for this blog: Willshire Herald, 2 April 1920; The Van Wert Daily Bulletin, 30 March 1920; The Van Wert Times, 29 March 1920 and 30 March 1920; Van Wert Times Bulletin, 29 March 1920; Van Wert Twice Weekly Bulletin, 30 March 1920 and 1 April 1920; and The Rockford Press, 2 April 1920.

Jul 05

Tombstone Tuesday–Anna Rosine Schumm

Anna "Rosine" (Schinnerer) Schumm, Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Schumm, Ohio.

This is the tombstone of Anna Rosine “Rosina” Schumm, first wife of Heinrich “Henry” Schumm. The tombstone is located in Row 5 of Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Schumm, Ohio. The inscription on the tombstone is: Hier ruhet in Gott Anna Rosine. Ehefrau von Heinrich Schumm, geboren den 13 April 1854, gestorben den 15 January 1890. Im alter von 35 Jahren, 8 Mon. u. 28 Tage.

When translated it reads, “Here rests in God Anna Rosine, wife of Heinrich Schumm, born 13 April 1854, died 15 January 1890. Age 35 years, 8 months and 28 days.“ The Bible verse on the tombstone is Psalm 4:4, In your anger do not sin; when you are on your beds, search your hearts and be silent.

Anna “Rosina” was the daughter of Frederick Schinnerer and his first wife Margaretha “Mary” Deier. Anna “Rosina” married Henry Schumm, known as “River Henry”, on 20 October 1872 at Zion Lutheran Church, Schumm. They were both members of the Schumm parish. Henry lived in Van Wert County and “Rosina” was from Mercer County. (source: Records of Zion Lutheran Church, Schumm, Book I:74.)

“Rosina” and Henry Schumm had ten children: John Martin (1873-1954, m. Elizabeth Boroff), Clara Rosina (1875-1936, m. Ernest Dietrich), Magdalena Wilhelmina “Minnie” (1877-?, m. Martin Hofmann), Hannah Barbara (1878-1937, m. George Merkle), Edward Ludwig (1880-1885), Gustavus Jacob (1881-?, m. Dorathea Bienz), William Jacob (1883-1967, m. Maria Sauer), Sarah Mathilda “Tillie” (1886-1971, m. Ernest Theodore Merkle), Joseph Heinrich (1888-?, m. Edith Wise), and Carl Friedrich (1890-1893).

According to the records at Zion Lutheran Church, Schumm, Rosina Schumm died at 7:00 in the evening of 15 January 1890 of a heart attack. She gave birth to their son Carl Friedrich that same day and she probably died during childbirth or shortly thereafter. Carl Friedrich was baptized at home the following day. Rosina was buried on 17 January 1890 in the parish cemetery. (source: Records of Zion Lutheran Church, Schumm, Book 3:59 & 236.)

Anna "Rosina" (Schinnerer) Schumm (1854-1890)

After Rosina’s death Henry Schumm married Anna Magdalena “Lena” Geisler on 27 January 1891. They had three children: Louis Fredrick, Herman Andrew, and Theodore Gottlieb.

Jul 01

Independence Day 2011

The Fourth of July, also known as Independence Day, is this coming Monday. On the Fourth we commemorate the adoption of the Declaration of Independence, declaring America’s independence from Great Britain. I thought this would be a good time to talk about the ancestors from our family who fought for American independence over 230 years ago.

I have two ancestors (that I know of) that fought in the Revolutionary War and I have proved them both in the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (NSDAR). Joe also has several ancestors that served in the Revolution. Although he is not a member of the Sons of the American Revolution (SAR), at least two of his ancestors have been proved in the NSDAR. The following are our known Revolutionary War ancestors.

Private Christian Whiteman fought in the Berks County, Pennsylvania, Militia with Captain Filbert’s Company, 6th Battalion; Captain John Shaefer’s 6th Company, 6th Battalion; and Captain Michael Furrer’s Company. Christian was born 16 March 1762, probably in Pennsylvania. Christian married Hannah Huey, his second wife, about 1798. According to tax and census records they were living in Georges Township, Fayette County, Pennsylvania 1798-1800. Christian and his family moved to Fairfield County, Ohio, about 1805. Christian died 23 December 1827 in Pickaway County, Ohio, and is buried in Reber Hill Cemetery there. I descend from Christian and Hannah’s daughter, Mary, who married Isaac Huey.

Commander James Phillips was the naval commander of the Sloop General Lee. According to the Journal and Correspondence of the Maryland Council of Safety, 7 July-31 Dec 1776, Vol. 12:534, Maryland State Archives, “Commission issued to James Phillips, appointed Commander of the Sloop General Lee, mounting 10 Carriage Guns and 8 Swivels, he having complied with the Resolution of Congress.” James was born 6 March 1768, in Baltimore, Maryland, and died 1811 in Baltimore. He married Catharine Frizzell in 1791 in Baltimore and they had at least one child, Ruth. Ruth married Nicholas Headington and I descend from their son William.

Private Jonathan Grant enlisted February 1776 in Pittsburgh in Captain William Croghan’s Company of the 8th Virginia Rifle Regiment, commanded by Col. Abraham Bowman. He was discharged at Valley Forge during the winter of 1778 but later served another three months as a volunteer at the request of General Washington. During his war service he fought in the following battles: White Plains, Trenton, Brandywine and Germantown, where he was wounded in the leg. (source: NARA M881, Compiled Service Records of Soldiers Who Served in the American Army during the Revolutionary War, 1775-1783 and Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Application Files, NARA Record Group 15. Both online at Footnote.com) About 1807 Jonathan was a surveyor in eastern Ohio, where he resided until his death. According to DAR and pension records Jonathan was born 16 July 1755 and died 27 July 1833 in Prairie Township, Holmes County, Ohio. Jonathan is buried in McCullough Cemetery in Holmes County, currently located on an Amish farm. We visited the cemetery in 2005 and saw his tombstone. Jonathan married Sarah Kelley, his second wife, about 1791. Joe descends from their son, Alexander Grant.

Private Hugh Montgomery enlisted for three years in February 1777 in Captain James Sullivan’s Company of the 9th Virginia Regiment, commanded by Colonel Russell. He fought in the following battles: Long Island, White Plains, Trenton, Brandywine, and Valley Forge, under the command of Generals Broadhead and McIntosh.  Hugh was wounded during the Revolutionary War. He later enlisted in the War of 1812 from Butler County, Ohio. (source: Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Application Files, NARA Record Group 15.) According to DAR applications Hugh was born 25 Feb 1754 in Ireland and died 20 May 1830 Greensburg, Decatur County, Indiana. He married Eve Hartman in 1784. Joe descends from their daughter, Mary, who married Alexander Grant, a son of Jonathan Grant.

Samuel Bennett was born about 1747 and died in 1812 in Butler County, Ohio. Although it appears that Samuel has not been proved in the NSDAR, he likely fought in the Revolution. In 1934, at the age of 89, Eliza Flanagon wrote in her journal that Samuel Bennett was born in New Jersey and that he served throughout the Revolutionary War. Eliza was the granddaughter of Nicholas and Lydia (Bennett) DeMoret and the great-granddaughter of Samuel Bennett. Samuel Bennett married Silence Platt about 1768 and Joe descends from their son, John.

Joe and I may have other Revolutionary War Patriots in our family trees. In my family the father of Nicholas Headington of Maryland, as well as one of the Hueys from Pennsylvania may have served. It is probable that one of Joe’s Monroe ancestors also fought in the Revolution. As usual, I will keep searching.

If you have a Revolutionary War ancestor in your family you might consider joining the NSDAR or SAR. To be eligible for membership in the NSDAR you must be a woman at least 18 years of age who can prove your direct descent from a person who aided in achieving American independence during the period between 19 April 1775 and 26 November 1783. Membership in the SAR is open to any male who is at least 18 years of age and can prove lineal bloodline descent from an ancestor who actively supported the American Revolution. My relatives on my dad’s side of the family could join either organization fairly easily by linking to my NSDAR applications. Contact me for details if you are interested.

If you are not sure if your ancestor served in the American Revolution you can search the NSDAR’s Patriot Index Lookup Service. And, through July 4, you can search SAR applications dating from 1889-1970 free on Ancestry.com . You will be prompted to set up a free account after you hit the Search button. The collection includes 145,000 applications.

I wish everyone a Happy Fourth of July weekend!

Jun 28

Tombstone Tuesday–Wilhelm A. Scaer

Wilhelm A. Scaer (23 Jul 1897-26 Nov 1906) Schumm Cemetery, Van Wert County, Ohio

This is the tombstone of Wilhelm A. Scaer. It is located in row 3 of Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Schumm, Van Wert County, Ohio. The inscription on the stone is Wilhelm A. Scaer, Geb. den 23 Juli 1897, Gest. den 26 Nov 1906. Geb. [geboren] is German for born and Gest. [gestorben] is German for died. Den is German for “on the”. “Gone Home” is inscribed on the very top of the stone.

Wilhelm “Willie” Scaer was born near Monroeville in Allen County, Indiana, the son of John and Elizabeth “Lizzie” (Schinnerer) Scaer. His grandparents were Johann and Katherine (Emrick) Scaer and Friedrich and Elizabeth (Schumm) Schinnerer. Willie was a younger brother of my grandmother, Hilda (Scaer) Schumm.

The John Scaer family was still living in Allen County in 1900 but moved east of Willshire, Van Wert County, Ohio, sometime before 1906. The family was enumerated as “Scar” in the 1900 census. (source: 1900 US census, Monroe, Allen, Indiana; Roll T623_358:2A)

Obituary: YOUNG BOY DIES– Willie Scare [sic], a son of Mr. and Mrs. John Scare, who live two miles east of Willshire, died between 11 and 12 o’clock Monday night. The disease that caused the demise of the young boy was strangulation of the bowels and began to develop two weeks ago. The funeral will be held this afternoon, the services being conducted by Rev. C.W. Geise in the German Lutheran church at Schumm. Willie Scare was nine years old last July, and is survived by the parents, three sisters and a baby brother. (source: The Willshire Herald, 29 November 1906, page 1)

Willie’s sisters were Hilda (1895-1997; m. Cornelius Schumm), Edna (1899-1985; m. Emanuel Schumm), Elsie (1904-1998; m. Paul Roehm). His younger brother was Oscar Scaer (1906-1992; never married).

Willie and Hilda Scaer (photo c1899)

The Scaer family has spelled their surname several ways over the years. It has been spelled Skahr, Scarr, Scar, Skaer, Scaer, and Scare, to name the more common variations. The name was spelled “Skahr” in the records of Zion Evangelical Church of Winesburg, Ohio, before 1848. After 1848 the name was spelled “Scar” or “Scarr”. Willie’s grandfather Johann spelled his name “Scaer” but his son Peter later changed the spelling of his name to “Scare”. Johann’s other son John (Willie’s father and my great-grandfather) kept the spelling as “Scaer”. Peter “Scare” married Hannah Schinnerer and his brother John “Scaer” married Elizabeth Schinnerer. The brothers married sisters, who were daughters of Friedrich & Elizabeth (Schumm) Schinnerer.

Jun 24

We Are For The Birds

Baltimore Oriole

Joe and I enjoy watching and feeding the birds here. We could not keep from turning into avid bird watchers after we moved into our home in the woods years ago. Colorful birds would fly past our windows and our curiosity got the best of us. We had to find out what those birds were.

We have always relied on our faithful bird guide, Roger Tory Peterson’s Field Guide to the Birds, to identify our feathered friends. I know some very nice bird identification software is available today, but we still like to use the Peterson paperback. It has served us well, is very portable and is much less expensive than the software.

Not to brag, but Joe and I have become fairly adept at recognizing birds by just hearing their song. About 95% of the time, when we hear a bird sing, we can identify the bird without ever seeing it. This comes in very handy when there are many leaves on the trees.

We have seen over 130 different birds and water fowl on our lot over the years. And even after all these years that list keeps growing. It seems that every year we see a “new” bird or see some of our regulars doing some unusual things. It is something we have come to look forward to and is one of the great things about living where we live. This year has been no exception.

Our newest bird discovery, new to our life list of birds, is the Dickcissel. We were taking a walk last week and heard a bird song that we had never heard before. The song was coming from droves of birds that were flying around in a wheat field down the road. This wheat field, which has evidently become their nesting ground, also has a few other plants growing in it. There are also some pink weeds, some yellow weeds, and what appears to be a few assorted crops. We were able to get a good look at the birds with the binoculars and Joe finally identified them with our trusty field guide. According to Peterson, the Dickcissel looks like a small Meadowlark, about the size of a House Sparrow. It is a grassland bird with a fondness for alfalfa fields. Apparently there is also some alfalfa in that wheat field. It was difficult to get a good photograph of this bird and I posted the best photo that I took. Wikipedia has a very good photo of the Dickcissel.

Dickcissel (2011)

This year the Baltimore Orioles are finally using our Oriole feeders. Joe puts those feeders out every year but the Orioles have ignored them until this year. Early this spring Joe saw a male Oriole trying to use the hummingbird feeder. Joe quickly put out two Oriole feeders and two pairs of Orioles have been using the feeders ever since. The Orioles also like to eat oranges, as does a fox squirrel.

Baltimore Oriole using Hummingbird feeder (2011)

Baltimore Oriole on Oriole feeder (2011)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We always see at least one or two Scarlet Tanagers in the spring and one stopped by one of our bird baths a few weeks ago. I have never been able to get a photograph of them, so you will just have to take my word that we have seen them here. They seem to be attracted by water and like the little waterfall on our goldfish pond.

A Wood Thrush also likes our waterfall. They seem to be a rather elusive bird but the sound of water must have been too much of a temptation for this one. After several hesitant attempts he successfully learned to shower under the waterfall. They have a delightful song that I love to hear coming from the woods. We call them the “ee-o-lay” bird since that is what their song sounds like. Their song has been described as one of the most beautiful songs of the birds in North America, and I agree.

Wood Thrush about to take a bath (2011)

Wood Thrush bathing (2011)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Some of the other noteworthy birds we have seen here over the years include Bobolinks, a Great Horned Owl trotting (more like waddling) across the front yard, a Great Horned Owl drinking from our pond, a Great Blue Heron standing in the goldfish pond (eating the goldfish and Koi!), two Scarlet Tanagers on a bird bath at the same time, a wild turkey walking about on Memorial Day (the wrong holiday for him), a Ring-necked Pheasant strolling through the front yard, a Bobwhite Quail that I called in and that landed about 10 feet from us (much to Joe’s surprise), Blue Grosbeaks, a Rufus-sided Towhee, and a Virginia Rail. Then there was the little Screech Owl that would fly into our patio door at night, hoping to snag one of our parakeet for his evening meal. We eventually had to cover the parakeet cage with a towel so the owl wouldn’t knock himself out on the glass.

Great Horned Owl (2010)

I enjoy photographing the birds and wildlife, although it can be very challenging. #1, I do not have the best camera for the task. #2, these little critters move around quickly and don’t stop to pose for me. #3, wildlife photography can be very time consuming and requires a lot of patience, neither of which I seem to have enough of these days. But, I have taken a few fairly decent photos of our birds. Maybe some day I will have the camera of my dreams. Until then, I will enjoy the photos I have taken so far.

Sharing the bird bath. (2010)

Squirrels like oranges, too! (2011)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We love our Bluebirds, too! (2010)

Bluebird (2010)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Last year, as a Christmas present for Joe, I had our yard registered as a National Wildlife Federation Certified Wildlife Habitat. As required for certification, I indicated that our property provides the four basic habitat elements needed for wildlife to thrive: food, water, cover, and places to raise young. We have a nice metal sign that shows our certification.