Glacier Ridge Metro Park Wetlands

So this BlogSpot is supposed to be about my backyard wildlife... Not today!  Besides, Glacier Ridge wetland area is essentially surrounded by houses, and an unfortunate stone’s throw from Route 33. 

I’m posting these photos from a year ago…for several reasons. This migrating Marbled Godwit was a rare sight for central Ohio, so I've read.  I was lucky enough to be stumbling down the boardwalk that day, and had my camera for once!  So glad.  (This was August 26, 2008) 

Now this past September I visited Glacier Ridge a few times, and even after what seemed like a good deal of rain, the wetlands area was only just damp.  I was surprised to realize that we're still behind for rainfall this year... 
Finally, just last Saturday, October 3, there was a little standing water. (But I didn’t see any birds.) I did find a sad and adorable tiny Masked(?) Shrew, dead on the multi-use trail. I picked him up and moved him to tall grass. (Otherwise within a half-hour he would have been pureed in the wheel of a rollerblade.)

Saturday I also saw what appeared to be predaceous diving beetles in a very shallow puddle also on the asphalt multi-use trail!  I thought that was pretty interesting.  ~ No camera that day, of course. ~

(click photos to view large images)

Please click on photo to view.  You must see the large image of this one!  A Green Heron ripping from the mud what appears to be an already dead frog.  The frog reminds me of a sandbag/ragdoll I had as a child...