Dale’s Nature Views

1945

My name is Dale Barger, I’m the Sports Editor at My County Link and have been active for the last 20 years as a photojournalist and sportswriters in the Miami Valley but mostly in Darke County.

Many of you may know me from around the county having seen me at sporting events snapping away with my camera.

More recently I have expanded my view from people and events to wildlife and nature.

There was a meme going around on facebook that went something like this; for years you’re working all the time, running to your kids’ events and before you know it one day you’re looking around and see a bird and catch yourself asking the question, hey isn’t that a Black-crested Titmouse?  (You can insert any kind of bird in to fit this meme)


The Black-crested Titmouse roams Texas & Oklahoma, it’s more common cousin the Tufted Titmouse range is east of the Mississippi river and common in Ohio.

After many years of being tied up with work and involved with my kids and now grandkids we sort of tune ourselves out to nature.  Suddenly one day we become childlike again and rediscover the beauty of nature.


American Red squirrel common in Ohio taken at Shawnee Prairie

For some of us it might not be birds, it might be flowers, landscapes, mountains, lakes, rivers and other wildlife.


Wildlife is all around us, including the Red-tailed Hawk

No matter what it might be, we all need to slow down and take some time to observe, breathe and soak in the beauty all around us.


Beauty is all around us, this White-tailed Fawn was taken in a pasture
near my home in Darke County

My goal is to share with you my views of nature through my photography and this column.

Nature can be observed anywhere, yes it’s exciting to travel to Yellowstone National Park, Lake Cumberland, the Smokey Mountains … I can go on.


A pair of Bison taken at Yellow Stone National Park

But if you can’t take a special trip we have plenty of beauty locally, whether it’s the Greenville Falls or the 17 Parks right here in Darke County there are plenty of opportunities to commune with nature.


The Northern Pearly-Eye Butterfly taken at Stillwater Prairie Reserve

My next column will be about Covid and Nature a two-part series on how it influenced and sparked my renewed interest with nature.

I encourage everyone to slow down and soak in the natural beauty all around us, we can even find it right here in our own backyard and that’s my view of nature.


American Goldfinch Male taken in my yard at the feeders