Tony Cono Photography

07/21/2026

Chimney Swifts are federally protected migratory birds that play a vital role in controlling mosquitoes and other flying insects. During spring and summer, they often nest inside uncapped masonry chimneys, making it important to avoid chimney cleaning or repairs until the nesting season has ended.

07/16/2026

Three curious ducklings pause along the water’s edge, reminding us that some of life’s most meaningful moments happen in perfect silence. Their tiny size, soft down, and quiet confidence are a simple reminder to slow down and appreciate the beauty that surrounds us every day. Wildlife photography gives us the chance to preserve these fleeting moments before they’re gone, and sharing them is one of the greatest rewards of being behind the camera. Captured in Ohio, this peaceful scene is a celebration of nature and wildlife.

07/10/2026

The Bold Jumper is one of Ohio’s most charismatic spiders — stocky and black with white spots and those distinctive iridescent green or blue fangs. They have exceptional eyesight and are active hunters, stalking and pouncing on prey rather than using a web. Highly curious, they’ll often stop and turn to watch you as you observe them, which makes them fantastic photography subjects. Common across Ohio in gardens, fields, and woodland edges.

07/08/2026

The Common Eastern Bumblebee is Ohio’s most common bumblebee — a chunky, fuzzy bee with a yellow thorax and mostly black abdomen. A generalist pollinator, it visits a wide variety of flowers and is important for both wild plants and garden crops. Unlike honeybees, they’re native to North America and nest underground in abandoned burrows. Colonies are annual, starting fresh each spring from an overwintering queen and dying off each fall. They’re great photography subjects — usually too focused on foraging to care about a camera.

07/06/2026

The Eastern Gray Squirrel is Ohio’s most commonly seen wild mammal — gray above, pale below, with that distinctive bushy tail. They’re scatter hoarders, burying thousands of individual food caches each fall and relocating them by memory and smell, making them important planters of oaks and other trees. They stay active year-round without hibernating and breed twice a year. Bold and adaptable, they thrive everywhere from mature forest to city parks. Despite being everywhere, they can actually be challenging photography subjects — fast, unpredictable, and rarely still for long.

07/03/2026

The Raccoon is one of Ohio’s most adaptable and recognizable mammals, instantly identified by its black face mask and ringed tail. They’ll eat almost anything, thrive in nearly every habitat from woodlands to suburbs, and are especially common near water. Their dexterous front paws let them manipulate objects almost like hands. Primarily nocturnal, they don’t hibernate but sleep through the coldest winter weather living off fat reserves. For wildlife photography they make great subjects — curious, unhurried, and full of personality.

07/01/2026

The House Finch is a common backyard bird across Ohio. Males have a rosy-red head and breast — the intensity of the red varies by individual depending on diet — while females are plain brown and streaky with a stubby curved bill. They eat seeds almost exclusively, travel in small flocks, and their song is a cheerful rambling warble. Originally a western species, they were released in New York in the 1940s and eventually spread across the entire eastern U.S.

06/29/2026

The Field Sparrow is a small, plain bird found in overgrown fields and brushy areas. It’s easiest to identify by its pink bill and rusty-colored cap, with a clean, unmarked tan breast. Its song is a series of whistled notes that speed up into a fast trill — once you know it, you’ll hear them everywhere in the right habitat. They nest close to the ground, eat seeds and insects, and tend to be pretty tame and easy to approach. They’re common around Ohio, though their numbers have dropped over the years as the weedy, brushy fields they depend on get developed or grow into mature woods.

06/26/2026

06/25/2026

The House Sparrow may be one of the most familiar birds in North America, but it isn’t native here. Introduced from Europe in the 1850s, it quickly spread across the continent and is now found in cities, suburbs, and farms. Highly adaptable and social, House Sparrows thrive around people, feeding on seeds, grains, and insects. Despite being common, they display plenty of personality and are a reminder that even everyday birds are worth taking a closer look at.