A Whole Year!

It has now been a whole year since I started this blog. I thought it would be something fun to do, as well to get the word out on local nature. It has indeed been that.

There may not be many people commenting directly on the blog, but I know a number of people do read this blog and occasionally send me emails.

I really got into photography this summer, especially with butterflies. Needless to say, it has been a fascinating year for butterflies with sheer numbers and rarities. I don't really have a fancy camera, and just use my 300mm lens to photograph the butterflies. Many have turned out really well.

The "first" Southern Hairstreak June 22, 2008

With the discovery of a colony of Southern (Northern Oak) Hairstreaks just north of Wallaceburg on June 22, things really got going with my interest in butterflies. It is amazing what you can find when you start looking!
I have always had an interest in butterflies, at least since 1999 when I did my first butterfly count at Rondeau. I did not know what I was getting into then, but it has been fun ever since.

Southern Hairstreak at a second location July 2008

Birds have always been my passion, and will continue to be so. Now that we are into fall, birding can be very interesting, and less rushed that it is in the spring. I hope to find some noteworthy birds this fall.

Just saw an email from Ron Tozer that the OFO conference tallied 145 species of birds. That was a little less than expected, but considering the "too nice" weather, that was OK. The total number of registered participants was 270, not 275 as I reported the other day. It shows the interest of birding/ornithology in this province.

The weather looks too nice for a lakewatch anywhere this weekend (AGAIN!), but hopefully some good birding will be had.

odd Glaucous Gull at Wheatley