Another Lambton Crop Tour

Sunday morning I headed up to Wawanosh Wetlands. As many of you know, a Franklin's Gull was seen there in the past week.  To my knowledge, it was not present on Sunday, so it may have left!
However, walking around the property can reveal a good variety of land birds.  One can spend quite a bit of time there.
This Google Earth image shows the place off Blackwell Sideroad.  It was formerly a quarry.

Not far into my walk, I came across a couple of Philadelphia Vireos which are attractive birds to my eye.

A decent selection of warblers were around, amounting to about a dozen species.  One included a Mourning Warbler, several Magnolia, a few Wilson's, etc.

Wilson!

Cooper's hawks must have nested there as I came across three immatures.

In my early birding years, I went to Wawanosh quite often, especially for shorebirds.  The big pond was open with lots of mud/sand and no phragmites like we see today.  It was "the" place to go for shorebirds in the Sarnia area in the late '80's and early '90's.  I got quite a few lifers there!

After that outing, I headed over to Dow Wetlands at the corner of LaSalle Line and highway 40.  I did not see too much there, but came across a group of Eastern Meadowlarks, a Merlin carrying breakfast and a Kestrel.

Next stop was Moore WMA.  I usually do not go there much after mid summer, but it can be good for warblers.  Of course I go there often in the winter as it is an excellent place for wintering birds.  Some prairie plantings there are of interest.

Ironweed

Near the parking lot, I looked for insects, seeing a few butterflies and dragonflies.  Some Purple Coneflower is still out.

At one point I saw a Garter Snake on the coneflower!

Not far from the parking lot I came across a decent flock of warblers.  I stood in one spot for over 20 minutes as they fed in the trees.  There was quite a variety, with over ten species.  I even heard a Solitary Sandpiper along the river.

Last stop for the morning was at McKeough CA. One Flag-tailed Spinyleg was still along the river.

In the floodway, I saw the first Common Painted-Lady in quite some time.

The floodway was loaded with Eastern Tailed-blues and a few Common Ringlets. A new batch of Peck's Skippers has emerged recently.

Lots of fresh Gray and Eastern Commas have been seen lately.

Eastern Comma

Things are picking up and hopefully a good lakewatch is in order soon!