Canada Day Weekend Insects and More

The last couple of days were somewhat uneventful.  This time of year I look more at insects, namely dragonflies and butterflies.
Sunday I wandered into Elgin County and checked out the Storey Wetland at John E. Pearce P.P.  Last year I found it good for odes, but this day it was not!  Perhaps I will get there another time this month.

Eastern Pondhawk female

Slender Spreadwing

spiderwort

On the way back, I stopped by the old quarry at Clear Creek Provincial Nature Reserve which is always good for odes.  Last year I found Comet Darner there, which was likely a first for Chatham-Kent.  Perhaps it was a bit early, as I did not see one.  There has been reports in the province already though.

While, there I found at least a dozen species of odes.

Violet Dancer

Widow Skimmer female

Blue Dasher female

Blue Dasher male

??

At one point I caught sight of an emerald.  With no net on hand, I could only speculate what it might be.  I tried to get photos of it on the wing, and this one was not too bad.

Likely just a Common Baskettail which is related to emeralds, although it did not appear to be at the time.

Calico Pennant is common here.

On the way home, I went over to Blenheim Lagoons.  Halloween Pennants were numerous there.

Fall migration is well underway!  I saw my first Lesser Yellowlegs (6) of the season here.  Things are going downhill!

It was such a nice day, I had to make a brief visit to Reid CA in the afternoon.  It took quite a while, but an Oak Hairstreak finally came in.

When I first arrived, I saw my FOY Banded Hairstreak.  That and the oak were the only hairstreaks I saw in one hour, so that tells you something about the situation this year.

I saw a couple of Long Dash, which were FOY as well.

Today I felt rather lazy and went out to St. Clair NWA.  I do not get there much anymore since things have changed drastically since the late 1980's and early 1990's when one would see much more.
Upon arrival, I happened to meet up with Paul Nicholson and his friend Dick, so we walked all the way around.

Sandhill Crane

Marsh wrens were the most numerous bird is seemed.  We caught sight of a Least Bittern at one point and a few Great Egrets, Black-crowned Night-Herons and Great Blue Herons were around.

Sparrow of the Swamp

Marsh Bluet

Blue Dashers were out by the thousands today.

This afternoon I wanted to check out Moore WMA on Bickford.  Things are shaping up although one cannot cross the river, not surprisingly.

Blue-tipped Dancer

Hackberry Emperor

The weather this weekend was quite nice, so it goes to show how inaccurate weather forecasts are anymore!  Whatever they say, it is usually the opposite!  No complaints though, as I hope the weather has finally stabilized.