Out And About (Again!)

 Friday I checked out Point Pelee, starting with a lakewatch at the Tip.  Nothing unusual showed up, but there were lots of gulls and a few shorebirds.  I was putting in time before I looked for insects.

Sanderling

I then checked several areas for butterflies, but for a while it was overcast, not helping matters.  I did not come across any rarities.  I think it will be a good late summer and fall though!

Giant Swallowtail was the most common native species.

It started to get very hot and muggy, so I went over to Hillman Marsh for a long walk before it got too unbearable.

I did find a good variety of butterflies, but still no rarities.

Broad-winged Skipper

Common Buckeye

Eastern Tailed-Blue

Today, I went up to north Lambton, starting at Forest lagoons.  Lots of shorebirds in to sort through, but no rarities.  Lesser Yellowlegs have dwindled in numbers, but more peeps were in.

What to do next?  I went up to Karner Blue Sanctuary and the Liatris plants are just coming out.

Cylindrical Blazing Star

Rough Blazing Star (blooms a tad later)

I always look at the Ebony Spleenwort nearby too.

It is a bit early for Leonard's Skipper there, so looked at a few other species.

Wild Indigo Duskywing

Crossline Skipper

probably Crossline

It was completely dead for birds!  I heard only one Red-eyed Vireo, lol.

Before leaving the area, I walked L-Lake trail and it too was dead for birds!

It was getting too hot, so I headed back south and stopped at McKeough.  I had hopes of finding another Marine Blue, but no dice.  I found a Common Sootywing in that location.

One last stop was at Reid CA, where I stumbled upon the find of the day.  Two Great Blue Skimmers were patrolling the old oxbow!  I recognized them right away.

This is a first record for here as far as I know.  Reid is alway good for insects, rather than birds!

While standing there, I did see a Dukes' Skipper (getting late for them), but it eluded the camera.

I managed to photograph one of my friends as well, a Royal River Cruiser.

By this time I was beat by the heat and humidity.

Bob O'Link