Sparrow Hunting and More Insects

 This past Friday I decided to check out Forest Lagoons.  This place has often been a hotspot for birds of various sorts.  Used to be good for shorebirds, but it has grown in too much and water levels are a bit on the high side.  This time of year it is good for sparrows.

I had the notion to look for the more secretive type such as LeConte's and Nelson's, which no doubt will be renamed in the future!  Both have been seen here in the past.

I spent the better part of two hours there, but despite a valiant effort, I did not turn up either species.   Getting to be too much phragmites as well!

There were lots of other sparrows, especially Song and Swamp.  Some warblers included Palm.  This one posed for a time.

Heading back homeward, I stopped by Marthaville Habitat for lunch break as I often do.  Not many birds there.

The last stop was at Moore Wildlife Habitat Area which I have avoided all summer.  This year it was too grown-in and wet and the river too high due to all the rain.  However, it was fairly accessible now that vegetation is dying down, but the river was running a bit high.  The area near the river has been known for a thick forest of ragweed in the past.  However, this year there is none due to all the flooding!

Some mussels were along the bank.

Deertoe

Giant Floater

Saturday it was Rondeau bound.  Birding was a bit better than the previous visit with more warblers and sparrows.  Lots of Bonaparte's Gulls were on the move, but par for the course for Rondeau, nothing was with them.

Here is a plant in the dunes area called False Indigo Bush, as far as I can tell.  It is fairly uncommon here, and listed as imperiled in Canada.  (photos taken along a trail)

I later stopped by Keith McLean C. L.  where many birders eventually came along looking for an elusive Nelson's Sparrow.  One just has to be in the right place at the right time for those most of the time.  Luckily, I managed to see two different ones.

Sometimes they can be co-operative for photos, but often not.  This is what happens when one is not quick enough with the camera!  You can see the orange though.

Not as many butterflies this day, probably due to the wind, but this Peck's Skipper was the path.  Getting late for them.

Sunday  I had no clue what to do, but since there was a decent SW wind, I decided to head to Rondeau and do a lakewatch.  It was very disappointing as not much was moving.  Some ducks were though to keep up interest.

There was a nice sunrise to start.

Birding the rest of the day was a bust....just not much around.  So, I went for a long walk at Reid CA.

Here are some insects.

Common Buckeye (lots!)

Common Checkered-Skipper

Bare-winged Aphideater (new for me!)

These are not identified to species, but there are hundreds of them around right now.

Long-tailed Aphideater Complex

Thick-legged Hoverfly

It was quite windy, so very difficult to focus on these little insects.  This one no specifically nailed down to species, but is a fly.

Neocyptera

Monday, it was all Lambton birding as I went to Dow Wetlands, then Perch Creek Habitat.  Both places are good for sparrows, and there was no shortage of them.  Any bird I saw was too active or unco-operative to get photos!

Way at the back of Perch Creek I managed to get a quick look at a Nelson's Sparrow.  So, not a total loss.

Butterflies included Common Buckeye.  This time of year we often see the "red" form, which is neat.

I stopped by Nicholl's at Wilkesport before getting home.  With the cooler day, there were fewer insects.

Today I did not venture far, checking out Peers Wetland first thing.

No sap on this tree!

Quite a few sparrows, but nothing I wanted.  I once saw a Nelson's here a few years ago though, so there is potential.

White-crowned Sparrow

It was then off to Brander Park at Port Lambton, where there were a fair number of birds.  Quite a few Tree Swallows were near or over the lagoons.  As well, a few late Northern Rough-winged Swallows were mixed in.

Next walk was at W. Darcy McKeough CA.  A fair number of birds, but I could not come up with anything of note.  Always a chance of LeConte's there too, but I have never had one there despite all the years trying.

I went for another walk at Peers in the afternoon, but it was virtually birdless!  Amazing how things change from morning to afternoon.

I photographed this wasp.  Comes up as Catskill Potter Wasp on iNaturalist, something new for me.  Nobody has confirmed it though.

The days are getting too short......