Sifting Through A Bog

In recent weeks, I had the urge to visit Sifton Bog in London.  I was even more envious when Quinten Wiegersma checked out the place just last week!  I had only been there on one occasion before, perhaps 25 years ago!  (I would have to look it up in my notes).
Today was the day that seemed right to go.

It was easy to get to following county road 14 from Newbury all the way to London where it blends into Oxford Road.  The bog is on the south side of Oxford, just before Hyde park Road.  I arrived fairly early, so things were a bit slow at first.  I stayed close to two hours and had the place to myself. I left in time, as a mass of seniors (at least 50) invaded the place!

Sifton Bog is a 41.6 Ha acid peat bog right in the city of London, something you would normally see much farther north.  I felt like I was in Algonquin Park.

It was acquired by the Upper thames River Conservation Authority in 1967,  but earlier attempts to preserve the place were started by the well-known London naturalist Dr. W. Judd in the late 1950's.

Plant life here is what you would find farther north with Black Spruce, Tamarack and various vascular plants.

tamarack

Tuberous Grass Pink

Horned Bladderwort

bog Cranberry

I kept track of birds as well.

Cedar Waxwing

Rose-breasted Grosbeaks

Of interest today, I wanted to see Spatterdock Darner.  I do not recall that I have seen this one before, but there were a few patrolling the pond upon my arrival.  At times they came close to the viewing platform for nice views, but it was difficult to get a photo.  One would have to net one!  I took dozens of photos in vain trying to capture one.  I finally nailed one, even though it is flying away.

The yellow pond lilies here are called Spatterdock, which the darner is akin-to.

There were other odes including these:

Blue Dasher

Dot-tailed whiteface

Eastern Forktail

There was also Common Green Darner and meadowhawk sp. (Ruby?).  At one point I thought I saw an emerald, but I do not know if there are any there.

A bullfrog was in front of the viewing stand the whole time.

I did not see much in the way of butterflies, but on the way out, I found an Appalachian Brown.

Of course, Bog Copper is here.

On the way home, I stopped by Wardsville Woods and Skunk's Misery.  Some Great Fangled Spangled Fritillaries were freshly out.

A Twelve-spotted Skimmer was beside the pond.

Through Skunk's, I found the usual birds including several Hooded Warblers, Chestnut-sided, Blue-winged, Ovenbird, Cerulean Warbler, Acadian Flycatcher, etc.

There was not much in the way of butterflies, so I hope things pick up for next Sunday on the count.  I think we will be good as long as it is warm and sunny.

Bruce Birds, Bugs, Botany

I needed to get a way for a couple of days, so I headed up to the Bruce Peninsula!  My base camp, as always is MacGregor Point Provincial Park.

Sunday was mostly cloudy up there, unfortunately, and very muggy.  I made the best of it though.  There were bouts of sun in the afternoon which helped looking for butterflies and dragonflies.  I managed to meet some of my targets.
Right away, I found a Dorcas Copper (the only one of the trip!).

In the same vicinity were some Coral Hairstreaks.  I missed them around home (probably for the first time) this summer.

In the bog near the visitor centre, I looked for Racket-tailed Emerald and managed to find a couple.

Those metallic green eyes really stick out!

I walked the two main trails in the park--Lake Ridge Trail and the Tower Trail.  Both can be good for butterflies, but the cloudy afternoon did not help.

Chalk-fronted Corporal

Variable Dancer

There were many Appalachian Browns and some Eyed-Browns fluttering through the woods.

Eyed-Brown

Monday morning I headed out early and first stop was Sauble Beach where one can see Piping Plovers.  Apparently there were three nestings there this year!  I got there around 7 a.m. before the riff -raff arrived, so there were no people around.  I found some plovers right away.

A couple of early fall migrant Sanderlings were nearby as well, but I never took a photo of them. (They still come up rare at this point on eBird).

Heading north, I veered off highway 6 down Dyer's Bay Road where some Dickcissels were nesting.  I saw one female and one male.  One bird was carrying food.  I never got any good photos though, lol!

Next stop was one of my favourite places, Singing Sands at Dorcas Bay.  I have been going there since the early 1990's.  There is a new parking lot across the road and you have to walk in.  It is a good thing as that place becomes a zoo in the summer with beach goers!

Trails were actually flooded in some spots, so access was limited.  Lots of Horned Bladderwort was along the beach.

Butterflies and dragonflies were not too numerous, but I did find this nice Common Wood Nymph.

Long Dash and Tawny-edged Skippers were fairly numerous along the woodland trail.

Long Dash on Heal-all

clubtail sp.

After almost two hours there, it was time to get out of there as the beach goers were invading the place.

Tobermory Harbour was the next stop as I checked things out there and got some lunch.  Feature attraction there is the tug Dawn Light, at least to my eyes.  This is no ordinary tug.  It has an extensive storied history.  It was originally built in 1890, and it one of the oldest hulls on the Great Lakes.

The history is too much to tell here, but it has a Wallaceburg connection when named the Henry Stokes and Aburg.  It has sunk a couple of times, including one here in Wallaceburg.

The current owner has fixed up the interior and is still doing work.  He made contact with us a couple of years ago.  As fate would have it, the owner was there on Monday, and it nearly knocked his socks off when I introduced myself!  He gave me a tour of the tug.

engine room, starboard side

Drawing of original configuration:

Getting back to the topic, after lunch I stopped by Lindsay Tract Trails beside highway 6.  Nothing special there, but lots of trails to check out.

One of my mandatory stops is Petrel Point near Red Bay.  Here we have a nature reserve owned by Ontario Nature. It is a fen with some rare plants.

As I stepped onto the boardwalk, this emerald was patrolling the area.  

Brush-tipped Emerald

Here are some photos of plants.

Grass Pink

Rose Pogonia

Tall White Bog Orchid (past its prime)

False Asphodel

more Horned Bladderwort

Tuesday morning dawned very foggy.

I spotted this Merlin at the north end of MacGregor Point just before I headed out.

On the way home, I stopped to walk the Ipperwash Forested Dunes and Swales.  The Acadian Flycatcher was still present, among other birds.
I found this Wild Indigo Duskywing near the start of the trail.

Closer to home, Dickcissels were seen and heard along the way.  One spot was just north of Wilkesport along Kimball Road--a previously unreported location.
Map on this checklist:
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S38205577

Previously, I found more along Forest Road.