More Dickcissels and Things Here and There

I have been out and about, but not as much as I usually do. For the most part, I have not gone far.  Trying to cut down on driving, no ambition, no place to go, busy.  Those are my excuses!

Walked Nicholl's Memorial Forest and wetland on Tuesday. I photographed this dragonfly beside the pond.  Not even sure what it was at the time.

I think it is just a teneral Blue Dasher female.

Last Tuesday I checked out some traditional spots around south Lambton County for Dickcissels.  The first stop was a pasture area on Stanley Line just west of Kimball Road.  Success!  There was one male singing way back, and certainly too far for a photo attempt.

The only other spot was at a communications tower beside the Sombra solar farm.  Although this one was close, it did not co-operate for a photo like most things lately!

By the way, Ospreys nested on this tower this year.  Strangely, I did not know they were there until later.  This is a very tall tower, so I did not look high enough (that is my excuse!).

The next day, I did a similar tour.  The Dickcissel was still beside the solar farm.  There was also one at the barn and pasture on Holt Line just east of Baseline Road.  It too did not want its photo taken.  This is an annual spot as well.

June 11 was museum day, so I did not do any amount of looking around.

Friday, I wanted to go some place completely different.  Komoka Provincial Park on the west side of London was the destination.

It is actually a fairly large park with several access points.  I went to two of them.  I had not been there in several years, other than a stop at the parking lot off Gideon Drive a couple of years ago for the Blue Grosbeak.

I first went to the entrance off Komoka Road.

Great Egret on the pond

Some butterflies:

Common Ringlet

Hackberry Emperor

Then went to the entrance on Gideon Drive.  A whole system of trails are here going into various habitats including mature forest.  I only stayed on the outside.  Nothing special encountered.  Some Long Dash Skippers were along the trails off Gideon Drive.

I headed back via highway 2.  I stopped at Wardsville Woods for a look.  Yet again it was disappointing for odes.  Not sure what is going on this year, but there is certainly a lack of odes and leps in many places.

I did spot a Racket-tailed Emerald at one point.

Just before leaving, an Arrowhead Spiketail made an appearance.

Saturday was yard sale day, so no travelling!  It was a perfect weather day, good for a yard sale, but difficult to pass on being out and about.

Sunday was a rather glum day, but I toured locally.  I did finally see an Osprey at the Sombra solar farm.

A Dickcissel was singing near the Baseline bridge north of Holt Line.  Likely the same bird from a couple of days previous.

I went for a long walk at Reid C. L.  Slim pickings, but it was somewhat cloudy and early in the day.

Eastern Calligrapher

Yesterday I went down Rondeau and Erieau way.  Weather was perfect for being out.  I first checked out Keith McLean C. L.  A pelican had been there a couple days previous, and I was not expecting it to still be there.  But it was!  Fast asleep at first.  One would hardly know that white blob was a pelican.

It did poke its head up a little later to reveal its tell-tale head and beak.

Also went for a walk at McGeachy Pond and the Erieau Marsh trail. Nothing of note.

Today was one of those days I had no place to go.  Just did some yard work and things on the house.

Blue Dasher

Dickcissel Season and Another New Lambton Bird

 Time marches on!  I have been making my usual rounds of late, taking advantage of the nice weather.

Friday I headed down to Rondeau for one last walk there until perhaps August.  Mosquitoes were bad!  I walked down Harrison from maintenance to Bennett and back Lakeshore Road.  I encountered quite a few birds, including Hooded Warbler, a couple of Acadian Flycatchers and others.

Little Wood Satyr

It was then off to Wardsville to look for odonates.  Unfortunately they were a bit thin there!  I did get one of my targets, that being an Arrowhead Spiketail.

I did see at least one other spiketail which I thought was a Twin-spotted, but it was flying high and had some sort of prey. It seemed to be looking for a spot to stop and consume the meal.

There were a couple of Midland Clubtails, but no Cobras yet.

Butterflies included Peck's Skippers.

Next day was the annual bird survey at Sydenham River Nature Reserve.  Counters were thin.  Seems interest has waned in this event, as it is difficult to get volunteers anymore.

I found the usual residents on my route, and nothing special.  Although a female Common Merganser on the river was a bit unusual.

Before leaving, I took a look for odonates and managed to find what I was looking for.  An Arrowhead Spiketail!

In the past we have had Rusty Snaketail here, but it has been several years since I have seen one.

It was early in the day and quite windy, so odes were sparse.

Dot-tailed Whiteface

Common Whitetail

Midland Clubtail

The ravines here are impressive.

Yesterday, I had the urge to head up to north Lambton.  Last Thursday evening, James Holdsworth found a White-faced Ibis at the Thedford Lagoons.  This species is good anywhere in Ontario, but it was a first record for Lambton.  Probably way overdue.

I did not really have the chance or ambition to try for it until yesterday.  I went quite early, and basically found it right away.  It was too distant under heavy clouded skies to attempt a photo.

That was my second new bird for Lambton County in less than a week!  One can go years without adding anything, but to get two in short order is satisfying.

I continued on and visited various places including a walk at Ausable River Cut CA.  I looked at mussels there and found the usuals, plus the rarer Wabash Pigtoe. 

Next stop was the Lambton Heritage Forest.  Acadian Flycatchers seem to be having a good year there, as I encountered eleven singing birds.

On the other hand, Hooded Warblers are less plentiful this year.  I noticed that at Skunk's Misery as well.  I wonder what is going on with them?

I did get two Cerulean Warblers to add to the list.

Some Hobomok Skippers were flying in the sunny spots.

I also came across another Cherry Scallop Shell Moth.  Very attractive!

(cell phone pic!)

Next stop was nearby Karner Blue Sanctuary. Insects were very scarce there it seemed.  

I did encounter a Blue-winged Warbler singing an almost perfect Northern Parula Song.  The Merlin app was registering it as a parula.  It took a long time to spot the bird, as I wanted to make sure! Yep, it was the Blue-winged!

I also walked the Sandrin Tract Woods trail nearby.  The "bowl" is almost dried up showing the lack of rain we have had in the last year.

A couple of duskywings there were Juvenal's.

Not many odes, even though this has been a hotspot.

Midland Clubtail

Four-spotted Skimmer

Twelve-spotted Skimmer

One last stop was Reid C. L. before getting home.  Things not looking good there either for insects. Some Four-spotted Skimmers were flying.

Today, I knew that Dickcissels were around.  They obviously just arrived.  I went down to SW Chatham-Kent to a couple usual spots and had no problem finding some.

singing up a storm!

I am sure some will be arriving elsewhere including Lambton County soon, if not already.

More Tourin' and a Special Visitor

 I have been taking advantage of the wonderful weather lately.  This past Sunday, I did a big tour, heading to Strathroy first thing.

The lagoons at Strathroy provide a good birding spot.  Black-necked Stilts have returned to nest there once again.  In fact, there are two pairs!  I only saw three birds, assuming one was tending to a nest hidden in the weeds.

They were not close, but I attempted a photo anyway.

It was then back west to check some pastures (what few remain).  More and more disappear each year, which is devastating to grassland birds.  I was really hoping to find Grasshopper Sparrow on this outing, but that did not happen.  One field I always get them is now a wheat field!

Some pastures remain, and attract Upland Sandpipers.

Another location near Glencoe had a couple as well.  This one was a bit agitated right beside the road.  No doubt young were nearby.

Used to be more pastures here even a couple of years ago, but only a couple remain.

It was then on to Skunk's Misery where I stopped by a popular birding spot.  Here we get various warblers and even Acadian Flyatcher.

I heard Prothonotary Warbler singing around a woodland pond, but it never showed.  I think it was my first for Middlesex.

A Cerulean Warbler was singing constantly along the road, in typical fashion high in a tree.

Since I was in the neighbourhood, a stop at Wardsville Woods was mandatory.  As readers of this blog know, it is a hotspot for insects, especially dragonflies.

Common Whitetail

Just before leaving, a dragonfly flew past me that I instantly recognized as a spiketail.  Which one?  Turned out to be a Twin-spotted.

Arrowhead Spiketail also resides here, so maybe next trip I will find one.  I discovered these two species here a number of years ago.

Lots of Midland Clutails were flying.  I had hoped to see the rare Cobra Clubtail, but it was a tad early in the season yet.

Along the trail, I caught sight of a fast-flying skipper.  I knew it had to be a Zabulon, and sure enough it was!

This is the third year in a row I have seen one here.  I discovered it here and am probably the only to have seen them here, as a first for Middlesex.

Monday I did not do too much, but came across my first Common Ringlets of the season.

Tuesday I headed down to Rondeau.  I did not come across anything of note, but you never know until trying.  While there, a friend sent me a note and recording that a Kirtland's Warbler was in their yard.  I had a difficult time believing it!  This was near Brigden.

There was no mention of having visitors, so I took my time, then went home.  I received another note that the warbler was still present and asked if I could see it.  Off I went!

As soon as I got out of the car, I could hear its loud song.

I stayed about an hour taking in this marvel.  As they often are, Kirtland's Warblers are very co-operative once they find a spot.

There are only a handful of records for Lambton, and this was my first for the county, needless to say.  One I have always wanted for Lambton!

I wish more people could have seen it, but it was on private property and was not my call to invite people.

Today, a few of us did a breeding bird survey at a new conservation lands.  Called Bradshaw Conservation Lands, it is a unique piece of property between McCallum and Burman Lines west of Brigden Road.

It was obtained in a partnership between Thames Talbot Land Trust and St. Clair Conservation, but it is a "closed" property meaing no general public access.

There is one exposed area that contains numerous fossils and rocks.  Pretty unique!

June is probably my favourite time of year, so more things to come!