An Update....Finally!

 I have not done a blog post lately for a couple of reasons.  Mainly there has been a lack of subject matter!  As well, I have been posting daily on Facebook of notable finds or scenes, which seems to be of more interest these days.  I actually avoided Facebook until this past June, but realized I was missing too much.  There are a lot of good sites out there, and also, up to the minute information can be obtained.

This post will mainly be a rehash of things I posted to Facebook.

There have been some good birding days in the last two weeks, but things have dropped off in the last few days.

One evening I noticed a large katydid plop onto the screen of the back porch.  It was a Greater Anglewing.

There are a number of different katydis out there, but this is the largest I have seen.

I have stopped by Peers Wetland on a couple of occasions, but I do not go there as often as I used to.  It is a busy place anymore!  Water level is very low and lots of mud there.

Been out to Mitchell's Bay a few times, but nothing of note which seems to be the trend for me of late.

A couple of days this week it was quite foggy.  Tuesday I waited a bit, but eventually went out anyway.  This Great Egret was posing in the fog. (Note:  photos are not reproducing very well when uploaded here.  Not sure why).

There were quite a few birds at the north end of the trail, but the main part of the trail there were very few for some reason.

On Friday September 25 I went to McGeachy Pond and the Marsh Trail at Erieau.  There were lots of birds.

Black-throated Green Warbler

Magnolia Warbler

Northern Parulas were plentiful around that time, and I saw several.

Some butterflies included Viceroy.

I took a detour on the way home and stopped by Thamesville area to check for rubyspots before they disappear.  I managed to find one or two Smoky Rubyspots.

On the Saturday, I just checked some spots north of Wallaceburg.  A few birds at McKeough included this Blue-headed Vireo.  I inadvertantly caught it with its mouth open!

There was an airshow near Mooretown that day, and while I was at Reid C. L., one of the participant planes few over.

Just after I got home, a similar plane flew over the house around noon!

One later flew back south around 4:20!

On the 27th, I was down Rondeau way.  Stopped at Keith McLean's later after walking out the park's marsh trail.

Palm Warbler

Red-tailed Hawk

Fiery Skipper

This past Monday was a perfect day.  I went for a walk at Reid C. L. in the afternoon.  Here are some scenes:

One of the larger Burr Oaks (dbh more than 36")

Chicken of the Woods

Sedge patch in the woods

There are not many ferns at Reid, but this one stood alone.  It is a Northern Lady Fern.

I was out today down to Rondeau, but it was not a good day.  So, all for now!

Adventures of the Past Week....More or Less

 Nothing spectacular seen in the past week as time marches on.  Last Friday I went to Rondeau Park.  There were lots of warblers moving along the Bay side.  Most were unidentifiable!

I spent the first hour at the park store watching birds migrate, then walked out the marsh trail.  Blackpoll Warblers were the most numerous.  We see more of them in the fall migration than the spring since they take a different route.  Redstarts and Magnolia Warblers were also in good numbers.

No photos....birds moving too fast!

Saturday I headed up Sarnia way for the first time in over a month.  Stopped by Dow Wetlands before going to Canatara Park.  Lambton Wildlife was having a special event with a walk around the park, then a picnic lunch.

Tall Coreopsis

Here are a few things I photographed.

Wild Indigo Duskywing

Smeared Dagger (moth caterpillar)

Rough Blazing Star

On the way home, I made a brief stop at Nicholls at Wilkesport.  Some Royal River Cruisers were flying, nearing the end of the season.

Sunday I walked out Rondeau 's marsh trail for lack of anything else to do.  It was not overly productive with birds.  There are lots of hummingbirds around right now.

I looked at the garden at home in the afternoon.  Goldenrod attracts a lot of bees and wasps!

Locust Borer

Hump-backed Beewolf

Common Eastern Bumblebee

Perennial Mason Wasp

European Paper Wasp

I do post some of these on iNaturalist, but as usual lately, there is lack of ID participation.  Not sure what people are afraid of here.  

Yesterday I did not have a lot of ambition.  There were very few birds around anyway, but I went for a walk at both Reid C. L. and McKeough C.A.

I admired some of the trees at Reid.

A walk at McKeough revealed probably the last Flag-tailed Spinyleg I will see this year.

Among other things, a Common Buckeye was in the floodway channel.

Today, I really did not know where to go, but ended up at Rondeau Park.  There was a stiff south wind, so Steve and I did a lakewatch at dog beach.  As usual, nothing of note!

A quick stop at Keith McLean C. L. before heading home, revealed my first Fiery Skipper of the season.

Till another time......

Some September Sightings

 Last Tuesday, I stopped by McKeough CA for a morning walk.  Highlight was a Zabulon Skipper!  It was a first record for that place.

One can only wonder how many are really out there.  They are certainly expanding.

Eastern Tailed-Blues are plentiful right now, especially at McKeough.

Wild Indigo Duskywings are popping up as well.

A couple of insect/arachnid sightings in the next couple of days:

Lance-tipped Darner

Yellow Garden Spider

On Friday, I went down to Rondeau to walk the marsh trail. I was hoping to spend quite a bit of time there, but we were mislead by the weather forecast.  The evening before I am pretty sure it said some sun and very little chance of rain.  Dead wrong!  It was threatening rain.

That was unfortunate because there were hundreds of birds, most moving south.  I only could spend two hours on the trail.  Here is  a link to my eBird list:  https://ebird.org/checklist/S389630415

I did notice two Common Nighthawks flying as well.  Sometimes they fly during the day!

I only managed this photo of an Osprey.

It rained the rest of the day!

Not to be detered, I went back the next day to tackle the marsh trail.  Luckily, it was much the same deal with birds, but with sunny skies.  I walked to the half way point, seeing more species than the previous day.

Common Yellowthroat

Red-eyed Vireo with meal (earwig?)

A couple of butterflies along the way.

Question Mark

Common Painted-Lady

Common Checkered-Skipper (at home)

Yesterday, I drove along the St. Clair River first thing.

barge Ashtabula

For my morning walk, I went to McKeough CA.  It was quite enjoyable with picture-perfect weather.

Holt Line Bridge

  As well, there were lots of birds.  Included was a Purple Finch.  They seem to be moving through in small numbers now.

Cedar Waxwing

Rose-breasted Grosbeak

Common Painted-Lady seems to be popping up everywhere lately.

Later in the afternoon, I saw quite a few bees and wasps in the garden.  Included was an oddity called a Louisiana Painted-Dark Bee.  I had one of these in the past here.

Today I headed down towards Rondeau and Erieau.  I checked a harvested tomato field and saw a Buff-breasted Sandpiper east of New Scotland.

I then headed over to Erieau to walk the marsh trail.  There were a few warblers and other birds, plus some hummingbirds.

This afternoon, it was too nice to pass up an opportunity to check out McKeough and Reid.

There were a few birds, including this Philadelphia Vireo having a meal.

Came a cross a Grey Comma at McKeough, something I have have not seen since early summer.

Some Wild Indigo Duskywings were flying nearby.

A Reid, a couple of Royal River Cruisers were flying. Soon, they will be done until next June!

A few warblers were flitting through the woods.  Included was an Ovenbird, which was in a shaded area.  I did not have time to put the correct settings on the camera, so it is blurry.

Been watching for birds in the evening at home.  The odd warblers are moving through, but not much passing over lately.