Sunday Swamps/Monday Meanderings

Sunday morning saw another trip down to Rondeau Park.  A few more birds came in overnight, namely Blue-gray Gnatcatchers and a couple of Black-throated Green Warblers.  Yellow-rumped Warblers remained rather scarce still, but if you want to see more, go to Sarnia's Canatara Park!
More are being seen there, showing how important a migrant trap that Canatara is.

Of course that crazy dove was continuing its daily routine.

Lots of Red Admirals and American Lady butterflies were flying around on Sunday.

Just before leaving the park, I got word that Jim Burk and Steve Charbonneau had found  some darner dragonflies in the NE section of the park.  I was a bit curious as it is rather early for certain mosaic darners, so I took a look.
Two were in the "wheel" position while a couple others were flying around.

They were quite large and suggested Swamp Darner, but I was not sure since I usually see them on the wing.  Also I knew it was rather early for Swamp Darner.

When I got home, I had pretty much concluded they were Swamp Darners!  Usually we do not see them well into May, but with the warm strong SW wind, they were likely immigrants.
I sent the photos to Bill Lamond for confirmation.  He had never heard of any ever being seen this early (by at least two weeks).
So, that was a good find by Steve and Jim!

Today, I checked my usual haunts before work, but it was rather quiet.  An early Black-crowned Night-Heron was at Peers Wetland.

Dawn at Peers

Some yellowlegs (Lesser) had arrived at Stewart Wetland and the wet field spot near the marina.

This evening I braved the cold north wind and went to Mitchell's Bay.  Lots of gulls and swallows were around.  Included was a Glaucous Gull.
I did not detect any Yellow-headed Blackbirds, but they should be around by now.

view from the dock