Sunday, April 18, 2021

Wandering Through the Woods

More local nature walks have been on the agenda lately.  I did get to Rondeau on Friday, but there was little in the way of migrants.  Not even a Yellow-rumped Warbler!  Things have been slow this spring compared to some of the past years.  Nothing had changed by the reports from today as well.

I have spent quite a bit of time at Reid Conservation Area in south Lambton.  Not the greatest place for birds (better for butterflies!), but I think it is a real treasure.  I simply love walking through the woods.
There are lots of plants and large trees to sort through.  At least six species of oaks are within, including Chinquapin.




Spring wildflowers and plants are slowly popping up.  Wild Canadian Ginger is very abundant at Reid.




I looked at several other plants.

Sharp-lobed Hepatica

Bloodroot

Dutchman's Breeches

Bladdernut

Early Blue Cohosh

I looked for the Twinleaf plants, but could not find them today.


I usually spend well over two hours in the conservation area walking through a variety of habitats.




The old oxbow makes for some interesting landscape.  There are two spots where it drains out to the Sydenham at the south end.  Here is the one.




Today I walked to the other, more southerly outlet, which I had never actually been to.  Last year it would have been impossible with the high water.  Will have to check this spot later in June!




I was also at the north end of the oxbow again this morning.  This is probably the highest point of land on the property.

(old oxbow is the right of the hill)

Near the north end of the old oxbow is a nice little wet area.




Today's walk did not find many  birds.  Warblers included only about four Yellow-rumped and a Pine.  Even other areas like Rondeau and Pelee have seen little.  Seems I saw more warblers than other birders at those locations today!

Other stops today included McKeough and Peers.  At McKeough, I walked through the area where we planted some trees back in the early 1990's!  Most did not survive, but some were still there.




Although a bit cool, today's weather was nice, so the walk was enjoyable.




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