Sunday, June 26, 2022

Wardsville Woods Strikes Again and Fall Migration

 Late Friday I received word that another rare dragonfly was found at Wardsville Woods.  I was going to head that way on Saturday anyway, so the TTLT property became the main event.

Looking for odes and leps is better by mid-morning, so I killed some time at the Misery.  Nothing new in the way of birds, but it seemed quieter.

I arrived at Wardsville Woods about 08:30, certainly a bit early for dragonflies.  I walked around for a while listening to birds and I did find a few odes.  The first clubtail was a Midland.



The search was soon on for Riverine Clubtail, indeed rare in Ontario.  The previous day, Darrell Parsons found one while waiting for his buddy, Rob Tymstra.  They later found another!

The Riverine is listed as "imperiled" in Ontario, and only a few records are scattered throughout central southern-western Ontario.

Things were warming up when I encountered a couple of friends along the little creek.  They had just netted a Riverine Clubtail!



It is quite similar to the also-rare Laura's Clubtail, but I think this fits the bill.



After analysing the clubtail, we set out and throroughly searched the rest of the property for odes.  (I was there 3.5h!).  A good variety was found, but no spiketails this day.

Scott and I eventually found a couple of Cobra Clubtails up the hill at the back. (as alluded to in a previous post, these are also rare and a first for the area).





I spotted a couple of Double-striped Bluets at the pond as well.  These are uncommon, but increasing as they expand their range northward.  I only got a partial photo, but it shows the key feature, the extra little stripe.



In our travels, this cute Tree Frog was found, tucked in Cup Plant.


So, four rare odonate species for Middlesex this year, all at Wardsville Woods!

It was getting hot by noon, so I left and briefly checked a spot in the Misery for hairstreaks.  Came up empty at the location an Oak Hairstreak was found last year!  Will try again next week.


Today was dreary all morning.  The forecast was wrong again (what is new?) as the rain never came!  I did some bird atlassing along the floodway, west end, and updated the breeding evidence on some species.  Cliff Swallows were quite numerous, not to mention mosquitoes.

I drove around after that, and quickly checked on a Dickcissel site at Waubuno. Unfortunately, as usual, this field is being cut.



Stopped by Reid CA, as I cannot avoid the place!  Several Oak Hairstreaks were visible.



Northern Pearly-Eye

Being bored after this, I ended up going to Blenheim lagoons, as I wanted to stop in Blenheim for something.  Fall migration is underway! (It is fall after the 22 June anyway as far as I am concerned).

Some Least Sandpipers were in, as well as a Lesser Yellowlegs.  A Semipalmated Plover was also present....not sure how to categorize it.





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