Moving along with the waning summer, I visited Rondeau and Erieau last Monday. I started with a lakewatch at dog beach, the first of many to come! It was not too productive, but the long-staying Piping Plover flew right in front of myself and Steve. It landed further up the beach, but good scope views were obtained. This bird is unbanded, so it would be interesting to know of its origin. Good photos can be found on various eBird lists.
I checked out south point trail after the lakewatch. A few warblers and the like, kept me busy.
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| Cape May Warbler |
Along the beach I looked at a couple of worn and bleached mussels. Here is an Eastern Pondmussel, which is now imperiled thanks to the alien Zebra Mussel. Rather broken up and bleached though!
Keith McLean C. L. was next on the docket. Not much happening! A good place to find the common Bronze Copper.
Next was the Erieau marsh trail. Of note, there was a male Redhead acting like a dabbler. It is missing its lower bill, so it looks like it is panting!
Blenheim lagoons has some shorebirds, or "shorbs" as some birders say. Included were two Wilson's Phalaropes, but my photos did not turn out.
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| Baird's Sandpiper |
A late day walk at Peers Wetland produced a Mottled Darner, which is somewhat uncommon. Unfortunately, it took off before a got a decent photo. I did not realize the species until I got home and looked at the photo! A nice surprise.
Wednesday I did a long walk at Reid CA. Still a few Dukes' Skippers! Latest I have seen them there.
Thursday was a somewhat rainy day. In fact, way too much rain once again! I was bound and determined to see a Buff-breasted Sandpiper, so I ended up going to Hillman Marsh where two were reported. With all the rain, the shorebird cell has lots of water, despite a bean crop within.
It took a while, but I did find the two buffies along with many other shorebirds. Too distant for a good photo.
On the way there, it was obvious there was excessive rain overnight. Almost every field was a lake. I heard that around 10 cm of rain fell in a few hours overnight. Other parts of the country are not getting enough!
Friday I went up to Ipperwash on the north wind to do a lakewatch. It was a complete bust! I checked out various spots on the way home, but nothing of note. Better days ahead no doubt.
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| Eastern Tiger Swallowtail |
Today, I went to Mitchell's Bay first thing to walk the south shore nature trail. There were lots of warblers and others to keep me busy. Nothing noteworthy, but nice to work through a good number of birds.
Before going home, I went for a walk at Peers Wetland. There were a few things to keep me occupied, including my favourite flycatcher, an Olive-sided Flycatcher. I always do better with them in the fall migration!
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| Olive-sided in gloomy weather |
A few Lance-tipped Darners were working the grounds, but I did NOT find another Mottled.
Off and on, I look at the garden on sunny days. It is incredible the diversity of insects, and each week I seem to find something new. Some of these are extremely small, so difficult to photograph. (Note, some of these are not confirmed on iNaturalist yet).
Here is one I photographed yesterday, which is apparently an imperiled wasp called a Hidalgo Mason Wasp.
There are a multitude of wasps and bees that visit the garden. Some are aliens of course.
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| European Paper Wasp |
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| Ligated Furrow Bee |
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| Silky Striped Sweat Bee |
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| Confusing Furrow Bee |
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| Common Thick-leg Fly |
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| Common Picture-winged Fly |
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| Been Leaf Beetle |
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| Paraprosopis |
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| Small Milkweed Bug (too small for good photo!) |
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| Red-banded Leafhopper |
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| Eastern Tiger Swallowtail |
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| Common Checkered-Skipper |
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| Silver-spotted Skipper |
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