Clear Day at Clear Creek

 Yesterday a number of nature enthusiasts participated in the annual Clear Creek butterfly count.  Weather was quite nice for a change, but a bit on the muggy side.

I did the Clearville area with some friends, which included the nature reserve and Clearville Park.  We started at the old quarry which is always an interesting area.

Highlight there was a Grey Comma, although I could not get a decent photo.

Another decent find was a Common Painted-Lady.  I think it was actually the first one I have seen this year.

We did get one Broad-winged Skipper which is expected here.

Two Common Buckeye were nice to see along the road.

Quite a few Peck's Skippers were at the corner of the main road.

Hardly any odes this day, but I did see Violet Dancer.

There were lots of Giant Swallowtails, but this count always has a high number of them.

From there, we moved down the road to the Bury Cemetery trail.  

There was not as much as we had hoped there, but quite a few Tawny-edged Skippers were in the grasses along the road.

At lunch time, we moved down to the lakeside at Clearville Park.  There was hardly anything here!

Common Wood Nymph

There is a little trail that I find interesting at the sharp bend in Clear Creek here.  The land comes to a point here.

I called it quits after this, while the others finished out the day.  By noon, we had tallied 26 species, which was acceptable.

I have no idea of final results (and probably never will!), but I suspect is was a good day overall.  I heard that at least 47 species were tallied.

A few days ago I took the long walk at Reid CA.  I came across a large buzzy insect called a Virginia Giant Hover Fly.  I have seen these here before, but they are quite intimidating.  They are classified as rare in Ontario by the NHIC.

A few Common Buckeye have been around lately, and I saw one at Reid that day.

And, Red-spotted Purples.

Saturday I made a change in scenery and walked part of the CASO trail near Ridgetown.  

Eastern Giant Swallowtail

I then made a short visit to Blenheim lagoons, but it was a quieter day there.

Bronze Copper at Blenheim

The Ruff only stayed for two days, and was gone by Saturday much to the disappointment of birders from farther afield.

Today was quite unproductive.  It was just one of those days not much is around.  I went as far as Rodney to check out the Tanager Tract.  It is one of the Thames Talbot Land Trust properties, and part of the "West Lorne Woods" complex.  It is a pretty neat area!

Recent Dukes' Skipper