This Way and That Way: Recent Findings

 On Tuesday, I thought I would venture into Essex County.  I only went as far as Hillman Marsh, walking the main area in the shorebird cell and boardwalk area.  Later I walk a bit of Couture Dyke.

The was still some water in the shorebird cell attracting waterfowl and some late shorebirds.  A pair of Redhead ducks was notable for the date.

Shorebirds were a bit distance, but included some late Semipalmated Sandpipers as well as Semipalmated Plovers.  A White-rumped Sandpiper and a Dunlin rounded out the lingering shorebirds.

distant Dunlin

Behind me, a Yellow-billed Cuckoo was knocking at the door, so to speak.

Around by the boardwalk, the long-staying Neotropic Cormorant was standing vigil in its usual area.

While in the area, I decided to walk Couture Dyke.  There was not much to see here!  Insects were more plentiful including thousands of Eastern Forktails and Fragile Forktails.

A Bronze Copper caught my eye at one point.

A few Least Skippers were seen along the way.

Working my way home, I had a hunch that Dickcissels may be around since several had already been reported in Essex County.  I did find one singing male at a usual spot.  A bit shy though.

One more walk before getting home included the trail at Mitchell's Bay.  There is always potential for something of interest around there, so I had to try!  Nothing this time though.

The rather common Tule Bluet was well-represented along the trail.

As were Map Turtles which were plentiful taking advantage of the warm sun.

Wednesday, it was in the other direction!  Weather was nice as I first walked Ipperwash Forested Dunes and Swales.   It is excellent habitat for a variety of things, although birds are usually low in numbers.

I felt ambitious and walked all the trails!  The only notable bird was a Northern Waterthrush, not entirely unexpected though.  A low Pine Warbler was collecting nesting material.

Some orchids included two of the common types of ladies slippers.

Large Yellow Ladies Slipper

Pink Moccasin 

It was a bit early in the day, but I kept an eye out for insects.  Several female Slaty Skimmers were flying.

A did see a couple of bluets.  This one I am not sure, as I could not get very close to it.  Could even be a Boreal Bluet.

There were other common odes, including one Racket-tailed Emerald which did not co-operate.

A pair of Roadside Skippers was on Narrow-leaved New Jersey Tea.

White up that way, I decided to check out Sandrin Tract Woods sand pit.  It is drier than last year, so not much water was there, and hence few odes.

Calico Pennant

Azure Bluet

There were more things in the butterfly department though.  Several duskywings.

Columbine Duskywing

Tawny-edged Skipper

Juvenal's Duskywing

Some other interesting insects included these:

Brown-winged Striped Sweat Bee

Narcissis Bulb Fly (alien!)

Today I took a more leisurely pace, sleeping in a bit, then heading up the St. Clair River to Corunna.

Stopped by Seager Park, which is now open this year after a revamp all last summer.  Not as much "land" there as there used to be, and no beachy areas.

As alluded to before, this park was always a favourite picnic spot when I was little.  Virtually the same same spot here, as shown above today.

Me (left) and some of my cousins

Heading home, I went by a pasture area, and low and behold, a Dickcissel was singing.  First one I know of in Lambton this year.

More of those to appear, I am sure!

In the afternoon, I came across a pair of Common Sootywings at Reid Conservation Lands.

Some Juvenal's Duskywings were still flying, some showing the end is near!