Wednesday, July 2, 2025

Canada Day Novelty

 A treat came to many birders as they woke up on July 1, when a Lark Bunting was reported at the pasture on Stefina Line.  The eBird list was posted late Monday evening, so most birders did not know about it until the next morning.

I headed out early and met Steve Charbonneau at the site along Stefina Line.  We soon heard the unique song of the Lark Bunting, then spotted the bird atop a shrub.  It was some distance away, but easily seen.  Appears to be an after hatch year male.


Neat to see its aerial display.


It was a must-see bird as most of us had not seen one in Chatham-Kent, if not elsewhere in the province.  I had never "chased" after one, so it was a long-overdue lifer for me!

Going by eBird records, there have only been two others in the county.  One (female) in May 2015 at Rondeau Park seen by only one observer, and one at Tilbury in June 1990.

It was indeed a nice way to start the summer!

As a bonus, two or three Dickcissels were in that pasture as well for the dozens of birders that flocked to the site.

We are now in the midst of fall migration, unfortunate in some respects.  I love this time of year, but the days are progressively getting shorter and autumn will be here before we know it.

Shorebirds are showing up on schedule.  I stopped by Blenheim lagoons on Monday, where there is excellent habitat available.  Birds from the north included nine Lesser Yellowlegs and five Least Sandpipers.

This one had a leg tucked in.


There was an inordinate number of Killdeer as well.


Yesterday after getting my fill of the Lark Bunting, I went back home and got out to do what I originally intended to do that day.

After checking out some spots for birds, I stopped by Reid Conservation Lands.  It was disappointing in the insect department, as there were no hairstreaks and very few odes.  I am certain that unseasonably cold month of May killed off a lot of things!

Twelve-spotted Skimmer

Appalachian Browns are doing well though, as I saw over twenty in my short visit.


There were lots of mosquitoes though, and they certainly loved all the excessive rain we had in the last month.

Today, I toured around trying to add data for the bird atlas, as we are getting near the end of the data-gathering period.  Difficult to add anything new.  The dickcissels are still singing up near Holt and Baseline, but I did not see any evidence of females.....yet.


I stopped by McKeough and Reid for walks, but very few butterflies and dragonflies.  Indeed it is a bad year for them.  Mosquitoes were even worse today!  Nothing to photograph, so that tells you something.

These are from Sunday, as Common Wood Nymphs are now out.


We are long way from Halloween, but this pennant was warming up in the sun.




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