One Hot Week!

 Activity was limited last week due to the extreme heat.  Canada Day (July 1) was the hottest while I spent most of it outdoors at the Wallaceburg Museum.  Each year, the museum puts on a celebration with displays, games for the kids, live music, barbeque and an assembly of vendors selling their goods.

Attendance was down obviously due to the heat, but a number of people came out.

The next morning, I went out to Mitchell's Bay early before the heat of the day set in.  Mainly just for a walk!

Eastern Kingbird

Chestnut-marked Pondmoth

Tule Bluets are the most common there, with hundreds.

Friday was little better, but not by much.  I went farther afield and ended up at Strathroy lagoons.  Black-necked Stilts once again nested there, and the four young were out and about.  The ponds are quite large, so photos were taken from a distance.

Farther west, Dickcissels were frequenting a field along Winter Drive.  Up to six singing males have been seen.  I saw at least three, including one on a wire along the road.

Down Sexton Road, there are some pastures.  I finally found a Grasshopper Sparrow singing in one of them.  It was too distant for a photo, but at least there is one in the area!

On the way home, I stopped at the Shetland Conservation Area boat launch which is a traditional spot to look for good odonates.  There were not many!  A continuing theme this year.

Powdered Dancer

Blue-tipped Dancer

Blue-fronted Dancer

Stream Bluet duo

Some butterflies were around as well.

Tawny Emperor

American Painted-Lady

One last stop was at Reid C. L.  No hairstreaks yet again, but I did find a Bronze Copper which is good for there.  In fact, I think it is the first one I have ever seen there.

Brings my total of butterflies there to 56 species.

This young White-tailed Deer was walking down the laneway at one point.

Yesterday was a bit rainy in the morning, so I just drove along the St. Clair River.

The afternoon turned out sunny, so after attending the Sombra Museum blueberry social, back I went to Reid.

Some moths caught my attention.

Saw-wing

Grape Leaf Skeletonizer

Hummingbird Clearwing

I was hoping for Dukes' Skippers, as they should be out at this date.  I was informed the site near Brigden had one in the morning.

Just before I left, I finally caught sight of one!

A couple other butterflies:

Dun Skipper

Eastern tailed-Blue

Plus a Monarch.

Today was a write-off as it rained most of it.

More Tourin' and a Special Visitor

 I have been taking advantage of the wonderful weather lately.  This past Sunday, I did a big tour, heading to Strathroy first thing.

The lagoons at Strathroy provide a good birding spot.  Black-necked Stilts have returned to nest there once again.  In fact, there are two pairs!  I only saw three birds, assuming one was tending to a nest hidden in the weeds.

They were not close, but I attempted a photo anyway.

It was then back west to check some pastures (what few remain).  More and more disappear each year, which is devastating to grassland birds.  I was really hoping to find Grasshopper Sparrow on this outing, but that did not happen.  One field I always get them is now a wheat field!

Some pastures remain, and attract Upland Sandpipers.

Another location near Glencoe had a couple as well.  This one was a bit agitated right beside the road.  No doubt young were nearby.

Used to be more pastures here even a couple of years ago, but only a couple remain.

It was then on to Skunk's Misery where I stopped by a popular birding spot.  Here we get various warblers and even Acadian Flyatcher.

I heard Prothonotary Warbler singing around a woodland pond, but it never showed.  I think it was my first for Middlesex.

A Cerulean Warbler was singing constantly along the road, in typical fashion high in a tree.

Since I was in the neighbourhood, a stop at Wardsville Woods was mandatory.  As readers of this blog know, it is a hotspot for insects, especially dragonflies.

Common Whitetail

Just before leaving, a dragonfly flew past me that I instantly recognized as a spiketail.  Which one?  Turned out to be a Twin-spotted.

Arrowhead Spiketail also resides here, so maybe next trip I will find one.  I discovered these two species here a number of years ago.

Lots of Midland Clutails were flying.  I had hoped to see the rare Cobra Clubtail, but it was a tad early in the season yet.

Along the trail, I caught sight of a fast-flying skipper.  I knew it had to be a Zabulon, and sure enough it was!

This is the third year in a row I have seen one here.  I discovered it here and am probably the only to have seen them here, as a first for Middlesex.

Monday I did not do too much, but came across my first Common Ringlets of the season.

Tuesday I headed down to Rondeau.  I did not come across anything of note, but you never know until trying.  While there, a friend sent me a note and recording that a Kirtland's Warbler was in their yard.  I had a difficult time believing it!  This was near Brigden.

There was no mention of having visitors, so I took my time, then went home.  I received another note that the warbler was still present and asked if I could see it.  Off I went!

As soon as I got out of the car, I could hear its loud song.

I stayed about an hour taking in this marvel.  As they often are, Kirtland's Warblers are very co-operative once they find a spot.

There are only a handful of records for Lambton, and this was my first for the county, needless to say.  One I have always wanted for Lambton!

I wish more people could have seen it, but it was on private property and was not my call to invite people.

Today, a few of us did a breeding bird survey at a new conservation lands.  Called Bradshaw Conservation Lands, it is a unique piece of property between McCallum and Burman Lines west of Brigden Road.

It was obtained in a partnership between Thames Talbot Land Trust and St. Clair Conservation, but it is a "closed" property meaing no general public access.

There is one exposed area that contains numerous fossils and rocks.  Pretty unique!

June is probably my favourite time of year, so more things to come!

Spring Flings 'N Things

 Things are slowly coming in with this roller coaster weather.  I have checked out the usual haunts, sometimes several times!

Been to Rondeau and points in between a few times.  

The Iconic Concrete Structure! (getting farther out)

I have not had too much luck at Rondeau, but it is always a nice place to go.  Winter leftovers include Yellow-rumped Warblers, but we should be seeing new arrivals about now.

One day I took a trip to Hillman Marsh and Point Pelee.  Nothing spectacular, but one of these days I may get it right!  I did however, find a Hairy Woodpecker, which is actually rare at Point Pelee.  May have been my first one there, but I do not remember.  No chance for a photo though.

Great Egret at Hillman Marsh

Curious Kinglet

Been to Reid C. L. a couple of times.  This Field Sparrow was an early arrival checking out the place.

The warm weather a couple of days ago revealed one of the first signs of spring.  Harbinger of Spring was just popping up.

And, the early butterflies included  Eastern Commas.

I walked along the riverbank for a while.  I found one spot with several mussels, but the bank was too steep to descend.  One was easily recognized as a Mapleleaf, which I only took with the long lens.

A couple of visits to Mitchell's Bay were in order this past week.  Many of the wintering ducks have left, but a few were still present.  Great Egrets are making their rounds resplendent in breeding plumage.

Red-bellied Woodpeckers are checking out nesting sites.

Ducks included Blue-winged Teal, although the below photo was taken at Peers Wetland after I got back from Mitchell's Bay.

A couple of days ago I checked out both the south shore trail as well as the north shore trail.  The north side is a bit more exposed and it was a cool windy day, but I persevered.  

An early Greater Yellowlegs was working the mudflat.  

There is a lot of mud at the Bay, so shorebirds should be happy when they arrive in numbers!

One of the trips to Rondeau was primarily a lakewatch.  Lots of waterfowl moving, but nothing unusual.  This American Pipit was working the surf-line was we stood watch.  It was a first-of year for us.

Yesterday was uncomfortably cold as I checked out Keith McLean C. L. and Rondeau.  Lots of mud at McLean's too!  Shorebirds included Lesser Yellowlegs and Wilson's Snipe.

Lesser Yellowlegs

Today was a threatening rain but I got a run out to the St. Clair River first thing.  Not much to see, but I keep hoping for a Red-necked Grebe or something.  A good time for them to show up!

By the time I got home, it started raining, so it was a good time to do some volunteer work at the museum.  I had a tour of the back rooms, and there is so much stuff one does not see on display!

Afterwards, I decided to make a quick run to Strathroy.  Yesterday, a Black-necked Stilt showed up!  As you recall, they nested there for a couple of years, but did not last year.  There was not even a sighting last year.  This bird was a record-early arrival in Ontario.  Perhaps it was anxious to get started!

Upon arrival, I could not find the elegant shorebird, but it soon popped out for viewing.  It moved around quite a bit.

Hopefully a mate will arrive this year and they can make more stilts!