Snowy on a Hot Day

I have been making some rounds the last couple of days, but nothing of note until this afternoon.  I was going to a variety store this afternoon, but decided to take the long way around to take a glimpse of the flooded fields along Otter Creek.
On the south side, I saw three or four Great Egrets, but when I got to the north side of the creek, I saw another egret out of the corner of my eye.  I did an about-face as I thought it looked much smaller.  Sure enough it was a Snowy Egret!  I had no camera on hand so I rushed back to the house and came back to snap a few record photos.

Just last Friday, I finally saw some shorebirds there, including some very early Short-billed Dowitchers.  At the time, I predicted something decent will show up here.  A Snowy Egret will do! Something even better will have to show now....perhaps a Limpkin?  There are a couple in Ohio right now.

Yesterday, I went down to Rondeau for the first time in a few weeks.  I wanted to check on the situation for the upcoming butterfly count which is tomorrow.  My area, south point trail, is still flooded of course, and the levels are not much lower than in May.  It is very swampy, infested with mosquitoes and other critters!  There was a bit of a north wind yesterday, so Stable Flies were in numbers as well, which did not help.
There are not many flowering plants other than Common Milkweed either.  I saw very few butterflies, just like most other places this year.

Black-dotted Glyph (moth)

Delaware Skipper

Along the beach, I came across a dead Cecropia Moth.

The White-winged Dove was still up to its antics as I passed by.  Maybe a female will once again show up soon like last year.
On the maintenance loop, I checked for Oswego Tea flowers in a known spot.

Scarlet Beebalm

I stopped by Lagoon Road where a few shorebirds were across from the compost pile.  Included were three Short-billed Dowitchers.
I checked out Blenheim Lagoons as well.  Two more Short-billed Dowitchers were there too.  Seems they are on the move early this summer.

dowitchers

In the afternoon, I was relaxing on the back porch watching the garden. I was surprised to see a Banded Hairstreak fly in.  It was a first for the yard.

Red Admiral on Purple Coneflower

Today, I went up to Sarnia to check a couple of usual haunts.  Dow Wetlands did not have much other than mosquitoes.  I then moved over to the old Blackwell Landfill where a couple of Dickcissels moved in, finally, last week.  I quickly found one singing male.

I eventually managed to get quite close and got full frames shots of it.

I met up with the Nethercott's and we traversed the place.  We came across the two Sedge Wrens which had not been reported lately.  We thought they had left!

Bobolinks are now on the move, and several were at the old landfill.

On the way home, I stopped by McKeough and Reid to look for insects.  Very few....again!  Flag-tailed Spinylegs and Pronghorn Clubtails should have been around, but I found none.  With the high water, there is no edge along the river where they always liked to perch.

At Reid, there were lots of Banded Hairstreaks which probably just emerged.

I guess the Oak Hairstreaks are now done for this year, as I have not seen any for a while.  I also did not see Dukes' Skipper, but some are there.

Holiday Weekend Crop Tour-South Lambton

I checked some spots between Wallaceburg and Sarnia this morning.  With the holiday weekend upon us, I did not want to go far.  As well, the heat and humidity was unbearable by noon!  It seemed uncanny to see a cloudless sky on this Saturday as I headed out.
I first drove east on McCallum Line and came across a singing Dickcissel near Brigden Road.   It was not totally surprising since they were at this location last year.

I then moved up  to Stanley Line noting some birds along the way.  Just west of Kimball Road, I came across another Dickcissel in a field that held them in 2017 as well.

I worked my way up to Sarnia and checked out the old Blackwell landfill where I discovered some Dickcissels a few weeks ago.  There were at least three singing males still there.

It is a good spot for Eastern Meadowlarks as well.

meadowlark #2

One of these days I hope to come across a Western Meadowlark in the area.  They used to be more regular in the "old" days!

Heading back south, I checked some other 2017 Dickcissel sites, but came up empty.

I stopped by Moore WMA hoping to get across the creek.  However, with the ridiculous amount of rain we have had recently, the water level was much too high.  I was hoping to look for Mocha Emerald.
I did come across the first Royal River Cruiser of the year.

Just after that, a Fawn Darner made an appearance.  We do not see these too often around here.

It was getting late in the morning, so I decided to head to Reid CA before it got too hot.
Lots of hairstreaks and other butterflies were out.  Most were Banded, but I came across four Oak Hairstreaks (based on my photos).

I have yet to see an Edwards' and Coral Hairstreak here.
I saw another Royal River Cruiser patrolling the trail here.
I checked for Dukes' Skippers, but they were not yet out.

I wanted to do more, but by high noon, I was nearing heat exhaustion!

Pronghorn Clubtail

Red-tailed hawk

Canada Day Crop Tour

Today I went up into Lambton County and checked some familiar spots.  We recieved a much-needed rain early this morning so things were rather damp to start and limited my activity.
While the rain was getting over-with, I walked Nicholl's Memorial Forest at Wilkesport.  Not as much variety of birds are there this year compared to last.

The first major stop was the old Blackwell Landfill at Sarnia.  Dickcissels are there this year as I mentioned previously.

As far as I could tell, there were two pairs and possibly a third male.  The birds were moving around quite a bit, so difficult to keep track.

Sarnia birder, Deryl Nethercott, also stopped by to check out the Dickcissels.  No Grasshopper Sparrows seem to be on the old landfill this year, but of course are in the adjacent solar farm as we saw Tuesday.

Next walk was at McKellar Tract on Bickford Line.  I wanted to check out an area of small spruces for Clay-colored Sparrow, but nothing was there.  One was there a few years ago.  I did not find much in the way of birds and got soaked to the bone in the process walking through the grasses and weeds!
I had a Dickcissel there briefly during the last incursion of the species a few years ago.

A brief stop at Moore WMA revealed very little.  It is a good spot for hairstreaks, but perhaps it was too wet.  I would have gone farther if we had not received the rain this morning.

A stop at McKeough CA was on the agenda as well.  No dragonflies!  It is certainly a poor year for them at least in these parts.  Flag-tailed Spinyleg should be out be now.
I saw the first Delaware Skippers of the year there.  (Do not try and find these within Point Pelee N.P., LOL!).

Delaware Skippers

The longest walk was at Reid CA.  Maybe it is a local thing, but hairstreaks are all over the place.

Edwards' Hairstreak

I found two Southern (Oak) Hairstreaks among the many Banded.  I have now seen 20 of the rare hairstreaks this year!  Best year since my discovery in 2008.

A rather fresh Royal River Cruiser was nearby as well.

I did a thorough check for Dukes' Skippers, but they just are not out yet.  Still early though.

Late yesterday afternoon I stopped at Reid CA as well.  Two Southern Hairstreaks were evident on that outing.

Edwards' Hairstreak

Saturday is the Ojibway butterfly count and I will be there!

Foggy and Soggy

Not surprisingly, there was dense fog this morning as this wacky weather continues.  I headed north towards Sarnia.  One could see virtually nothing on the St. Clair River except the wintering ducks at the Sombra ferry dock.

It was a little clearer at Sarnia and some of the Sarnia Bay waterfowl were at the parking lot along Front Street.

At the lakewatch on Lake Huron, the massive number of Long-tailed Ducks were in view.

I watched there for some time but the ducks were 99% Long-tailed--probably around 4000 birds. I did see two White-winged Scoters and a few Red-breasted Mergansers and Redhead.

Very few gulls are around right now.

After some shopping and an early lunch, I headed down Blackwell Sideroad and right away spotted a Snowy Owl atop a pole.

Sarnia Solar Snowy

A robin was beside the old landfill.  Earlier I saw two robins at Brander Park in Port Lambton.  Robins seem to be everywhere this winter.  Yesterday morning a small flock flew over the marina at Port Lambton.

A number of ducks and Canada Geese were in a cornfield between London Line and Confederation, but I did not see anything noteworthy.

There are several Short-eared Owls at the Sarnia solar farm this winter, best seen at dusk.  Perhaps I will head up that way during that time of day.