Late July Jaunts

 I have been outdoors roaming around as much as possible.  Not much new lately, but one has to try and find something of interest!

Friday I went up to Forest Lagoons for my weekly visit.  Nothing new, and fewer birds than last week.  Solitary Sandpipers continue to be numerous like in most places this summer.

That is far north as I went, so headed back and stopped at Moore WMA first.  Water level was higher this week (strangely with little rain!), so no new mussels. Mapleleaf is one of the more regular ones I find, even though it is species of concern and considered rare by NHIC.

Blue-tipped Dancers are getting scarce now.  Another one considered rare by NHIC.

Got a nice photo of a Hummingbird Clearwing moth there.

Common Wood-Nymph

Next stop was Nicholl's Memorial Forest at Wilkesport.  Prairie plantings there are coming along.

Spiked Blazing-Star

Twelve-spotted Skimmer

A stop at McKeough CA revealed several Flag-tailed Spinylegs.  I found one not too active, so perhaps it was at the end of its life!

I picked it up, but it got loose and landed on my camera!

No more signs of Marine Blue.  One can only hope there is another generation in the works there.  One was found at Point Pelee today by Steve Pike!  So, there are more out there.

A final stop at Reid CA, revealed several Duke's Skippers, but getting worn as one would expect.

Royal River Cruisers are not as plentiful this year it seems.

Halloween Pennant

Today, I got the notion to walk around Hillman Marsh.  I walked the entire dike, something that I had never done before.  It is a very interesting walk!  Various birds and insects were encountered, not to mention plants.  It certainly has potential for something of interest.

I did not realize there was so much American Lotus there.

A nice surprise was a Red-headed Woodpecker. 

Red-headed Woodpecker

Trumpeter Swans with youngter!

Broad-winged Skipper

Swamp Rose-Mallow

Red-spotted Purple

After that, I headed over to Blenheim Lagoons.  Lots of shorebirds, but nothing new.  I did finally get a photo of a Fiery Skipper for this year.

A Buff-breasted Sandpiper was reported at Keith McLean C. L. earlier, so I headed there in hopes of seeing it, even though I had not intended to visit the place today.  There were lots of shorebirds, but no sign of Buffy.  It is early, so more to come...I hope!

Tomorrow we will try the Clear Creek butterfly count.

I have to dash(er)!

Blue Dasher

More Insects and Rondeau Butterfly Count

Saturday I did quite a bit of running around, but had little luck in finding things!  Just one of those days.
I stopped by the old Clear Creek quarry which is good for dragonflies.  Although it was late morning, I saw little!  Here the Comet Darner flies, but I find it is better in the afternoon to see these.  Still some time to see this rare Ontario dragonfly.

A couple of Calico Pennants had just emerged.

Some damselflies had just emerged as well.  No colour to these!

This one had some colour, but not sure of species.

Before going home, I went up to Reid CA anticipating that Dukes' Skippers would be flying.  I managed to see two some distance apart.

I heard that one was seen in another known location in south Lambton County today.

Hairstreaks are quickly waning. The ones I saw this day were worn.

Today was the Rondeau butterfly count.  The weather started out nice, but got quite hazy and somewhat overcast later on, which did not help.  I did my usual area of south point trail, and had my worst showing.  I only managed 14 species, when I usually get over twenty!  No doubt the recent hot and dry weather had bearing on the results.
I have done this count since 1999 (with the exception of two years) and we have had some good years, but the last few have been less than par.
Weather has everything to do with it and timing of broods.

The trail on the east side was just as flooded as it was in May.  Usually by this time it is dry enough to walk with shoes, so that tells you something.

I found Appalachian Brown in good numbers--the most I have tallied at 57.

Quite a few Northern Pearly-eye were along Harrison Trail as usual.

Monarch was in decent numbers at 43.

The "ladies" have been absent of late, and the brushfoots (Comma and Question Mark) must be in between broods.  I only had two Eastern Commas.

The only Question Mark I saw was quite questionable!

Practically no skippers.  A couple of Delaware and a few Northern Broken-Dash were in my area.

I found only one hairstreak this year--a sad looking Banded.

I had no swallowtails at all!  In between broods obviously.  Recently the Eastern Tiger Swallowtail has been under consideration by authorities that there is another species involved.  So, your tiger swallowtail will go under tiger swallowtail species.  I had a nice one in the yard yesterday, but as far as I am concerned it is still Eastern!

My hotspot of the old Dillon Dump was a bust.  The milkweed was past its prime and there was hardly any butterfly activity. 
The only interesting thing there was coyotes!  Two were resting in the weeds and I almost stepped on one since it was well hidden!  A bit later, they started howling, and two other joined in the howl.  Quite the experience!

Dragonflies were in good numbers today, but most were Blue Dasher, numbering many hundreds.

Blue Dasher (f)

Some others were seen as well.

Twelve-spotted Skimmer (f)

White-faced Meadowhawk

Tule Bluet

AS for birds, I always keep track, but nothing earth-shattering today.  The White-winged Dove was still holding on.  A Pine Warbler, uncommon breeder in Rondeau, was near the south end of  Harrison.

Here at home, the garden is coming along nicely, attracting various insects. 

Today, I spotted a Slaty Skimmer!  It was new for the yard, and it is not too common around here.

Next butterfly count is Clear Creek on July 26.

Canada Day Weekend Insects and More

The last couple of days were somewhat uneventful.  This time of year I look more at insects, namely dragonflies and butterflies.
Sunday I wandered into Elgin County and checked out the Storey Wetland at John E. Pearce P.P.  Last year I found it good for odes, but this day it was not!  Perhaps I will get there another time this month.

Eastern Pondhawk female

Slender Spreadwing

spiderwort

On the way back, I stopped by the old quarry at Clear Creek Provincial Nature Reserve which is always good for odes.  Last year I found Comet Darner there, which was likely a first for Chatham-Kent.  Perhaps it was a bit early, as I did not see one.  There has been reports in the province already though.

While, there I found at least a dozen species of odes.

Violet Dancer

Widow Skimmer female

Blue Dasher female

Blue Dasher male

??

At one point I caught sight of an emerald.  With no net on hand, I could only speculate what it might be.  I tried to get photos of it on the wing, and this one was not too bad.

Likely just a Common Baskettail which is related to emeralds, although it did not appear to be at the time.

Calico Pennant is common here.

On the way home, I went over to Blenheim Lagoons.  Halloween Pennants were numerous there.

Fall migration is well underway!  I saw my first Lesser Yellowlegs (6) of the season here.  Things are going downhill!

It was such a nice day, I had to make a brief visit to Reid CA in the afternoon.  It took quite a while, but an Oak Hairstreak finally came in.

When I first arrived, I saw my FOY Banded Hairstreak.  That and the oak were the only hairstreaks I saw in one hour, so that tells you something about the situation this year.

I saw a couple of Long Dash, which were FOY as well.

Today I felt rather lazy and went out to St. Clair NWA.  I do not get there much anymore since things have changed drastically since the late 1980's and early 1990's when one would see much more.
Upon arrival, I happened to meet up with Paul Nicholson and his friend Dick, so we walked all the way around.

Sandhill Crane

Marsh wrens were the most numerous bird is seemed.  We caught sight of a Least Bittern at one point and a few Great Egrets, Black-crowned Night-Herons and Great Blue Herons were around.

Sparrow of the Swamp

Marsh Bluet

Blue Dashers were out by the thousands today.

This afternoon I wanted to check out Moore WMA on Bickford.  Things are shaping up although one cannot cross the river, not surprisingly.

Blue-tipped Dancer

Hackberry Emperor

The weather this weekend was quite nice, so it goes to show how inaccurate weather forecasts are anymore!  Whatever they say, it is usually the opposite!  No complaints though, as I hope the weather has finally stabilized.