Relief! Some Recent Walks

 Today's weather was certainly a welcome relief.  The temperature went above zero for the first time in several weeks!

This morning, I managed to go for a long walk under sunny skies (weather forecast was a bit wrong...turned out nice!).  In recent weeks, I had not been able to go for any lengthy walk due to the weather or cold or snow.  Weight gain......

My place of choice was the frozen Sydenham River starting at W. Darcy McKeough dam.  I had not done this in many years.  It is certainly something different and interesting to do.

Some scenes.......

Just north of the dam at the bend

There was practically no birdlife (no surprise this winter), but I was more focused on the fresh air and exercise.  Here are some scenes along the way.

I walked up to the next concession.

Smith Line bridge

One of the birds was a Red-breasted Nuthatch.  I did not get a photo, but here is the one in my yard this winter.

Along the way, I noticed remnants of a paper wasp nest.  The outer covering had blown off, exposing the inside.  Kind of neat-looking!

Neglected pic-nic table along the way:

Sunday was a nice day for a drive, as I went into Elgin County.  Again, not many birds, but I needed a change in scenery and a couple of moderate walks.  I went as far as John E. Pearce Provincial Park south of Wallacetown.

I walked the trail at the Storey Wetland.

No owls in the woods, but then they are scarce this winter.  Deer were prancing about though, and these two briefly stopped to take note of my presence.

On the way back, I stopped by Clear Creek Provincial Nature Reserve.  Coming up along Duart Road, a Common Raven was perched in a tree.  As usual, it flushed before I could get a photo.  It is quite standard to find a raven around these parts anymore.

Here are some scenes.

The trail passes by the famous old fallen beech tree.

Here is a photo way back when it was still alive.

At one point, I noticed some imprints in the snow.  Obviously a bird had come down to grab something.  Possibly an owl?

There have been some trips out to the St. Clair River, but it is mostly iced in.  Recently, open water is from north of Cath's Cart Park to south of Courtright. Here we find lots of waterfowl.

Yesterday, I stopped at the CF Industries warm water outlet where the concentration was.  I picked out four Trumpeter Swans here, and possibly a fifth.  Unable to get decent photos of anything since I sat in the car, not wanting to flush anything.

Two Trumpeters here with a Mute counterpart

There were too many Mute Swans, and a few Tundra Swans.

There was one Canadian Coot swimming around.  I recently had two at Cathcart Park.  Probably the "least common"bird here.

A Few More Insects and Canada Day Outing

 Some more sightings of the few insects that are around this year.  Been tough to find much of anything!

Common Sootywing at Reid CA

Delaware Skipper at McKeough

Grey Comma at McKeough

Eastern Tailed-Blue at McKeough

I have given up on hairstreaks for this year!

At Reid, I found another Chinquapin Oak.  It is a small tree that I walked by many times before.

On Saturday, Canada Day, I decided to check out Clear Creek park and the old quarry.  It was too early as I travelled south, so stopped by Keith McLean C. L. to look around first thing.

The only migrant shorebirds were three Least Sandpipers.  A summering Redhead duck was present.

Most notable was a confused Tundra Swan.  Should not be around here this time of year!  It appeared to wander around aimlessly.

As expected at Clear Creek, things were sparse, but I did find a couple items of interest.

Highlight was an early Comet Darner. It was not really on my radar at this point, but I will take it!

Usually I expect them about mid-month.  This one obviously just emerged.

Most common ode was Azure Bluet.  They were all over the place.

A few Violet Dancers were seen, as expected.

At the edge of the pond, I found these bluets which appear to be Slender, an uncommon species here.  Unfortunately I did not spend enough time with them, and could not get in a good position to get proper photos.

Calico Pennant is quite common at the old quarry.

Among the common odes was Twelve-spotted Skimmer, but only one or two!

To cap things off, I walked the old cemetery trail.  Some of the Bury family is buried here, the earliest settlers in the area.  The graves date from c. 1850.

It is a short, but pleasant trail to walk.

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail

An End of January Update

 Been sticking close to home lately, but with lots of time on my hands.  I am not working now, but will only go in for work if the shop needs an extra hand.  It is the slow time of year, so there is not much to see, especially on this "slow" winter for birds.

This past week, a couple of Greater White-fronted Geese showed up at Ridgetown lagoons, so I went there on a rare, clear and sunny day.  This species is not a "problem" anymore for listing, but there was not much else to do this day.  One had to take advantage of this clear sunny day!

When I first started birding, Greater White-fronted Goose was a very rare bird and indeed a write-up for the OBRC.  I recall going to see my first ones near Grande Pointe in the old Dover Township 2 January 1993.  They had been reported on the St. Clair NWA CBC a couple of days previous.

After visiting Ridgetown, I drove through the countryside and ended up taking a walk at Clear Creek Nature Reserve.  There are never many birds here, but it is a beautiful place to walk on a sunny winter day.  Clear Creek meanders through the woods creating a scenic view.  "Old growth" trees enhance the scenery.

I have made a couple of trips to Rondeau Park, just to do some walking.  Birds are sparse, but you never know what may show when one is out and about.

An Eastern Screech-owl in its cumfy hole, is almost always a guarantee along Bennett.  It has used this hole for years!

I started out in freezing rain this morning.  I looked around Wilkesport.  Three Eastern Bluebirds are still being seen, and the Long-eared Owl was still content in its favourite tree.

The St. Clair River is very disappointing this year, and as mentioned previously, probably the quietest I have ever seen it for ducks and gulls.

The male Ring-necked X Redhead duck seems to be hanging around Sombra consistently.  I saw it again today in some less-desirable weather.  At least there is something of interest.

I had hoped to spend more time out there this morning, but the weather got nasty.  I went out the door with freezing rain falling, but it later turned to snow.  Roads got worse the farther north I went, so I turned back at Bickford Line and highway 40. A lone Common Grackle was at this corner.  I did not stop to take a photo though.  It comes up rare on eBird in Lambton, but that should be changed since there are always some to be found in winter at some point.

The last few days, Horned Larks and Snow Buntings have made a big appearance in southern Ontario.  Hundreds everywhere!  Some Lapland Longspur are mixed in as well, and you never know, a Smith's Longspur could be out there!

The Chenal Ecarte along Walpole Island north has held some waterfowl.  Yesterday I noticed three American Coots among them, which seemed to just have appeared from somewhere.  I tried some "distant" photos, but I am not at all proud of them.

The usual birds are coming to the feeder.  More than the last couple of winters, but nothing new.  

The other day, I noticed a female Cardinal with a bad leg.  Seems to be useless, but the leg is not well seen in this photo.  Taken at distance through a window.

Today I managed a better photo and noticed its right eye is no good. Obviously it had some kind of mishap.

With mild spells, more waterfowl is around and we have to keep looking out for oddities.  A Ross's Goose was at Sarnia yesterday.  Perhaps I would have gone that far today, but the weather turned me back.

Soon, things will pick up I am sure!