Along Sparta Line and Miscellaneous Birding

Friday I ventured into Elgin County.  I wanted to check out the Yarmouth Natural Heritage Area, a place I had never visited before.  It is a neat natural area with some decent birds just off Sparta Line.
The trip there was quite foggy in spots and certainly had me agitated as at one point I could hardly see anything!  I arrived after about an hour and half drive, but unfortunately it was gloomy there and almost threatening rain.  Felt like it was a weekend.
However, there were lots of birds to see or hear.  Most notable was a Prothonotary Warbler in the wetland.

I spent about an hour at the place, but certainly is worth spending more time someday.  On the walk out, I heard the Cerulean Warbler singing that had been reported in previous days.

There were several other warblers including Mourning and Blue-winged.  Yellow-throated Vireo was singing here as well.

In recent weeks, a Yellow-throated Warbler was singing here, but unfortunately it must have left about a week ago.  It was thought to be on territory, but perhaps it gave up after a female never showed up!

Yarmouth NHA is along the scenic Catfish Creek.
More info here:  https://www.catfishcreek.ca/conservation-areas/yarmouth-natural-heritage-area/

Coming from the west, one must pass through the historic village of Sparta.  This village I had visited several times in the distant past.  Back when I was in high school, I researched the Mann family genealogy, and Sparta played a key role.  In the 1830's when the Mann family emigrated to Canada from England, some settled at Sparta while others settled at Strathroy (Napperton), and some eventually went over to Michigan.

While doing the research, I checked out the Sparta cemetery and found several Mann's buried there.  One was Noah, a brother to my Great Great Grandfather.

There are many historic buildings in Sparta, including the "Forge and Anvil" which, incredibly, was built about 1827.  It still stands today, with thick walls made of clay bound with straw and pea pods!

photos from the past

On the way back, I stopped by Port Stanley as well as the lagoons.  The lagoon site was virtually devoid of shorebirds except for a White-rumped Sandpiper and two Killdeer (if one can believe).
Stopped at various places on the way back but did not see anything of note.

I also went to Rondeau for a bit of a walk.  Note, gate fees apply now.  The lake was still foggy though.  Looked for anything with wings.

Eastern Tailed-Blue

Twelve-spotted Skimmer (f)

Common  Whitetail (f)

Today, Sunday, I did way too much driving in search of birds.  Not much out there!  I went as far as northwest of Leamington to view a Eurasian Collared-Dove that has been hanging around for months.
I saw it right away, so that was nice.

These doves are showing up in more places anymore.  One was reported to me as seen in Chatham on June 1.

Dickcissels are now showing up but I did not find any on my own.  None at Camper's Cove Road yet as far as I could tell.  I had to rely on reported birds near Pardoville west of Cedar Springs to see some today!

Stopped by Blenheim Lagoons as well, but nothing of note.  Only one migrant shorebird was in the cells--a White-rumped Sandpiper.

Mind-boggling as it may seem, fall migration is just around the corner!  Where did spring go?

Circle Tour

I made a circle today in the WSA (Wallaceburg Study Area). lol. (If Hamilton can have one, why can't we?).
I started at Shrewsbury and after some diligent searching Steve and I refound the Euro Baldplate.  Took quite an effort due to the distance and number of waterfowl in that puddle.  Maybe it is one returning from last fall!
Some Snow's and Ross's were present when I first arrived.

On Friday I received a note from a friend in Elgin County about a dark Red-tailed Hawk near her place.  Yesterday Donald Pye relocated it near the corner of Furnival Road and McLean Line.  I headed straight for there, and found it right away this morning!  It was perched above a creek and flew back and forth a couple of times.  A stunning bird.

I am not sure exactly what to call this, whether is is the calurus subspecies or not, but is likely.  It is not the darkest form as depicted in ID guides, but it is dark and possibly a dark intermediate (or dark rufous) form.  It best fits the plate 308 photo on page 278 of Raptors of Eastern North America (Wheeler, 2003).  There can be so many variations in Red-tailed Hawk it gives me a headache!  It is an adult and has dark brown belly and chest.  I never got a decent photo of the underside.  Apparently there is a very dark morph of the Eastern type as well.

I have seen only one Western adult and that was in fall migration when I was at Blenheim Lagoons a few years ago.  That one was decidedly the calurus type.

Since I was not far from Skunk's Misery, I headed up to Centreville Road.  This is one area we do on the butterfly count, so I know it is a good area.  Between Sassafras and Dogwood Roads, I found an immature Golden Eagle.

From there I headed back Bentpath Line and dipped on the Snow Geese at Beaver Meadow.  The last couple of days there have been a few of these in a field, several of these being young birds.

(photo courtesy Mike Bouman)

On the St. Clair River, 8 Greater White-fronted Geese were reported at St. Clair, Mich. yesterday.  I scoped hundreds of geese up to near Stag Island, but did not find them.  I never got past Mooretown though.  First time I have heard of this species on the river!