Weekend Tours: Lagoons to Comets

I did quite a bit of touring around this weekend.  Saturday morning I started at Forest Lagoons.  There were not as many shorebirds as in previous visits and certainly nothing unusual.  Always interesting to check out though.

"kleet!"

SBD

I decided to go further afield and head up to West Perth Wetlands at Mitchell.  This is a managed wetland and excellent for shorebirds and one of my favourite stops while in the area.

Upon arrival, I happened to meet up with local resident Dave Brown.  We checked out the shorebirds in the cells.  There were lots, but nothing on the rare side.

Pec

The Red-necked Phalarope that was seen a couple of days previous had long since left.  It was one shorebird I was hoping to catch up with, but as usual the "better" shorebirds usually do not stay any length of time.😢
There were lots of Lesser Yellowlegs (no Greaters) and at least three Stilt Sandpipers among other species.

After some time there, I departed to head back south.  On the way, I stopped by Strathroy lagoons.  It was dead!👎  Apparently there were some birds there earlier in the day, but obviously something made them take off.  I had to check anyway as it was exactly six years ago I found an American Avocet there (5 August 2012).

Today, Sunday, I took my annual mid summer visit into west Elgin County.  I started at Port Stanley lagoons.  There is a bit of edge on a couple of the ponds, but shorebirds were few. A female Bufflehead was the oddball duck there.

Cedar Waxwing

My next stop was Fingal WMA around the Ian Carmichael pond.  There were not as many butterflies this year as in the past.

Eastern Tailed-Blue

Blue Dasher

A Cicada Killer Wasp buzzed past me and set down briefly.

I walked around the prairie planting area.

By this time, it was getting steamy hot, but I moved on to my next stop at Southwold Earth Works south of Iona.  I always stop here as one time many years ago I had a bonanza of butterflies.  Today there were very few (again).

Tawny-edged Skipper

Farther to the southwest, I wanted to check out the new wetland area at Pearce Provincial Park.

There is a nice long trail through and around the wetland area.  I found lots of dragonflies of at least ten species here including Calico Pennant, Carolina Saddlebags, Wandering Glider, etc.

Common Whitetail

Widow Skimmer

Eastern Pondhawk

The Spicer Trail through the woodland is adjacent to this wetland, which I walked a bit.

Great Fangled Spangled Fritillary

Heading west, I stopped at Joe's Bush NW of New Glasgow along Silver Clay Line.  There is nothing special here, but I have walked this preserved woodlot in the past.

Way back in there is a remnant of the past.

Next on the agenda was a stop at the old quarry within the Clear Creek Nature Reserve off Cochrane Line.  Recently, I had a hunch that perhaps Comet Darners would be here, so I wanted confirm that.
Shortly upon arrival, I saw one!  I am not sure if they have been reported here before, but obviously they have been here and it was exciting to me.
I stayed for a bit and saw at least three of the large bright red odes.  It was near impossible to get a photo, but I tried anyway.

There were several other species here as well.

Calico Pennant

Last stop was at the Thamesville bridge to look for Rubyspots.  Unfortunately, one can only access the east side, which is rather difficult along the bank.  A new bridge is being constructed on the west side so some habitat is being destroyed.  There are some rare or unique trees planted in a little park beside the waterplant for a side interest.

Both American Rubyspot and Smoky Rubyspot can be found here.  Smoky is rather rare in Ontario.

By this time I was whipped due to the heat and humidity!  I headed home to crank up the air conditioner!

Wednesday Whirlwind Day Tour

I usually head into Elgin County in early August.....well it is now mid August!  Today I went as far as Port Stanley lagoons.  There have been good birds seen there over the years, but nothing new was there today.
I stayed about an hour as the birds moved around.

Short-billed Dowitchers

Just a few species of common shorebirds were there.  I was hoping for a phalarope!
Many Pied-billed Grebes as well.

An American Coot was notable in the one cell, but it was way at the back.

Next stop was Fingal Wildlife Management Area-the SW trail near Ian Carmichael Pond.

There used to be a good prairie planting area here, but it has deteriorated somewhat in recent years.

Eastern Tailed-Blue

Silver-spotted Skipper

South of Iona, I always stop at Southwold Earthworks.  It can be good for butterflies there especially if it has not been mowed recently and the clover is blooming.  There was lots of clover today.
Several Tawny-edged Skippers were present.

Tawny-edged Skippers

Also, Peck's and Dun and Common Sootywing.

Common Sootywing

Peck's Skipper

American Beech at Southwold Earthworks

On the way back home, I stopped at Wardsville Woods.  It was rather disappointing with regards to birds and butterflies today.

Worn-out Buckeye!

American Lady

When I got in my car, I noticed a Hackberry Emperor!  I never saw until I got in my car, so I do not know where it came from.  Must have been on my clothing.

Much farther west, I decided to try for the rubyspots at the Victoria Road bridge south of Thamesville.

It is difficult getting to the spot east of the bridge to see them, but I saw 3 American Rubyspots and one Smoky Rubyspot (hi Allen!).  Could not get close to them though.

Smoky Rubyspot

American Rubyspot

Well, I decided to head down to Ridgetown Lagoons as well.  Not much there except a few Least and Semipalmated Sandpipers and too many Canada Geese.
Decided to check Blenheim as well.  Not worth it!  The shorebirds were scared up but there quite a few Semipalmated Sandpipers, a few Least and 2 Short-billed Dowitchers.

Semisands in Flight

They started mowing today, so much of the butterfly habitat is destroyed or going to be so.  A few Common Checkered-Skippers were seen.

They are in Wallaceburg as well.  Yesterday I had one at Peers Wetland!

Soggy Saturday and Sweltering Sunday

Yesterday we had heavy rain all day, so there was not much to do! It was highly unusual because it was WAMBO weekend in Wallaceburg and the weather had always been nice for the last 21 years (with the exception of one afternoon of rain in the mid 1990's).
Sunday, I started at Rondeau Park. Not much to report there either. Lots of Common Terns were out on the lake and a couple of Caspian. Hardly any Bonaparte's Gulls. A couple of Sanderling were along the south beach.
Most notable butterfly was Summer Azure. Dozens of them were along south point trail, indicating a fresh brood.
In the dune area I noted one Cylindrical Blazing Star plant in bloom so far.

Summer Azures

My next stop was at Clear Creek in the field beside the woods. Butterflies here included Wood Nymph, Northern Broken-Dash, Monarch, Tiger Swallowtail, Pearl Crescent and Eastern-tailed Blue. I have not seen mainly tailed-blues this year.

Tiger Swallowtail on Swamp Thistle

Eastern Tailed-Blue

I headed farther east and stopped at Southwold Earth Works south of Iona. This is one of my favourite spots to stop while in the area. Conditions were similar to last year, but hardly any butterflies were to be seen here unlike last year. I saw Gray Hairstreak and Meadow Fritillary here last year. Today, I only had Monarch, Viceroy, Spicebush Swallowtail, Cabbage White and perhaps Eastern Comma (flyby).

Birds included a family of Eastern Bluebirds, not uncommon here. In the past I have also seen Red-headed Woodpecker, but not this year.

Next stop was Fingal WMA. I only checked out the tallgrass prairie area and pond. Upon arrival, three Great Egrets took flight from the pond.

Once again, like most places this year, not many butterflies were out. I did see a Great-spangled Fritillary on Wild Bergamot, among others.

I was home by early afternoon, as it was certainly the hottest and most humid day of the summer so far!

Recently I saw a rather late Hickory Hairstreak north of Wallaceburg...