End of July Sightings!

 Here we are at the end of another month!  Still no rain, and it does not look good.  Everything is burnt to a crisp.

Lots of shorebirds are moving through, but nothing of note.  I made a couple of visits to Blenheim lagoons in the past week.  Lesser Yellowlegs are in big numbers, but sorting through them, there were no novelties.

Lesser Yellowlegs

Middle pond has some edge!

This past Sunday was the annual Clear Creek butterfly count.  Unfortunately for the first couple of hours it was cloudy, so there was little activity.  Eventually the sun came out and things picked up at the old quarry area.

Question Mark

We did not find Broad-winged Skipper this year despite three of us looking.  Last year we even saw a Dukes' Skipper there, which was a new location.

View of upper pond at back

Rayfield managed to spot our only hairstreak of the day, a Hickory.  And it was well worn.

There were very few odonates, and bluets have been scarce lately.  I only saw one, an Azure Bluet, which people tend to be afraid to ID on iNaturalist.  Not a good photo, but enough to go on.

There were a number of Summer Azures, and this one seemed to have quite a bit of black on it.

A few Giant Swallowtails were flying or posing.

We later moved over to the Bury Cemetery trail which was productive. 

Northern Pearly-eyes were plentiful here, in fact we had 22.

A Common Sootywing was a nice find at the cemetery.

We were done there during the noon hour and it was getting hot.  We were basically done the count by then.

Monday was a non-event day and not much going on.

Tuesday I went to south Chatham-Kent and last stop was Keith McLean C. L.

Black Swallowtail

Water levels are getting shallower, so there might be mud there soon for shorebirds.  A Short-billed Dowitcher was there in shallow water where the "island" is, so I know it is not deep!

Prairie-type plants are in bloom now, including Prairie Dock.

Wednesday I spent some time at Reid C. L., finding the usuals.

Broad-winged Skipper

Red-spotted Purple

Lots of Dukes' Skippers of course.

Took a look in the garden later in the afternoon.

Mexican Grass-carrying Wasp

This one is one of the leafcutter, mortar, and resin bees.  I put these things on iNaturalist, but there seems to be lack of participation lately on that forum.  I can only guess since it is not confirmed.

Thursday I went for some walks first thing before going to the museum.  Spiked Blazing Star is coming into bloom at Wilkesport.

This morning, I went to McKeough first thing while bird activity was good.  I just found out yesterday that a Blue Grosbeak was there about three weeks ago.  I saw that list, but it was first put down as a Purple Finch.  I had no luck in detecting a grosbeak there today.  Alerts do not come through like they used to on the Discord channels.

Drove around quite a bit afterwards. I found a large group of Sandhill Cranes at the south end of Port Lambton.  It is that time of year they start gathering in the fields. There were 62.

Stopped at Reid again.  There were quite a few hairstreaks to my surprise.  At least ten Banded and a couple of Hickory.

Dukes' were numerous as usual.

Saw this Painted Lichen Moth fly in at one point.

I went back to McKeough for one last stop.  I was hoping for some odonates, but they were few and far between.  Managed one Flag-tailed Spinyleg.

I was hoping for Pronghorn Clubtail, but no luck. I even missed them last year.  Wonder what is going on with them, as they are regular at McKeough.

A Painted Lady was in the same area.

Like many odes, Eastern Amberwing is scarce this year.  I saw my first for the year here....long overdue!

Might be some rain this weekend, but not enough to do anything.  Who knows, weather forecasts are usually wrong!

Insect Hunting This Past Week

 As usual, this time of year I am looking more at insects, but of course birds are mixed in.

Last Monday, I headed to south Chatham-Kent just ot look around, starting at Keith McLean C. L.  Highlight there was a singing Dickcissel.

Next walk was at the Erieau marsh trail, but along the way, especially along Bisnett Line, I noticed many trees down. Obviously the storm hit hard there.  Nothing of interest along that trail.

I then went to Blenheim lagoons, now that shorebird migration is well underway.  There were quite a few shorebirds, including an early Stilt Sandpiper.

It was a cloudy morning, but afternoon was sunny.  I checked out insects in the garden, finding most of the usuals, but some other less than usual.

Hidalgo Mason Wasp

Bicolored Striped Sweat Bee

Two-spotted Longhorn Bee

Louis's Club-horned Cuckoo Wasp

Two-spotted Bumble Bee

This green creature was on the back porch, a member of the lacewings.

Chrysopa oculata

Tuesday I spent time north of town.  This Green Heron posed nicely at McKeough.

I walked through the floodway a bit, which was a mistake.  Ticks were horrendous! Generally they have not been that bad this year, but that location was bad.

Some Wild Indigo Duskywings were interesting though.

Next stop was Reid C. L.  I did find a Dukes'.

Some Delaware Skippers were here too.

Broad-winged Skippers were flying, but they never settled down.  At one point I thought I photographed a Broad-winged, however I never saw the underwing.  Later after a discussion on iNaturalist, it seems that it is a Dion Skipper.  Very similar to the Dukes', this is rare in our area.  Unless it an abherrant creature, it is new for Reid. Upper wing pattern indicative of female Dion.

Other things:

Banded Hairstreak

Question Mark

Next day I decided to visit Skunk's Misery, mainly along Centreville Drive.  I found or heard the usual birds.

Very few butterflies.

I was hoping to see Dukes' Skipper in a known spot, but they never materialized.  I spent quite a bit of time there.  Northern Broken-Dash were quite plentiful.

An Emerald Spreadwing was there as well.

I next visited Wardsville Woods since it is nearby.  Still very few odes!  I mainly concentrate along the creek back to the pond.

View along the creek

Basically one of this and one of that.

Azure Bluet

Violet Dancer

Some moths were in the shaded areas.

LeContes Haploa

Clymene Moth

Friday I did the same route to south Chatham-Kent as earlier in the week.  It was basically a waste of time!  It was cloudy. The Dickcissel was not at McLean's.  Nothing of interest at McGeachy Pond, and workers were at the lagoons so there was no sense in walking to the back pond.

I did however hear a singing Dickcissel across the road from the lagoons.

The afternoon turned out sunny as it usually does, so I went up to Reid C. L.  I spent quite a bit of time there, but things were not co-operating for photos.  I wanted to try and get a photo of a Broad-winged Skipper, but they kept fluttering around.

However, a Dukes' Skipper did pose nicely.

Found one more in a different location.

I checked yet another spot, but no Dukes' there.  

Lots of Blue Ash in this area.

The one larger tree I have been keeping an eye on is now barely alive.

Today I had no idea where to go!   I opted not to participate in the Skunk's Misery butterfly count this year.  Just not the same as it used to be, as interest has waned in these things.  I travelled up along the St. Clair River First thing. Stopped at Willow Park.

Dickcissels are once again behind the berm at the old Lambton Generating Station nearby.

I decided to check out the boat launch at Shetland C. A. this morning.  It was somewhat productive, but still very few odonates (I guess that is the way it is this year!).  I spent the better part of two hours there.

I did find a single Blue-ringed Dancer.  They will just be coming out, so it is early.

I was hoping to see Flag-tailed Spinyleg as well.  Seems they come out later in the morning!  I did finally see a couple.

Its cousin with a black shoulder was also in the vicinity.

Black-shouldered Spinyleg

A couple of Swift River Cruisers were patrolling the river the whole time, but they difficult to photograph in flight, lol.  Too swift.

I saw a somewhat interesting dancer in the distance, so I just photographed it.  At home, I determined it to be a Dusky Dancer, which is an endangered species.  Glad I took the photograph!

I have seen them here before, but they are scarce.

A couple of Powdered Dancers were around.

I often see Blackstripe Topminnows here, and today was no exception.

As well, turtles are often here.  I have not seen a Spiny Softshell yet this year, strangely.  Perhaps not a good sign. They always used to be here on my visits.

A couple of small Map Turtles were here.

Tomorrow is yet another day!