More Garden Bugs, Rondeau Rice, Rubyspots, and Other September Sightings

 Not too much to report lately, but I had some good days of observations.  Unfortunately, mosquitoes are at an all time high in numbers, and one cannot linger anywhere!

Watching the garden, I found some more insects to add to the list.

Twice Stabbed Stinkbug

This potter wasp is actually endangered (vulnerable).

Fraternal Potter Wasp

There were several repeats from this summer (few shown here):

Mexican Grass-carrying Wasp

Ectemnius maculosus

Locust Borer (new for the year)

At Peers Wetland, it has been dead for birds!  (but prolific with mosquitoes!) So I look for other things.

Bald-faced Hornet

Lance-tipped Darner

Common Painted-Lady

Widow Skimmer

An interesting spider called Spined Micrathena was along the trail.  For the life of me, I could not get a focused photo!  

EDIT:  I was at Peers on Sunday and managed a better photo.  It took a while!

I still have not found a Fiery Skipper for the year, despite some effort.  Peck's are numerous right now though.

Peck's Skipper

I did go to Reid CA once, but mosquitoes were too unbearable to stay long.

American Pelecinid Wasp

I had a couple of visits to Rondeau, and warblers and other birds were quite numerous along the Bay side.  On Wednesday, I stopped at the old dock area, and noticed lots of warblers moving southward.  I ended going out marsh trail (to the old half-way parking lot) where I was kept quite busy sorting through the birds.  I met Steve part way out where he had the same idea!

At least 18 species of warblers, including large number of Tennessee (over 40), Bay-breasted and Cape May.

Soras were calling all the way along and we tallied at least 15.  I would think some came in!

Annual Wild Rice is prolific there, and I thought this photo was a nice one to take.  It made a good header photo for this blog as well!

Of note, the marsh trail has finally been rehabbed with new gravel and trimming.

Today I made another visit to Rondeau and joined other birders at the store parking lot.  It is a good spot to view streaming birds, especially warblers, on a NE wind.

I ended up tallying 20 species of warblers, where again, Tennessee, Cape May and Bay-breasted were in large numbers.  Of course the majority went unidentified as they quickly passed overhead in poor light.

Wilson's Warbler

Ovenbird

Cape May Warbler

Some shorebirds included Greater Yellowlegs, Black-bellied Plover, Solitary Sandpiper and 3 Wilson's Snipe.  Of course other birds were seen such as Red-headed Woodpecker and various flycatchers.

Olive-sided Flycatcher

While out marsh trail on the first visit, Steve and I came across a large Fox Snake.  Too long to take a proper photo!

This small Fox Snake was encountered on an earlier visit, which I posted in the previous blog post.  

A couple of days ago, I thought I would check out Wardsville Woods.  I got chased out by mosquitoes! I noticed some tresses.  Looks like Sphinx Ladies' Tresses, of which there were several plants.

 So, I headed back and stopped by the Tecumseh Monument Park to look at the river bank.  The Thames was still running high, so not good for mussel hunting. However, this Pimpleback I did find on the bank. A species that is considered imperiled.

There were several American Rubyspots, and perhaps three Smoky Rubyspots that I could see.  The riverbank was dangerous and mucky to navigate.

On Friday, it was off to Kettle Point as a north wind was blowing. It did not work out for birds!  One needs a very stiff NW wind for Kettle Point to be more productive.  Green-winged Teal was the most common bird, with over 90 seen.  Of note, there are hardly any gulls up that way.  A bit unusual at this point.

I took this photo showing where the reef is.  In the previous blog post, I showed the reef where we could walk way out at this location.

Better days are ahead!

Some Duskywings and Showing Some Mussel(s)

 Monday it was up to north Lambton for me.  

To kill time early in the day, I stopped by the old Blackwell Landfill at Sarnia.  Of interest, this little weasel was in the parking lot carrying breakfast when I got back from my walk!

 

I wanted to look for duskywings or whatever else popped up later in the morning.  It was early when I arrived, so checked out the Heritage Forest at Port Franks.

The forest is a large tract of land that is interesting to look for breeding birds.  I had already checked out the L-Lake area a few days ago, but this day I checked out the larger portion on the other side of Mud Creek.

I took no photos (not much opportunity!), but Acadian Flycatcher and Hooded Warblers are numerous here.  I found multiples of each.

There are other warblers that breed here, but oddly I did not come across a Cerulean as I often do.

By the time I was done here, I moved a short distance over to the Karner Blue Sanctuary where one can find lots of duskywings.  It was a bit sparse though, for them.  

I did see the Juvenal's, Sleepy, Wild Indigo and possibly Columbine.  My photos revealed several Sleepy, but I did not get on any Dreamy with the camera...apparently!

Sleepy and Dreamy are quite similar, so sometimes difficult to differentiate if one does not get a good look.

Worn Sleepy

perhaps Wild Indigo?

another Sleeper

Juvenal's

I met up with a friend and we walked around.  He mentioned that the injured Ferruginous Hawk from Cedar Springs (early May) had been released after rehab a couple of days previous.  It was fitted with a radio collar.

Interestingly today, a Ferruginous Hawk was sighted at Erieau late this afternoon and we suspect it is the same bird!

Yesterday I went down to Rondeau Park and walked out south beach.  It can be interesting this time of year with shorebirds and gulls.  However, it was rather disappointing!  There were lots of common little shorebirds of various types, but practically no gulls.  Where are the gulls and terns we usually see this time year?  Perhaps yet to come.  I was hoping to see Red Knots.  

There were still lots of warblers, etc. along the south point trail (west).  However, they were difficult to spot in the treetops, especially the ones that were not singing.

After Rondeau, I slid over to the Erieau Marsh trail (aka rail trail) and spent lots of time.  A number of warblers were working the area, including a Connecticut Warbler that was found previously.

It took some time before I heard it singing, and we eventually managed good looks at it. Of course, I was not quick enough with the camera when it popped out in plain view.  Later, I only got this  embarrassing photo!

A Least Bittern made an appearance off the viewing stand at one point.

Also of interest was a Fox Snake along the trail.

Today, I stuck closer to home and checked out Reid CA for breeding birds.  The wind picked up while I was there, and it was stiff out of the north all day.  I used the opportunity in the afternoon to do some yard work!

After Reid, I went up to Moore WMA to check for mussels since my quick visit the other day was not satisfactory.  With water level a bit lower, I found some included below.

Pink Heelsplitter

Paper Pondshell

Fragile Papershell

The visit a couple days ago on the way home from north Lambton revealed the largest White Heelsplitter I have ever seen.  Must have been an oldtimer!  The shell was perhaps 20 cm.

It is an interesting time of year, so some rare birds are in the midst.

Pelee Pelicans and other Goodies

I was overdue to visit Point Pelee, so that is where I went today.  Pelicans were certainly on my mind, as it was a year ago this weekend that we had some at the Tip (along with a Franklin's Gull).  I parked at west beach and decided to take a quick scope view towards the Tip.  Right on cue, American White Pelicans were in sight!  I could see at least nine, but some could have been out of sight.

I walked down to the Tip and met up with Dan Greenham where we found eight pelicans just offshore.

They are certainly curious birds with the long bill and big pouch.

Soon, Jeremy Hatt and Marianne Balkwill arrived to see the big white birds.

Not long after, the pelicans took off and headed NE.  I looked towards that direction, and could see more in the distance.  There were at least two dozen.
I would think these birds are going to attempt to nest on the "Chick" Islands on the other side of Pelee Island just like last year.  Apparently they were not successful last year, but perhaps that was a trial run!

After some time, we headed up to Sparrow Field and then walked up the road.  We cut into Woodland trail to see what the Prothonotary Warblers were up to.  Two different pairs were present.

The second pair was feeding quietly right beside the trail for some close views.

Upon exiting Woodland trail, we heard a Cerulean Warbler singing high in a Basswood tree.  It was constantly singing, but we could never get a look at it.  A curious sighting for this time of year indeed.

After a quick lunch, I checked a couple of other spots without anything of note.  I did see the first Little Wood Satyr of the year up at NW Beach.

I stopped by Hillman Marsh shorebird cell where a number of shorebirds were still present. These included Dunlin, Semipalmated Sandpipers (~60), Semipalmated Plovers, and a couple of White-rumped Sandpipers.
A FOY Least Skipper was along the trail.

At the end of the trail, found this foxy-looking snake.

A check of Wheatley Harbour revealed few birds and mostly tourists!  Earlier, the only shorebirds were two Sanderling on the beach.

A check of the field beside Camper's Cove Road was on the agenda, as it is time for Dickcissels to be singing on territory.  Sure enough, I did hear at least one male singing away.

All in all, a decent day for early June in nice weather (and a weekend to boot!).