Blenheim/Rondeau to Clear Creek Butterfly Count

Oswego Tea at Rondeau

I checked out a few places today, deciding to start at Blenheim lagoons before joining the Clear Creek Butterfly count in the afternoon.
Lots of Least Sandpipers were in at Blenheim.  About 75 of them.  One Pectoral was mixed in as well as about 3 Lesser Yellowlegs.

Mess of Least Sandpipers

That male Canvasback is still at the lagoons!

At Rondeau, I checked out south point trail in advance of the butterfly count for tomorrow.  I first walked along the beach.

Mess of Gulls

The trend continues with few butterflies, but I did find a huge stand of Common Milkweed.  I am anxious to check it out around mid day Sunday.  I was  a bit early in the day, but lots of butterflies were at this stand today.

Delaware Skipper

Northern Broken-Dash

Included were a couple of Banded Hairstreaks.  Hairstreaks are difficult to find in Rondeau, so any hairstreak is good.

Just before lunch, I moved on to Clear Creek and checked out an old quarry.  I was disappointed in finding very few butterflies.  A few dragonflies were around including this Calico Pennant.

After a nice lunch in Highgate, we headed out to the old railway lines (two are side by side).

gravel extraction is going on

One of our favourite spots is just off the old railway east of Johnston Road. It is locally called Taylor's Pond and was originally owned by the railway.  Here we found numerous Coral Hairstreaks among other butterflies.  It is diverse area with lots to see.

Finally a Coral for the year!

Here  there were loads of Butterfly Milkweed.  Most we have seen!

The day's tally was held at the traditional location of Olav Natvik's summer home.  In front of the home is a wonderful prairie-type garden.  However, blooming is behind this year compared to the past.  We found that in many locations today.

Total species for the Clear Creek Butterfly Count was only 40.

Clear Creek Butterfly Count

Today, July 14 was the annual Clear Creek butterfly count.  I have been doing this count since its inception in 2000.  I find it to be one of the better counts as we do abandoned railway and some prairie planting areas near Highgate and Muirkirk.

There were loads of flowers for nectaring, but butterflies seemed to be sparse.  I think the early year had much to do with that as many species were done or near the end or in between broods.   As mentioned previously, hairstreaks have been scarce this year, and this count produced only one single Banded Hairstreak!

Eight Fiery Skippers were found, the first in five years.  Skippers were low in numbers save for Northern Broken-Dash.  Cloudywings were not found.

The trend continues this year for Broad-winged Skippers with 52 recorded, breaking the previous high of 11 in 2004!
Three new species were found for the count history.  Common Checkered-skipper was found near Highgate.  So, it has reached eastern Chatham-Kent!
Stan Caveney found Wild Indigo Duskywings as the other new butterfly.  Wild Indigo has certainly expanded in recent years.

Total species for the count day was at 49. Average  is about 46.

Eastern Tailed-Blue

The most interesting bird today was an Acadian Flycatcher that Pete Chapman  and I had along the R/R east of Muirkirk.

Thanks to Olav Natvik for hosting the compilation and BBQ as usual at the end of the day!

Calico Pennant

Variable Dancer