Earth Day Birding and Reid Plant Tour

 Today was one of the better weather days so far this spring.  I headed down to Rondeau Park, but it was rather quiet for birds.....again!  Yes, it is early, but one always expects more.

A couple of first-of-year birds included a Red-headed Woodpecker along Lakeshore Road, and a Blue-headed Vireo on south point trail.

Butterflies were enjoying the warmth.

American Painted-Lady

While in the park, I heard reports of Marbled Godwits, Willets and American Avocets at points farther west.  It was one of those days that those types of shorebirds show up in numbers!

I left the park and headed towards Erieau.  Spent some time at McGeachy and the marsh trail there.

A single Willet was reported on the tip of Rondeau, as seen from the Erieau pier area.  I managed to see that one, but it was too distant to even try for a photo.

American Avocets were reported at Hillman Marsh.  I had not intended to go that far today, but since the avocet is my favourite shorebird, I had to go!

I went straight to the Hillman shorebird cell where there were lots of shorebirds.  There were big numbers of Dunlin and Pectoral Sandpipers, but in the distance I picked out four dowitchers as well.

Long-billed Dowitchers are the default dowitcher species this time of year, so no confusion with Short-billed need arise.

No Avocets were present upon my arrival, but while there, eight popped in!  My target bird was then checked off.  The dowitchers were just a bonus, which are somewhat uncommon in spring.

Lighting was horrible, but I attempted photos anyway.

One of the continuing Cattle Egrets was present as well.

Two days ago, I started at Rondeau, but it was disappointing, so I went to Hillman to see two reported Cattle Egrets.

My camera malfunctioned (which is happening too often lately!), so photos were crap.

Often we do not get some until fall migration.

Yesterday morning I started at Mitchell's Bay.  Nothing of note in the way of birds, but I keep trying.  It was uncomfortably cold first thing.

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher

The afternoon was quite pleasant, so I went for a walk at Reid Conservation Lands.  I had not been there in two weeks, so I wanted to check out the plant life.

Harbinger of Spring is about done for another year, but I did find a couple of plants with remnants of flowers.

Nearby, I found the patch of Twinleaf, one of my favourite plants.  It was not very far advanced compared to previous years.

Lots of trout lilies are blooming, including the white version.

Large-flowered Bellwort is just coming into bloom.

Dutchman's Breeches is past its prime, but some were in bloom.

Note the ginger, which is abundant at Reid

I think I finally found its cousin, Squirrel Corn.  I know it is there, but it is extremely scarce.  It is yet to be confirmed (or rejected) for some strange reason.

Bloodroot is not all that common at Reid, but some were in bloom.

Trilliums are just coming into bloom.

I found one with the virus. The abnormal greening of plant parts (virescence) is a symptom of a plant disease caused by bacterial organisms called phytoplasmas.

Various insects were flying about.

Black and Yellow Nomad Bee (?)

Greater Bee Fly

Birds will really start arriving, possibly tomorrow!  Stay tuned.

This Way and That Way: Recent Findings

 On Tuesday, I thought I would venture into Essex County.  I only went as far as Hillman Marsh, walking the main area in the shorebird cell and boardwalk area.  Later I walk a bit of Couture Dyke.

The was still some water in the shorebird cell attracting waterfowl and some late shorebirds.  A pair of Redhead ducks was notable for the date.

Shorebirds were a bit distance, but included some late Semipalmated Sandpipers as well as Semipalmated Plovers.  A White-rumped Sandpiper and a Dunlin rounded out the lingering shorebirds.

distant Dunlin

Behind me, a Yellow-billed Cuckoo was knocking at the door, so to speak.

Around by the boardwalk, the long-staying Neotropic Cormorant was standing vigil in its usual area.

While in the area, I decided to walk Couture Dyke.  There was not much to see here!  Insects were more plentiful including thousands of Eastern Forktails and Fragile Forktails.

A Bronze Copper caught my eye at one point.

A few Least Skippers were seen along the way.

Working my way home, I had a hunch that Dickcissels may be around since several had already been reported in Essex County.  I did find one singing male at a usual spot.  A bit shy though.

One more walk before getting home included the trail at Mitchell's Bay.  There is always potential for something of interest around there, so I had to try!  Nothing this time though.

The rather common Tule Bluet was well-represented along the trail.

As were Map Turtles which were plentiful taking advantage of the warm sun.

Wednesday, it was in the other direction!  Weather was nice as I first walked Ipperwash Forested Dunes and Swales.   It is excellent habitat for a variety of things, although birds are usually low in numbers.

I felt ambitious and walked all the trails!  The only notable bird was a Northern Waterthrush, not entirely unexpected though.  A low Pine Warbler was collecting nesting material.

Some orchids included two of the common types of ladies slippers.

Large Yellow Ladies Slipper

Pink Moccasin 

It was a bit early in the day, but I kept an eye out for insects.  Several female Slaty Skimmers were flying.

A did see a couple of bluets.  This one I am not sure, as I could not get very close to it.  Could even be a Boreal Bluet.

There were other common odes, including one Racket-tailed Emerald which did not co-operate.

A pair of Roadside Skippers was on Narrow-leaved New Jersey Tea.

White up that way, I decided to check out Sandrin Tract Woods sand pit.  It is drier than last year, so not much water was there, and hence few odes.

Calico Pennant

Azure Bluet

There were more things in the butterfly department though.  Several duskywings.

Columbine Duskywing

Tawny-edged Skipper

Juvenal's Duskywing

Some other interesting insects included these:

Brown-winged Striped Sweat Bee

Narcissis Bulb Fly (alien!)

Today I took a more leisurely pace, sleeping in a bit, then heading up the St. Clair River to Corunna.

Stopped by Seager Park, which is now open this year after a revamp all last summer.  Not as much "land" there as there used to be, and no beachy areas.

As alluded to before, this park was always a favourite picnic spot when I was little.  Virtually the same same spot here, as shown above today.

Me (left) and some of my cousins

Heading home, I went by a pasture area, and low and behold, a Dickcissel was singing.  First one I know of in Lambton this year.

More of those to appear, I am sure!

In the afternoon, I came across a pair of Common Sootywings at Reid Conservation Lands.

Some Juvenal's Duskywings were still flying, some showing the end is near!

On A Lark (Sparrow)

 Things are finally picking up with nicer weather and more migrants.  In the grand scheme of things, birds are on schedule.  A few birds have been quite early! Some years in the past we get spoiled with nice weather and birds coming early.

Today was a fine day with warmer weather.  It started out rainy (what is a weekend without rain?), but soon cleared up.  I went to Rondeau Park.  I started at south point trail before it cleared up, as I wanted to go out marsh trail at some point.

Some loons (both kinds) and ducks were moving on the lake, but hardly any gulls.

Along the trail, a couple of House Wrens were FOY birds.

Steve and I went our separate ways, and I headed out marsh trail.  With an east wind, it is often the best choice.  It was quite nice, with only a light east wind.

I was going to walk at least to Long Pond, but that got cut short as you will find out later.  Along the way, I came across a FOY Yellow Warbler.  The first one is always nice to see, but eventually we will get sick of them!

Lots of kinglets (mainly Ruby's) were flitting about  along the way.

About a half kilometre past the 'half way' point I saw a Savannah Sparrow, then a Vesper Sparrow.  The Vesper was nice, but all of a sudden there was another sparrow with it.  It was different and I recognized it as a Lark Sparrow!

It kept moving along, but in an instant they were gone. I was not sure where they went, so started back as to not flush them any further.  Somehow the two had flew past me and were back on the trail to the north!  

I watched for some time, then they flushed.  The Lark Sparrow took a long flight out toward the Bay, then headed north.  I lost sight, thinking that was it.  However, I refound it on the trail north of the old parking area!

(photo by Steve Charbonneau)

By this time, Steve was well on his way out, so I kept following it along until he got there to see it.

The Lark Sparrow is one of the more handsome sparrows I think.  There are several records in the park, but only the third one I have seen within the park.

During this time, four Willets were found at Keith McLean C. L., so that was my next walk.

Tired, but not done for the day, I stopped by Blenheim lagoons.  Garry Sadler was there and informed me that a dowitcher was in the sprinkler cells.  I thought more likely a Long-billed a this date, but upon seeing it without a scope, I was not sure.  At one point, the birds flushed and disappeared.  I could not hear it call due to the wind.

Turned out to be a Short-billed Dowitcher!

Yesterday I went to Hillman Marsh and Point Pelee.  It was very quiet for birds.  Two Western Sandpipers were still at the shorebird cell.

one of them!

Getting back near the car, there was a brief sighting of an exceptionally early Yellow-billed Cuckoo!

I did quite a bit of walking in the National Park, but did not come up with much.

Pair of Trumpeter Swans at De Laurier

Surf Scoter

I did have a Hairy Woodpecker, which is uncommon in the park.

This past Tuesday I stopped by Roberta Stewart Wetland late in the day.  I took some random photos.  One was a Gadwall, or so I thought.  I was half right, as it turned out to be a Northern Pintail X Gadwall!  I did not realize it until I processed the photo at home.  My excuse is that the lighting was very poor.

I have had this uncommon hybrid here before, oddly enough.  Not the same bird though.

Sunday looks like there may be some good arrivals....only time will tell.

"Six more weeks of good birding!"