Point Pelee Butterfly Count! And Other Notes

 This past Saturday a butterfly count was revived at Point Pelee and surrounding area.  I always used to attend this one, but it was discontinued at least ten years ago.  It has always been in early August, making it a "fall" count.

I was joined by Keith Burk and we scoured the accessible areas south of the visitor centre.  Frankly, it was slim pickings!  A continued theme for this year.

We walked to the Tip then headed back the west side.

West beach trail has always been a prime section to look for good things.  There was not much, but Keith spotted a duskywing.  I immediately recognized it as a Horace's Duskywing!

A nice find indeed.

There were some crescents, which are now tricky to ID.  There is the Pearl, but Northern has been declared two distinct species, depending on timing.  Alan Wormington always maintained that there were three distinct species, so I guess he was right!  I am still trying to understand the situation.

The "Northern " complex (at this time of year) is presently called by its scientific name, Phyciodes diminutor.  Here is one I photographed on the count.

There were other species along the way including Dun Skipper.

I did not photograph some such as Giant Swallowtail, Spicebush Swallowtail, Monarch, Orange Sulphur, etc.

We made a second pass on the northern section of the west beach trail.  Things are always changing there, and it was certainly worthwhile.

We found two more Horace's Duskywings in short order.

Farther up the trail, I spotted a butterfly move in the shade. It opened its wings briefly, and I realized it was a Compton Tortoiseshell!  It moved to another branch, but never opened its wings.  However, it was indeed the said species.

There has been a bit of an invasion of this species of late, but it is quite rare in Essex County.  Apparently, there have only been about 17 records, and it is very rare at Point Pelee.

This sighting certainly made the day, after seeing so few butterflies.  Indeed a first for me at Point Pelee.

Keith and I had only 16 species, while the entire count ended up with 39 species.  Our Compton and the Horace's Duskywings were the only ones recorded on the count.

I have been out and about the past week, just not as much as usual, and certainly have not come across much of note.

Silver-spotted Skipper

Monday I came across some neat spiders.  There are lots out there though.  

Spined Macrathena

Arrowhead Orbweaver

Tuesday was quite foggy first thing, as I went for a walk at Mitchell's Bay.

It was such a glum morning, I went home.  But it got a little nicer in the afternoon, so I went for a long walk at Reid Conservation Lands.  

Common Wood Nymph

Common Ringlet

It was a good day for Royal River Cruisers, as I saw about twenty!

I have posted other things on iNaturalist, but there certainly has been a lack of ID participation on that forum of late!

Wednesday was such a glum day, I decided to go the museum to work for a few hours!

Today was yet another foggy morning.  It was quite dense at Wallaceburg, but I went out to Mitchell's Bay anyway.  Better visibility there at least.

It was "museum" all day today, so I was not out.

Some passerines are trickling through from the north, but I have not seen any!

This Week's Observations: August 7-12

 Things are picking up, not only with fall bird migration, but butterflies and dragonflies.

I was out to Reid CA late Wednesday for a long walk around the back field, and found some Royal River Cruisers.  I got a decent photo of one, and it was good enough to be Observation of the Week on Project Dragonfly on iNaturalist!!  See Post:

Project Dragonfly / Projet Libellule wrote a new post

Observation of the Week: royal river cruiser

This week's feature is a royal river cruiser, photographed and logged by iNaturalist user burgbirder in southern Ontario. The royal river cruiser is a large dragonfly that likes to fly fast, low patrols over open water and sunny pathways.

Show your support by liking and commenting on this Observation of the Week on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram, and follow us to learn more about Project Dragonfly and other iNaturalist projects.

Join the Project Dragonfly iNaturalist project now to celebrate dragonflies with us all summer long!

Last Sunday afternoon, I went back to Reid CA for a walk (always my go-to place!).  The Great Blue Skimmers were still present.

Other species to look at too.

female Twelve-spotted Skimmer

Some lingering Dukes' Skippers were still messing around.

Earlier that day, I went to Blenheim lagoons to look at shorebirds.  There were lots, and in fact more than I have seen in a long time!  However, no rarities.

Another batch of Common Ringlets are out, as well as other species.  Viceroy butterflies are numerous at Peers Wetland.

One has to keep looking at the little blue butterflies, just in case.  Eastern Tailed-Blue is plentiful right now.

Today I went to Point Pelee to look for butterflies.  As usual I arrive too early, so I looked for birds!  It was a very good day for fall migrants, especially warblers.  The northerly winds the last two days certainly pushed them on.

I saw at least twelve species of warblers.  There were lots of Cape May, and Blackburnian was the most numerous with at least 15.  I spent the first hour at De Laurier.

Things started to warm up as I arrived at Sparrow Field.  Green Darners were the ode of the day with dozens of them through out the park.  There were other species, and I am pretty sure I caught sight of a Great Blue Skimmer at one point.

I did  not go much past the solar panel near the Tip, then headed up west beach trail.  My goal was to see a Little Yellow, but that never materialized!👎

I found a Common Painted-Lady at the Tip parking lot, I think a first one this year for me.

Near the "serengeti" tree, I found a large duskywing.  I was pretty sure Horace's, but had to wait till I got home to study the photo, lol.

Two worn Fiery Skippers were farther up the trail.

I stopped by Hillman marsh to walk around the shorebird cell.  Some checkered-skippers were seen.

A few Peck's Skippers as well.

But, no rarities!

By this time, I was whipped from all the walking!  Headed home.

In the garden was a Peck's and a Common Sootywing.

Boatnerd Note:

WILLIAM E. COREY sailed from Chicago on her maiden voyage August 12, 1905, bound for Duluth, Minnesota to load iron ore. She later became b.) RIDGETOWN in 1963. Used as a breakwater in Port Credit, Ontario, in 1974, and is still there.

Pelee: Ode to Joy

Common Painted-Lady (very common!)

I skimmed down to Point Pelee today to look for insects.  Turned out to be a decent day with lots flying.  For something different, I started on Marsh Boardwalk.  I heard that Lilypad Forktails appear there among other things.  Some were seen yesterday by Bruce Ripley.  Not sure if I saw any since many of those damn selflies look so much alike.
A family of Eastern Kingbirds was working the rails.

Least Skipper (numerous today)

I walked around De Laurier trail next hoping to find some birds.  No such luck.  In fact there were very few birds today.
By this time, it was sunny enough on west beach trail to look for leps and odes.  Actually there were lots of butterflies and dragonflies flying, so I was kept busy.  Flies were plentiful as well, so it was uncomfortable at times.  I expected this with the recent northerly wind.  I walked twice, with a break in between.

Variegated Meadowhawk

Highlight butterfly was a female Horace's Duskywing.  This creature was very mobile as I chased it around and I only managed one half decent photo.

Horace's Duskywing!

Highlight dragonfly was an immature female Great Blue Skimmer. This large dragonfly caught my eye and I managed one decent photograph.  After capturing it with the camera, I thought about it for a few minutes and concluded it was a Great Blue Skimmer.  After finding one a month ago in Middlesex county and researching them, it was an easy fit.  Only a couple of Point Pelee records previously.

Great Blue Skimmer!

Here is a list of butterflies that I posted this afternoon:

Silver-spotted Skipper (1)

Horace's Duskywing (1 female)

Fiery Skipper (8)

Dun Skipper (1)

Giant Swallowtail (~15)

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (4)

Spicebush Swallowtail (2)

Gray Hairstreak (2)

Variegated Fritillary (1)

Common Painted-Lady (100+)

Common Buckeye (~35)

+ other common ones

Variegated Fritillary

Gray Hairstreaks

Dickcissels were still singing away in the traditional spots.  One at concession C, and the few at Hillman Marsh CA.

noisy Dickcissel

All in all, a good day after sleeping in a bit and heading home by 2 p.m.!

Usual Circuit

Stopped at Tilbury again first thing.  Fewer birds as the cell has almost dried up.  Only one Long-billed Dowitcher was present early morning.




At Point Pelee, a number of warblers (~10 species)  were at the Tip area including an immature Mourning.  The air was still and the lake was calm, so not much moving.

Butterflies along West Beach included another Horace's Duskywing and a Gray Hairstreak along the beach.

Pearl Crescents continue to be the most abundant butterfly.  Silver-spotted Skippers are still plentiful.

Only one American Lady today, but lots of Common Buckeye.  Tilbury Lagoons had lots of Buckeye today.

Lunch included the traditional Green Godess wrap from Cattail Cafe, then I checked Black Willow area for butterflies.  Nothing new.

I dropped in at Tilbury again on my way back just in case something else was different.  Fewer birds!  However just as I was about to leave, I noticed dowitchers on the little island in the big pond.  They were obscured from view earlier.  I headed back along the dike and counted seven.  They all appeared to be Long-billed.  Obviously they had to move to deeper water as the usual cell is almost dried up.

This is all the water that remains!

Early this morning I noted five Spotted Sandpipers on the driveway atop the dike.  I was hoping for Buff-breasted Sandpipers!  Strange that none have been reported yet.