Mid-April Report: Some Highlights

 Not too much to report this past week, but there were some highlights.

Tuesday, while I had to spend some time in Chatham, I checked out O'Neil Nature Reserve (Paxton's Bush).  It is actually an impressive woodlot right on the north edge of Chatham that kind of sticks out.  A good variety of large trees are within.

The forest floor has typical plants that one can find in a woodlot.

Bloodroot

Yellow Trout Lily

On Wednesday I had the urge to go up to Sarnia's Canatara Park for some birding.  The weather was less than impressive (eventual rain!) but it is a good migrant trap for finding birds.

I saw my first Little Gull of the year on the lake.  

A House Wren was chattering on the edge of Tarzanland.  A bunch of them seemed to come early this year in various places.

Lots of Yellow-rumped Warblers were in the woods and migrating westward.

Thursday was quite disappointing with yet another rainy day.  I managed to get out to Mitchell's Bay first thing, but there was hardly anything to look at.  However, the same six Snow Geese were still in the area!

Friday was another nice weather day as I checked out Rondeau Park.  Turned out to be a good birding day, with some early stuff.

I walked out marsh trail to Long Pond.  Some first-of-year birds included Marsh Wren,  Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, and both Sora and Virginia Rails.  Also, a couple of Palm Warblers.

                               

Palm Warbler

American Coot

Tundra Swans (young ones!)

On the way back we found some warblers!  Other than Yellow-rumped, a Northern Parula and a Nashville Warbler were singing in the tree tops.

The parula was record early by one day (we had one on Spicebush Trail back on April 18, 2010), and the Nashville was record early by a few days.  At least what I can see.

Nearer the parking lot, an early Yellow Warbler was singing its typical song as another first-of-year.  It was an early arrival, but not record early.  Steve and I had one April 13, 2001 on Tulip Tree trail.  That year was quite impressive with lots of very early birds.

While out marsh trail, we saw a couple of Blanding's Turtles.

Today, I wanted to head into Essex County.  It was another crappy weather day.  Seems we cannot get two good days in a row this spring!

A Laughing Gull had been frequenting Wheatley Harbour for three days, but as usual, it did not show up today much to my disappointment.

Highlight was a Baikal Teal in Hillman shorebird cell.  It was found a number of days ago there, and has stirred up quite a controversy.  I saw it right away, but it was distant in poor light.  

It was sleeping when I went back the second time, but very distant as well.

(attempt at digiscoping!)

A duck of this type is usually considered an escapee, but who knows.  There are a number of factors that might point towards this being a wild duck, but I will not delve into it here.  An attractive duck in any case!

An early Solitary Sandpiper (yes it was solitary and alone!) was in the cell as well.  Lighting was too horrible today to get any decent photos of anything, even with the ISO cranked up to 1000.

I left Hillman and went into Point Pelee for an hour.  It was quiet, so I went back to Hillman!

Two Marbled Godwits were in the cell when I arrived.

A couple of Little Gulls were also present, but not photographable.

Just before getting home, I made a quick stop at Mitchell's Bay.  Yellow-headed Blackbirds should be in now but I did not find one.

Only highlight was another early Yellow Warbler.

If this weather ever gets its act together, we should have some good birding days ahead.......

Splashdown to Marbled Godwits

 We finally have had some nice warm days, although yesterday morning was miserably cold at first.

This past Friday morning I was out to Mitchell's Bay.  A lone Tundra Swan has been hanging around, and I do not think it is entirely well.  It was still there yesterday.

A bit of a surprise was a flyover of six Snow Geese.

In the evening, likely many of us watched the historic and picture-perfect splashdown of the space capsule Artemis II.  Humans got to circle the moon for the first time since the early 1970's during the Apollo program!  I remember the Apollo program (now I am aging myself!) and found that fascinating at the time.

I watched the recent event live on the NASA YouTube channel.  I just took some screen shots with my phone.

Next day, I headed down to Rondeau Park quite early.  Target was a Louisiana Waterthrush that had been sighted the day before.  I found it right away in the early morning light singing away in a slough.  It was really too early for photos, as it was not very light, but I tried anyway.

I did a lot of walking that day as it was a nice sunny and calm day for a change.  Later, I walked out the marsh trail to the half way point.

I saw three species of butterflies, including a Mourning Cloak, Red Admiral and an American Painted-Lady.

I stopped by Keith McLean C. L. before going home to see both yellowlegs, and first-of-year Pectoral Sandpipers.

They finally got a burn done on the property.  They have been trying for two years!

Yesterday, as alluded to above, it was terribly cold and windy at Mitchell's Bay first thing.  There were not many birds in the uncomfortable weather.  The Tundra Swan was in close.

In the afternoon, it warmed up considerably as the sun was out, so I went for a drive along the St. Clair River.  Loons are heading north this time of year, and one can see many.

Today, I headed down to Rondeau Park in anticipation of some good birding.  Overnight, there was a brisk southwest wind with rain, and the temperature rose dramatically.  Surprisingly, it was rather quiet for birds.

I did get the first Purple Martins finally, as they arrived yesterday.

The park was full of Red Admirals.

Some plants are just emerging from the leaf litter, and I noticed this Bloodroot at one point.

While there, I got word that some early Marbled Godwits had set down in the Hillman Marsh shorebird cell.  They were found by the "morning shift", which used to be the "afternoon shift"!  LOL.

I headed in that direction since there was not much else to do.

They were still present upon my arrival.

Several birders came by to see the godwits.  It was nice to talk to some long-time fellow birders after a long winter.

While there, I caught sight of a Variegated Meadowhawk. First time I have seen one in a few years.  They are not all that common at times.

As well, a Blanding's Turtle was lurking in the weeds.

Now that we are in mid-April, we will see lot of birds coming in.  The excitement of spring migration has now begun!

Hillman Sandhills

Rondeau Run, Godwit Run, and a Shrike Run

 This past Sunday and Monday were a bit slow for birding, but Tuesday and onward was quite good. Not like the "old days" it seems, but fun and interesting.

On Sunday I ventured down to Hillman Marsh and area for something different.  Sometimes it pays off, and sometimes not!  I did not see anything of note.  

A Kentucky Warbler was at Kopegaren Woods west of Wheatley, but remained hidden when I checked out the place.  Of course it was seen before and after I was there!

Monday I headed back to Rondeau for a couple more nights of camping.  It was dead slow for birding that first day.  It was warm, and some butterflies were out, including this Eastern Tailed-Blue.

I walked out south beach in the afternoon for lack of anything else to do.  Not too many shorebirds or gulls to look at either.

On the beach I looked for mussels.  Some of the common ones included Eastern Pondmussel, which is long and narrow.

Tuesday looked promising and indeed there was a good fallout of birds.  Lots of warblers and vireos.  Some of which were included as FOY's as we call them.

I saw my first Black-billed Cuckoo of the year on the south point.

South point trail produced a good number of birds for a change.  It had been unproductive previously.

Wednesday was good as well, but there was a stiff northerly wind that kept birds in the park, more to the east side. I mainly birded Tulip Tree trail and then Harrison north and south of there for several hours.  There was no shortage of birds!  More "FOY's" were added, including a Prothonotary Warbler (finally).  They finally came in numbers.

Cape May, Northern Parula and Magnolia Warblers were in big numbers.

"Maggie"

Blackburnian Warbler

American Redstart

Philadelphia Vireo

Also found a "latish" Yellow-bellied Sapsucker.  Not a pretty one either!

I headed out by noon and visited the Erieau rail trail, then Blenheim lagoons.  Shorebirds in each location.

Black-bellied Plovers

On the way home, I received word that a Marbled Godwit was at Mitchell's Bay.  I was north of Blenheim, so just kept going and headed there. 

It was difficult to find, as viewed from the south shore trail.  This big shorebird is always nice to see.

Apparently I got there in time, as it flew north  soon after I left.  It was later found at Bass Haven.

Also when en route northward, I received word of a Loggerhead Shrike on Bisnett Line.  That was a lost cause for me since I was already heading home plus the detour to the Marbled Godwit.

This morning I was checking out Port Lambton when I heard that the shrike was still present.  So yes, you guessed it, I headed down south of Blenheim to see it.  Luckily, it was perched on a wire when I arrived!

It was one I had to see, since I had never seen one in Chatham-Kent.  It is a very rare bird anymore in Ontario, but once in a while one will appear out of place.  But, there are breeding areas near Kingston, west of Orillia on the Carden Alvar, and perhaps on the Bruce Peninsula.

Most birds are banded ones that return to those breeding areas in Ontario, but this one was unbanded.

A few years ago, one showed up in Lambton which I managed to see.  It too was unbanded.  Lucky I went right away, as it was a one-day wonder.

Years ago, they used to nest in Middlesex on county road 6 in the early to mid 1990's.  I recall going to see those two or three times.  One time I saw the parent feeding fledged young!

This C-K bird was obviously passing through and stopped here.  Not any breeding habitat at that location, so no danger of disturbing that.

Birding was still good at Rondeau today, as I am told, but I stayed local (except for the shrike run).  I took a nice walk at Reid CA this afternoon.  Once again, I heard the raven(s), so I think they are nesting in the area.  Not a surprise as they do farther north in Lambton now.

Weather is up and down, as it was cold yesterday, frost overnight, and warm this afternoon.  Cool again tomorrow and the weekend!  May is not over....

County Tours

Saturday I explored several places, going through Chatham-Kent, Elgin, Middlesex and Lambton Counties.  Keith McLean Conservation Lands near Rondeau Park was the first stop.  The day started off right when I found a Marbled Godwit on the mudflat.  We usually do not see many of these in Chatham-Kent, so it was a treat.  It is probably my third self-found Marbled in C-K.

After that I headed east along Talbot Trail.  I walked the Bury Cemetery trail, but it was still a bit early to see any butterflies.

I had the idea of checking out the Dutton prairie off Coyne Road so the was the next stop.  It was a disappointment, as it was quite overgrown and wet.  I could only go so far when I encountered too much water on the trail.

Compass Plant

It was a year ago I was on an organized field trip there which I enjoyed quite a bit.  Will try again sometime later in the day!

While in the general area, I went down to John E. Pearce P.P. to walk the Storey Wetland.  It can be good there for leps and odes.  

Spicebush Swallowtail

Silver-spotted Skipper

Peck's Skipper

About three-quarters of the way around, I caught sight of a Comet Darner!  It kept going out of sight, so that was that.  A pond was nearby, so I had the thought of checking it out.  Sure enough, I saw a Comet Darner patrolling over the pond.  It was bit distant though, so I tried for photos anyway.  Note different species in the photos!

Afterwards, I started heading back west and ended up at Wardsville Woods, another one of my favourite spots. Good for leps here, and sometimes odes.

Great-spangled Frit

Here I encountered two Purple Finches.  Obviously they are on the move right now.  Many have reported them for the first time in southern Ontario this year.

Of course, this is the time of year to look at Cardinal Flower.

A prairie plant demonstration plot is situated on the property.

Next stop was in Skunk's Misery where I walked my favourite trail off Sassafras Road.  This Red-spotted Purple was quite small.

There is a small creek along this trail, and at one point I caught site of an emerald.  Possibly a Mocha, but I did not have long enough views.

Just before going home, I stopped by Florence again.  The river was running higher than it has been all summer (darn rain!).  There was little to see since there was no edge but I did see several species of dancers.  This one was a bit of a mystery, but could be a female Dusky, which I was hoping for.

Dirty Dancer

Today, I had little scheduled and went down to McLean's first thing.  Nothing of note today, but this place has a lot of potential.  I predict a Little Blue Heron in the near future! (Overdue...I found one here August 26, 2000!).

Great Egret

This afternoon, I took a long walk at Reid CA with little else to do.  

Common Ringlet

Dukes' Skipper

Lance-tipped Darner

Last weekend I photographed a butterfly at Wilkesport that looked very different.  I thought it was an odd Viceroy, but it never dawned on me what it really was (sometimes I am blind in one eye and cannot see out the other!).

Turns out it was a hybrid!  Viceroy X Red-spotted Purple to be exact.