They're Baaack! And A Three Hour Tour

Hairstreaks that is.  Yesterday Banded Hairstreak was found at Point Pelee (Steve Pike), and was apparently record early by one day.  

Today, I was on an outing at Ojibway Park (down Windsor way) and we found some Banded Hairstreaks.  Really though, they are about on schedule.

After getting home early this afternoon, I headed up to Reid CA on a hunch, and after some patience, I found a Northern Oak Hairstreak!

It was a moment of celebration, since last year none were found.  For whatever reason, we could not find a single one.  I spent countless hours in hopes of seeing one last year, but to no avail.  In general, 2023 was a horrible year for hairstreaks and many other leps as well.

The Northern Oak is an early-emerging hairstreak, and today's date was pretty much on schedule and average.  However, my earliest is 13 June 2021 when I found two at Reid.  In 2022 I found one on the 15th.

This hairstreak is critically endangered in Ontario, found in only a few sites.  My discovery of the Northern Oak 'colony' at Reid in June 2008 was a first for Canada.  I also found some at Moore WMA that year as well, for a second colony.  Singles had been seen previously at Point Pelee (14 June 1999), near Black Oak Park (LaSalle, 2005), and a couple of times at Brunet Park (2009 and 2014). So there has to be some sort of colony in that area. Indeed suitable habitat (oaks) is plentiful there.

Subsequently, we found one on Walpole Island 11 July 2015 (identified by myself), and one was found by the Pye brothers at Mosa Forest (Skunk's Misery) in 2021.  There is certainly suitable habitat in both locations.

Back to today, I joined a combined Ontario Field Ornithologists/Essex County Field Naturalists outing at Ojibway Park.  Its original intent was birds, but it turned out to be a nature outing looking at all things big and small.

One could spend a whole day and more in the area checking out the natural areas, but we stuck to the Titcombe path and an adjacent trail for the morning.  It took about three hours.

There are lots of plants to look at, but spiderwort is quite abundant here.

Purple Milkweed, one of the rarer milkweeds, stuck out in a few spots.

At one of the woodland ponds, Common Bladderwort was growing.

There were numerous butterflies, and here a few:

Northern Cloudywing

Silvery Checkerspot

Hobomok Skipper

Little Glassywing

Little Wood Satyr

This duskywing was very worn, so I am not certain as to species (yet)!

It was a perfect day weatherwise and quite enjoyable with what we observed and of course the camaraderie of like-minded people.

Making Rounds For Birds and Insects

 Tuesday I decided to give Rondeau another go.  The only thing new for the year for me was Yellow-bellied Flycatcher.  Speaking of flycatchers, it seemed that more were yet to arrive.  The numbers were just not there on Tuesday.  At least I hope more are to come!

Looks like migration is coming to a close already.

It is the time I am getting into looking at insects more.  While at Rondeau the other day, I saw the first Hobomok Skippers, looking fresh.

Before heading home, I stopped by Keith McLean C. L.  A few of the more common shorebirds were in.

A Short-billed Dowitcher offered some fairly close views.

Wednesday, a change in scenery was in order.  I headed up to Port Franks and Ipperwash area.  I do not get up there as much as I used to, and it is a shame since there are so many places to go and things to see.

I did a long walk of over 6 km at the County Forest to start things off.  Hooded Warblers and Acadian Flycatchers are numerous there.  I tallied nine Acadians and eight singing Hooded Warblers.  There was not anything else of note during my walk.

The weather forecast had called for cloudy skies and a chance of rain, but luckily the sun stayed out for that walk.

Next stop was just a stone's throw away at Karner Blue Sanctuary.  I primarily wanted to look for butterflies there, but unfortunately the clouds did roll in.  However, I did find several duskywings and others.

Sundial Lupine is blooming already.

Not sure what all I saw in duskywings, as they can be difficult.  But, I believe there was Columbine, Wild Indigo, perhaps Juvenal's and Sleepy.

possible Sleepy

I also found a Northern Cloudywing.

Highlight, perhaps, was a Dusted Skipper.  I do not think I have seen one there before.

The white crescent above the eye is one of the key features in ID, giving a bandit look.

My next destination was Ipperwash at the old MNR parking lot area.  By then, some sprinkles of rain came along so I waited a bit.  Skies eventually cleared for a nice sunny afternoon!

Here, Dusted Skippers are in numbers.

I saw perhaps as many as fifteen.

I walked the back trail all the way to the Dunes trail which extends off the Dunes and Swales trails.

Numerous Racket-tailed Emeralds were flying. It is the most common and widespread of the emeralds in our area.

There were other common species of odes, including this Eastern Forktail, blue version.

Even a Snowberry Clearwing was working the puccoon plants.

It was getting terribly hot, so I worked my way home at this point.

Today, I stayed fairly close to home as all this driving is getting me tired! First thing I went around by Port Lambton then up near Sombra.  The Western Meadowlark is still singing away at the solar farm; probably for a mate that will never come.  It was nice to hear, but was hidden in the grass.

I went for a walk at Reid CA, mainly around the back field.  There were dozens of odes, mainly Common Baskettails.

But there were lots of Racket-tailed Emeralds as well.

Four-spotted Skimmers were plentiful.  This species is one of my favourite.

Silver-spotted Skippers were the most numerous butterfly it seemed.  Others included both Giant and Tiger Swallowtail, Red-spotted Purple, Question Mark and a crescent or two.

Silver-spotted Skipper dorsal view

This non-native plant was in bloom at Reid.  Yellow Iris is a native of northern Africa, southern Europe and western Asia.

I did a quick walk at McKeough CA as well just to see if anything stuck out.  Nothing unusual!  Last year a Clay-colored Sparrow was singing here.

A pair of Eastern Bluebirds must be nesting in the area.

Dusted Skippers to Racket-tailed Emeralds in North Lambton

After yesterday's miserable weather, I took advantage of the nice "weekday" weather and headed up to north Lambton.  Namely, Pinery Provincial Park and Ipperwash Forested Dunes and Swales.  My primary focus was insects, as I had missed some in previous attempts.

I happened to meet up with Sarnia birder-extraordinaire Deryl Nethercott so we spent some time checking the beach accesses.  Prairie Warblers have made a good showing at Pinery this year and they are always along the first dune ridge.  Deryl heard one at P1 and I had one farther down.

We encountered a few skippers, but most were Dusted much to my delight. 😃
I had actually never encountered them before at these locations, but all were in good shape.

In Ontario, the Dusted Skipper is only found in the Pinery-Ipperwash area and is quite selective as to habitat.  They are done flying by the end of June.

After Deryl and I parted ways, I went to a reliable spot for Dusted Skipper not far from the visitor centre.  I found a half dozen right away.

I ended up with at least a dozen of these little bandits (they have white above the eye making them look like a bandit) for the day, which is a high for me!

My next walk was Carolinian Trail towards the southwest end of the park.  Here I encountered several Northern Cloudywings. I expected these here since I saw them last year!

Other butterflies included Common Ringlet.

And, rather late for a FOY, was a Hobomok Skipper.

There was not much in the way of birds on this trail.  In previous years I have had Cerulean, Hooded and Black-throated Green in the warbler department.

I also walked Nipissing trail.  I found a duskywing here of which I am not entirely certain.  Very worn though.

There were few dragonflies.  A Springtime Darner caught my eye.

After a quick lunch along the river, I headed down to Ipperwash.  I checked out Ipperwash Forested Dunes and Swales, a favourite spot of mine.  There is an extensive trail system which one can spend many hours if your are ambitious!

No Acadian Flycatcher again this year!

My primary focus was to see Racket-tailed Emeralds.  I was not disappointed, as I found several scattered throughout.

Some Pink Mocassin flowers were still out.

I did see a couple of duskywings as well.  Sometimes they are not too difficult to ID, but I am cautious again.

One at the very end of my walk, unless I am dreaming, I am leaning towards Dreamy. A FOY, so that was nice.

Things are about a week late this year.  I checked Reid CA on the way home.  Normally the Oak Hairstreaks would be appearing by now.  The Indian Hemp is not even in bloom yet!  Actually there are a lot fewer plants this year. 
The appearance of the Oak Hairstreak seems to correspond with the blooming of the Indian Hemp, so at least a couple of more days...  The place is a mess though with the water.  Boots are mandatory, and even in some spots it is difficult with boots!  I have never seen it so wet.  No more rain till August!