Low Water and Recent Rambles

 Been quite uneventful for birds lately.  Looks like a quiet winter!

Of interest this week, water levels are the lowest they have been in years.  Lots of mud exposed!

This past Saturday I made some rounds locally.  At Mitchell's Bay lots of mud exposed along this shallow lake.

Roberta Stewart Wetland has much mud showing for a change.  Here is a view looking at the Snye towards Walpole Island.

Quite a few raptors are around right now, including Northern Harriers.

Sunday was a very nice day so I just went for a drive into Middlesex and Elgin.  I walked Wardsville Woods.  There were a few birds there to keep up one's interest.

Here is a view of the frozen pond where I find some nice insects in the summer:

From there, I headed down Furnival Road straight to Port Glashow marina.  This can be an interesting spot at times!  Gulls congregate in the marina (no Black-tailed  this time!), and to the west is a nice natural area where one can walk.

White-throated Sparrow

Here is a view looking west.  There are scenic bluffs both to the east and west.

Looks like eyes are a delicacy for some scavengers!  This Freshwater Drum (we called them Sheephead when I was young) was recently washed up.

I continued west from here, then home.  Along the way I stopped at a field where some raptors were hunting.

Monday I spent some time on the St. Clair River.  It was foggy, and then got even foggier!

Here is a scene at Cathcart Park.  Mud was exposed here when a laker went by.  Lots of Common Mergansers were at this location.  Well over 200!

Algoma Niagara

Today was very calm for a change, and it gave me a chance to walk out Rondeau's marsh trail.  The Bay was still partly frozen, but was fogged over due to the unseasonably warm temps.  However, visibility was good along the trail.

One can see the low water situation here.  Lots of mud.  Too bad shorebirds were not around at this time!

Nothing unusual popped up in the way of birds though, but it was a nice long walk for fresh air and exercise.

Some bracket fungus along the way:

After walking to the half way point and back, I took a quick lap around the campground.  Once again very quiet.  I hope things are better on Sunday for the bird count!  There were lots of juncos, but that was it.

I would have stayed longer, but had things to do in the afternoon at home.

Sunset over Walpole Island

Insects 'n Things of Late

 I have been checking out various spots lately for anything of interest.  It is certainly not a banner year for butterflies and odonates.  It has been difficult to find much at all.

Saturday, I checked out Wardsville Woods.  It was quite disappointing.  No spiketails and only a couple of Midland Clubtails.

Midland Clubtail with snack

Some butterflies included Silvery Checkerspot and Giant Swallowtail, among singles of others.

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail

Giant Swallowtail

Tawny-edged Skipper

Sunday it was difficult to find anything.  No sign of the Northern Oak Hairstreaks yet at Reid CA.  The river was running high at Moore WMA, so that flushed away any odes!

Blue-fronted dancer

Blue-fronted Dancer

Yesterday I went down Lake St. Clair way.  I spent some time looking at the Bay off the south shore nature trail, then went for a walk at St. Clair NWA.

Caspian Tern

Of note at the NWA, was a pair of Northern Harriers.  I failed to get the action on photos, but I saw a female flying about, then a male came in with some food in hand.  In mid-air, the male transferred the food to the female!  Never witnessed this before.  The female then circled a bit, then went down into the marsh, assumingly to a nest.

female with the food

Also there was an Osprey.

Today, I checked out south Lambton north of Wallaceburg.  No dickcissels that I could find!  I then went for a walk at Reid CA. Again, things were sparse, and no sign of the Oak Hairstreaks.  They are usually out by now, but things are behind this year.  As well their favourite nectaring plant, hemp-dogbane or whatever you want to call it, was not quite in bloom.  More notably, it is almost wiped out at Reid.  Things are getting quite grown-in there which no doubt is a factor.

Some insects at Reid.

Least Skipper

Black-patched Clepsis Moth

Also stopped by Moore WMA where the water level is down enough to check out the causeway.  Very few odes.  Water was a still a bit high to find mussels, but a few were exposed.

Mapleleaf

 

Pink Heelsplitter

Cliff Swallows were late in arriving near Peers Wetland this spring.  They are building nests under the bridge of late.

Friday Follies

Last night's post was just for fun.  Virtually no new birds all week and it was cold.  I posted some photos from the past.  The Western Grebe was one I found off Pinery P.P. a number of years ago.  This week's sightings reminded me of that one.  The Yellow-throated Warbler was courtesy of Josh Bouman.
I drove around this evening putting more wear and tear on the car and wasting more gas.  I drove some of the back roads I used to check out frequently when there were pastures all over.  It used to be fun as there were lots of birds to see, but that is a thing of the past.  A lot of mud now. With the price and value of farmland now, farmers are cutting down every stick of vegetation at an alarming rate.  This past year is the worst I have seen it!
I encountered a couple of pairs of Eastern Bluebirds. A male is shown here.

I noted that Savannah and Vesper Sparrows really have not arrived in numbers--or where are they?
The only warblers I encountered were a couple of Yellow-rumped and a FOY Yellow at Seager Park along the St. Clair R.  Saw some Eastern Meadowlarks.

At McKeough CA I tried some flight shots of a Northern Harrier which turned out fairly decent.  Photos always turn out fuzzy on the blog for some reason.  I have tried different things, but to no avail in getting the photos to come up clearer on the blog.













The weather forecast has improved a bit for the weekend, but it will be darn cold.  I do not expect a lot of birds, but hopefully some of quality will turn up.