A Visit to Bruce County

 This past Sunday I had a small window of opportunity to get away for a couple of days during this hectic year. My choice was Bruce County!  As per usual, I camped for two nights at MacGregor Point Provincial Park.  Weather was decent for the most part, but Sunday there was a stiff wind coming in directly off the lake making things a bit cool. As well, an unexpected rain around midnight Sunday night caused a little concern in an old tent!

The drive north Sunday morning was nice and leisurely.  I stopped at Port Franks to walk the Sandrin Tract Woods trail.  Quite a few birds were along the way, including two Hooded Warblers at the start.

Next stop was a favourite place south of Goderich.  Naftel's Creek Conservation Area is a neat place for birding if one wants a break in driving.

Making good time, I decided to drive straight up to Oliphant to look at the fen.  The stiff west wind did not help matters with regards to insects, but I found a few.  Mainly meadowhawks.

White-faced Meadowhawk

Band-winged Meadowhawk

Black Meadowhawk

Although late in the season, a few plants found in this type of habitat were evident.

Lesser Fringed Gentian

Sticky False Asphodel

Kalm's Lobelia

The above is Sphinx Ladies Tresses, although I did not take time for a proper photo!

I then headed back to MacGregor Point to check in to the campsite and walk some trails.

The Lake Ridges Trail is a decent but rugged birding trail, although I did not see too many things on my walk there.

Near the visitor centre, I saw some darners.  Not sure what species as they were not close.  Possibly Canada Darner.

Other than stopping at the campsite for supper, I was on the go all the time checking out various parts of the park.  A distant view of Chantry Island is always a familiar sight from the north end of the park.

As per tradition, I go for a walk along the lakeshore in the evening.  

Par for the course, I stopped at Watersnake Pond.

In the evening, just before going to sleep, an Eastern Whip-poor-will sang briefly just after 10:00.

Monday morning dawned clear and cool as I headed north out of the park.  Although one could spend a week checking out places on the Bruce, I wanted to visit some familiar locations on the peninsula.  

I drove straight to Petrel Point, a  favourite Ontario Nature property.  I first visited this place about 1991.  It has been a must-visit place every time I am up that way!  Uncommon to rare plants can be found here on the fen.

We used to be able to walk both sides of the road, but just the south side is available now.  Just as well in this very sensitive habitat.

It can be a good birding spot as well.

Continuing on, I next drove The Bury Road, where there are lots of pastures.  It is an excellent birding road with its open-ness and some wooded areas along the way.  Birds of interest this day included a Peregrine Falcon, Brewer's Blackbirds, and lots of Savannah Sparrows.  I should have spent more time along the road....one never knows what may turn up there!  I drove about 10 km of it.

Next stop farther north was the Lindsay Tract Trails.  An extensive system of trails is here and one could spend hours!  I walked a portion of it.

Blue Cohosh along the trail

This is a far north as I went on the peninsula, so I headed back down highway 6 to Mar where I took Red Bay Road back over to the main road south.

After a lunch in Port Elgin, I headed back to the park to walk the Tower Trail, another good birding trail that skirts a wetland.

One of several Belted Kingfishers

Farther along, I did find  some pockets of warblers, etc.  Highlight was a Blue-winged Warbler, somewhat unexpected on this trip.  Came up "rare" on eBird in any case.

An Eastern Comma posed nicely in the warm sun at one point.

Later, I walked near the visitor centre and out sunset point, and area.  One of the butterflies I hoped to encounter this trip was Leonard's Skipper.  There were very few butterflies, but I looked intently and managed to find one!

Seiche Pond area is a nice spot not too many know about.   Good for insects, but not this day.  Better earlier in the summer. 

Nearby was Painted-Cup Paintbrush.  Renamed a number of years ago from a less politically-correct name!

It was a nice calm evening for a leisurely walk and to relax at the campsite.  I noticed a Common Nighthawk fly over at one point, and after 8 p.m. a Whip-poor-will sang.

Tuesday morning was calm but cool and I checked out the lakeshore areas on my way out of the park.  It was evident there was a good movement of warblers along the lake.  Most went unidentified!

It was then time to head back south homeward.  There was likely a good movement of birds along the lakeshore this particular morning.  The "Bluff" north of Grand Bend might have been a good spot!  In any case, I noticed a lot of Turkey Vultures moving on the way south.

One final stop was Ausable River Cut CA.  I did find a decent pocket of birds, included was a Mourning Warbler.

As usual, I looked for mussels.  This large Wabash Pigtoe caught my eye.  In the vulnerable class.

Three-ridge is common here, and pretty obvious!

Arriving home, this walking stick insect was on the back door to greet me!

A nice little trip indeed, but winter is coming....

Winterberry Holly

Bountiful Bruce

 This week, I decided that I needed a couple of days away, so I headed up to the Bruce Peninsula.  I left Tuesday morning and my base camp was MacGregor Point Provincial Park.  It has always been one of my favourite parks when on the road.

MacGregor Point was established in 1975 as an alternative camping area when the Bruce Nuclear Plant was built.  Inverhuron Provincial Park was too close to the plant, so camping was terminated there.  It has since been re-established though, since things have changed at the nuclear plant.

My first stop was Naftel's Creek CA south of Goderich.  It is neat place to walk through, and a good chance for a break during a long drive.

Before checking in to MacGregor Point, I continued onto the peninsula to visit a few spots.  First stop was Oliphant Fen Nature Reserve.  Last time I checked out the spot was when the Reddish Egret was just up the road a few years ago.

Here are some things I observed:

Green-keeled Cottongrass

Leafy White Orchid (Tall Bog)

Purple Pitcher Plant

Chalk-fronted Corporal

clubtail sp.

I did not intend to go too far, but I kept going after the Oliphant visit!  I always use Red Bay Road to cut across to highway 6, but there are some good pastures along there. As well, one can find Brewer's Blackbirds closer to the Mar village.  I did see one or two.  The road also skirts the shallow body of water called Sky Lake where one can find different birds such as Black Tern.

I did a U-turn at Mar and headed back towards Red Bay.  Petrel Point Nature Reserve, one of my favourite places to visit, was not too far up the road.  I have been checking out this Ontario Nature property since about 1991!

It was a bit early to view plants on the fen, but there are insects and birds to watch for as well.  The only bladderwort, (a single plant) I found in bloom was Intermediate (or Flat-leaved).

Some dragonflies included Chalk-fronted Corporal and Calico Pennant.

I headed back to MacGregor Point after this visit.  I wandered some areas of the park.  Seiche Pond area is a favourite for insects.  Lots of Calico Pennants, and a bluet sp.

There were hardly any butterflies on the trip, but I did see lots of Hobomok Skippers.

This spot has lots of Painted-Cup Paintbrush

I was finding lots of Yellow Ladies Slipper plants (everywhere during my travels).

I also walked the long trail called Lake Ridge Trail.  It was a bit quiet for things though.  In the past, I have seen a wide variety of birds and animals such as Porcupine.  Also, one area was good for hairstreaks!

Late in the day, I checked out the lakeshore and Watersnake Pond.

Great Egret at Watersnake Pond

At night, the Whip-poor-wills were quite vocal at the campsite.  Seemed like they were having a contest as to who could sing the loudest and longest!  And about 2 a.m., I heard a Yellow-billed Cuckoo calling!

Wednesday morning, I headed out early to check out the peninsula.  There are so many places to visit there, one should spend several days!  I only checked out a few spots I visited in the past.

One is, The Bury Road.  There are many pastures and some woods along this dirt road, but there is a lot to see.  It is good for grassland birds.  I found nothing unusual, but one always hopes for a rare flycatcher or something!  Some late Black-bellied Plovers were in one field, but too distant to get a decent photo.

Farther up the peninsula, I walked some of the Lindsay Tract Trails.  One trail skirts by a wetland, where I heard Sora, among other things.  Dragonflies were here, including Racket-tailed Emerald, Chalk-fronted Corporal, Four-spotted Skimmer, clubtails (likely Lancet), etc.

Four-spotted Skimmer

clubtail sp.

After spending some time here, I headed up to Dyer's Bay Road where one finds more pastures.  In the past, I have seen Dickcissel here, among other birds.  Nothing out of the ordinary here.

Past Dyer's Bay village, one used to be able to head out to Cabot Head, another spot I visited several times.  However, a few years ago the road was washed out during the high water cycle and is not longer accessible to the public.

This was as far as I went north, so headed back and to the west side where I went down Stoke's Bay Road, West Road, and Daddy Weir Road, eventually ending up on Huron Road where I once again stopped at Petrel Point.

A pair of Eastern Bluebirds was nesting in one of the boxes along the road.  The male bluebird popped in the hole before I could get a photo!

The reserve has a nice new boardwalk (composite board) on the south side.  The north side is no longer accessible, but I thought is was the better spot for plants!

I had done enough driving around for this day, so headed back to MacGregor Point.  Among other things, I walked the Tower Trail which about 3.5 km.  Used to be called Ducks Unlimited Trail, as the spot was dyked by DUC to create a wetland.

Osprey once again nested here.

Never decided yet which ode this was:

clubtail sp.

At one point, I saw some Racket-tailed Emeralds.

In the evenings, I walked along the lakeshore.  It has changed a bit from past years as much erosion has occurred from the high water a couple of years ago.

More slippers:

At night, the Whip-poor-wills sang up a storm just after sunset, and I added a drumming Ruffed Grouse to the list.

Next morning I headed back south.  It was a good get-away!

In the meantime early that morning, I got word that a Cassin's Kingbird was near Pelee Wings.  It had been mis-identified the previous day as a Western Kingbird though.  I did not really intend to go see it since I was so far away, but I actually did!  Once I got further south, after stopping at a few places, I kept going to see the rare kingbird.  An Ontario lifer for most!  More on that chase in a future post....