Soggy and Foggy This Week!

 Not much happened this week as the depressing weather kept things at bay. I did not have much ambition! We had a lot of fog, and Thursday night it rained heavily all night.  Everything was flooded by late Friday.

I walked Peers Wetland a couple of times this week.  More for exercise it seems.

A few birds were around the first time, but virtually nothing the second time.  At least I saw an American Goldfinch!

I checked out the St. Clair River a few times, and it is getting better for numbers of ducks.  However, there was nothing of note.

Today was a better day, and I went down to Rondeau Park.  It was dead calm, so one could hear quite well.  It was almost like early spring, with many birds singing.  Cardinals and Carolina Wrens were most vocal!  There were even lots of Red-winged Blackbirds...some singing!

I managed to find a couple of first-of-year species in the campground, including Field Sparrow and Cedar Waxwing.

Down on south point trail there is some ice along the shoreline to help protect the rapidly-eroding park shoreline in that area.

The concrete structure is now well out in the lake.  Difficult to imagine, this area was once a campground office!

Just before the "washout" area, I encountered the most birds, which included many waxwings, robins, purple finches, cardinals and a few Fox Sparrows.  I was only able to get a photo of a Cedar Waxwing, as shown above, as it fed on multi-flora rose berries.

I also walked Black Oak trail just for the heck of it.  At least one chipmunk has already emerged (or never did hibernate)!

I found the remains of a Leopard (I think) Frog.

That is it for this week!

Birding in the Wind, Shorebirds, and Glenlyon

 Not much to report the last couple of days, which were quite windy.  Yesterday, I spent some time at Keith McLean C. L. in the early morning.  There is always lots to see there, and a high potential for something of interest.

Some late shorebirds have been moving through and there is some good mud at McLean.  About 150 Dunlin were there yesterday, plus a Pectoral Sandpiper, White-rumped Sandpiper and a pair of Semipalmated Sandpipers.

There is also good mud at Erieau marsh trail.  It was a bit too windy yesterday for good birding there, but a Pectoral Sandpiper and a Lesser Yellowlegs were on the mud.

Pec

Some sparrows were hunkering down out of the wind.

American Tree Sparrow

I did make one trip to Mitchell's Bay south shore trail one afternoon this week.  It was just about two years ago I found the Sage Thrasher there, so I have been optimistic about finding something else good there!  Not on this visit though.  A Golden-crowned Sparrow would work, but I could only find ones with white crowns (or at least when they grow up).

I have seen Eastern Phoebes in several spots this week.  Here is another at Peers Wetland.

Some new signs have been put up at Peers this week.

The south end (not really on Peers property) has some mud, so I have been keeping an eye on that.  This afternoon, three Dunlin were there.

This morning I had some business in Chatham, so took a walk at O'Neil Nature Reserve (aka Paxton's Bush).  It is pretty neat to see the large trees there, and the good variety of Carolinian-type trees.

In the history corner, it was 99 years ago this week the Glenlyon foundered on Lake Superior. This vessel was a visitor to Wallaceburg in 1915 and 1921.  Here are some photos of its attempt to turn at downtown Wallaceburg (1921)!

The following link has some information on the vessel:

https://iri.forest.mtu.edu/Shipwrecks/Pages/Glenlyon.htm

Some Early Autumn Sightings

 There really has not been much of interest lately as autumn is upon us.  Seems like it was all downhill since my week-long trip!  As I write this today, summer is back!  Way too nice and warm for this time of year, so bird activity will be slow.

In the last week, I have been to Rondeau Park three times.  Been a bit slow, but the last time, Steve and I did a flight watch first thing in the morning on Saturday.  A fair number of birds were moving. Most warblers were Blackpoll as expected.   Several Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers were on the move as well.  It is always interesting to seen what flies over.  One of these days, we may get a rarity!

We have been checking Keith McLean C. L. for Nelson's Sparrows,  but have not had any luck, strange enough.  There is not as much ideal habitat this year compared to last though, but they will appear soon!

I walked out marsh trail the first two visits to Rondeau.  Seemed like the best thing to do!  Lots of Sora still calling.  Not many ducks have yet come in, likely due to the mild weather.  

South Point trail was very quiet on Saturday.  Here are a couple of insects photographed.

Bramble Mason Wasp

Eastern Hornet Fly

Yesterday I went to Point Pelee for a change, and afterwards walked around the shorebird cell at Hillman.  It was disappointingly quiet for everything!  There was not much to photograph, even in the insect world.  Here are a couple of things I photographed.

Oblique-banded Pond Fly

Common Drone Fly (alien!)

Common Checkered Skippers are quite common right now.

American White Pelicans are a regular sighting in the Pelee area anymore.  There were around 24 at the Tip first thing, but I did see a single bird way out off the west side.  Pretty obvious, even at that distance.

This IS a pelican!

Raptors are heading south this time of year.  I have not done any watching yet, but this young Red-tailed was over Point Pelee.

The garden is dying off as one would expect, so there are not many nectaring sources.  I did capture a few things with the camera this week.

One-spotted Stinkbug

Marmorated Stinkbug

Scythris sinensis (moth)

Silky Striped Sweatbee

Eupeodes americanus

Yellow-legged Flowerfly

genus Ectemnius (?)

Locally, Peers Wetland is getting a makeover.  Some dead cottonwoods have been cut down, and the trail is getting "paved".

I heard that eventually the parking lot will be moved to a more suitable location.

Local Blackbirding

 Just a quick post today.  I had no plans to go anywhere today, but just went for a walk at Peers Wetland locally early this morning.  It is only a five minute drive from home.  I was out for some exercise and fresh air, and did not expect to see anything of note.

Near the south end, I saw a few blackbirds, not too exciting.  I walked back to the car and headed down the road.  At the south end of the wetland, I noticed a huge flock of blackbirds.  Had to check those out!

As mentioned in previous posts, there has been a large flock of blackbirds around town, but I had never obtained a decent look.  Today's flock was predominately Brown-headed Cowbirds, which with past experience with winter flocks, has a good chance of containing a Yellow-headed Blackbird.

Well, it did not take long to find a yellow head!  Unfortunately I did not have my camera on hand, as there was nothing on the radar to photograph on today's outing.

I only had my cell phone to take a photo, which is essentially useless!

I informed one local birder who spent quite a bit of time later, and eventually found the male.

Being intrigued, I went back in the afternoon armed with a camera.  The flock had moved to the trees along Otter Creek.  

I kept scanning until I found the male.

I thought it would be a good idea to keep looking just in case there was something else.  I found a second male Yellow-headed Blackbird farther back in the flock!

I had a good feeling about this roaming flock recently, and persistence paid off.  For whatever reason, Yellow-headed Blackbirds tend to travel with Brown-headed Cowbirds around here.  I remember a couple of Christmas Bird Counts in the distant past where we had huge flocks of cowbirds.  Usually there was a Yellow-headed or two with them!

Still some open water and a pair of Mute Swans was taking advantage.

 

Peers Wetland: An Update

 In the last week or so, some maintenance has been done at Peers Wetland, just outside of Wallaceburg.  With the high water levels the last two seasons, things became a mess there.  Most of the trail was unwalkable and vegetation growth was getting thick.  It was too wet in some spots, and the other areas were heavily grown in with willows, thistles, etc. since equipment could not be brought in.

The dike has been cleared out and shored up in spots.  Perhaps too much vegetation was removed!  There will be fewer birds flitting about along the dike as there is no place to hide.  No doubt in time it will fill in though.

I took a walk yesterday to check things out, as the above photo shows.

This young accipiter was also checking things out.

Some maintenance was certainly due.  As well, the old clubhouse is finally gone.  It was due to be torn down, but some weeks ago it was torched!  Less to haul away.

A few years ago, I wrote a blog post about Peers Wetland (edited):

A nice spot to visit close to home is Peers Wetland beside Kimball Road on the east side of town.  I mention this place often, as I go for walks here several times a week.  The land was originally owned by local farmer Francis Peers.  It is now under ownership of St. Clair Conservation.

A trail goes around the perimeter, bordering Otter Creek then parallel to Kimball Road.  The woodlot section was actually a little island surrounded by marsh, but is connected to high ground via the dike. This was always known a Chicken Island.  Local people went skating here in the winter, including myself.  However, in early 1990's vegetation began to fill in the open area.  Recently, dike work has maintained the water level and more open water is seen.

1990's

It is a good spot to see a variety of birds whether it be marsh birds, waterbirds, passerines, etc.  It is a good migrant trap during migration periods and you never know what may be around.

A variety of plant life attracts insects such as butterflies.

Swamp Milkweed

Vervain

Monkeyflower

Swamp Milkweed Beetle

One day I saw a Buckeye, which was actually the first one I have seen at this location!

Viceroys are plentiful.

Once I saw a Milbert's Tortoiseshell which was rather unique for here.

Sometimes, Striped and Banded Hairstreaks can be spotted along the dike.

Striped Hairstreak

A few years ago, the Sydenham Field Naturalists erected a viewing platform.

Although vertically-challenged, it is a nice place to sit and watch.

Black-crowned Night-Herons tend to hang out around the wetland in good numbers.  Some days I have counted at least ten.

Once, I rounded a corner and came across an American Bittern on the trail!

Green Herons are always a regular resident, while both Soran and Virginia Rails can be present.

It is a good stopover for migrant ducks, and a good variety have been recorded.  Mallard and Wood Ducks are summer residents.

Bufflehead

One summer, a family of Common Gallinules took up residence. 

A Motus Wildlife Tracking Station is located at Peers.

Peers Wetland will always be a frequent stop of mine!