Mostly Insects This Past Week

 The weather has been rather cool lately, but this time of year I am more focused on insects.  Again, leps and odes have been somewhat scarce this year but one can only look around.

Last Sunday I started at Mitchell's Bay.  Birds were of the expected kind.

Great Egret

At one point, I noticed a Gray Catbird struggling with a very large moth.  I could not get close enough to determine species, but it was obviously a sphinx moth.

Later, after submitting to iNaturalist, it was determined to be a Carolina Sphinx, one that I had not encountered before.

Obviously this catbird was not going to swallow this thing whole!

After things warmed up, I ventured east to Wardsville Woods.  

Scenes along the creek

Yet again, odes were scarce, but a few butterflies were flying.  Best was a Baltimore Checkerspot in the Ann White meadow.

A Great-spangled Fritillary here as well.

I have had this species here before.

Some Crossline Skippers were on the wing as well.

At the pond, this Slaty Skimmer posed briefly, along with Calico Pennant and Twelve-spotted Skimmer.

Monday was an "off" day, but Tuesday I travelled a little further and went to John E. Pearce PP south of Wallacetown. Of course I was there a little too early to see many insects.

Heading back west, this Coyote was bounding across a field on Coyne Road.

Wardsville Woods was on the way back, so it was a must stop.  Yet again, odes were very scarce (what is going on this year?).  Early on, I encountered this clubtail.

I moved on and came back to the spot and it was still in the area.  Turned out to be a Cobra Clubtail, a rarity known here.

Some other insects included these:

Helmeted Squash Bug

Pale Green Assasin Bug

Black-dotted Glyph

The next day, I checked out Reid C. L.  No hairstreaks!  But I was early in the day.  There were several Common Thick-leg flies along the trail.

A fresh Great-spangled Fritillary was working the area.

Only one Appalachian Brown.

At one point, I noticed a Gray Treefrog trying to hide.

On Friday, I ventured to Point Pelee. I had not been there much at all this year, but this day seemed to be the day to go.

I walked out Shuster Trail and down east beach to the Tip. A Prothonotary Warbler was singing along Shuster at one point.

The Tip had lots of American White Pelicans.  Over 40 in fact.

Lots of gulls, but nothing of note.

Just south of the solar panel, I encountered the first ode (where are they?) of the day.  It was a decent one in the form of a Prince Baskettail.

I walked back west beach trail.  The theme continued of very few butterflies and dragonflies.

Back at the VC, I saw Rick's car in the parking lot, but he was nowhere to be seen.  lol.

I stopped at Hillman Marsh and walked around the shorebird cell.  There was lots of Slender Spreadwings, but very few leps and odes.  Good grief, where is everything?

At the back corner, this Yellow-billed Cuckoo had one ode in its mouth.

Today was foggy, but I drove around.  The singing Dickcissels were still at the Sombra solar farm and the floodway at Baseline Road bridge.  Nothing else of note.

Looks like it will finally warm up this coming week, so hopefull insect life will pick up.....

Recent Birding Adventures

 Been a while, but I have not found much for subject matter here.  As well, not many photo opportunities!  I have seen some decent birds since the last post, though, and have been all over the place!

Some Long-billed Dowitchers were still at Keith McLean C. L. on October 29.  In fact, nine of them.  It has been a good fall for them in our area.

On October 30, I stopped by Roberta Stewart Wetland west of Wallaceburg first thing in the morning.  It was blackbird mania!  Autumn mornings (at first light), we often see lots of blackbirds coming off roost from Walpole Island.  On this morning I estimated 14,000 Red-winged Blackbirds, 13,000 Common Grackles, some Rusty and one male Yellow-headed Blackbird.  Certainly the most birds I have seen coming off Walpole.

On October 31, I went south and stopped by Craford Cemetery west of Cedar Springs.  On certain winds in the fall, this is a good spot to view migrating birds along the lakeshore.  I was hoping for Evening Grosbeaks, but that was not to be like some times in the past.  There were lots of birds though.

Purple Finches were among them, and these are everywhere this fall in good numbers.

Next day, I headed north!  I went to Ipperwash hoping for some finches.  Struck out again!  I did have one Redpoll flying over though.  There is a good crop of Winterberry Holly, which Pine Grosbeaks enjoy.

While up there, I did a lakewatch for a couple of hours.  It was not too productive, as have most lakewatches been this fall.  However I did observe a Black-legged Kittiwake virtually all by itself.   There were hardly any gulls!  Lots of ducks, with many White-winged Scoters (91).

Next day I went to Mitchell's Bay.  I go there every three days or so looking for that one good bird.  Still has not happened!  Ten Greater Yellowlegs along the shoreline were interesting to watch.

In the afternoon I was curious  to check out Moore WMA.  Still one has to bushwack back to the causeway, so not enjoyable.  I was hoping to find some mussels.  There were lots, but mostly one species (giant floater).  I did find one Mapleleaf.

November 3, I went to Rondeau Park for a lakewatch at dog beach.  Not overly productive (yet again!), but one has to try.  Rain was coming in, so I was not able to stay to walk trails in the park.

In the afternoon, it was nice enough to go for a walk at Reid C. L.  I was not expecting much in the way of birds, but I needed a walk!

Highlight was a Blue-winged Warbler of all things!  I had good looks, but my camera was acting up so I was not able to get a photo.  It was quite active anyway.

According to eBird, this is Ontario's second latest record.  I knew it was late by a longshot. I went back the next two days, but could not refind it.  Probably was still present though.

November 4, I walked both north and south shore trails at Mitchell's Bay.  Nothing exciting, but it was a nice day to be out.

It was a nice warm afternoon, so again I went for a walk at Reid C. L.  I saw both Eastern Comma and Clouded Sulphur flying.

While looking unsuccessfully for the Blue-winged Warbler, I saw this small Swamp White Oak.  I thought the leaves were exceptionally large.

The next three days, I never used my camera.....lol.

Wednesday, I went back to Rondeau Park for a lakewatch since a stiff SW wind was blowing.  This is the best wind, usually, for dog beach.  I joined Steve for a fairly productive morning.  Highlight was a Pacific Loon!  Good looks were obtained.  Ducks were in good numbers.

Thursday was my birthday, but no "birthday bird" came around.  It was a somewhat quiet day for birds, as I checked out local haunts.  It was all down hill a few years ago when I found that Sage Thrasher....

Friday it rained all morning, so just watched the usual common birds at home.  It cleared enough to go for a walk at Mitchell's Bay around noon, but it was very windy.  Nothing of note.

Today, Saturday, I had enough ambition to go down to Point Pelee!  The evening before, some Cave Swallows were reported at the marsh boardwalk, so I thought there was a good chance they were still around ( I cannot find them anywhere else anyway!).  

I joined Cam Chevalier on the tower first thing, as we talked about Cave Swallows.  Soon, a few just appeared out of nowhere!  I counted seven, then they disappeared.  A while later, I spotted them out by the pergola, so we headed out the boardwalk to that location.  We found one flying around.

It was a very dark and dull day, so lighting was horrible.  Hence photos are crappy.

We surmised that they were roosting under the boardwalk, as they would disappear for a time.  Luckily, they stayed around for many birders to see.

It was a good day in the park with lots of birds, but nothing else rare.  Purple Finches were in big numbers though-out.  No good for photography today!

It has been quite windy most days, as it typically is in November.  In a couple of days, it is the 50th anniversary of the sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald already.  There are a lot of events and media covering the Fitzgerald sinking.  I can remember hearing about the sinking.   Perhaps more on that later.

1978

Some September Sightings and a Dogface!

Back to warm weather!  Birding has been patchy, but we experienced a highlight in the butterfly department at Point Pelee.  More on that in a bit.

Yesterday (Wednesday) I went down to Point Pelee to look for butterflies.  Things seemed to have picked up lately.  We may see some more highlights there in coming weeks!

I had hoped to find a Grey Hairstreak, but that never materialized.  Common Buckeyes are everywhere now and are a common sight.

I did find one female Fiery Skipper at one point.

I also saw a Cloudless Sulphur flutter by, but as usual it was on a mission.

I also saw a Pipevine Swallowtail, but it too was on a mission.

An American Snout was in the VC parking lot.  My first for this year.

Along west beach trail, there were lots of butterflies, especially sulphurs.  One would think a rarity in that family would pop up.

Late in the day, I got word that a Southern Dogface-Sulphur was photographed at the north end of the park.  There you go!

In retrospect, I also saw one there just after lunch but did not realize what it was, hence I did not pursue it.  Duh!  After seeing Bob's photos last night, that was 100% what I saw!

Word this morning was that several were being seen.  Back to Pelee I went! Sigh!

Several friends were on the creatures when I arrived, and I saw three in short order.  They were quite active, but while at perch, they do not look much different than an Orange Sulphur.

One even sat on the beach for a time.

One has to see them in flight to see the characteristic "money-shot" pattern.  Something difficult to photograph, but I managed some record shots.

This sulphur gets its name from the pattern on the upper wing which resembles the face of a dog.

The last record at Point Pelee was in 2008, and I have certainly not seen one to my knowledge until yesterday.

The State of Ohio has reported an influx recently, so it stands to reason that Point Pelee would experience some.

Certainly worth the trip to Point Pelee today!  We saw at least ten in the beach area after several of us wandered around.

Perhaps others will show up at different locations. 

There are lots of insects around right now at Point Pelee and other things to watch for.  Here is a Four-toothed Mason Wasp that I photographed in Sparrow Field.  It is apparently imperiled elsewhere in Canada, but not here.

Tuesday, I walked the south shore nature trail at Mitchell's Bay.  It has been very calm and clear this week, so viewing conditions were great.  There were lots of birds.

Highlight I suppose, were some Common Nighthawks flying around in the day.  At first I noticed one perched, which was preening at the time.  They are easy to miss when perched.  I happened to sit down on one of the benches and looked up.

Then I saw two working the skies overhead.

Another highlight was a large dragonfly that I saw flying around.  It eventually went to perch.  I thought, why does that look like a Royal River Cruiser?  Because it is!  Not something I expected at this location.

In the afternoon, it was too nice not to got for a walk at Reid CA.  

Not much happening there, but I saw a couple more Shadow Darners, not to mention Royal River Cruisers.  Getting late for the cruisers.

Shadow Darner

This katydid was in the parking lot when I arrived.  Not sure what species, as nobody wants to try and ID on iNaturalist!

Of course, Common Buckeyes were there as well as Common Painted-Lady.

So, things are happening!  Keep your eyes peeled.