Prairie Romp: An Outing to Walpole Island

Late this morning the local naturalists had an outing to Walpole Island.  It is not often that we get a chance to check out some of the prairie sites, so it was something one could not pass up.  Today, we were led into a site by Clint Jacobs.  I have been to a few other sites, but this was one that I had never visited.  I was hoping that it was a different site that we had been to many years ago...that might have produced some Northern Bobwhite!

We parked our cars under an Ohio Buckeye tree, which is very rare for Canada.  In fact, I do not think it grows anywhere else...naturally!

Pink Milkwort was plentiful at this site.  It is tiny a plant found regularly on Walpole and some at Ojibway.

There was another kind of milkwort which I think was Field Milkwort.

Rough Blazing Star is quite abundant at this particular site.  There were a few Dense Blazing Star soon to come into bloom, but it was outnumbered by Rough by a longshot.

One section had some Colicroot.

Colicroot

We were free to roam around to take in the unique plants.

There were lots of other prairie plants to look at.

Butterfly Milkweed

Mountain Mint

Showy Goldenrod (not in bloom)

Butterflies and dragonflies were not abundant (not surprising for this year!),  but Halloween Pennant was one of the more numerous odes.

Halloween Pennant on Rough Blazing Star

Halloween Pennant on Dense Blazing Star

One of the butterflies was this Eastern Tailed-Blue.

We were not there to look at birds, but a Black-billed Cuckoo was calling nearby.

Beforehand, while waiting at the arena parking lot, a Broad-winged Hawk soared overhead.  An odd sighting for this time of year.  I did not have my camera on hand at the time!

This afternoon I stopped by Reid CA since the weather was quite nice.  Some Dukes' Skippers were working the sedges.

While looking at a Dukes', I found a Striped Hairstreak-first for the year, finally!

I saw a couple of Broad-winged Skippers in another area.  This year it is too wet to walk through the sedges, so this was a distant shot.

Prolific Prairies

The past couple of days I made my rounds in the conservation areas north of here. All have some praire aspect to some degree. This year, the prairie wildflowers and grasses are quite vibrant due to the moisture we have received. Last year, they were quite supressed and unappealing.

At Moore WMA, it was nice to walk through the tall grasses with various flowers in bloom, although the morning dew made it quite wet. The blazing star is abundant this year, and is just coming out. Lots of Culver's Root was out, as well as Gray-headed coneflower and the various sunflowers. Compass Plant was not yet out, but some plants were very robust. Ironweed was interspersed among the grasses as well. In some areas, Wild Burgemot was thick and in full flower.

By the way, the resident Blue-winged Warbler was still present.

Butterflies such as Wood Nymph were abundant everywhere. However, the most abundant was Pearl Crescent (or Summer Crescent). On Monday, there were lots at Perch Creek CA with quite a variance in size and shades of darkness. It was not until I got to Nicholl's Memorial Forest near Wilkesport, that I realized the extent of the crescent population. There were hundreds! I have never seen so many.

I saw a couple of Silver-spotted Skippers, after a brief absence, so another brood must have emerged. As well, Common Ringlets are now out again with another brood.

At Reid CA, I added my 44th species of butterfly for that location this year. On Sunday I spotted a worn Northern Pearly-Eye. I walked through the woods for a change (with the mosquitoes!). It is truly a unique place with all the big oak trees, and the variety of trees which is stunning.

Fall birds are showing up as well. I went out in my boat on Monday morning and saw several Caspian Terns on the beach at Seaway Island (a usual spot). Later in the morning at Perch Creek CA, I heard the chip of a warbler. A Tennessee Warbler was flitting in the trees. It is not unusal to see a southbound Tennessee Warbler by late July, so this was not out of place. A sign of things to come no doubt.

Just relaxing on the back porch Sunday afternoon one could watch for different butterflies. I had three species of swallowtail--Tiger, Giant and Eastern Black. Not surprisingly, the Black was checking out a parsley plant. I also had a Red-spotted Purple which I had not seen in quite some time here. Some may marvel at seeing a Giant Swallowtail, but they are relatively common in these parts.

I was thinking of Gray Hairstreak, as I have not seen one in many years. Has anyone seen one lately?