A Few Autumn Colours and Notes

 Fall colours are in full swing now.  A few days ago I took a short walk at Reid C. L.  Here are some scenes along the trail.

Also went into the woods to the "tall oaks" section!

I took note of another Chinquapin Oak at Reid.  I saw the leaves on the ground a year ago but did not find the tree.  I finally found it this week.  Not a big tree by any means, but that brings my count there to five small trees, and one very large Chinquapin at Reid.

Of course, I have been to Mitchell's Bay a couple of times, but bird diversity is now low.  I am looking for quality birds now...

If you like blackbirds, that is the place to be.  There were hundreds on my last visit roosting in trees and feeding in the field, so it was quite noisy!  I did not pick out any with yellow heads this time though.

A Wilson's Snipe was in the same spot two days in a row.

I seem to have  habit of taking a photo the water tower each time....

Peers Wetland has not been very productive lately, but I get there maybe three times a week for a walk.

Colourful Scene at south end of Peers.

Purple Finches are almost in every location right now.  Some are hanging around the yard taking advantage of the seeds in the trees or garden.

Yesterday, I went to Rondeau to try a lakewatch.  I have been anxious to do one, but conditions have been less than ideal this fall so far.  It was better this time, but no too exciting.

Looking SE

However, I did catch sight of a "decent" bird in the form of a Red Phalarope.  Distant scope views were only obtained, but it is a bird we can expect this time of year.

Looking NE

The day was threatening rain, and it did start just as I decided to leave.  Therefore, there was no other birding for the day!

Random Roadside Scene

On the way home, I got word that a Cattle Egret was spotted in the usual pasture at the corner of Bisnett and Erieau Roads.  It is almost an annual thing here, and there have been at least five that I can think of here over the years.  They are called Western Cattle Egret now.  There must be an Eastern Cattle Egret somewhere....

It was too late to head back down, so this morning I did so.  Unfortunately, it was in a bad location upon my arrival.  There is no place to properly pull off on Erieau Road, especially when most drivers are going at excessive speeds (like every place else!).

LOL

Here is a distant view from Bisnett!

Angus the cow

While in the general area, I decided it would  be a good day to visit Keith McLean Conservation Lands.  It was indeed, as there were a lot of birds there. 

 

Upon arrival, there was a lot of activity in the trees not far from the parking lot.  Yellow-rumped Warblers seemed to be streaming in over the field (and still were when I left), so I have no idea how many went through.

Lots of sparrows too, especially Chipping and White-crowned.

Chippie

The mudflats had quite a few shorebirds, including a couple of dowitchers with long bills, Dunlin, both yellowlegs, Least Sandpipers and a flock of Pectoral Sandpipers which flew in while I was standing there.

Pecs

LBDO

Greater Yellowlegs

Just before I left, coming up to the parking lot, a Peregrine Falcon went through.  All the ducks and shorebirds got up.  I had no idea there were that many Killdeer there....

That is it for now, as yet another weekend approaches.

 

Ups and Downs of This Week

 This past week was quite damp with fog, drizzle, rain and even some wet snow.  Wind changed direction several times, having an influence as to where I went!  With the damp weather, there was not much in the way of birding, let alone photography.

It was quite mild at times.  Frogs singing included many spring peepers, and even a Chorus Frog!

Tuesday I went to Rondeau on strong SE winds.  The lakewatch at dog beach had potential with lots of ducks moving.  Naturally, Red-breasted Mergansers were the most numerous and tallied over 24,000 during my watch.

Afterwards, I walked quite a few spots in the park.  Highlight was a roosting Eastern Red Bat!  It was in an odd spot I thought, right out in the open, hanging on a thin twig of a shrub.  How I noticed it was simply a miracle.

I no luck in photographing any birds, as they were quite active in poor light.  A tardy Common Yellowthroat was near the start of marsh trail.  The Blue-gray Gnatcatcher that will attempt to winter, was still in the campground.

Just before dark (it gets dark too early now!), a Chipping Sparrow showed up at the backyard feeder.  Been a while since I have had one this late here.  A Lark Sparrow would have been more interesting.....

(taken through a window)

Wednesday was essentially fog and rain all day.  I managed a walk at Mitchell's Bay and Peers Wetland in the morning during a break in the weather, but it was foggy.  Actually there was less fog on Lake St. Clair!

Peers Wetland

A Lambton Wildlife meeting was scheduled that evening, so I thought I might do some birding around Sarnia.  NOT!  It rained the whole time, so I spent most of the time in the car and driving around aimlessly!  Not doing that again....

Thursday was another dismal day, but by that night, the wind had switched to the NW and was stiff.  That signaled a visit to Lake Huron at Sarnia on Friday!

View from the parking lot

A good number of birders showed up for a lakewatch, but the weather was miserable with mostly rain and drizzle.  However, it was a good day for birds.  Lots of gulls.

The highlight was a Black-legged Kittiwake.  Finally one showed up (and four were at Bright's Grove as reported by Ken Burrell).  They had been absent this fall until now.  

Our bird was an adult, which is quite rare in our area of the Great Lakes.  I have only seen one other adult (at Van Wagner's Beach) in all the year's I have been birding.  Paul Pratt (also present) remarked that it was only the second one he has seen on the lakes as well.  However, it was too far out for photo attempts.

We also saw two adult Little Gulls, and not much variety in ducks.  Red-breasted Merganser was the most common besides Long-tailed.

Another highlight was a Short-eared Owl.  It circled aimlessly (as they often do) behind us and even came overhead at one point.  It was extremely backlit though.

As mentioned before, it has been a good fall for Short-eared sightings.

I left about noon, but some others stayed to tally a Red Phalarope!  Cannot get 'em all.

Algoma Compass downbound

Today, we had another NW wind, but lighter.  I figured it would not be as good of a day at Sarnia.  I have learned that most times when we have a good day, the next day is not so good!

However, farther north at Ipperwash, there was an impressive loon migration with over 1000 seen in about five hours.  Interesting how some decide to move en masse.

I opted to go to Rondeau today.  There were not a lot of birds around, but it was pleasant.  The lake was very quiet for moving ducks and gulls.

South point trail revealed quite a few Yellow-rumped Warblers, for whatever reason.  I managed to come across a Pine Warbler at one point, so that was the highlight of the day.

The Blue-gray Gnatcatcher was still hanging around the campground.  Seems we get one every year that wants to try and spend the winter!

This Eastern Bluebird posed at one point, but I could not get a focus on it, except when it turned away.  Today was another one that I had no luck with the camera!

I did get an obscured view of a Pileated Woodpecker in the campground.

When I arrived home, a female Purple Finch was at the feeder.  Not often I get any staying here.

(taken through a window)

More seasonal weather is soon coming...and hopefully some rarities.

County Tours

Saturday I explored several places, going through Chatham-Kent, Elgin, Middlesex and Lambton Counties.  Keith McLean Conservation Lands near Rondeau Park was the first stop.  The day started off right when I found a Marbled Godwit on the mudflat.  We usually do not see many of these in Chatham-Kent, so it was a treat.  It is probably my third self-found Marbled in C-K.

After that I headed east along Talbot Trail.  I walked the Bury Cemetery trail, but it was still a bit early to see any butterflies.

I had the idea of checking out the Dutton prairie off Coyne Road so the was the next stop.  It was a disappointment, as it was quite overgrown and wet.  I could only go so far when I encountered too much water on the trail.

Compass Plant

It was a year ago I was on an organized field trip there which I enjoyed quite a bit.  Will try again sometime later in the day!

While in the general area, I went down to John E. Pearce P.P. to walk the Storey Wetland.  It can be good there for leps and odes.  

Spicebush Swallowtail

Silver-spotted Skipper

Peck's Skipper

About three-quarters of the way around, I caught sight of a Comet Darner!  It kept going out of sight, so that was that.  A pond was nearby, so I had the thought of checking it out.  Sure enough, I saw a Comet Darner patrolling over the pond.  It was bit distant though, so I tried for photos anyway.  Note different species in the photos!

Afterwards, I started heading back west and ended up at Wardsville Woods, another one of my favourite spots. Good for leps here, and sometimes odes.

Great-spangled Frit

Here I encountered two Purple Finches.  Obviously they are on the move right now.  Many have reported them for the first time in southern Ontario this year.

Of course, this is the time of year to look at Cardinal Flower.

A prairie plant demonstration plot is situated on the property.

Next stop was in Skunk's Misery where I walked my favourite trail off Sassafras Road.  This Red-spotted Purple was quite small.

There is a small creek along this trail, and at one point I caught site of an emerald.  Possibly a Mocha, but I did not have long enough views.

Just before going home, I stopped by Florence again.  The river was running higher than it has been all summer (darn rain!).  There was little to see since there was no edge but I did see several species of dancers.  This one was a bit of a mystery, but could be a female Dusky, which I was hoping for.

Dirty Dancer

Today, I had little scheduled and went down to McLean's first thing.  Nothing of note today, but this place has a lot of potential.  I predict a Little Blue Heron in the near future! (Overdue...I found one here August 26, 2000!).

Great Egret

This afternoon, I took a long walk at Reid CA with little else to do.  

Common Ringlet

Dukes' Skipper

Lance-tipped Darner

Last weekend I photographed a butterfly at Wilkesport that looked very different.  I thought it was an odd Viceroy, but it never dawned on me what it really was (sometimes I am blind in one eye and cannot see out the other!).

Turns out it was a hybrid!  Viceroy X Red-spotted Purple to be exact.