Continuing With Insects!

 This past Sunday afternoon, a few of us checked out Reid C.L. for insects.  It was a perfect weather day--sunny and not too hot.

The theme was Dragonflies and Other Insects as I led a Lambton Wildlife outing.  Turnout was low with only three other people, so I guess other priorities were in order that day.

We had a wonderful time finding lots of things!

There were very few dragonflies, but we did see at least one Mocha Emerald on the wing.

We spent most of the time at the low spot where there was once a river channel.

Among the sedge skippers were Broad-winged, Dukes' and that single Dion.

Broad-winged

Dion

Dukes'

There were several baby tree frogs seen.

Some other insects:

Acanthocephala terminalis

Smeared Dagger

Short-lined Chocolate moth

Slender Spreadwing

Winthemia

Chokecherry Leafroller Moth

Carolina Grasshopper

A couple of Banded Hairstreaks were seen near the gate.

Next day, I wanted to go farther afield and ended up at Hillman Marsh and Point Pelee.  Things were scarce at Hillman, but several Broad-winged Skippers were around the shorebird cell.

An Eyed Brown was in a usual locale.

Dragonflies were extremely low in numbers.

Widow Skimmer

I went into Point Pelee for a brief walk down west beach trail.  The previous evening, a Striped Hairstreak was seen there.  I had no expectations of finding one, but I got lucky! Like finding a needle in a haystack, I just happened to spot a Striped Hairstreak.

Not all that common there, but I have seen a few many years ago.

No Common Checkered-Skippers were detected at Hillman which was very unusual.  However, that afternoon I found one in my yard.

Tuesday, I went up to Sarnia.  I needed to get a new cell phone (been putting that off too long!), but before that, I walked a portion of the Howard Watson trail between Modeland Road and Blackwell Sideroad.  I have found it good for insects in the past, but once again they were scarce (the trend this year).

One of my targets was to find Double-striped Bluet.  I managed to find one!

I also found only one Banded Hairstreak.

On the way home, I stopped at Moore WMA for a quick look.  Some Blue-tipped Dancers were along the river along with Stream Bluets.

Today, went just north of town first thing in the morning before the heat of the day arrived.  First walked Nicholl's Memorial Forest and Wetland.

Double-banded Grass Veneer moth

Then went to Reid C. L. and spent quite a bit of time there.  

I walked around the back field, and finally got a photo of a Royal River Cruiser for this year.

Along the main trail, I found quite a few hairstreaks.  More than last year and this year combined!  Most were Banded, but a few were Hickory.

Hickory

Banded

I spent most of the time at the "low spot".  

Lots of Broad-winged Skippers were flying.

A few Dukes' as well.

I did see a Mulberry Wing, but it never settled for a photo.  Second time I have seen one, but unable to photograph!

Few odonates.

Eastern Forktail

Slender Spreadwing

It was clear this morning, but as I write this, wildfire smoke is extremely thick here in Wallaceburg.  As bad as it was three years ago.  Hopefully it is better tomorrow.

Summer At Blenheim and Piper at Erieau

 Today I had high hopes of seeing lots of birds. It is still a bit early, but there should have been a lot more birds than what I found at Rondeau Park today.  I covered quite a bit of ground!

I arrived quite early in order to hear some Whip-poor-wills and timber doodles.  As day broke, it was heavily overcast.

I heard a couple of Wood Thrushes, as well as an Ovenbird for first-of-years.

I did a quick check of Keith McLean C. L., but it was extremely windy by that time, and water levels were terribly high.  Hardly any birds!

I then ventured over to Erieau to walk the "rail trail".  The only new thing was a Blue-winged Warbler which did not want to be photographed.

One or two White-crowned Sparrows are still hanging on there.

It was off to Blenheim Lagoons.  Last evening, a young birder (along with his parents) from Wallaceburg found an adult male Summer Tanager along the fence!

I had not heard if it was seen again today, but there were several birders there upon my arrival.  I was informed that it was still present, albeit very elusive.

It took some time, but we had brief views of the handsome bird.

We usually see first year males or females in the spring, so this was nice to observe.  I think I have only seen one adult male before.  It was till showing a little bit of green in the wings, so not quite entirely in full adult plumage.

This past Friday I was at Rondeau.  First thing, Steve an I walked the north central block of the park.  We did encounter quite a few warblers at one point, including an Orange-crowned atop a tree.  I attempted photos....but I think it was trying to tell us something.

I took a long walk out the marsh trail to the half-way point.  There were some birds of interest, but none wanted their photo taken.....again!

I started off with a first-of-year Common Yellowthroat.  Shortly afterwards,  an Eastern Kingbird made an appearance.  It tied the early dates in the county except for one a number of years ago that seen on the 19th (eBird records only).

An early Warbling Vireo made an appearance not far from the late one I saw last fall.

Farther along, I encountered a flighty White-eyed Vireo.

Some Northern Yellow Warblers were along the way.  For some reason, quite a few came in this year quite early all over.

Next day, I started at Mitchell's Bay.  Nothing of note, so I continued on to Blenheim.  The weather got crappier as I went!

An early Wilson's Phalarope was at Blenheim lagoons.  Conditions were terrible with drizzle and fog and wind.

Since I was that far, I continued on to Erieau where a Piping Plover was on the beach of the tip of the Rondeau spit.  Two had been found the previous evening there.

Only one remained, but it took a while to find it.  It was too far off to try for a photo.  This bird appeared unbanded.

Here is a photo of another at Rondeau in the past.

Sunday was a rather nice day.  I started at Mitchell's Bay on the south shore nature trail.  A Black-crowned Night-Heron was right near the parking lot.

There was not much out on the lake.

In the afternoon, I took a walk at Reid C. L.

Large-flowered Bellwort was coming along nicely, albeit a very common plant.

Also looked at the Twinleaf patch.

Surprisingly, not much in the way of butterflies.

American Painted-Lady

Yesterday, I went a little later in the morning to Mitchell's Bay.  Still not much in the way of birds!

Turtles were taking advantage of the warm sun.

Next couple of days are going to be rather cold.  Par for the course this spring.....one extreme to the next!