Heated Hairstreaks to Devious Dragonflies

(Had to think of some sort of title!)
Friday was a scorcher, but today was a little better temperature for being out in the field.  By noon Friday, I was cooked!  Leps and odes must have been too as they retreated by then.

Just to start things off on Friday, I took a walk at Perch Creek Habitat east of Sarnia.  I noticed lots of hairstreaks (all Banded) which was an indication it was going to be a good day for that family.

Skipper from Deleware

From there, I headed back south and first stopped at Moore WMA.  I spent quite a bit of time there and actually walked way back like I used to in years past.  Things sure have grown in.
Starting off, hairstreaks were all over the place with dozens perched on various plants.  A good percentage were Hickory, but some Banded and some Striped.

This is a good spot for Silvery Checkerspot, and some were out.

At the river crossing, I noticed my FOY Royal River Cruiser.  Many dead mussels collect here and I saw various species.

Maple Leaf

Even hockey pucks sometimes show up.

Back a little further, I looked for Mocha Emerald, but did not see one.  Another Royal River Cruiser never perched for a photo!

Stream Bluet

Going further back, I was hoping to find Coral Hairstreak, but never did.  Not even Edwards'.  There are trails going way back, and perhaps they are on private property, but I used to go back there many years ago.  There always used to be tons of hairstreaks.

It was getting hotter as time went by, and when I left Moore, hairstreaks were difficult to find.

My next stop was McKeough where I wanted to look for Flag-tailed Spinyleg.  I was about to give up when something caught my eye.  I chased it down and sure enough it was a freshly-emerged Flag-tailed.

The heat was getting to me by this time, but I still stopped at Reid CA for a quick look.  No Dukes' yet, but I got a new species for my list there.

This Baltimore Checkerspot was nice to see!  I have had them at McKeough, but I do not think I have seen one at Reid.

There were lots of hairstreaks out at Reid as well, and I spotted one Northern Oak.

The Northern Oak will soon be done for another year.

It was noon by this time, and I was done for the day!


Today, I went as far as Ipperwash.  I like the Dunes and Swales area, so checked it out.

Common Roadside Skipper

The Cedar Trail is nice this time of year as it skirts the wetland.  I was looking for odes, but not too many out today.  One area looked good for Spatterdock Darner, and perhaps I may have seen one in the distance.

Birds were not too noteworthy, but a resident Black-and-White Warbler was nice to hear.  Veery is common here and one was singing atop a dead tree!

I stopped by Forest Lagoons on the way back.  Hardly a bird in sight, but water levels are dropping in time for shorebird migration.
I walked around the one cell, and some dragonflies caught my eye.  Two or three Variegated Meadowhawks were noted.

It has been a few years since I have seen this species, as it is sometime not too common.

I stopped by Moore WMA once again, but not many hairstreaks were visible. 

Bronze Copper

Banded Hairstreak

"Moore" mussels....

Tomorrow is the first butterfly count.  Hopefully we will not be "skunked".

North Lambton July 6

I decided to head north rather than south today in search of mainly insects, or whatever was to be found.
My first walk was at Ausable River Cut CA.  I had never been there this time of year.  Some of the dune areas along the river were interesting.

A Banded Hairstreak was nectaring on Common Milkweed.  The blue anal spot was slightly capped by red, which is a bit unusual.

A Wild Indigo Duskywing was nearby.

Odes included several common species.  Blue-fronted Dancer was one of the more attractive damsels.

A Pronghorn Clubtail was hanging about a wet area.

Birds included Pine Warblers and a Black-and-white Warbler plus more common species.

At Port Franks, I walked the L-Lake trail and into the NCC property.  Mosquitoes were horrendous here, so I did not linger in any given spot!
Some Silvery Checkerspots were at the start.

One of the more notable birds was a singing Black-throated Blue Warbler.  Some are this far south in the breeding season.  It remained out of range for the camera though.
Hooded Warbler was also singing as usual.

After being chased out by mosquitoes, I moved over to Ipperwash Forested Dunes and Swales.  I wanted to walk the Cedar trail which skirts the wetland area in search of dragonflies.

 There was quite a variety of odes.  I half expected Spadderdock Darner as the habitat was good, but I did not see any.

Several Slaty Skimmers were around.

I encountered a few Racket-tailed Emeralds, but not as many as the last visit.

Butterflies included a number of Monarchs, which seem to be plentiful this week.  I managed to find a single Roadside Skipper, trailside, but not along the roadside.

This one I thought was a Crossline Skipper.

There was not much in the way of birds, but that was not my focus.  The usual Black-and-white Warbler was singing away, and several Pine Warblers were throughout.  I saw one carrying food at one point.

Dead man's Fingers at Port Franks

Mosquito Swatting in Port Franks and Ipperwash

This morning I headed up to Port Franks area again.  I wanted to spend more time on the L-Lake trail and NCC trail.  It rained on the way up, but at least stopped by the time I got there.  Mosquitoes were thick due to all the rain we have had this spring.  A heavy dose of repellent was in order!
Early on, I encountered a Magnolia Warbler, not unusual for this location at this time, and also a pair of Hooded Warblers.
The Nature Conservancy of Canada has a property to the north which a trail runs through.  Earlier this week, a Worm-eating Warbler was discovered along this trail.  Perhaps it was an overshoot as it has not been detected since to my knowledge.

At one point, I found a vocal Acadian Flycatcher, and further along, a pair was alongside the trail.

Pizza Bird

Acadian Flycatchers are rather abundant in the Ipperwash, Port Franks, Pinery area as suitable habitat exists.  It is no problem finding them!

Ridge along NCC trail

On the way back, I stopped by the pond for a bit, and Deryl Nethercott came along.  I mentioned that I wanted to check out a trail system over in Ipperwash.  That was our next destination!

Along Outer Drive, we stopped to listen for some warblers including Mourning, Chestnut-sided, Blue-winged and a migrant Blackpoll.  I still did not get a Cerulean for the area!

At Ipperwash, we arrived at the Ipperwash Dunes and Swales Forest trail system.  It is an incredible natural area and very unique in my opinion.  There are three main trails:  Dunes and Swales (5.5km), Cedar Trail (2.5km) and Beach trail (4.7km).

We walked the entire Dunes and Swales trail, which went through some nice habitat of dune ridges with swales in between.  Mosquitos seemed to be more abundant here, but it was a treat to walk through this habitat.
We saw lots of Pink Moccasin orchids.

One of the warblers working the swales was a singing Canada Warbler which was not too photogenic.

In one of the larger swampy areas, was an Acadian Flycatcher.

We did hear one Hooded Warbler along the way.  Hooded Warblers are also common in these parts.

Some butterflies included this Hobomok Skipper.

At the trail head, we found a Common Roadside Skipper. One species I had not seen in a few years. On some of the Pinery counts, we have had lots, but in some years none.

At first I had thought the similar  Dusted, but a closer look revealed it to be Roadside. No white above the eye giving it a "bandit" look.  Also the hind-wing edge is different.

We checked out part of the Beach trail, which is more open and certainly better for butterflies.

It follows a sandy dune ridge and apparently comes out at the public parking area.
Along this trail, we almost went by a family of Sandhill Cranes which was down in the swale.  There was a pair plus a very young bird, difficult to get a good look at.

Along Beach trail, we found a Black-and-White Warbler which is possibly nesting the area.  I have seen them in late June and early July in these parts.

The Ipperwash Dunes and Swales is certainly worth another visit! (Perhaps in November when finches and waxwings are moving through).