Recent Tidbits

I have not had much to report in the last week here on this forum.  Since I am posting daily on Facebook, there is some overlap there!

I have been to Mitchell's Bay a few times, Rondeau a couple of times, and the usual local places several times.  Not much to photograph on the those visits!  I mainly look for things of interest.

Last Friday, I went for a long walk out Rondeau's marsh trail to Long Pond.  It was more for exercise than anything.  There were about eight species of migrant warblers, and a few flycatchers.

The only shorebird other than Killdeer was a Solitary Sandpiper at the end of my walk right by the start of the trail.

Here are a couple of butterflies seen (or parts thereof).

Spicebush Swallowtail

Red Admiral

Saturday morning it threatened rain, and eventually it did rain!

View from Peers Wetland of incoming storm

Sunday I went down Blenheim and Erieau way.  The lagoons had basically the same shorebirds, plus a pair of Red-necked Phalaropes.  Seems to be a good year so far for them.  Last year I completely missed the species!  This year I have seen six so far.

In the afternoon, I went for a walk through the woods at Reid Conservation Lands.  I kept an eye out for anything of interest.

This bright red fungus caught my eye.  It is Red Raspberry Slime Mold.  Needed the macro setting to get this photo.

The Twinleaf plants are still showing, soon to disappear until next spring.

Other things seen:

Red-tailed Hawk feather

Ghost Pipe

Leopard Frog

Common Checkered-Skipper

Monday was cloudy off and on, so I did not do much.  Did a lot of driving around!  But of course I did not see much.

Green Cone-headed Planthopper

Monarch

Prairie Dock at Peers Wetland

Today was quite nice as I headed down to Rondeau Park.  I suspected it would be a good day for birds.....and it was!  I spent most of the time on south point trail.  There were lots of warblers, vireos and flycatchers.  

I tallied 12 species of warblers.  Cape May Warblers were bountiful, as I counted 24.  Highlight was a Connecticut Warbler just before getting back to the parking lot.  Although it was quite co-opreative, I could not get a clear shot with the camera.  Here is the best photo:

In the spring, we may hear them singing, but they remain unseen.  That was the case this past spring!

South point trail has a new sign.  There is no maintenance beyond the "S-curve".  Beyond that, it is extremely grown-in, now hardly recognizable.

All for now.....

Spring Walks and Scenes This Week

 I was able to get out for some walks this past week, as we have had some decent weather.

The usual spring arrivals are showing up.  This Eastern Phoebe was in my yard earlier this week on a rainy day.

A lot more gulls have shown up as expected, including this Ring-billed Gull along the St. Clair River.

Herring Gull in background

On Tuesday, I was due for another long walk, so I took advantage of the nice morning and walked out Rondeau's south beach.  There was not much variety in birds, but the clear skies made for a good walk.

Marsh View

It was quite cold overnight, so there was some ice.

Continued walking back via the east beach.

Along east side beach

This Pileated Woodpecker was not sure what direction to go.

There were lots of Horned Grebes swimming in the early morning light.  I was hoping to see a Red-necked, but that never happened!

One of the mussel shells I encountered was a Wabash Pigtoe.  It is an endangered species, but I have come across them several times before at Rondeau.  Always well-weathered!

Remnants of last fall's waterfowl hunt were evident on the beach!

After the walk, I scoped the Bay for ducks.  We still cannot find a Eurasian Wigeon!  Every place else seems to have them.....

One last stop was a quick walk at Keith McLean C. L.  I finally saw an Eastern Bluebird for the year!  I was not able to get a decent photo, but pleased to see one after a long absence.

They just were not around to any degree this winter, like many other birds.

Northern Flickers have arrived in numbers recently.

Yesterday morning I started out at Mitchell's Bay.  Nothing special, but Great Egrets have arrived in numbers.

Hundreds of Tundra Swans were in fairly close for a change.

Later in the day, I did some birding in the Sarnia area since there was a Lambton Wildlife meeting in the evening.

I accidently stumbled upon a soon-to-depart owl.  There were hardly any owls around our area this winter.  Snowy Owls were absent in the area for sure, among others.

Today was quite nice in the morning.  It was sunny this morning despite the forecast.  I guess it was a little delayed as the clouds and rain rolled in just before noon.

I took advantage and went for a long walk at Reid Conservation Lands.  Pleasant to get back in there and see signs of spring.

Spring plants are just starting to pop up after a harsh winter.

Virginia Spring Beauty

Purple Cress

Some that stay visible all winter include the Sharp-lobed Hepatica.

There is lots of it at Reid, but I have never found Round-lobed!

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In the history corner, the little passenger vessel Omar D. Conger (built 1887) blew up at its dock in Port Huron around this date in 1922 due to a boiler explosion.  It was a frequent visitor to Wallaceburg, and seen in many photographs.  It was mainly a ferry between Sarnia and Port Huron.

More Harbingers of Spring and Other Things

 There has not really been much new to report in the last week, so lack of subject matter here.  Migration has been sluggish so far this spring, but it looks like the floodgates will open up in the next few days.

It continues to be very windy every day.  We have had some calm mornings, but as the day progresses, the wind picks up!  Enough already.

Last Friday, I went out Lake St. Clair way on a fairly calm and cloudless morning.  No novelties!

Eastern Phoebe

Saturday I went down to Rondeau Park.  Nothing out of the ordinary to report!

Sunday, I once again went to Rondeau, but took a long walk out the marsh trail on a calm and cloudless morning.  Yet again, nothing new had come in.  It was for exercise I guess!

The Bay was as smooth as glass first thing.

Later, I swung by the Townsend's Solitaire spot, and the western creature was still working the property much to the delight of many birders who had come to see it.

On the 14th, I checked out the nature trail at Mitchell's Bay.  It was fairly birdy, but no rarities!  A couple of freshly-arrived Yellow-rumped Warblers were along the trail though.

There were hundreds of gulls in the fields around the area.  Some too far out to discern, but a couple of Lesser Black-backed Gulls were amongst them.

I continued on and ended up for a long walk at Reid CA.  I was not too successful in finding mussels along the riverbank.  A couple of Mapleleaf were all that I could muster.

Always looking for Harbinger of Spring.....which is fairly plentiful at Reid.

As always here, not many birds.  I did get a newly-arrived Yellow-rumped Warbler though.

Tuesday was a bit of a write-off with the crappy winter-like weather.  High winds again!

Today was much nicer, but I stayed fairly close to home.  I checked out the St. Clair River in case a Pacific Loon was around.  (I was optimistic!).  Of course, no such luck.

Afterwards, I headed inland and went to Moore WMA to look for mussels.  There were quite a few!  All were just dead shells of course, except, I did find one live mussel in the form of a Fragile Papershell. (I put it back in the water!).

Best find was a Kidneyshell (as far as I can tell), a critically imperiled species in Ontario.

Other things included a White Heelsplitter, not to be confused with the rarer Pink Heelsplitter.

And the fairly-regular Deertoe

Most common is Giant Floater (do they float?).

This afternoon warmed up quite nicely, and the wind died a little, so I went for a walk at Reid CA.  Things are picking up, as I found at least three Yellow-rumped Warblers, an encouraging sign of things to come.

A few insects were flying in the cool breeze today.

Eastern Comma

Mourning Cloak

Pink-spotted Lady Beetle

Furcate Dung Fly

Spring plants have struggled, but are slowly emerging.

Large White Trillium

Reid is quite abundant with ginger, and I found a few popping up today.

Looks like warmer weather is on the way, so things will be hoppin' now that Easter is on the way!