More Summer Stuff and Feelin' Ruff in Blenheim

 Been making my usual rounds lately looking for things of interest.  Some days go at a snail's pace.

Unknown Amber Snail at McKeough

But, in general, the summer is going by very quickly! It always does it seems.

I went to Blenheim and Erieau early Sunday morning.  First stop was the lagoons where I met up with Dr. Mike Austin from Texas.  Mike is originally from Chatham, but moved to Texas in the 1970's and spends summers at Point Pelee.  We meet up on occasion.

Nothing of note, as unfortunately the Red-necked Phalarope from the previous day had left.  Of course, every thing else was there, but true to nature, the "good" bird never stays!  Dr. Bird and I were disappointed, but it is early in the season.  More will show.

I did get my first Stilt Sandpipers of the year.

I then went to Erieau and walked the marsh trail and McGeachy Pond trail.

Juvenile Black Tern at McGeachy Pond

Monday, it was close to home.  I went for a long walk around the back field at Reid CA.  Pretty mucky as the river flooded the previous week from the excessive rain.  

A couple of Great Egrets were along the river.

I saw my first Lance-tipped Darner of the year.  It was not too co-operative though.

This time of year, we see more darners.

Fewer butterflies.  Appalachian Brown's are just about done.  However, lots of Broad-winged and Dukes' Skippers are still around.  Starting to get worn though, as the summer wanes.

Northern Pearly-eye

Of course,  I always try and photograph my favourite ode, the Royal River Cruiser.  I am fascinated by them.

In the afternoon, I checked out the garden.  This Pure Green Sweat Bee might be new for my list there.

This bee I have photographed before.  It has a neat name:  Lunate Longhorn Cuckoo Bee.

The very common Transverse-banded Flower Fly was one of the visitors.

Here is a neat fly, which I am not sure of the name.

Later in the afternoon I walked Peers Wetland.  Two Great Egrets were there, and suspect they were the two from Reid earlier in the day.

I came across a Royal River Cruiser at one point.  I saw one here last year as well.

Tuesday, I had the urge to head up to Port Franks and Ipperwash to look for insects.  It was not overly productive, but the weather was nice for a change.

I started at Sandrin Tract and checked the sand bowl area. Not much in the way of odes though.

Calico Pennant

Lots of Wild Indigo Duskywings and Northern Broken-dash among others.

Next stop as the MNR parking lot at Ipperwash.  The only thing of note here was a Mocha Emerald.  It never settled down, so I did not get a photo.  I have done well with them this summer, but then, they are getting more common.

Big Sand Tiger Beetle

I also walked part of the Dunes and Swales.  I wanted to see a Shadow Darner this day.  I found one!  Not the best photo though of this large darner type.

Slaty Skimmer

I was going to stop at Marthaville Habitat on the way home, but for some strange reason it was closed for maintenance.  Very disappointed!

So, I stopped at Wilkesport nearer home for one last walk.

Familiar Buet on top, Azure Bluet below

The only thing of note on Wednesday was a nice find at Peers Wetland.  A Flag-tailed Spinyleg landed on the trail right in front of me!

The huge club really stands out.

It is a first record for Peers (as far as I know) and indeed my first Chatham-Kent sighting.

Today, I needed a change in scenery and went for the long walk at Hillman Marsh.  It was a bit on the quiet side though.  But one has to look!

Lots of Broad-winged Skippers

faded Eyed Brown

I heard a cuckoo at one point and decided to try and find it to confirm ID.  Sometimes the two can make similar calls, so one has to have a visual confirmation.  I was actually leaning toward Black-billed, but nope, it was a Yellow-billed!

Yellow-billed Cuckoo

I decided to take the long way home and visit Blenheim lagoons in case something different had come in.  Well, something really different was there!

I saw someone at the sprinkler cells and went over to find Stephen Taylor from London area.  He thought that he was looking at Ruff, so I took a gander and said that he was correct!

My photos are highly cropped as we did not approach the creature too closely.

It appears to be a moulting male.  Ruffs are highly variable, so all kinds of plumages and colours are possible.

Probably overdue for some time, since the last one here was fifteen years ago already!  How time flies.  I think I have seen four Ruffs here now.  

Certainly a nice way to cap off the day!

Ode Explode and Ruffin' it around Pelee

 This week dragonflies (odes!) came out in force, starting on Tuesday.  Although I did not have much time to look around, there were swarms on the way home from work.

After a quick supper, I went up to Reid CA to have a bit of a look along the trail.  Hundreds of dragonflies were patrolling.  There were lots of Common Baskettails, Dot-tailed Whiteface, Four-spotted Skimmers and Racket-tailed Emeralds.

I was not on my game with the camera, but I did take a few photos.

Four-spotted Skimmer

I have actually never seen so many of the skimmers and emeralds there!  

Racket-tailed Emerald

Dot-tailed Whiteface (F)

Wednesday at work (marina), we were working outside and I noticed a huge number of odes.  A large number of them were Racket-tailed Emeralds!  Actually, I had never seen any of this species there before, or at least noticed any.

I did not have an insect net there, but a fine-meshed fish net did OK to check some of them out!

👽

Late Wednesday, a pair of Black-billed Cuckoos visited the yard.  Been a long time since I have seen one here!  Cuckoos in general have been scarce so far this year.

😎

Today, I ventured down to Point Pelee.  I like being there in June, especially at the Tip.  American White Pelicans are regular there at this time of year. (Today I saw 15)

Gulls can be good in June as well,  I have found Laughing Gull, Black-headed (twice!) and Franklin's in the past.  Today there was not much, but a first cycle Little Gull has been around for a while.

I was early today, and probably left the park too early as well!  I should have looked for odes later in the morning and afternoon.  I did see a Painted Skimmer at one point.

I was hoping for something weird today such as a Great Blue Skimmer.  I bet some of those are found this year!  I have found one before at Pelee.

I stopped by Hillman shorebird cell on the way towards home.  It is still flooded, thankfully.  Sometimes they have already started draining it by this date.

A female Ruff was found by Brandon Holden a couple of days ago, and it was still present.

I wanted to see it, as it has been a long time since I have seen a Ruff.  I have seen lots in the past, including two self-found birds.

Lots of Semi-palmated Sandpipers were present among other common creatures, as well as a tardy Lesser Yellowlegs.

👀

As I was home too early (!), I went up to Reid CA this afternoon.  Still lots of odes, including Four-spotted Skimmers coming out the wazoo!  I have never seen so many.

Racket-tailed Emerald

The other species were still in good numbers, plus Common Whitetail, and Twelve-spotted Skimmer.

Very few butterflies, but a couple of Common Ringlets were FOY.

Reid CA is certainly much better for insects than birds!

Maybe tomorrow something out the blue will occur!

Loony in Lambton

Needless to say, there have not been many migrants so far.  I do not blame them!  It has been tough going to find anything lately.  I have spent a lot of time in Lambton County.  There have been some good rarities though.

Hardly any warblers, etc., but shorebirds are doing well.  A few days ago a Black-necked Stilt popped up.  I just got some record photos as the shorebirds were very skittish when I arrived.

There have been several in Ontario so far this spring!

In north Lambton, a Ruff was obvious at a certain location.  I did not go for the bird, but probably should have since I have not had one in Lambton yet.  One was close many years ago though!

A Long-billed Dowitcher was near Sombra not too long ago.

Today, we all went loony over a bird in Sarnia Bay.  An attractive Pacific Loon put on a show.  It was quite active moving a lot and diving.

Going.....

A couple of Common Loons were nearby for comparison.

The last few days of weather have kept the same birds in the same locations.  It has been a cold and windy spring with mostly north winds.  Locally, Peers Wetland has been the best spot for warblers.  However, they have been the same for several days.

Apparently, some Provincial Parks will be open for day use on Monday!  Appears that Rondeau will be open on next Friday.

Baltimore Oriole at home

Rose-breasted Grosbeak at home