McKeough/Reid Insects and More

This morning I made my daily stop at Stewart Wetland west of town.  Finally some migrant shorebirds!  Among the many usual Killdeer, were 4 Lesser Yellowlegs, a Least Sandpiper and a Short-billed Dowitcher.  These are the first shorebirds I have seen there this month.  Habitat is excellent!

Just as I arrived, 5 Sandhill Cranes were coming off Walpole Island and at least a couple others were in a field just over the river in a field.

This evening I had the goal of finding one of the Sydenham River specialties--Flag-tailed Spinyleg.  I found several which were my first of the summer at McKeough CA.

Here are some other dragons.

Black Saddlebags

Twelve-spotted Skimmer

Also had Halloween Pennant, but it did not want to sit for any length of time!
Have not seen Pronghorn Clubtail yet.

I made a brief stop at Reid CA and saw some usuals such as Royal River Cruiser.  I like these big green-eyed creatures!

Here are a couple other dragons.

Common Whitetail male

Widow Skimmer male

Quite a few Banded Hairstreaks were milling about.  Getting worn!

Too late in the day for sedge skippers.  They go to bed early!

More Spring Sightings at Rondeau

Another fine day, but a little quieter than yesterday.  I headed down to Rondeau again and saw a couple of half decent birds--one on the way in, and one on the way out!
A FOY Sandhill Crane was on the Keith McLean property. It was a bit distant, but here is a record shot.

Early Sandhill!

I walked the campground again, but it was very quiet today.  A Pileated Woodpecker flew over, which was nice to see-a first for the year.  They are conspicuously elusive during the winter!
Next stop was the visitor centre feeders.  I got a better photo of a titmouse today.

Quite a few American Tree Sparrows were busy working the ground.

Yesterday I saw the first chipmunks scurrying around here.  Today I saw another alongside the road come out of a hole in the snow.  It went back in, peaked its head out briefly and disappeared.  Would have been a neat photo!

Down the road, a mixed flock of blackbirds was chattering away.  Probably some new arrivals.

At the park pier area, one can get a good look of the Bay atop a 3m high snow bank.

Where is the parking lot?

Outside the park, just past the Kent Bridge Road intersection, I noticed a Brown Thrasher feeding alongside the road.  No doubt it wintered in the area.

A Song Sparrow was virtually beside it, but it would be one that wintered in the adjacent marsh.  I saw some earlier in January.  A large group of American Tree Sparrows was here too.

After a bit of driving around, I headed home.  It seemed rather quiet for birds today.

Robins in many places today

On another note, yesterday I actually photographed a male Wood Duck at the Tip of Pelee.  I took a photo of the two 'dark' ducks flying south, not really looking too closely.  Thanks to Alan's usual keen eye, I make that correction!  A very early spring migrant!

Wood Ducks

Another Day Another Wigeon

This morning was very calm, but very crisp.  I decided to make the long walk out marsh trail at Rondeau as I often do this time of year to burn off some winter fat.  Steve Charbonneau joined me for the exercise!  I have to admit there were few landbirds-probably the fewest I have had this time of year out there.  Song Sparrows were most plentiful though, and were throughout the park in bunches.

Lots of ducks were on the Bay at the start.

We heard Sandhill Cranes in two different spots, so likely there are two pairs out there.

Lots of Green-winged Teal were in Long Pond, but we were looking directly into the sun. I always have to remind myself to look for Common Teal!

Northern Shovelers in flight

After the long walk, we went over to the dock and scoped the ducks.  I did not even have my scope fully set up and Steve already spotted a male Eurasian Wigeon.  No doubt another individual from the one we saw over a month ago at Shrewsbury.  Thoughts of Cinnamon Teal danced through our heads, but nothing else of note.

Throughout the park were several Eastern Phoebes. I probably saw ten altogether.

Unco-operative Phoebe

I looked for butterflies, but was not successful.  Yesterday I had a Mourning Cloak go through the yard when I got home.

The only other place I went was Blenheim Lagoons.  Not too many ducks today.  An Eastern Meadowlark was working the edge of pond 3.

A nice little mudlfat is at Stewart Wetland near Wallaceburg.  I will have to check it out regularly.  A coot was in the pond today.

Sandhill Season

Sandhill Cranes are now showing up west of Wallaceburg.  I saw the first two early this morning along Stewart Line.  Another was west of Wallaceburg near the Snye.
I never see them in the spring, but by July they start showing up in the cut wheat fields.  By fall there can be dozens!

Things were very quiet this morning despite a pleasant morning.  No birds to report!  I did not even hear the Dickcissel at Port Lambton.
The only interesting thing was a Great Horned Owl being mobbed by Blue Jays and crows at Brander Park.

Eastern Amberwing at Brander Park

Snowberry Clearwing

American Copper wrinkled!

The Long Walk

Erieau Lighthouse from Rondeau Park's Marsh Trail

As it was the end of March, I walked out Rondeau's Marsh Trail like I usually do at this time. I did the entire length! It was more for fresh air and exercise, as there were not many birds to see. Things are slow to come in this year I think (except phalaropes).
Song Sparrows were numerous, but others were not or absent. I did see two or three Fox Sparrows and a couple of Juncos and a few Tree Sparrows, but no Swamp Sparrows. Usually there are a few Swamps by now.
Sometimes there are meadowlarks, but none today.

Oh Deer!

I did hear a couple of Sandhill Cranes early on, then later I saw one flying southward. They have nested in the marsh the last few years.
Lots of ducks were on the Bay, a few gulls on the sandbar. One needed a scope, but who wants to lug that for 14 km? Been there/done that. At least four species of gulls were present.
Lots of Black Ducks, among other species, were near the end.

Black Ducks

There were dozens of Green-winged Teal at the very end of the trail. Lighting was no good to look for the Eurasian type to make things interesting.

Green-winged Teal

Animals included Cottontail Rabbits, Mink, Deer, and Chipmunks.

The Very End of Marsh Trail!

I only encountered two Golden-crowned Kinglets out the trail, and a couple of more later in the park. They are just starting to show up.

A few Tree Sparrows are around--there sure were not many this winter.

I heard a Field Sparrow singing in the campground.

Tree Sparrow

I still have not seen a butterfly yet this year! It always get too cold or rainy on weekends, so maybe next weekend. Weather forecast looks good for Easter Weekend, but that will change at least ten times (and still be wrong!).

No Eastern Phoebes yet. This is probably the latest I have gone without seeing one. Things sure are late or absent this spring!

I stopped at Blenheim Lagoons and found the Wilson's Phalarope. It took a while to find it, but it was there. It hides well.

One wonders the story behind this bird. Where did it come from so early? It could well stay for a long time as long as it gets food.

Wilson's Phalarope

Rondeau Park on Saturday

Rondeau Bay (note deer at right)

We finally have some nice weather for a weekend. It was a bit cool this morning, but I headed down to Rondeau Park to get some fresh air and exercise. I walked most of Marsh Trail first thing. There is still quite a bit of ice, but Rondeau Bay is mostly open. Probably upwards of 20,000 ducks are out there, plus hundreds of Tundra Swans and some geese.

The best bird was the first Sandhill Crane that flew by me along the Bay shoreline. Red-winged Blackbirds are very abundant making endless noise all around.

lone Sandhill Crane

I encountered one Purple Finch along the trail, and a few Song and Tree Sparrows. Not much else, and not a single raptor.

I also walked the south end of the campground and heard a couple of redpolls flying over. At one point, surprisingly, I heard the tremelo of a Screech Owl. I look towards the sound and saw a gray morph Screech Owl poking out of a hole in a tree! I tried to approach a little closer, but it popped back in out of sight. It was not to be seen again! One does not often hear a screech owl in the middle of the day, but this one was making itself known.

White-breasted Nuthatch in the campground

I headed out towards Erieau after my walk, but little did I know a Black Vulture was less than two kilometres away.....until I got home! (This has always been my nemesis bird anyway, so what is new?).

Ice off McGeachy Pond, Erieau (note how it was driven towards shore and the spile "cut" through the ice!)

Winter Birds

With all the snow farther north from here, I decided to head to the Lake Erie shoreline where birding would likely be more interesting. I spent several hours in Point Pelee looking for good winter birds. There were many Yellow-rumped Warblers all over the place, along with Hermit Thrushes and some Purple Finches. I noticed lots of grapes, poison ivy berries and other berries still around for the birds.

Hermit Thrush with grapes

It was a dull day along the lake with a fine snow, so photography is poor.I started on the Chinquapin Oak trail and walked towards the cemetery. There were a couple of Yellow-rumped Warblers and Hermit Thrushes there, along with a Ruby-crowned Kinglet. Some Golden-crowned Kinglets and Purple Finches too.

male Ruby-crowned Kinglet

I then decided to walk towards Tilden's Woods and found a larger flock of warblers, White-throated Sparrows, Hermit Thrushes, etc. While on the Tilden's Woods trail where it crosses the old road bed, I happened to look up and saw a Sandhill Crane silently passing over. It was just by luck that I had looked up at that time, otherwise I would have missed it. A good bird for just before Christmas!
After getting back to the car, I headed to the Tip. Not many landbirds there, but some Juncos and White-throated Sparrows in the underbrush. No sign of the Spotted Towhee. There were lots of gulls at the Tip, while a couple of Northern Harriers came in off the lake.

The icy Tip

Later, at the beginning of Shuster Trail, there were more Yellow-rumps and Hermit Thrushes. I did see both Sharp-shinned and Cooper's Hawks (adults) flying over. There was also a Rough-legged Hawk and a Red-tailed Hawk.
I went back to the Chinquapin Oak Trail and found the kinglets again. I also saw a large flock of Starlings, and one all-white one stood out. I wish I had been able to get a photo of it.

On the way out of the park, I caught sight of an adult Bald Eagle near the gate.

I wanted to head over to Erieau, so I drove along the lake. I noted quite a number of Harriers heading west during the drive.
At Erieau, there were lots of ducks and gulls to look at, but it was so cold and windy I did not spend as much time as I would have liked to.
The male Harlequin Duck was still in the channel. At one point, I got a brief look at a juv Black-legged Kittiwake flying out near the end of the pier. An adult Lesser Black-backed Gull was on the ice on the Bay. At least one Double-crested Cormorant is sticking around.
There were several species of ducks plus several American Coots. A Great Blue Heron was under the dock overhang where the Black-crowned Night-Heron usually stands. At first I thought is was the Night-Heron!

It was getting late, so I headed home!

Rondeau April 27

A day will make all the difference. There were not as many birds today, and there seemed to be a changeover in the birds. Quite often, when one has a good day, the next day is not as good! Anyway, we found a nice male Cape May Warbler and a Chestnut-sided Warbler on south point trail. These were good for this date. I also spotted a Least Flycatcher which was another first for the year.

Other warblers included a pair of Pine, Black-throated Green, Palm, Yellow, Common Yellowthroat and of course Yellow-rumped. Another two White-eyed Vireos were on south point as well.

On the lake lots of Bonaparte's Gulls were moving and we spotted four Little Gulls among them.

In the afternoon I went along with Lambton Wildlife's hike in Reid's Bush north of Wallaceburg. It was mainly to look at plants, but we did see a few birds. Just as we started, we heard a Sandhill Crane. In the woods we encountered Blue-Gray Gnatcatchers, Yellow-rumped Warblers, a Black-and-White Warbler, Black-throated Green Warbler, Wood Thrush, Ruby-crowned Kinglets and the resident woodpeckers.

A Tree Frog about four metres up a tree in a hole provided a unique photo opportunity.

A very large burl in a Walnut tree was interesting.