Lambton Leps and Things

 The past couple of days, I spent some time in Lambton County to see what was around.

Tuesday it was up to Port Franks and Ipperwash.  At least it was a pleasant day weatherwise, as the main focus was insects.

I think the constant cold northerly winds all May did a lot of things in, as there was not the usual number of insects that one would see this time of year.

I first walked the L-Lake and NCC trail off Outer Drive at Port Franks.  I always enjoy this walk for birds and insects.

There were not as many birds as usual, but several Acadian Flycatchers were on the usual territories.

Mud Creek winds through the area, and at a certain location, one can look at the watercourse.

The uncommon Cyrano Darner flies here.  Although I have seen it in the past, there was nothing to be seen this day.

I then slid over to Karner Blue Sanctuary to check out the recent burn.  It was long overdue and things looked good.

However, not as many insects as usual.  I did find several Juvenal's Duskywings.

One very worn duskywing appeared to be a Sleepy.

This Peck's Skipper popped up at one point.

Not the best place to find the rare Dusted Skipper, but I did manage one individual here.

Next stop was Ipperwash around the old MNR parking lot.  Here one can find good numbers of Dusted Skippers, but there were not as many as these little bandits usual.

At one point, I spotted an Elfin, albeit very worn.  I think it was probably a Hoary.

I do not see many Elfins since one has to go to north Lambton fairly early in spring.  I spend more time in the south at this time of year!

Very few odes, but this bluet was likely a Boreal, which is uncommon here.  Nobody seems to want to offer any comment on iNaturalist!  Should be enough to go in here.

It was a hot and muggy day, and by the time I was done at this location, I decided not to do any more.

However, I did stop briefly at Wilkesport to look for Zabulon Skipper, but no luck there.

Yesterday I headed up to Sarnia to check around.  I did a long walk at Perch Creek Habitat finding the usual birds.  It was too early for many insects though.

I walked along the creek for a bit, something which I had never done before.  Potential for lots of odes there, so maybe I will try that again soon, if I can tolerate the mosquitoes.

I also walked around the adjacent old landfill, but there was nothing of significance.

Common Ringlet

One of the main targets was to see Silvery Blue butterflies at Blackwell Trails park.  This is the only known spot this far south, and they are fairly abundant here.

I saw several, but they are always very flighty. One co-operated for me.

Others butterflies included Peck's Skipper and Wild Indigo Duskywing.  I could not rule out Columbine Duskywing though on this one.

Towards home, I stopped at Moore WMA.  A bit early for odes there, but some teneral Blue-tipped Dancers were out.

Add, of course, a look for mussels did not reveal anything of note.  Just the usuals.

Mapleleaf

In the history department, on this day in 1972, the Parker Evans rammed the Sidney E. Smith Jr. under the Bluewater Bridge.  The Smith quickly sank as a total loss.

The hull still exists as a breakwater at the end of Seaway Road near the government docks.

As a result, only one-way freighter traffic was allowed form this point forward.

As a kid, I recall going to see the Smith lying on its side in the river.  Also, the wheelsman on the Evans was a friend of my dad's and he recalled the incident.  There was nothing he could do to stop the event.  I remember him saying that his heel marks were left on the wheelhouse floor!

I do not seem to have photos of the above freighters on hand.  Still looking.

Blues, Valves, Odes, Moccasins, Birds

 Now that the month of May is almost at an end....already (!) I have been looking more at insects.  Some days have not been all that good as we have had excessive amounts of rain.

This past Sunday, I went for a long walk at Hillman Marsh after looking at the shorebird cell.  Nothing of note in the shorebird department, but it was worth a look.

Sandhill Crane

Lots of Least Skippers were along the dyke.

Among the thousands of Eastern Forktails, some Skimming Bluets were seen.

Monday was a rainy day to start.  I wanted to head up Sarnia way to look at some things, but I had to take my time waiting out the rain.  After it stopped, and was still cloudy, I walked Dow Wetlands.  A decent bird in the form of a Sedge Wren was singing in the grasses.  It was a first-of-year bird for me, not all that common around here.  But, we do get the odd ones sticking around to nest.  Too distant for a photo though.

Nearby I found this rather large leech enjoying a puddle.

I then took a chance to go for a walk at Blackwell Trails park, an old dump site within Sarnia.  Luckily, the sun had come out by then so that I could look for the rare Silvery Blue.  All I was seeing were duskywings, likely Wild Indigo.  Perhaps Columbine as well, but they were too fresh to know.

After considerable time, I caught site of one Silvery Blue, but it kept going out of sight.  I persevered, then, right on the trail I found one nectaring on White Clover!

At least I did not have to go off trail and collect some ticks like in past years!

This is the only known site in Lambton for this species.  They are more common farther north.  The  only other Lambton record is of a couple along McCallum Line back in 2014.

With so much rain, Red Cedars are rusting!

Juniper Rust (fungus)

Tuesday was another rainy day, so I did not do much, but got some things done at home.

Wednesday I decided to give Rondeau one more go before May ended.  It was actually a calm and pleasant day as I checked out various places.

I walked along the beach off south point trail hoping for some decent gull.  It is a good time of year for Laughing or Franklin's or even a Black-headed, but no luck there.  However, there were up to seven Little Gulls.  All were first cycles except for one adult.  For some reason I never attempted to get photos!

Various mussel shells (mussels are sometimes called valves), were along the beach.  Just some plain old mussels.

Plain-pocket

Ducks included a single Bufflehead and a single Long-tailed, both of which are lingering later there.  I only got on the Long-tailed too late....

Some late warblers, but not unusual, were a singles of Tennessee, Canada, and Wilson's.  I found up to seven Blackpolls as well.

One has to ask where are the cuckoos?  Not a single one.  Also, Red Knots seemed to have fallen off the map anymore.  Another one I remotely hoped for.

After Rondeau, I decided to head over to Wardsville Woods to look for odes.  Unfortunately, clouds rolled in as I approached, and then the rain started.  I waited it out for a while, then went for a walk.  The sun never came, but I did see a few odes.

Pretty sure one was a Cobra Clubtail, then a couple of Midland Clubtails, a couple of Twelve-spotted Skimmers, Widow Skimmer, Common Whitetail, and Eastern Pondhawk.

The female  Twelve-spotted was missing part of one wing, so it was really a Ten-spotted Skimmer!

I did find one Double-striped Bluet.

A spreadwing caught my eye, which may be an Amber-winged.  It is somewhat uncommon and I have never seen one.  I did not know it at the time, so did not get all the photos needed.  Nobody on iNaturalist is brave enough to even comment on it, so that has not been helpful.

It was disappointing due to the crazy weather, but of course the sun came out as I drove home!

Today I headed to north Lambton.  I had the urge to walk the L-Lake trail and adjacent NCC trail.  There were not as many birds as I had thought there would be, but it was a decent walk.  

Up to five Acadian Flycatchers (not unusual there) and a Cerulean were singing among others.  Highlight was a singing Connecticut Warbler, remaining unseen.

It was too early in the cool day for odes, but I did see a couple Aurora Damsels.

A Chalk-fronted Corporal was at the start of the trail.

I decided to go farther north and check out the Klondyke Sports Park. Recently a Northern Mockingbird was found here, so I wanted to see it!  I could not get one anywhere else yet this year, so this one had to do. Not the prettiest one though.

They are certainly not as regular as they used to be.  Been a long time since I have seen one in Lambton.

Also here, a Grasshopper Sparrow seemed to favour the tennis court fence area.  They likely nest across the road (Clay-colored Sparrow has been here in the past as well).  Seemed odd it was hanging out in a groomed multi-use park.  Perhaps it was desperate for a mate.

Not finished for the day, I next went to Ipperwash Forested Dunes and Swales for  a walk.  With all the excessive rain this spring, I knew to wear boots!  The Cedar Trail was flooded in about seven spots, some areas quite deep.

A few Racket-tailed Emeralds were flying.  I never realized how common these are everywhere until recently.  I find them in most suitable places.  Even saw one at Peers Wetland earlier in the week!

A basking Blanding's Turtle caught my eye at one point.

Pink Moccasins (Pink Ladies Slipper) are quite common here.  I did not realize how common, but then I am not usually here at this time of year.  I saw dozens of plants.

It was a cool, but pleasant day on a light north wind.  The mosquitoes were not bothersome at all!

Speaking of north winds, they often push such things as kites to the Lake Erie shoreline.  Go figure, a Mississippi Kite was photographed at McGeachy Pond this morning!

Just June Junk

 The other day, I headed north to Sarnia to see a somewhat uncommon butterfly for our region.  A few years ago, Silvery Blue was discovered at Blackwell Trails park.  The park is a former dump converted back to nature and has some good creatures within.

Last year if anyone recalls, I went there and saw the Silvery Blue, a rather attractive lep, for the first time.  This year, I had no problem finding several (about 10) on the wing.  They rarely stop, so getting a photo is difficult.  I managed one good photo, the same one on this blog header.

Silvery Blue is rare in SW Ontario.  There are some records going way back (1981, 1982) at Point Pelee, and there is one NE of Wallaceburg along McCallum Line in 2014.  One has to go farther afield to see them in any numbers!

There were several other species of butterflies, including these two:

Common Checkered-Skipper

Wild Indigo Duskywing

While there, I tallied an Olive-sided Flycatcher, which has been elusive for many this spring in our region.  In typical pose, dressed in a vest, atop a dead tree.

Red-headed Woodpecker is also at Blackwell Trails.

The rare Comet Darner is also found at Logan's Pond within the property.  I have seen it there in the past, but we will have to wait until about mid July to see it!

I zig-zagged home and stopped by Moore WMA.  Odonates are now showing up in variety, and I saw my first Midland Clubtails of the year there.

Water levels are dropping with the lack of rain, and more mussels were showing.  Nothing new, but this nice Mapleleaf wanted to be photographed.

On Thursday, I headed to east Chatham-Kent to see what was around.  Some good birds were seen/heard.

A female Calico Pennant had just emerged at the old quarry at Clear Creek.

Over at Erieau, some "summer" Canvasbacks were resting off the rail trail.

I headed to Point Pelee on Friday.  Some good birds had been showing up there recently, but of course not on my visit (again!).  Just a matter of luck, as some have better luck than others.

However, this time of year, American White Pelicans are a regular at the Tip.  Up to 19 came in on my watch.  Always nice to see!

A couple of immature Little Gulls were mixing with the bonies at the Tip.  Here is one resting on the sand.

Today I stayed close to home and did some bird atlassing.  I realized I had one more point count to do in one square, so I did that.

I did some birding at McKeough CA, then went down to Reid CA.  Nothing new really, but one always has to check!  A late Gray-cheeked Thrush was of note at Reid.

Speaking of odes, Racket-tailed Emerald has recently emerged.  I found a few at Reid today, an excellent place locally to find them.

Seems like the dog days of summer already, but it only early June!  When will we get some much-needed rain?