Muskoka Musings

This past weekend I got away from my home area, but obviously not from the weather!  Just like clockwork, the weather went for a crap yet again for the weekend.  This must be some sort of record since we have had a weather event every single weekend this year, and the year is half over!!  Will it ever end?

I planned a trip to Muskoka over a month ago to visit Browning Island on Lake Muskoka.  In retrospect, it should have been for a weekday. I had plans to check out some of the interior of the island during the breeding season, but due to the weather and other factors, I spent little time exploring the interior.
I usually manage to get there every two years to visit our friend Shirley McIntyre who owns a cottage at the north end of the island.
Two years ago I spent a few hours on the interior, as described in this blogpost:
https://burgbirder.blogspot.com/2016/08/muskoka-trip-browning-island.html

I headed up early Saturday morning and arrived at Bracebridge about 10:20.  First stop to wind down, was the lagoons adjacent to Kerr Park.  It is a decent birding spot and popular to the locals and conveniently located on the same road to the marina where I was headed.
I happened to meet up with David Goodyear at the lagoons, a local birder.  I had never met David before, but he knew who I was before I even said anything!  Turns out he is a faithful reader of this blog.
Just before the meeting, I walked by the woods and listed some birds.  Some butterflies were out under gloomy skies, including Common Roadside Skipper and White Admiral.  The local butterfly count was cancelled on this day due to the weather. (Never plan an outdoor event on a weekend!).

I spent an hour there, and then headed down to Allport Marina where Shirley picked me up for the ride over to the cottage.
At least the drizzle held off while I was at Bracebridge and for the boat ride.  However, drizzle came down the rest of the day which was decidedly depressing.
I spent some time exploring the property though.  It has a point of land and a cozy  cove.

Next morning, the sun was actually out!  It stayed out most of the day, but there were clouds off and on and even a brief rain shower.

View towards Monte Cristo Island

In the morning, I explored Eilean Gowan Island nearby.  The interior is a nature reserve and a 5 km trail goes around the island. It is obviously heavily-browsed by deer.

I encountered some basic birds, including a pair of Common Ravens.
At one point, a Red Fox made an appearance.

After my walk, we visited with some friends of Shirley's at an adjacent cottage, then headed back for lunch.

After lunch, we managed to find the public access to the nature reserve on the west side of the island.  There is a marked trail, but one has to land in a very small boat, and bushwack to find it.

Not knowing where I would end up, I eventually came to a clearing (or meadow) which looked familiar from my visit two years ago.

There were lots of butterflies present, including numerous Long Dash and some Eyed-Brown.

There were also many European Skippers which goes to show how widespread they are.

A few dragonflies were around, including Black-shouldered Spinyleg.  This one must be fresh, as it is very yellow.

The adjacent cottage to the public access is owned by friends of Shirley's, so luckily we were able to use their dock.

Lake Muskoka on west side of Browning Island

Back at the McIntyre property, I once again walked around.  Pileated Woodpecker makes an occasional visit, but I only heard it.  I found evidence to recent activity.

Pine, Blackburnian, and Yellow-rumped Warblers are resident.  A family of Eastern Phoebes just fledged from the nest on the cottage last Thursday.

Just like clockwork, Monday morning dawned with out a cloud in the sky.  At least it made for a nice drive home.
I did stop by West Perth Wetlands as I always do, but nothing noteworthy was present.  Water levels are rather high, as we near fall migration of shorebirds.

Near home, I decided to stop at Reid CA to look for hairstreaks.  In the first 15 minutes I found five Oak Hairstreaks, which seem to be most common there.

It is prime time for this rare resident of Ontario, which can only be seen for a period of two weeks each year.

If this coming weekend is nice without rain, I will be completely lost......

Koilos (900 kg statue) on Lake Muskoka

More Thursday Tidbits

The last couple of days have been nice...oh, yes....they are weekdays.  More butterflies are out as one would expect.  I took a quick run up to Reid CA at lunch hour today.  Between swatting mosquitoes and flies, I came across some things.

Appalachian Brown

It is now hairstreak season!
They are baaack!

Southern (Northern Oak) Hairstreak

I did get a FOY Banded Hairstreak which did not photograph very well!

One should keep an eye out for odes as well.

Four-spotted Skimmer

I got up early this morning to see the final voyage of a unique vessel.  The American Victory was being towed down the St. Clair River on its way to Turkey to be scrapped.
I first caught sight of it at Mooretown.

Better known as the Middletown in its Great Lake's heyday, this ship has a unique history.

Photo by Blake Mann July 1989

It was built in Maryland in 1942 as a Victory ship.  It was named USS Neshanic and originally a saltwater tanker.  In 1947 it was named Gulfoil, in 1961-1962 Pioneer Challenger, and in 1962 renamed Middletown.  It last operated in 2008 as American Victory and was laid up at Superior, Wisconsin.
At one point it saw action in WWII and was also in a collision in which it burned.

It is quite a unique vessel and something I wanted to see today before it disappeared forever.

Passing Lambton Generating Station

Three long and two short!

Canada Day Crop Tour

Today I went up into Lambton County and checked some familiar spots.  We recieved a much-needed rain early this morning so things were rather damp to start and limited my activity.
While the rain was getting over-with, I walked Nicholl's Memorial Forest at Wilkesport.  Not as much variety of birds are there this year compared to last.

The first major stop was the old Blackwell Landfill at Sarnia.  Dickcissels are there this year as I mentioned previously.

As far as I could tell, there were two pairs and possibly a third male.  The birds were moving around quite a bit, so difficult to keep track.

Sarnia birder, Deryl Nethercott, also stopped by to check out the Dickcissels.  No Grasshopper Sparrows seem to be on the old landfill this year, but of course are in the adjacent solar farm as we saw Tuesday.

Next walk was at McKellar Tract on Bickford Line.  I wanted to check out an area of small spruces for Clay-colored Sparrow, but nothing was there.  One was there a few years ago.  I did not find much in the way of birds and got soaked to the bone in the process walking through the grasses and weeds!
I had a Dickcissel there briefly during the last incursion of the species a few years ago.

A brief stop at Moore WMA revealed very little.  It is a good spot for hairstreaks, but perhaps it was too wet.  I would have gone farther if we had not received the rain this morning.

A stop at McKeough CA was on the agenda as well.  No dragonflies!  It is certainly a poor year for them at least in these parts.  Flag-tailed Spinyleg should be out be now.
I saw the first Delaware Skippers of the year there.  (Do not try and find these within Point Pelee N.P., LOL!).

Delaware Skippers

The longest walk was at Reid CA.  Maybe it is a local thing, but hairstreaks are all over the place.

Edwards' Hairstreak

I found two Southern (Oak) Hairstreaks among the many Banded.  I have now seen 20 of the rare hairstreaks this year!  Best year since my discovery in 2008.

A rather fresh Royal River Cruiser was nearby as well.

I did a thorough check for Dukes' Skippers, but they just are not out yet.  Still early though.

Late yesterday afternoon I stopped at Reid CA as well.  Two Southern Hairstreaks were evident on that outing.

Edwards' Hairstreak

Saturday is the Ojibway butterfly count and I will be there!

Southern Comfort

It is just a title!

I managed to get off work early today, so I headed up to Reid CA in search of butterflies.  Hairstreaks are getting numerous and lots of Banded were out.

It did not take long to find a Southern (Northern Oak) Hairstreak.

In fact, I found at least four and likely five.  They can vary quite a bit, so you can often tell if you are seeing a different one.

Perhaps it is going to be a good year for them.  I am not sure it will match 2008, but seeing this many already is encouraging.  Maybe it is just good luck as in the past, you could watch for a long time and see none.

Saw the first Gray Commas as well today.

Dukes' Skippers should be appearing anytime.  I looked today but did not find any.


Fall migration is already underway and it is all downhill from here.  Days will now be getting shorter.
I had a Red-breasted Nuthatch in the yard early this morning--a possible sign that lots will be showing up this summer.


Here is an interesting stink bug I found:

Apateticus cynicus

Note:  I did not any editing of the photos in photoshop (couldn not be bothered!).

Today's Insects!

I made a quick stop at Reid CA after work today.  It was a beautiful day, but afterwall it is midweek.
Just after I got out of my car, a dragonfly caught my eye.  This looks pretty unique, I thought.
Turned out to be a Painted Skimmer!

It was not something I was expecting there, but a first for me in Lambton County.

More hairstreaks were out including several Banded.

An Edwards' was in the same spot as Monday, and likely the same individual.  The Edwards' like this spot for some reason as I see them there every year.

Reid is one of the better spots for Edward's due to all the oak trees.  One year I saw over 150 in one day.

I found another Southern Hairstreak.  This one is excellent condition.  I knew it from a distance as this species tends to be more tan in colour than the other hairstreaks.

The tell-tail pattern on the wing is very distinctive.

I was only there less than a half hour, but other than a couple of Gray Commas, I did not see much else.
All photos with the Canon G16.